Bluegrass stuff...be critical and help me please.

B

bluegrit

New member
Here is a song that I have been working on incessantly trying to get it to sound like a recording. Can't seem to get it there. Have a listen and tell me what is wrong with it. Everything is me except the banjo which is a friend of mine. It is hard to mix a song that consists mainly of my own playing /singing.
I have been at this for a long time and it is time to enlist some outside help.

geocities.com/steelin1/carolinastar.mp3

Gotta go there manually (with a www-dot in front of it) because I am new here and I need to post 3 more times before I can hyperlink apparently.
Dave
 
Well crap! I need a place to put this file so y'all can get it without exceeding the transfer limit. Anyone have suggestions of free space that won't restrict me so much?

Oh well...one more post closer to the 5 required before I can hyperlink anyway. (what a dumb rule, IMO)
Thanks,
Dave
 
I can't find much at all to nitpick about this tune, it sounds really quite good and shows some good influences in the music. The vocal harmonies are very traditional sounding as well as the 'Lester Flatt' guitar run between verses. About the only thing I missed was the 'Earl Scruggs' banjo lick at the end of the song-but that was just fine as it is.
Very good job--it definitely sounds like a bluegrass song.
I have a few bluegrass tunes on my soundclick site with my acoustic band 'Banjovi' you might give a listen-Love Hurts has a kick-ass banjo part driving it!!
 
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Aaaarrgggh, I hate having to be negative about this, but I gotta be honest.

First off, the good stuff:
The playing, singing, and the song, are all very good.

Wait!!! Huh? Didn't I just compliment everything about the song, so what can be negative, if I already like the playing, singing, and the song?

Well, the main problems are the instrumental solos - going on during the verses. The verses are the one place in the song where the singer gets the solos, not the banjo, mandolin, or guitar. Save the busy instrumental backgrounds for the choruses and the actual solo section.

That's why you're having problems getting a good mix; too many things competing for the listener's attention.
To put it simply: when Lester sang, Earl backed off on the fancy stuff.
 
harvey nailed it. Too busy during verses...too many things fighting for the listeners attention. Save the hot licks for spots where the singing stops, between phrases, etc...


other than that, it's a great song. I'm just listening on the laptop speakers, so I can't hear the real mix...but what I hear is just great. I'm not a BG fan, but i can dig it from time to time. this was one of those times.

;) Cholo
 
Based on Harvey's comments, I was expecting a much busier arrangement. I, personally, didn't think it was too bad. Your voice is really good. *jealous*

Welcome to the forum. Stick around. I'll look forward to hearing more from you.
 
Thanks folks for listening. I have pulled the file and have dismantled everything in my studio and stacked it up in my spare closet. I am so sick of trying to mix and ending up with it sounding like garbage. I blew a gasket tonight after listening to this song for the 10 millionth time and it still sounds bad to me. I pulled the cables out of all my stuff and in about 10 minutes my computer room looked as if the recording equipment was never there. I have been burned out before and walked away but this is different. I posted this topic yesterday as a last ditch attempt to get some help but I guess I didn't know how close I was to the end of my rope. I have officially reached the end now.

Who knows, maybe I'll cool off and decide to try it again. If so, I think I'll just hit my thumb with a hammer as hard as I can. The result will be the same but at least I won't have wasted countless hours listening to the same insufferable garbage over and over and over and over (continue infinitely) again.

Thanks for the listen and the kind words.

Dave
 
Didn't get a chance to listen to it. Everyone just said it was good and you pack up all your recording gear and quit? :confused:

Okay.......
 
Imagine if he'd been flamed.
If you're stil out there.... you described and diagnosed the problem - stale ears+frustration=Meltdown.
Now you've come to the forum you can get some objective comment whilst you rest your ears.
Put the song back up.
Wait a while, copy, save & read over the responses, listen to the song & note the comments/responses you feel are valid & then try to implement some of the reccos.
At least that's what I do - & some of the most left field ideas have worked the best - I usually TRY everything suggested even if I don't keep the results (mind you with 23 mixes of the current track I have posted saved I do keep many so that I can go back with fresh/detatched/less obsessed ears).
 
Oh, well, I guess hearing from somebody that actually did recorded Flatt and Scruggs, the Kentucky Colonels, and the Dillards (and a few others) wasn't enough incentive to try again, or hold out a little longer.

Can't win 'em all.
 
Wow, this has become quite the rollercoaster thread. I honestly thought it sounded pretty darned good. I guess if dude ONLY had his sights set on "making it" then anything short is a let down. It just makes me happy that I can be content making music for myself, regardless of how shitty it is. It seems music should be fun first and foremost, and if something bigger comes of it, that's just icing. Oh well...sucks for bluegrit.
 
Argh... wish i had gotten to hear it. I get frustrated with my music and my voice sometimes too, and frequently feel a lack of confidence... but you are your own worst critic and you cant let yourself get to you. You probably have some good tunes, that nobody will get to enjoy by quitting. There's more to music then getting everyone to like it, or even becoming famous. It's about the music; telling a story or something about your life and expressing yourself. For me it's personal; kind of like an escape or outlet.
 
The part that pisses me off is the fact that it really was a very good song, very well done. He comes on here, asks for help, and then, without trying any suggestions, just quits, and that's it.

The only problem with the song was that the arrangement was too busy in spots and screwing up the vocals. It's a common thing and easily fixed.
 
re: RayC and others... I tortally agree! Rest your ears dude, let some other cats listen and offer suggestions. That's why I come here. Most of these guys are good at offering totally biased and uneducated opinions... ;) I've listened to a song so many times that I just hate it. I hate it so bad that I get to the point where I can't even think straight, which would explain being naked in the mall at 2 in teh afternoon walking a toy poodle with the little pink skirt thingy you saw in teh circus when you were 4...

what?

anyways...bluegrass dude...the mix is tight. The only suggestions i believe were being offered were something that a band has to learn when playing together. come down on the verses, keep the cool licks from stepping on vocals, and take turns (organ doesn't play lick when guitar is playing lick, etc)

so...if you're still ticked off - send me all your crap. I'll help you keep it in an offsite storage capacity.

Tasered in KC...

Cholo
 
OK folks here's the deal. I feel like a dumba$$.

I have been mixing this song for almost a year now. I have a few others that I am trying to mix too. None of them sound good to me. Some of the stuff that I am working with is from another band's project that I am recording for them. It all sounds like crap to me. I am a perfectionist, I'll be the first to admit it. I don't want it to sound "good for an amatuer playing around in his basement". I want it to sound good...PERIOD. I have a finely tuned ear and know what sounds good and what doesn't. The thing I don't know is how to achieve the results that my ears want to hear. I am doing this pretty much in seclusion. I don't have friends that are into this side of the music biz. They like to record and stuff but don't know the first thing about what goes on on the other side of the microphone cable. Nor do they want to invest the time and effort to learn it. I just simply can't do this on my own. I realized this long before my first post here a couple days ago. I took ABSOLUTELY no offense to any criticism that was offered here. That is what I came here for. I don't want to hear about how good my stuff sounds...I want to hear what can be done differently to make it sound better. I am not shooting for stardom...those days for me are long past. I am a 40 year old know-nothing who just wants to make recordings that I can stand to listen to and be proud to play for others.

Now to the root of my meltdown last night---
I am embarassed by my outburst last night. I have been trying to quit smoking for about 3 weeks. Took the Chantix stuff but it was giving me terrible dreams and I couldn't sleep. I quit taking it about 3 days ago and yesterday it must have all been out of my system because I turned mean. REALLY mean, like when I've tried to quit smoking without supplemental help. My poor wife had to listen to me come apart last night and I will apologize for my tantrum tonight when she gets home.
Today I bought a pack of smokes, enjoyed the HELL out of a couple, and put my studio back together.

I will repost the mix again and with fresh nicotine coursing through my veins I would love to see if I can get this to come back together...hopefully with y'alls help.

Trust me...I know it seemed rediculously abrupt but I have been at this for a LONG LONG time and feel like I'm getting nowhere. I would love to send the files to someone and have them do their own mix and see how it ends up. I want to know if the problem is in the recording or the mixing or both.

Once again, I apologize for the momentary lack of sanity. That won't happen again.

This should be my 5th post so when I get the mix uploaded again I will repost a link to it.

Thanks guys!
Dave
 
Dave,

I'm 70 and still smoke.

The banjo and some of the stuff is gonna hafta be re-tracked to keep from detracting from the vocals during the verses. It's not as noticeable during the choruses.

It's almost there.

It's a common problem when you hafta wear a lot of hats (producer, engineer, singer, player, arranger, etc.). The trick is not to fall in love with any one hat (unless it's the producer's hat, with a clear vision of the end product).

Solos are "showoff spots" for the musicians, but so are the vocals, except they're for the singer. Keep 'em separated.
 
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