Amusing

Phrasemaker

Phrasemaker

New member
Having limited time of late, I needed to play around with something just for the badness of tinkering. I also wanted to try a composition using a mic to record everything on the track including the bass which I played through a mic'd up 1x12 cab. The drum is a small African djembe, I bought for my daughter. Everything other than the bass is played acoustically, I improvised the whole thing over a couple of hours, simply singing whatever came to mind until it kind of fitted together. My clean vocal is a little exposed in this track which is not something I would have been confident in doing prior to having my confidence in my vocal boosted by the helpful folk here. I have in the past used a fair bit of chorus for my vocal, but just have some reverb here, with it piped through a valve pre-amp. I used one mic for the whole thing and have to say that considering it's not a ridiculously expensive item, I'm surprised by its ability to deal with the range of stuff I threw at it while recording this track. I'm now wondering if to develop this song, and what I might do better or add to the composition and arrangement. Many thanks for listening.

Tim

 
Organic and weathered vocal works well. I'd be inclined to pull the harmonica back a little or hit it with some more delay or reverb.
The single note guitar is occasionally too busy with the words over it - causes some conflict for space.
I feel the need for the bass to be more even - in this mix the bottom end disappears when you play up a little higher. I quite like the comfort of the bottom end being there.
So far so cool - keep tweaking though. It's worth the effort.
 
Thanks Ray, I agree with your input, I also think I can strengthen it lyrically and nail the vocal notes a little better, this was very on the spot stuff so no dry runs with the vocal to get a feel for the melodies. Thant's my natural singing voice, which I hated to begin with when I began recording, I have reached the point where I can tolerate it, and in time I might like it. I've not played harmonica for years, but have now dusted them off and might have to experiment a little more. The bass, I hear what you say, yes I was kind of chuffed that I can play it a bit now so just a case of knowing when less notation is more so to speak, I have gotten past the having an instrument which weighs as much as me hanging on my shoulder and pondering my choice of a six string to learn on. To work with this I only have to flick a few switches and play into a mic, so I'll re take the guitar and bass, and then look at tidying up and adding to. This was seriously not going to be a song, but having played it a few times tonight from a listening point of view, with my production head locked away with it being my birthday, and having worked a long stretch today, it's growing on me. As always, I appreciate your taking time to listen, offer advice and reply to my posts in general.

all the best

Tim
 
I don't know whether I mentioned it before but having noticed your geographical location:... a student in my class was leaving a couple of months ago. She was moving down to a lovely little place called Sussex Inlet an hour or two further south. We were all talking about it & her move and such when one of the squids popped up their head and said words to the effect of: "Sussex, Sussex England. Oh no! That's on the other side of the world!".
The rest of the room, (myself included I'm ashamed to say), fell about laughing at the misheard location. I did have to admit to being pleased that she actually knew of a place other than in Oz or the US.
I'm easily amused!
 
I'm easily amused too Ray, on a good day... yes it's an interesting point and Sussex UK is not too far from here. I have to say I've pondered the duplication of place names and as many of them date back to times where places and names evolved along ley lines in this part of the world I'd be inclined to say it happened here first without actually quoting the historical aspects, not that it actually matters unless one is wanting to quote accurate historical facts. I have to say, I'd love to travel in your part of the world having already travelled a continent or two with a bag full of crinkled shirts and a toothbrush. Trouble is I got pinned down again, but wouldn't change it for the world. I almost settled in west Africa but couldn't bring myself to be a long flight away from my older two children in case they got into bother, I'm sure they'd do the same for me... and the thing that struck me most while travelling was the way language is overcome by sitting down and playing music with complete strangers.

I wish you an enjoyable festive whatever it is that floats your boat, I have a jamming session sorted for the 26th, kind of a family and friends slaughtering a few songs sort of thing.

All the best

Tim
 
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