A sunny song...

  • Thread starter Thread starter Pedullist
  • Start date Start date
Pedullist

Pedullist

Stop it, I can't breathe
Hi there folks!

It's summer. I've been working on this song for a little while now. I don't think I can't get it any poppier than this. Drums still need work (it definitely needs humanizing, those hihats are way too tight to the grid)...and all tracks need eq/compression.

It's mixed so dry that it's almost applicable for the HRC3 challenge. I did barely mix it for a reason though...instead of making the decision beforehand I decided to ask you my friends!

1. What kind of reverb/delay is appropriate for a song like this? Or is no reverb the best way to mix this?
2. How stupid are the drums? Can I fix it by humanizing it a little or is the part in itself stupid?
3. Did I overdo the harmony vocals? It's pretty much, but I covered everything I heard in my head so it 'feels' good in my ears. But perhaps you disagree....lol :D

Korte Rokjes Seizoen (=Short Skirt Season)

http://www.nowhereradio.com/artists/album.php?aid=2618&alid=462
 
needs banjo with BALLS.....!!!

(in my best Arnold voice..."I'll be back!")
 
mixmkr said:
needs banjo with BALLS.....!!!
Click to expand...

Why not? :)

If you wanna do it, be my guest. Perhaps I'll mute the banjo, perhaps I mute the balls, perhaps I mute nothing at all...LOL :D
 
Ricola!!!!!!!

Nice tune Ped.
I must be drunker than I thought though.
I'll be damned if I can understand one word:)

If it feels good in YOUR ears, that is the most important thing.
I rather enjoyed it. I like music that doesn't say,
"You are not worthy" if ya know what I mean.
A lot of flem on the vocals but I suppose that goes with the language.
I liked the harmonies and thought they fit in pretty good.

Dan
 
Sounds good!

Okay, to go over your points ...

1) I think this sounds real good dry, as is. Maybe just a touch of verb would be okay, but not too much. I think the dry sound works well on this -- imho -- :)

2) Drum wise, should definitely try to humanize them if you can. They work fine as is, but I think with the real thing there would be a 100% improvement, which is to say that they sound fine now, but will really make the song fly if they were real (if that makes any sense)

3) In my opinion, the vocals are what makes this work! I love the harmony on there (I'm big on harmony anyway, even though I'm not good at doing it so I actually envy you :) )

Okay, this is just my $.02

Oh yeah, I think the song itself has a great pop quality to it. Very good!

:)
 
Hey PED!!! Good to see ya' :)

I like this....reminds me of Frank's 2000 Inch TV by Weird Al.

I think the harmonies could actually come up in a few places...also, it could use whatever the rhythm instrument is turned up a bit.....I mainly hear bass, drums and vocals....the rhythm seems buried......

OK gotta run ( I'm working on HRC#4)
 
Drums up a decibel. There, now it's perfect! The vocals are fine - I like the backups better than the main vocal - really poppy, really nice. The main vocal is fine - really upfront, but fine. If you want to experiment with a reverb on it, how about a long predelay, short early reflections, and keep it on the bright side? It'll make it less dry without being obvious. Or am I stating the obvious?

For the first time in my life, I feel like I'm understanding Dutch. Short skirt season - yeah, international language you're speaking there. So what's the followup? No bra season? Roll on, Pedullist.

Rool ijn Pedullist.
 
cool tune. good recording. I`m down kinda near the beaches so your "short skirt season" is called "Thong Time" down here. :)
 
Wow, I actually got into the words on that one - and I have no idea what you're saying. I guess that speaks well of your delivery.:)

I might add a hint of delay on the vox - just enough to thicken them a tad without hearing too much slapback. But really, they're fine dry. Very infectious upbeat feel to this. I'm on headphones tonight so I can't be too specific about the mix, but sounded good from what I can tell (these headphones suck).

Chris
 
mixmkr: I assume you fell asleep holding your banjo and balls? ;) OK, you've said you would be back but never said when. :)

SLuiCe: haha, thanks! (I believe this is your shortest critique ever). Well, after I've humanized the drums, and mixed the lead vocal less upfront I definitely will leave this puppy alone...

HevyD47Ca: the drums keep bothering me (I was curious whether I was the only one), so I'll fix those. Thanks for listening...

boydrj: yeah, when I'm recording it usually sounds pretty OK in my ears. Then I start mixing, and get the strange idea I MUST USE FX LIKE REVERB TO MAKE IT SOUND RIGHT. Sometimes the approach just doesn't work......$.02, what's that in euros? LOL

O, and this is one of my few attempts that really worked out the way I intended: I wanted to make a happy pop song and it is a happy pop song. I'm proud of myself!

Lt. Bob: Listening tp it back today, and you're 100% right about the mix. If you send me your address I'll fix it for ya ;) :D

dobro: check your PM. Thanks for the tips regarding the reverb. Lead vocal is too loud, IMO. Sometimes stating the obvious is the critique I'm looking for. Just to help me to convince myself what's good and what isn't.

Toki987: hahaha :D Not too fond of thongs though...short skirts rock though! Not too short please, my imagination is lively enough.

groucho: ah, the Walrus Of Love! Thanks. I shall experiment with the delay. If it doesn't work out I'll keep it dry. Dry is sometimes better. Thanks!

Does anyone think I've overcompressed the lead? (I always think of myself as a notorious overcompressor, but no one has ever said anything about it)
 
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Hey Tjarko,
I like this a lot. The song and playing are very cool - I like the real moving feel of this. It's like a bike ride around town.

As far as the mix, the middle feels really big, and the sides seem kind of small (if that makes sense). Maybe the bass and vocals (lead vocal especially) are taking up too much of the frequecy spectrum. I've listened on stereo speakers and on monitors and get the same feel.

Kick drum sounds nice and blended in perfectly. The snare could use a little more snap. I can barely hear the cymbals or hi hat.

But all in all really good stuff (as I expect from you ;))
 
i like it. could use some better drums. but then again, everything could use real drums these days.
 
fprod south: I like you a lot. And you're right about the mix...

erichenryus: still no recording capacities at home, drummerboy? I've heard you play on that blues song with Lt. Bob. I'd love to hear you drumming on a song of mine....:)
 
Nice man!
Who's doing the vocs on this one? ...nice. Ive got no bitches worth mentioning on this. What is the chain on the lead guit. If i had to nit something in this, it might be the lead tone. Im not sure its overcompressed...... just a little thin maybe. It fits the tune just fine, so it might just be preference. Nicely written pop ped. I likes.
gw/5

.....great bg vocs, btw!!
 
Ped-
That is a good summer pop song! Background vocs and bass were really nice. I think a little reverb on the main vocal to set it back a little would be nice. Some reverb on the drums would probably help too. Any time they sound more live, they sound less like a machine IMO.

Everything was very good as usual. A female background vocal would be a very nice touch. Some high strong harmonies. Of course having a female on the tune may depend on those lyrics! ;) :D

Great job!
*****

PS - Finnish does not exactly roll right off the tongue all the time does it? :p
 
Forgot these. *****

Did you know you can't post within 60 seconds of your last post? Weird.
 
Good pop sound. I liked the feel. Real nice bass part. Real tight harmonies. Is that you singing? Very nice the way the guitars and bass worked with each other.

I may have notice a bobbled harmony part at about 2:46.

But I don't hear really very much wrong with it. Good job.
 
"i like it. could use some better drums. but then again, everything could use real drums these days."

self-promoter :D
 
nice backups.. the bass was pretty sweet too! the mix sounded kinda soft.. that may or may not be a good thing.. cool guitar harmonies!
 
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