Solved Amazing Grace

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danny.guitar

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I was asked to record my own arrangement of Amazing Grace and keep it true to the original.

Each track is the first take (except the acoustic 'cause I had to figure out an arrangement). I didn't really even know how to play this song.

I think I've recorded much better stuff than this, but please give me some honest feedback, it won't hurt my feelings if you don't like it. :)

Also, I was going to compress the lead guitar/turn it down because it seems kind of way too out front but at the same time I kind of like it like that. Do you think it needs maybe at least a little compression? Should I redo it?

This was done in like 15 minutes. :o

(Streaming, Amazing Grace):
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=561665

(Download, 192KBPS):
 
The instruments sound nice and pleasant, and the performance is nice as well.

My only real beef is with some of the harmony choices. It sounds really weird to me to not go to the V chord at the very end of each phrase before it resolves to I at the very end. For instance, on the word "now" (V chord) in the line "but now (V) I'm found (I)."

Granted, this will make the V chord a 6th chord, because the melody note is an F#, and the chord is A, but I think it's the most common version of this tune. Did I mention it sounded really weird not to go to the V? :)

Also, I thought there were odd times to go to a 1st inversion I chord (especially when it did this in place of going to the V chord at the end). The logical place for this (in my opinion) is when it leads to the IV chord (G in this case). There were some times it was used preceding the V chord, which I thought sounded a little odd.

Anyway, as I said, the instruments sounded nice and pleasant. There was a bit of noise in the beginning, but it sounded just kind of like "rough mix" type of stuff. I didn't think the lead was necessarily too loud.
 
The electric parts are very soothing, the acoustic isn't bad but I don't really feel much inclined to keep listening to the acoustic after a while, it just gets a bit dull. Very nice sounding recordings though!
 
famous beagle said:
The instruments sound nice and pleasant, and the performance is nice as well.

My only real beef is with some of the harmony choices. It sounds really weird to me to not go to the V chord at the very end of each phrase before it resolves to I at the very end. For instance, on the word "now" (V chord) in the line "but now (V) I'm found (I)."

Granted, this will make the V chord a 6th chord, because the melody note is an F#, and the chord is A, but I think it's the most common version of this tune. Did I mention it sounded really weird not to go to the V? :)

Also, I thought there were odd times to go to a 1st inversion I chord (especially when it did this in place of going to the V chord at the end). The logical place for this (in my opinion) is when it leads to the IV chord (G in this case). There were some times it was used preceding the V chord, which I thought sounded a little odd.

Anyway, as I said, the instruments sounded nice and pleasant. There was a bit of noise in the beginning, but it sounded just kind of like "rough mix" type of stuff. I didn't think the lead was necessarily too loud.
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Thanks, beagle. I'm not too keen on music theory. I played just G, D, and A chords. On some parts, I'd fret the F# on the low e string on the D chords.

Danny Love said:
The electric parts are very soothing, the acoustic isn't bad but I don't really feel much inclined to keep listening to the acoustic after a while, it just gets a bit dull. Very nice sounding recordings though!
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Thanks. Do you mean "dull" as in boring or dull as in the sound of the guitar?

Thanks for the feedback. Anyone else wanna leave a comment?
 
Nice tune, enjoyed the listen....I play it souther gospel style, out of G.....there is also a G7 and an Em in there too.....might want to play with that.
 
There was some kind of noise in the background - almost a gurgling sound like running water, maybe static??? It sort of gives it a background, but it's not a typical background sound like an organ.....can you expand on that?

The acoustic is great - nothing IMO that needs to be changed there, just a good sound....

The electric is also good - I think if you had put too much distortion it would have sounded too different from the acoustic. There's just enough bite for me.

The compression thing would be something you can play with - you might get a sweet sounding sustain if you play with it. What compressor were you thinking of using? Right now though it's good.....

Playing is very expressive - very nice.....well done.....
 
ido1957 said:
There was some kind of noise in the background - almost a gurgling sound like running water, maybe static??? It sort of gives it a background, but it's not a typical background sound like an organ.....can you expand on that?
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Thanks ido. It was raining outside and my window was open. :p

ido1957 said:
The acoustic is great - nothing IMO that needs to be changed there, just a good sound....

The electric is also good - I think if you had put too much distortion it would have sounded too different from the acoustic. There's just enough bite for me.
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Thanks, the lead is my old Epiphone LP Junior recorded direct with the SimulAnalogue amp sim.

ido1957 said:
The compression thing would be something you can play with - you might get a sweet sounding sustain if you play with it. What compressor were you thinking of using? Right now though it's good.....

Playing is very expressive - very nice.....well done.....
Click to expand...

I will probably try compressing it with ReaComp, the one that comes with Reaper. Not sure if I want to or not though. I will definitely try messing with the sound though and see what I can come up with.
 
I agree that the chord progession is a bit unothadox, but it worked. I have played bass on the original key in church, and have heard it a thousand times with the blue grass guys who play at my dad's house almost every weekend.

Nice twist on a classic song...
 
Rokket said:
I agree that the chord progession is a bit unothadox, but it worked. I have played bass on the original key in church, and have heard it a thousand times with the blue grass guys who play at my dad's house almost every weekend.

Nice twist on a classic song...
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Thanks. In all honesty the chord progression sounds correct to me but then again I haven't tried signing over it. Anyone know what the actual chord progression is? Assuming it's being played in D?

Thanks for the comments. I think it may actually be a good thing that it's a little different than the original.
 
danny.guitar said:
Thanks. In all honesty the chord progression sounds correct to me but then again I haven't tried signing over it. Anyone know what the actual chord progression is? Assuming it's being played in D?

Thanks for the comments. I think it may actually be a good thing that it's a little different than the original.
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The traditional and probably simplest progression would be this:

D (D7) G D
Amazing grace, how sweet the sound

D A
That saved a wretch like me

D (D7) G D
I once was lost, but now I'm found

D A D
Was blind, but now I see



A popular variation will go to G on the last word "see" before resolving to D. That's very gospel sounding. There are lots of variations, but the above is probably the simplest and most common.

Another common variation would use Bm for the words "saved" and "blind."
 
Sounds good, very enjoyable.:)


Anyone know what the actual chord progression is?
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I highly doubt there is one. It's actually a British or Scottish hymn that was probably written for bagpipes and is in a mode like pentatonic. The words go back to 1772 but the melody could have been 50 years earlier. Play whatever you want.:cool:
 
Sounds good. The lead is expressive. It's good to listen to. :)

To a music theory ignorant like myself, it doesn't matter that the thing doesn't resolve to a certain chords. I only know how it sounds and it sounds just fine. That is not to discount music theory at all. I want to learn the theory stuff sometime.

Anyhoo, the acoustic did get a bit boring in the second verse. It almost seems with the octave jump the acoustic took the back seat. You might spruce it up with either faster strumming or a second acoustic playing something different. Just a suggestion.

Good recording. I didn't hear the noise and didn't realize it was there until all these people mentioned it.
 
Just laptop audition here, so the main problem for me was the Acoustic and the Lead sitting well enough together.

Here's what my ears and imagination found themselves wanting to hear: Maybe the lead brought in differently-- either keep it somehow wailing sonically in the distance out there with some reverb-- (the song does have some qualities of a lament, even though there's nothing greater than being saved) -- or pull it up more gradually with the reverb up initially, backing off on the space of the 'verb. That way it would come forward in the mix more gradually.

I was wrapped up in the expressiveness of your acoustic arrangement and superb recording that I was jarred a little by the electric. I wouldn't change that warm drive and forwardness of it, just somehow smoothly bring the listener to a place where s/he can move from the reflective mood to then get into that guitar.

There were also two or so places in the lead where I'm used to hearing some pauses for emphasis-- towards the end of phrases.

At any rate, danny, I'll definitely give this a listen on my Monitors when I'm up in the studio next. It's some very nice recording! Wish I could throw some DB under it all. :)
 
Very nicely played. It doesn't really sound like a new arrangement to me, kind of sounds like a country musicians version. I really liked the relationship between the chord melody and actual melody line!
 
I like country. But countrified song, notsomuch. Given that, this is a nice version, especially for a 15-minute recording(!) :)
 
Wow thanks for all the kind words everyone. It really was just a matter of (trying to) figure out the right chords on the acoustic then did a quick take on the lead guitar. I seem to have better luck on "on-the-spot" recordings than ones I put time into.

Obi - Thanks for all the tips. I'll probably be doing a remix and will take your comments into consideration. Especially about bringing the lead in more gradually or from "further away".

Looking forward to hearing how you think it sounds on the monitors. All I have are 2, 5" Creative Labs speakers to use so it's hard to tell for sure.

Torpid, Mistur, I don't really play country and wasn't intending for it to come out country sounding but I guess it does have a country sound do it. I like older classic country stuff and I guess I am a little influenced by some of it, especially since I moved to the south and have played with a few musicians down here.

Thanks again for all the comments. :cool:
 
I like the lead just how it is. It's more dynamic, which is a good thing when you have so few tracks.

I loved it. Two thumbs up.

What kind of guitar/amp are you using? I love that sound.
 
ziplock43 said:
I like the lead just how it is. It's more dynamic, which is a good thing when you have so few tracks.

I loved it. Two thumbs up.

What kind of guitar/amp are you using? I love that sound.
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Thanks, it's the free SimulAnalogue Guitar Suite amp simulator plugin with reverb (GlaceVerb)
 
I like all the choices you've amde, on the fly or otherwise, except the level of the lead. I'd prefer it further back as in quieter OR 'verb drenched so that it sounds like it's coming from another room - or from someone standing outside in the rain playing (& being electrocuted I suppose).
Nicely done!
 
rayc said:
I like all the choices you've amde, on the fly or otherwise, except the level of the lead. I'd prefer it further back as in quieter OR 'verb drenched so that it sounds like it's coming from another room - or from someone standing outside in the rain playing (& being electrocuted I suppose).
Nicely done!
Click to expand...

Thanks, rayc. I agree that the lead guitar is pretty out front, way more than I would normally have it. I've been putting this off a little because I'm so busy but I plan on remixing or re-doing the lead soon as I get the time. :)
 
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