Complicated

[PhilGood]

This is my next one up for review. It is FAR from done, but getting closer. I still have a few spots to fix.

I (again) don't like what my buddy came up with for the lead. Another friend did the rap in the middle 'cause my voice won't hold out screaming that high, and he wants to redo it as well. I also brought in another friend to do the bass because I wanted something more interesting than what I'm able to play.

So this is closer to a "band" thing. It's me on drums, acoustic, vocals (-rap) and electric guitars with 3 friends for lead, rap and bass.

Oh, and the ending vocals are embarrasing as hell, so ignore them.

I'm wanting opinions on tone and levels as well as general opinions.

The title is "Complicated" and it's about life and the world situation getting harder each day. The middle section (lead - rap) is supposed to reflect childhood innocence then growing up and stepping into the madness of real life.

Thanks everyone!

Phil

 

[Freudian Slip]

Too start Great drum sound! Great guitar sound! Love the rythem guit riff. Very great stereo imag on the guitar. The solo does not live up to the rythem guitar tone. Seems to drop off into the solo. later the rythem guitar thins out too. I really loved the first distorted guitar sound.

In the rappy voc's I would try to even out the levels a bit between the yelled/screamed word and the other section of vocals.

Over all I think it sounds great! Very cool song too!

Don't listen too much to me other than the "Over all I think it sounds great! Very cool song too!" . As I said I don't trust my ears too much yet after 6 months of them being screwed up.

F.S.

 

[Freudian Slip]

Listening again, just cause I like it.

 

[PhilGood]

The solo does not live up to the rythem guitar tone. Seems to drop off into the solo. later the rythem guitar thins out too. I really loved the first distorted guitar sound.

I totally agree. The lead is all fuzz.

I didn't realize the rythmn guitar drops back. I'll have to check if that's where a splice was.

In the rappy voc's I would try to even out the levels a bit between the yelled/screamed word and the other section of vocals.

There's another take he did that I'm considering using. Maybe that'll do better. This was a mix of two and it took him forever to do two takes that were close.


Thanks for the input!

Phil

BTW, what happened to your ears?

 

[true-eurt]

First impressions.....

The intro is most excellent Phil!! I hope you change nothing about the intro...unless it is a tiny tweak here and there. The ryhthm acoustic gets me going and I love the snare tone on this one!! The cymbals sound good too...you might think about bringing them out just a tad in places.

Once more, your vocals kick ass.

I like the lead guitars...the solos are good. I enjoy the tone and style change of each one. This is so cool a song to be!!

I love the blend of the soft rap and rock vocals. One of my sons raps...and sometimes we jam...he rapping in the background while I sing....It is so cool. I enjoy listening to it here!! The eclectic vocal feel is awesome!

The drumming is good too!! You are drummer down!!

The abrupt, defined end of the song, I like too.

Phil, do you write and arrange all of your songs?

Must listen more. I am too excited to listen for those things asked!! Your voice gets me all screwed up!!

 

[PhilGood]

First impressions.....

The intro is most excellent Phil!! I hope you change nothing about the intro...unless it is a tiny tweak here and there. The ryhthm acoustic gets me going and I love the snare tone on this one!! The cymbals sound good too...you might think about bringing them out just a tad in places.

Once more, your vocals kick ass.

I like the lead guitars...the solos are good. I enjoy the tone and style change of each one. This is so cool a song to be!!

I love the blend of the soft rap and rock vocals. One of my sons raps...and sometimes we jam...he rapping in the background while I sing....It is so cool. I enjoy listening to it here!! The eclectic vocal feel is awesome!

The drumming is good too!! You are drummer down!!

The abrupt, defined end of the song, I like too.

Phil, do you write and arrange all of your songs?

Must listen more. I am too excited to listen for those things asked!! Your voice gets me all screwed up!!

Thanks again True!

My drumming used to be alot better. I stopped playing for about 3-4 years and started up again this year. My chops are gone. I was once in a band that reheased 5 days a week (in like 1995). Things were a lot easier then.

Yes, I write and arrange my own stuff. I had help with the lyrics on this one. I have alot of other material that I will get around to recording. For the last year I've been purchasing more and more gear for a studio, merely for the enjoyment of it. I'm a little too old now to have big rock star aspirations, so I just record it to say it was me and I did it. I figure I can make a little money on the side producing demos for other people.

I'm also doing this in trade. For all the people who are helping me with my tracks I have promised to play drums and add vocals for their stuff. I'll post that stuff with their permission.

 

[Freudian Slip]

I totally agree. The lead is all fuzz.

There's another take he did that I'm considering using. Maybe that'll do better. This was a mix of two and it took him forever to do two takes that were close.


Thanks for the input!

Phil

BTW, what happened to your ears?

On the vocals he did I think you could just pop up the lower vocals a bit with a volume envelope or what ever you setup calls it. You know just manually tweek it a bit in a couple spots. I'm not suggesting that the singing/rapping be dead even with the yells, just a bit closer in spots might do the trick.

As far as my ears go... I have damage to my inner ears (the equalibriaum) from a viral infection years ago. The virus came back on me and I lost all sense of ballance and one of the side affects is that it can give you ringing in the ears pretty bad and sometimes make you pretty def feeling at times. It also seemed to throw my timing off for some time to. It's way better now but it comes and goes a bit.

If you ever get a sinus infection or a outter ear infection (the kind that hurt) don't put it off. Get to the doctor. If it get's into your inner ear you'll be one sorry guy. Trust me.

Cool song!

F.S.

 

[true-eurt]

Thanks again True!

My drumming used to be alot better. I stopped playing for about 3-4 years and started up again this year. My chops are gone. I was once in a band that reheased 5 days a week (in like 1995). Things were a lot easier then.

Your chops are gone? Does that mean forever, or just until you get some practice time in? The drumming sounds good to me. I am not a drummer myself...just a terrible beater....so I am sure you know more about the chop thing, than I. When you stopped playing, did you take up another instrument or just took a break from it all ? I am noseeeee eh?

Yes, I write and arrange my own stuff. I had help with the lyrics on this one. I have alot of other material that I will get around to recording. For the last year I've been purchasing more and more gear for a studio, merely for the enjoyment of it. I'm too old now to have big roch star aspirations, so I just record it to say it was me and I did it. I figure I can make a little money on the side producing demos for other people.

I like your style of writing and arranging a lot. I wish I could arrange like you do.

Too old? I can't help you out on the rock star thing,but hey, I can be a hell of an online groupie!!

That was a joke ya know!! Brought on from the excitement I get with other people's good tunes!


GASssssssssss....uh yeah, I have been menaced by that stuff over the past year myself. Money being the only reins on my relief of it.

I'm also doing this in trade. For all the people who are helping me with my tracks I have promised to play drums and add vocals for their stuff. I'll post that stuff with their permission.

I would like to hear it. I hope you get permissionized.

 

[PhilGood]

Your chops are gone? Does that mean forever, or just until you get some practice time in? The drumming sounds good to me. I am not a drummer myself...just a terrible beater....so I am sure you know more about the chop thing, than I. When you stopped playing, did you take up another instrument or just took a break from it all ? I am noseeeee eh?

I just need to practice more. I'm learning the moler technique which can help with speed and control without having to use all muscle. Some of the new stuff, like the high speed double bass, is just old dog, new trick. I actually just quite once! I was in a punk band where the lead singer wouldn't let me play anything but what he wanted me to play. I got mad because I couldn't express myself and quit. I had been in several bands that bordered on success in the L.A. area. I had gotten to know a good amount of execs "in the biz" and was pretty turned off by the whole "assholedness" of those people. I decided to lay the sticks down and walk away. The desire to play was just too great after a while and I decided to get back into it just for the enjoyment!

After a while it just hasn't been as easy to find a place to play until this guitarist partnered with me into turning his garage into a studio. I've had periods before that where I just couldn't play. I'm glad I know some guitar and bass and keys. It gives me something to do at home.

I like your style of writing and arranging a lot. I wish I could arrange like you do.

Too old? I can't help you out on the rock star thing,but hey, I can be a hell of an online groupie!!

I just play it like I hear it in my head.

I'm a good online groupie as well!

That was a joke ya know!! Brought on from the excitement I get with other people's good tunes!


GASssssssssss....uh yeah, I have been menaced by that stuff over the past year myself. Money being the only reins on my relief of it.

I would like to hear it. I hope you get permissionized.

I think I am done buying gear for quite a while. Spent waaaay more than I should have!


I already have permission for the two tunes I played on for the guitarist. I can post those soon. Some interesting drum work on one.



I

 

[true-eurt]

I just need to practice more. I'm learning the moler technique which can help with speed and control without having to use all muscle. Some of the new stuff, like the high speed double bass, is just old dog, new trick.

I have not heard of the moler technique. I will have to google that one. I was told by a drummer I know, that Carter Bueaford or something like that(The Dave Matthews drummer) practiced on a pillow for speed and strength. I tried it awhile, until I smacked myself in the face!!

I actually just quite once! I was in a punk band where the lead singer wouldn't let me play anything but what he wanted me to play. I got mad because I couldn't express myself and quit. I had been in several bands that bordered on success in the L.A. area. I had gotten to know a good amount of execs "in the biz" and was pretty turned off by the whole "assholedness" of those people. I decided to lay the sticks down and walk away. The desire to play was just too great after a while and I decided to get back into it just for the enjoyment!

Heart is what that is called.

What is the use of being famous and successful, if the life is squeesed out of your music and you? Not saying, it couldn't be great to have fame and all the perks that go with it, but the crap and pressures attached must be as a verousious soul-eating machine.

After a while it just hasn't been as easy to find a place to play until this guitarist partnered with me into turning his garage into a studio. I've had periods before that where I just couldn't play. I'm glad I know some guitar and bass and keys. It gives me something to do at home.

Versatility...a wonderous thing!! The savour of the bored musician!! I went for many many years, without playing anything. It was the worse years of my life.

So now you have a joint effort Studio in the making with the guitarist. The one who lays down the lead tracks for you on these songs?

I just play it like I hear it in my head.

That is how I do it, but my head obviously doesn't hear as good of arrangements, as your head does. What I wind up with, always hit me as repetitious and boring.

I'm a good online groupie as well!

Great!! I may have to use ya!! Do you scream and stuff?

I think I am done buying gear for quite a while. Spent waaaay more than I should have!

It has a way of taking over if ya let it!!

I already have permission for the two tunes I played on for the guitarist. I can post those soon. Some interesting drum work on one.

I will be looking forward to hearing those.

It is interesting talking(posting) with you Phil!!

 

[PhilGood]

It is interesting talking(posting) with you Phil!!

You too!

 

[Supercreep]

Phil, I love this... But I dislike the vocal effect. It sounds like the vocals are in a completely different space than the other instruments. Just a matter of taste, though.

Snare can come up a little.

Kick can have a little more definition.

Lead guitar has a little too much distortion for my taste.


Nice transition back from the middle section...

Great song, and nice cymbal work, Phil.



Keep 'em comin!

 

[PhilGood]

Phil, I love this... But I dislike the vocal effect. It sounds like the vocals are in a completely different space than the other instruments. Just a matter of taste, though.

Snare can come up a little.

Kick can have a little more definition.

Lead guitar has a little too much distortion for my taste.


Nice transition back from the middle section...

Great song, and nice cymbal work, Phil.



Keep 'em comin!

Yeah, the vocals are still rough. I just slapped some stuff on it for a rough mixdown before quitting for the night. I have a lot of cleanup to do on this one.

Thanks!!!

Phil

 

[true-eurt]

Have you tweaked on this one some Phil? It seems the vocals are buried in the beginning up to the raps....I didn't notice that last night.

 

[PhilGood]

Haven't done anything new to this one yet.

Still tweaking 7 years. I may have a new version of it tonight.

 

[true-eurt]

Haven't done anything new to this one yet.

Still tweaking 7 years. I may have a new version of it tonight.

LOL!! I don't know how I missed it before, except as I had pointed out in one of the post....Your voice gets me all screwed up, or something to that effect!!

 

[CIRO]

Hi, PHILGOOD:

VERY GOOD SONG!
And Overall mix sounds better than "sappys ballad" to me.

I remember I talk about a "thin" guitar before , but on this song, guitar sounds very punchy and defined..
Drums/bass/ac guitar very good as usual.
Only thing I think you can improve is your vocal mix (not performance, which is excellent), but something on ...maybe mids (i´m really not sure, but something that makes your voice "jump" on mix .I´m talking about mid eq, but, perhaps it´s a simply matter of give 1 or 2 dbs or even compression, or all things together, you know......).
I´m sure you will find the best way.
*Good idea too less 1 or 2 DBs on gtr when vox starts.


Hey, (edit):

In What city your father was born?


CIRO

 

[PhilGood]

In What city your father was born?


CIRO

He was born in 1936 north of Rio De Janeiro probably near Belo Horizonte. My Grandfather was a Lutheran missionary from the U.S. and used to have several remote parishes he would travel between on a donkey. They moved back to the U.S. when my dad was about 11.

Things is Brazil are probably a lot different than when he was a boy. Rio is quite metropolitan.

 

[CIRO]

"7 years" , not "sappys ballad", ok?

 

[minofifa]

hey man,
cool song, and very good quality. I didn't bother to read the other criticisms so if this is repeated, sorry. I thought the toms could come up a bit, especially in the first part of the song. The solo is cool, but sounds a bit thin. Perhaps a smidge too much on the vocal reverb too. The tone of the rhythm guitars is great though. I'm listening to this on a pair of audio technica headphones.