Another Sunset

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fullerc

New member
Another Sunset -- remixed ... better? worse?

Hey,

Same ingredients, different proportions... I tried to incorporate all of your thoughts in remixing the song. Let me know how it's coming through for you...

Recording details:
Software: Protools 7
Rhythm Guitar: Martin XC1t recorded straight from Fishman Ellipse built in condeser mic
Steel guitar: Epiphone SQ180 recorder through contact mic from ContactMics.com
Ukulele: Kala tenor recorder straight from Shadow piezo pickup
Mic: Studio Projects C1 used for vocals (me), and harmonica
Drums: FXpansion BFD
Bass, percussion: SampleTank 2 MIDI
Melodyne Essential for pitch correction on vocal
Various plugins, let me know if you want details...

Another Sunset

don't damn a tooth for a dogbite
don't damn a dog for an appetite
don't dam all the hunger up in your heart
we're deep in the canyon sweating blood
a vermillion river of lost love
on the face of the map it's just a baby scar

chorus:
another sunset
now lover come to bed
i need to rest a while
lover aren't you sleepy yet

don't curse the clock for running backwards
don't cuss out a baby learning bad words
don't do unto others what they done to you
love's a fallow field of wild memory
on each point of the compass something's burried
let's dig up a dream and discover a jewell

chorus

monumental pain on every penny
how to conjure the one out of many
the charity of strangers don't add up to much
don't be a beautiful stranger i love you
don't keep yourself in the dark now you love me too
don't the levees break every time we touch

chorus

I realize that some of you don't want to download anything and greatly prefer to stream content... I'm way too lazy to set up a Soundclick page but if you go to this page there is a streaming play button for the song just below the pic of the ugly guy with the guitar. I don't think it sounds as good as the download and it fades off the first second of tune (you'll just have to take my word for it that the first second is dinomite).

thanks,
Chris
 
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I like your voice. It sounds a little like Alice Cooper, but it still has it's own style.

Your drums are really buried. I'd definitely pull them much further forward. The vocals may be a little loud in the mix too.

I like the flute.
 
Hey thanks man.

I've definitely been putting most of my energy into trying to balance the drums and the vocals, so your input is valued.

Glad you liked the flute.

c
 
Hey C-

Interesting arrangement, but you've got a lot of freq fog emanating from lo-mid mud. Look to the bass and the kick to clean the freq region out. It'll improve clarity on the other instruments. Drums could come forward a bit in level too.

Good tune ... the mix could be better defined.

K-
 
Everything K-dub said.

While it played on my KRK Rockits, I took -3 off between 250 and 500Hz, which seemed to get rid of the midmud. The band sounded good.

But the vocal it very midrange 300 to 500??, seems to lack 1000 to 4000-ish..but has a good level of 8000+ can hear rhe esses fine. Just boxy.

When it started playing, I was thinking 'mid 60's Dylan. Very close....composition, instruments, and ambience and mix. The vocal was a let down. I was anticipating dryer, coarser, a bit louder...no fx. I think you processed the life out of it. Maybe ditch the pitchfixer, too?? Unless you're happy with it. I think it could do well with grit and pitch funkiness....

A real tribute to Dylan!! Even if unintended!

ps...you're a very careful, articulate and inventive picker...and your harp is real good, too!
 
Great man, thanks a lot for your thoughts. I can totally hear what you're talking about. As I listen to it now, I feel like the thing I'm missing the most is more "crack" in the drums. I have to think that drop the mids would bring clarity to that sound, too, right?

There's also an Amplitube delay effect I put on the rhythm guitar that I think is cool but for some reason isn't cutting through the mix that well. I'm thinking if I dry things out that might cut better, too. Also thinking that I could kill the delay in the first half of each verse and then bring it in for the second half as we head to the chorus. I'm thinking that could provide some more dynamics... I'm worried that it's sounding to much the same from beginning to end.

Regarding pitch correction... I didn't do a whole lot. Just mostly in the sections with harmony vocals and on the harmony vocals themselves. I totally know what you're saying about that. Maybe some of the character left with the pitch doctoring.

I'm glad that in general the song and performance are working for people. Sitting down to remix is easier than sitting down to rerecord.

C
 
Very recognisable voice and a nice Dylan character.
Mixwise: Drums are very faint they could use some EQing. Arrangement's nice, but you've got a flute or synth or slide or something in the background, I think there's too much of it. You should use it in doses...
Acoustics seem to lack some high-end to me. Nice harmonica! In all a pretty good job.

Joey :):):):)
 
Wow!

Chris, I really dug this! The drums need help but other than that, alright!

The drums sound like just the echo return is on. Interesting idea but this tune needs a driving groove to set with the bass and it will help balance the sound out. A little "mid mud" is present, but try mixing the drums and voice pretty flat and present and see what happens.

Great guitars and the panned "pan" flute was cool. Your lyrics are so picturesque and vivid. Your song "Chubb Lake" had good lyrics too but these are really something else. Very, very good.
 
Thanks a million John.

I think these are all great observations. And the song is getting closer. I'm remixing it in little bits and pieces... I have a five month old daughter who doesn't let me sit at the computer for very long. I'll post another (hopefully better) mix soon.

It's funny to me that more than one person is hearing flute on this! I'm assuming that's the steel guitar... hmmmmm. As long as you think it sounds good, I guess it doesn't bother me if it's coming through as a different instrument.

c
 
Hi C,

I went to your website, and am listening to your songs there. Unfortunately, only 3 are up right now, so I'm not getting to listen to what every one else has been commenting on, about "Another Sunset."

I just wanted to tell you I'm very impressed with your songwriting. You have very interesting lyrics, with lots of little twists and surprises. Great imagery.

Good stuff.

I've been listening to "Red," "Midnight Fog," and "Church and State."

I like these songs with just the stringed instruments and harmonica. Very nice. Your voice has grown on me! Now, I've listened to each of these songs several times, and it's been enjoyable.
 
Hey Thanks so much for visiting my site! Yeah, you know there used to be a whole lot more to listen to there, but I've been trying to reinvent it a little and it's kind of under construction. If you click on the Song Diary button and then scroll down toward the bottom of the page you should find a streaming version of Another Sunset.

Glad you like the songs you're hearing, those are all from an album I did a few years ago called Sangamon, available at your nearest online retailer!

C
 
Really great performance and song.

The acoustic gtr sound could be more lifelike but that's minor compared to the quality of the performance.
 
Thanks X. I just posted what I hope is a better sounding mix. I think the rhythm guitar is a bit more there.

C
 
fullerc said:
Thanks a million John.

I think these are all great observations. And the song is getting closer. I'm remixing it in little bits and pieces... I have a five month old daughter who doesn't let me sit at the computer for very long. I'll post another (hopefully better) mix soon.

It's funny to me that more than one person is hearing flute on this! I'm assuming that's the steel guitar... hmmmmm. As long as you think it sounds good, I guess it doesn't bother me if it's coming through as a different instrument.

c
Click to expand...

Good song. I like Dylan but he thinks it's cute when he does that thing with his voice. You do it, too on the word "memory." I listened twice so I could catch the flute. Great flute. I play flute and I can't make it do that.:p

Wig:)
 
I can't make a flute do that either, so I had to use a guitar...

Just posted a third (slightly more daring) mix.
C
 
Some of the muddiness is the synth bass - replace it with a real one.
Good vocal - it's a little thin but has its place in the mix & sits well.
Very interesting lyrics - though the use of "lover" in the chorus grates with me for some reason.
Personally the panned slide got a little stale by the end - maybe do the panning a little then settle the slide into a sweet spot.
There's a little of the sneer of Cooper & the anger of Dylan in your singing - interesting mix.
Good song & good work so far.
 
I can certainly dig what you're saying about the bass... the obvious solution! I just posted a new mix with some extra dive in the bass -- my hope is that it'll sound a little more real, but I don't know... it can be a tricky thing, you know?

I also restricted the panning slide and uke to just the verses now... I had been waiting for someone to say that was bugging them!

Hey I'm not sure why, but I can't seem to edit the main thread anymore... the new mix is here: Anther Sunset.

C
 
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