An Experiment in Minimalism (Bad Moon Rising)

[propman]

Dear friends, antecedence and . . . people I've never interacted with on this forum,
I am working on some new music and will be in need of your ears but before I begin posting songs
weekly like the madman I once was, I thought I share something with you that I did only moments ago.

Fascinated by the way music used to be recorded with musicians gathered around one microphone
without fancy EQ and outboard effects, I decided to mess around with that idea and see what happened.
I played a little half-serious version of Bad Moon Rising by Creedence Clearwater Revival into my Audio-Technica AT2020 like so:

Track 1. Vocals and guitar.
Tracks 2 & 3. Backing vocals.
One take for each track.

No EQ, no reverb, no compression and one-click, seat-of-the-pants leveling.
Just a simple exercise in minimalism and mic placement. I was/am surprised and quite happy with the results.

Here ya go! [MP3]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/65316259/Bad%20Moon%20(Cover).mp3[/MP3] What'cha think?

 

[gecko zzed]

As an exercise in live minimalism, you've done very well.

In particular, the guitar sounds clean and crisp.

From a song arrangement from perspective, I wonder whether you might consider not having the backing vocals pretty well all the way through. I reckon you could generate a bit more interest by picking the moments when they enter and exit.

Doing stuff in one take has its risks. In this case, there was some vagueness about the backing phrasing, and the harmonies could also be made a bit tighter.

But, all in all, a fine piece of work.

 

[propman]

As an exercise in live minimalism, you've done very well.

In particular, the guitar sounds clean and crisp.

From a song arrangement from perspective, I wonder whether you might consider not having the backing vocals pretty well all the way through. I reckon you could generate a bit more interest by picking the moments when they enter and exit.

Doing stuff in one take has its risks. In this case, there was some vagueness about the backing phrasing, and the harmonies could also be made a bit tighter.

But, all in all, a fine piece of work.

Thank you for your input and wonderful complements, sir! (I'm not sure if we've crossed paths before on this board but apparently you're a huge contributor because I see you responding to practically every thread I read!) Let me respond to each thing you said individually.

"I wonder whether you might consider not having the backing vocals pretty well all the way through."
I'm just going to let this lay like it is. Every song I've ever recorded, I've produced it to death. I remember doing one-hundred and ten takes of a guitar track once. This time around, I just wanted to let that mentality of 'This has to be perfect!' rest for a while. However, I can clearly see why you'd suggest cutting some of the harmonies. Having them run throughout the entire song is a bit much and there are a few sections that kind of fall flat that I could easily take out . . . but once I did that, I'd probably re-record the guitar and vocals separately and bring in a Swedish choir...
It wouldn't be pretty, trust me.

"there was some vagueness about the backing phrasing, and the harmonies could also be made a bit tighter."
Yup, yup. I hear it. I heard it when I recorded but I left it in. I thought the inconsistencies were a bit charming.
Maybe I'm crazy or just like hearing something other than five-billion tracks of picking things to pieces.

Again, thank you for your input. I hope you'll be around when I start posting some of my overly-produced
tunes that my ears are too blown out to mix without hesitation and doubt.

 

[gecko zzed]

There's a difference between production and performance, and in this case, I wasn't suggesting taking the perfectionist production scalpel to what's been recorded.

What I was suggesting was that should you do this again (either with this song or another), you spend some time dwelling on the performance.

But I agree: the inconsistencies are charming, and there is an earthy honesty about the recording that is appealing.

 

[cropleyb]

Sounds great to me. I agree with the suggestion to limit the places where the backing vocals come in.

 

[propman]

There's a difference between production and performance, and in this case, I wasn't suggesting taking the perfectionist production scalpel to what's been recorded.

What I was suggesting was that should you do this again (either with this song or another), you spend some time dwelling on the performance.

But I agree: the inconsistencies are charming, and there is an earthy honesty about the recording that is appealing.

Understood and should I do this kind of thing again (wish I reckon I will), I'll definitely put more thought into the arrangement.
The only harmony I had planned before hitting record was for the second line of the song,
and I'd just come up with that a few seconds prior to pressing the button.
Also, thank you again for the complements! I wish I could hit that "earthy honesty" mark more often!

Sounds great to me. I agree with the suggestion to limit the places where the backing vocals come in.

Thank you! Your suggestion is noted. What can I say? I get carried away with harmonies sometimes. I love 'em!

 

[VomitHatSteve]

Cool experiment. Sounds pretty good for it.

Also, welcome back to the clinic! I haven't seen you in a while.

Wait... Did you sing "there's a bathroom on the right" in the last few choruses?

 

[Greg_L]

Wait... Did you sing "there's a bathroom on the right" in the last few choruses?

Aren't those the words? I think that's how everyone hears this song originally.

Pretty good overall. I agree with gecko's opinion that it's got too much backing vocal, but it's okay. Nice job for a two track song.

 

[heatmiser]

It sounds good Adam.

The guitar part is very clear and is balanced well with the lead vocal. How did you position the mic here? I've found it difficult to capture both simultaneously on the few occasions I've tried something like this.

I'm not a big fan of CCR myself, but I am very much looking forward to the overly-produced stuff!

 

[robgreen]

Nice work - whatever you've done with the mic placement captures everything very well. I agree that the harmonies might have more impact if they only came in at the choruses or something, but with the caveats you've already made, it's no big deal.

The other thing that caught me was that nothing sounds overly dry for the lack of reverb - the recording isn't missing any glue.

 

[propman]

Cool experiment. Sounds pretty good for it.

Also, welcome back to the clinic! I haven't seen you in a while.

Thanks, Vomit, for the complements and the welcome-back.

Wait... Did you sing "there's a bathroom on the right" in the last few choruses?

I have no idea what you're talking about.

Pretty good overall. I agree with gecko's opinion that it's got too much backing vocal, but it's okay. Nice job for a two track song.

Thanks, Greg! I'm interested to know where you and the other guys would suggest I cut the harmonies.
(By the way, it was a three track.)

It sounds good Adam.

The guitar part is very clear and is balanced well with the lead vocal. How did you position the mic here? I've found it difficult to capture both simultaneously on the few occasions I've tried something like this.

I'm not a big fan of CCR myself, but I am very much looking forward to the overly-produced stuff!

Thanks, Heat! The mic used is a cardioid pattern condenser. I had it sitting at about mid-chest and tilted slightly upward, toward my face. I played and sang quite softly and tried to keep the dynamics in check for both as to not overshadow the guitar with my voice and vice versa. I was as surprised as anybody else that it worked as well as it did. I'm keen to try it again!

I'll try to over-produce the whey out of a couple of tracks, just for you!

Nice work - whatever you've done with the mic placement captures everything very well. [...]
The other thing that caught me was that nothing sounds overly dry for the lack of reverb - the recording isn't missing any glue.

Thanks, Rob! I was fully expecting the need to slap reverb on the master track but for some reason, it sounded fine. I'm not in a treated room (though, there's enough crap everywhere that it's practically the same thing) so maybe it was natural acoustics that helped out the sound, I don't know.

P.S. GREAT signature!

 

[kcearl]

nice, i like stripped back stuff like this...for some reason i had an overwhelming feeling that Marc Bolan was singing this, its in that sort of lazy phrasing...good job

 

[propman]

Thanks, KC. I must admit, I've never heard that Marc Bolan fella sing so I can't really get a fix on the comparison.
I'm glad you liked me track, though! Thanks again!

 

[rayc]

Adam,
It's cool. Now my 3 fav version of the song.
1. Is the original
2. is the verison by the Reels https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xDCrP6lZy8
which is a bit minimalist as well
3. is this one.
I like the 2 ongoing voices - sounds like a bit of Apalachian hicksville ain't got no phone sitting on the porch - and remonds me of that Man of Constant Sorrow part of that Clooney movie - three bloke standing around 1 mic with the guitarist standing back.
Nice one.
P.S. Former colleagues and friends are towards the end of the vid with a bub in arms (3.33-3.35).

 

[Wonka]

Your offering is OK. No need for backup vocals. Add nothing. Kind of muddles things. Sounds like this is only the 20th time you have played this song on the guitar - meaning it lacks flow and has some stutter.

At the tempo you played the song nothing would have added much to it.

Best I can give you is that if you take the backup vocals out the guitar and vocal were clean.

 

[rayc]

"I've never heard that Marc Bolan fella sing..."
Are we now in a world where T Rex is just another dinosaur?
Adam, do yourself a favour & taste test some Marc Bolan - try to down load the compilation Bolan Boogie if nothing else.

 

[joeym]

I think it sounds great, Adam!
Everything is beautifully captured. And I know what you mean with falling in love with harmonies...that's what happens when a singer produces something
Me, I'm in a band right now singing lots of CCR songs and enjoying it!

 

[propman]

Adam,
It's cool. Now my 3 fav version of the song.
1. Is the original
2. is the verison by the Reels https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xDCrP6lZy8
which is a bit minimalist as well
3. is this one.
I like the 2 ongoing voices - sounds like a bit of Apalachian hicksville ain't got no phone sitting on the porch - and remonds me of that Man of Constant Sorrow part of that Clooney movie - three bloke standing around 1 mic with the guitarist standing back.
Nice one.
P.S. Former colleagues and friends are towards the end of the vid with a bub in arms (3.33-3.35).

Thank you! I'm quite honored to be in your top three! The version by The Reels that you posted was interesting and had some good bits but the recurring synth-string melody seemed a bit strange or out of place to me. The patch (not so much the melody, mind you) reminded me of the track running behind Mario 64 when you're in the Princess' castle. I like the way the harmonies were stacked. They were pushed quite a way behind the lead vocal and act as a nice effect, if you will, almost creating what sound like harmonics one would create by pulling out the stops on an organ. In other words, the blend together with the lead vocal as opposed to standing against it.

The video is interesting too and likely would be by itself. I like the way that the singer(?) who is usually the main focus keeps dipping out or moving past the frame, leaving the camera focusing on the people behind him or the blurred and empty background. It's visually striking. You said that some friends of yours were in it? What were they standing on (or would that spoil the mystery of the film)?

Your offering is OK. No need for backup vocals. Add nothing. Kind of muddles things. Sounds like this is only the 20th time you have played this song on the guitar - meaning it lacks flow and has some stutter.

At the tempo you played the song nothing would have added much to it.

Best I can give you is that if you take the backup vocals out the guitar and vocal were clean.

Thank you for having a listen! However, I must take issue with your description of my guitar playing as stuttering and flow-less; not because I agree or disagree with you but because I can't hear what you're referring to. If you'd like to elaborate or point out a specific location in the song where these anomalies in my playing present themselves, I'd be willing to take a close listen and take action (if need be).

Are we now in a world where T Rex is just another dinosaur?

You were really happy to write that sentence out, weren't you?
I'm pretty busy at the moment, Ray but I'll think about giving this T Rex band a listen at some point in the future.

I think it sounds great, Adam!
Everything is beautifully captured. And I know what you mean with falling in love with harmonies...that's what happens when a singer produces something
Me, I'm in a band right now singing lots of CCR songs and enjoying it!

Thanks a whole heap, Joey! I hope you'll stick around to critique the new songs I'll soon be posting to the Clinic.
I'm glad to hear about the band and happier to hear that you're enjoying it!
I'll be looking for some recordings to surface (if they haven't already).

 

[jguitar_tm]

Great guitar playing for one take.

 

[propman]

Great guitar playing for one take.

Thank you very much, J! Your profile says you're relatively new here but your username seems familiar to me. Do you belong to any other forums?