a song i've redone. (nick drake-ish with string quartet)

[cello_pudding]

it's on my myspace

www.myspace.com/johnmarkh


I redid the strings, as the first attempt was rather sloppy. I'm going to put strings on all of my songs soon enough to start really kicking within the summer.

I hope you enjoy it, as i do work very hard on my music.

it was all done with mxl 990's, a 991, possible a 57 on something. i use an onyx 400f and a martin guitar.

 

[ido1957]

I listened to Friend - it came on automatically on the player in MySpace.

The instruments seem to be crowding the center at times - most noticeable at the beginning.... Considering that they are quite easy to distinguish - which is normally not the case. Your eq settings must be just right!

Strings are really tough to record, just ask rayc or DavidK. You seem to have the hang of that. They do have a bit more "room" than I prefer, but that's just my personal taste.

Vocals (lead and harmony) are excellent - smooth and right on the money pitch-wise... I like the tone of your voice too.....

The playing is good, and the arrangement is cool - lots of variety for the listener....

 

[ecktronic]

Things sound nice here.
The guitar is nice,
You have a good singing voice which is quite unique IMO.

Good work,
Eck

 

[DavidK]

I remember this. This is interesting stuff.

The strings?? They are overpowered by this celeste sound, which is WAY too loud. I like the various effects like tremolo. I have an MXL 990/991 combo too, they are not great string mics but we use what we have Try a high cut on the fiddles. The strings need to be louder and the intonation gotta be nailed if you are doing it this way. This is somewhat like an Eleanor Rigby, where it is strings amd not much else, so they gotta be perfect.

Cool tune, it's getting there. I applaud you for trying it, I indeed do know how hard it is to pull something like this off.

 

[cello_pudding]

the intonation is fine i believe. there are some clustered chords with major and minor 2nds. it may not be perfect....but its good enough for my music.

 

[CIRO]

Congrats for the arrangement. It´s far from "MTV ready song", and it´s great to see you are making the music you believe.
Clustered chords... very "dense", soundtrack kinda ...

*I rebember 3 or 4 months ago listened to some superb classical pieces you sent (with another name) .Congrats one more time, you´re a fine player, Cello.


Ciro

 

[cello_pudding]

wow...thanks.

yes, i have 2 myspace accounts

 

[rayc]

Puddin' - cool stuff.
Friend played auto so that's what I am listening to at present.
I like the song.
The one thing I can offer from my tortures with a 'cello is that compression on the way in helps heaps if you can do it that way. Compression in the box works pretty well to but requires care - but it evens out the levels which is important.
Arrangements are really effective.
I agree with davidk re the high cut & the celeste (?) - it is pretty loud.
The vocal melody & lyrics are really interesting.
I have to swear by my little cluster of Sony ECM 19bs for capturing a warmer sound on my 'cello.

 

[DavidK]

the intonation is fine i believe. there are some clustered chords with major and minor 2nds. it may not be perfect....but its good enough for my music.

I hope you enjoy it, as i do work very hard on my music.

You are contradicting yourself. If it isnt in tune, it isnt "fine". I say this as a fellow string brethren, Ive been playing for 36 years. Intonation on strings is EVERYTHING. As pros, we dont care if you play like Yo-Yo Ma or Yo Mama, if it isnt 100% in tune, it's not going to work.

It's hard to hear I know, I dont like it when people tell me. But it's true. Our instruments are the most unique and the most difficult to tune. Listen CAREFULLY, it is, by far, THE most important thing. It is what is holdibg back your very fine work on this.

 

[cello_pudding]

i've been playing for 2.

where in the song is the intonation not fine?

you've been brought up on music that's different than mine. out of tune a lot of things...guitar..vox...horns...is pretty common in indie. i've heard it all, and it doesn't matter to me. there's a line....but i don't think i've crossed it

 

[cello_pudding]

and yes, i've used the handle longer than owning the cello.

 

[DavidK]

you've been brought up on music that's different than mine.

I was brought up on rock and Lawrence Welk. Music is music, intonation is intonation.

i've heard it all, and it doesn't matter to me.

Then I dont understand why you are posting stuff here. If it doesnt matter, it doesnt matter. If it TRULY doesnt matter, I feel for you.
What can I say?? I guarantee you that every person here would agree with me. As I said, Strings arent like other instruments as far as intonation. There are no frets, it's ALL by ear.

 

[ecktronic]

Sorry to say, but I can hear intruments out of tune between each other at 5 seconds in the song "friends". Could be the intonation or just the tuning of certain instruments or just a plain slip of the finger mistake.

Still nice work.
Eck

 

[cello_pudding]

i just spent a few minutes and tuned them up....i just automated a cent pitch shift and solo'd the cellos.

do you hear more out of tune things in the upper voice or lower?

 

[famous beagle]

I was brought up on rock and Lawrence Welk. Music is music, intonation is intonation.



Then I dont understand why you are posting stuff here. If it doesnt matter, it doesnt matter. If it TRULY doesnt matter, I feel for you.
What can I say?? I guarantee you that every person here would agree with me. As I said, Strings arent like other instruments as far as intonation. There are no frets, it's ALL by ear.

I think you're going a little overboard.

There are PLENTY of spots of pro albums where a singer's voice isn't perfectly in tune, but it sounds great because of the feel or vibe it has. And when you get right down to it, there is no PERFECTLY "in tune" unless you're talking about synths or electronic music.

You say "it's either in tune or it isn't," but I gaurantee if you held up a strobe tuner to every note played by a human string player that you consider to be "in tune," you'd see that it's not actually perfectly in tune.

There is a gray area, as pudding said, and he doesn't feel he's crossed the line. After an initial listen to his song, I'd agree. Sure I heard some spots where the intonation was shotty, but for the sound he's going for, it didn't sound offensive to me.

I mean ... geez ... have you ever listened to the vocals on a Rolling Stones song?

 

[cello_pudding]

and don't take it that i don't think i played out...i certainly did. i'm not 36 years good by any means.

the audience that would go for this is really strange on what they listen to. preference to imperfect recordings and annoying sounds...

either way...i'm trying to fix things that people don't like...i took down the glock bells ...i'm putting them more in time...i sorta just pasted the same part in different places and didnt match up well...the strings are being re tuned...but jsut slightly 10 cents here and there...i noticed i only touched one of the takes...the second was okay tuning wise..

thanks for listening. i am far from a studio string musician...but if you'd like to fund me for 4 of them for a week...i'll take it

 

[DavidK]

I think you're going a little overboard.

There are PLENTY of spots of pro albums where a singer's voice isn't perfectly in tune, but it sounds great because of the feel or vibe it has. And when you get right down to it, there is no PERFECTLY "in tune" unless you're talking about synths or electronic music.

I mean ... geez ... have you ever listened to the vocals on a Rolling Stones song?

Find me one commercial recording where the string background is out of tune. Just one. You are talking about something COMPLETELY different. The strings being out of tune are the same as a piano being out of tune. It doesnt or shouldnt happen because you bring in a piano tuner. The singer can do as he wishes.

thanks for listening. i am far from a studio string musician...but if you'd like to fund me for 4 of them for a week...i'll take it

You are off to a great start Trust me, I wouldnt waste my time if I didnt like what you are doing. The arrangement is cool, the song is good, it;s creative stuff. The world's BEST string players can be out of tune We develop thick skin about it and try not to take it personally. It's not a reflection of musicianship, it's blending with 4 people, or yourself overdubbed.

There is no quick fix. It has to do more with overtones than with anything else. When everything is in tune, the instruments will ring in a certain way. As you will learn in time, it is VERY complex stuff.

 

[cello_pudding]

i can prefer out of tune pianos with not the greatest of overtones at times...and it doesn't bother me if it is slightly off.

and commercial recording is not where i want to be.

and i'm serious. i'm actually listening to a song right now that takes advantage of out of tune things.

 

[famous beagle]

Find me one commercial recording where the string background is out of tune. Just one. You are talking about something COMPLETELY different. The strings being out of tune are the same as a piano being out of tune. It doesnt or shouldnt happen because you bring in a piano tuner. The singer can do as he wishes.

Ever heard ... let's see ... Velvet Underground? Arcade Fire? Wilco? Nirvana? The Beatles?


Should I go on?

 

[notCardio]

hello cello!

Dude, tell me you did not play Terre Haute with Casa-whatever!