Box o' tissues blues

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apl

apl

Stand Up Comity
Hi, I'm reposting this because the server's back up and the thread was getting meandering and I didn't have a good subject line the first time and it's a beautiful day and...



A very sad song. First serious try at recording.

Please do post your comments! I've so much to learn
 
Hey apl

This song gets my vote in the saddest song by male vocalist catagory.

I showed my wife this song this morning. Her comments "Its' a sad song"
 
Good stuff - there's something interesting there, but it's not blues (I mean the vocals weren't)- it felt like somewhere near James Taylor with a smidge of Steve Earle. Very 70's singer songwriter; I'm a sucker for that stuff. For me the cymbals ruined it - this may well be a personal thing, but that insistent tish tish takes up big chunks of the audio spectrum, shows no sensitivity to the song and just gets on my nerves. (Admittedly I'm sensitive - just fired our drummer 'cos he wouldn't stop that infernal metal molesting.)

Very good effort indeed for yout first try at recording.
 
I concur... very good for your first.. A bit much verb. Bring up the kick a tad and the guitar. back the hats down a tad and I think it`ll clean up pretty good. Its got a kindof CSNY sound to it though, actually It`s cool...
 
I thought the tune had a good mix.....pretty good spacing on everything...

Is this a real life experience??

Hey apl, thanks for the PM.

Charlie
 
nice song. Not really my style, a little too light for my taste. But I certainly appreciate the bluesy guitar leads. The vocals sounded like they were too far back in the mix to me. Same with the guitar leads. But other than that it has a real solid sound.
 
Good tune. It strikes me as Neil Young sounding, definately not blues. A little stiff in spots but a good effort.
 
Thanks to everyone for their comments so far. It really is cool to have people listen and contribute.

A common theme among the comments is the drums. The were recorded using a Yahama RY9 Rhythm Programmer. It's really convenient compared to 20 years ago, but with my setup the flexibiliy is limited. Now I'm thinking about a multi out drum machine so I can bring each voice in seperately and then I'd need a new soundcard and software. Ouch. Or I could get a pattern set up in the RY9 and record each drum individually by turning the other ones down. That would add a lot of time to the project. Or I could do some kind of sequencing in the PC. I've heard at least one album that was all computer drums and I wouldn't have known it if I hadn't visited the guy.

This is funny. The last thing I thought I'd be spending so much thought on is the drums.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

The comparisons to 70s artists dates me; I'm a little over 40. I don't know why I sound like Neil Young. I don't mean to; he's OK, he's not one of my faves. The other day I was playing guitar experimenting with guitar chords looking for a new song. Started D, Am, C, G, it kind of fell into a groove, and then, for crying out loud, it was Cinnamon Girl.

Thanks again.
 
Ha.....

Just what occured to me, also......after listening through the entire song.
Neil, Neil, Neil....with Crazy Horse, which is NOT a bad thing at all. Actually, as far as being such a "sad" song, maybe I missed something? Please clue me in if so, but it sounds like a dude with a family that's gone for the day, or out shopping or something, and we have our protagonist kinda listlessly shuffling around the house looking for a snack? I'll feel like an ass if there was more to it, but I was focusing more on the guitar parts. Yeah, I'd back off on the 'verb a little, or dial in some more pre-delay to make your words stand out a little more. I really dug the first minute or two --- guitar was authoritative.....you're not nimble quick (god knows I'm not) but more importantly you were nailing the melody, something I wish everyone considered a crucial necessity. It was obvious it was a drum machine......If I'm doing a 12 bar or ballad, whatever, I like to mix it up with fills for the turnaround, etc.....Just kinda breaks it up. Or for the verse, rather than cymbal hit-city, go for the sidestick now and again. Like the bass -- it works for me. Fender P-bass? Over 40? God, you're old -- Methuselah!!!


Rawk on!!

doug, aged 41
 
konabuzz said:
1. ...a dude with a family that's gone for the day, or out shopping or something...

2. ...you're not nimble quick...you were nailing the melody

3. ...I like to mix it up with fills for the turnaround, etc....rather than cymbal hit-city, go for the sidestick now and again

4. ...Like the bass -- it works for me. Fender P-bass?

5. ...Over 40?
Click to expand...

1. We were going to a conference and a couple of hours before quitting time a big shot cancelled my vacation. My wife and daughter needed to go anyway. The last minuteness of it rubbed it in. I didn't have anything to do so I thought I'd write a sad song about it and start messing with that recording software I'd bought.

2. Slow-handed for sure, but trying to make the most of it. A student of the less is more school. Thank you for the compliment.

3. The RY9 is set up with songs containing four patterns. If you listen closely, you'll hear two main beats. One has the obnoxious to many cymbal and the other has a hi-hat. There are also two fill patterns. I recorded them and cut and pasted them into places I thought appropriate. I'm starting to get a new appreciation for human drummers. The machine, however, does not have issues. Life is full of tough choices, I guess...

4. Carvin Bolt bass run direct into the US122. See http://www.carvin.com/products/guitar.php?ItemNumber=B4. People who have borrowed it like it a lot.

5. Way over 40. 42 and a half, kid.

Thanks again for the input.
 
All cool -- let's hear more!

You did notice I'm 41? ha.......oh, just a minute....got AARP on the other line.


peace and carrots...
 
Apl, I took a listen to your recording. I got to say that I'm impressed. I would say it has the professional sound quality to it. I have a few suggestions though. Things that I notice might make that recording much better. Here goes:

1. Rhythm is a little off. Like the keyboard (I play piano by the way). It is a little distracting when it doesn't play tightly with the other instruments.

2. Tempo can go a little faster, as noticed by the guitar solo's, the entire song needs to move a little faster.

3. Drums sound like they are not part of the mix. They sound distant, they can come up in volume just a bit more. Also you might want to get take away some of that reverb or choose a realy tight reverb because it makes it seem like the drummer is playing much farther away. Also drums sound to much like synth drums, do you have sampled drums? I'd be happy to loan you some of my drum samples CD's if you have GigaStudio.

3. Bass sounds too smooth, it seems like it needs a little more darkness to it to standout above the mix. Don't know about electric bass to much, but you can try adding an effect that would make it sound grungy, just a bit though.

That's pretty much it. Sounds great. I love vocals by the way!
 
avatuar9 said:
...I'm impressed...

1. Rhythm is a little off. Like the keyboard (I play piano by the way). It is a little distracting when it doesn't play tightly with the other instruments.

2. Tempo can go a little faster...

3. Drums sound like they are not part of the mix.

4. Bass sounds too smooth...

That's pretty much it. Sounds great. I love vocals by the way!
Click to expand...

Thanks a heap for the compliments, avatuar9. :)

1. I don't play keys at all, but I wanted to add a little something. I used a Yamaha DX-100 with the club organ and old rhodes voices. I was trying to contrast the choppy guitar rhythym by holding the notes on the keyboard. The timing issues are probably from my lack of keyboard skills.

2. This is a common comment. I don't know if I want to redo the whole thing, but if I did I'd certainly visit the tempo. If I was in a band we could fiddle around with things like that just to try it, but everything here is me.

3. I was trying to make them interesting in the solo intro by giving a little 'verb. Really, the whole drum mix needs a lot of work. It's amazing how much I'm starting to hear all the stuff people are commenting on when I go back to it.

4. I never thought of that, but I will next time. One thing I'd like to try (don't think it would work on this) is I read somewhere that for Yes's Roundabout they split the bass with eq and ran the upper freqs through a distortion and kept the lower freqs clean, so they got good punch with some interesting timbre.

Thanks for liking the vocals!

And thanks again to everyone for their input.

I've been paying attention to guitars in recordings, and they sound brighter and harsher than I would play them solo. When I recorded this, I did a lot of muting with the heel of my palm, trying to keep it from getting to in your face. As I built up the song, I put down the drum track, then the rhythm, so it wasn't sitting in its context. I should have let fly...
 
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I like it. Definitely Neil Youngish. I'm still trying to make a decision on equipment to purchase to get started in recording. I was thinking about the tascam us-122, but after reading about other peoples problems with it clashing w/ windows xp, I'm now thinking M audio interface w/ cakewalk software. Anybody out their have a suggestion? Again, great song. keep pressing on.
 
Yeah its a good emotional song. It seems to go on for a bit though if you know what i mean, not enough variation. The lead guitar sounded quite good, but the other guitars sounded nasty. A bit too much reverb on the vocals but reverb definetely suits this style of song. Good effort, keep trying.
 
nice . . .

Hey, very nice song my friend.

I don't mean to repeat others, but it really DOES sound like Neil Young (with Crazy Horse, of course yuk yuk). I like the ripping lead guitar and the organs do provide a nice contrast with the dum-dum guitar strum and rhythm section.

Lyrically, it does maybe last a bit long - if you shortened it, it would give more of a "snapshot" of the loneliness being expressed. I like the idea of household objects like the fridge becoming your whole world - really conveys that feeling you get . . .

I think the vocals are the thing that makes it most Neil-Young-ish - it's the twang in the way you finish your words (not a bad thing, but it's there). I thought it could have used maybe a little less reverb, but I myself am guilty of hiding behind effects . . . :o - matter of opinion though, I still liked the mix with the reverb in, so cool cool.

By the way, thanks for the comments on my song - yes I was running out of breath - I don't wanna change the song, but I don't think I can actually keep up with it without some serious vocal coaching . . :rolleyes:

anways, nice song, keep em coming :)
 
nickjc said:
1. Hey, very nice song my friend.

2. I like the ripping lead guitar...

3. Lyrically, it does maybe last a bit long - if you shortened it, it would give more of a "snapshot" of the loneliness being expressed. I like the idea of household objects like the fridge becoming your whole world - really conveys that feeling you get . . .
Click to expand...

1. Thanks!

2. Ripping? Usually, when I am associated with ripping, the query begins, "What's that smell?" Thanks again.

3. Length of the song may improve with the tempo picked up. Maybe one day...
 
Apl, nice song overall, but a little sad to me. It sounds more like a ballad than a blues tune.
I agree with the comments about the drums, they´re not in the mix. Don´t know much about the RY9, but I think you should do the rythm instead of using a pattern. Do you know if it´s possible to separate hats, snare, kick, etc. Could you program that machine to play voice by voice???.

Like the bass sound, Carvin huh?, I put it on my wish list.

You need to check the levels and try to put the vocals in the mix. I´m almost sure that when you work on those drums again you will need to remix and set the levels again.

That´s my .02 cents

TS
 
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Thanks for the feedback, TamaSabian.

Yeah, the drums appear to be a weak link. I'm pretty seriously considering using Cakewalk's Home Studio so I can do the drums in Fruity Loops for my next project.

To record all the drum voices seperately with the RY9, I'd go in and turn each drum down, except one, and record the pattern of just one drum. That would take a long time!

And, since I'm using a US122, I'm limited to recording one track at a time.
 
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