Cover version, to see if we could do it

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Matt303

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We thought we'd have a go at this Steely Dan tune, I've always liked it. It is deceptively difficult (as we found out when we tried to record it). I think it sounds OK but this was about the third attempt and the first time I've had the nerve to post it here. It seems to lack the "lightness" of the original. I think it might be the use of reverb but most likely down to our playing and general groove. The original drumming is outstanding, I got as close as I could with a machine.

It was fun to do anyway and has confirmed to me how good the original really is both in playing and production.
I would be interested in your views
(please dont be too harsh about the playing)

Josie

www.nowhereradio.com/mobounce/singles
 
Man, you have the basis of the tune covered in a BIG way. Very good cover. The guitar lead is note for note. Some of the snare flams are stiff but oh well. Real good job (God I like that band).
 
Very good and clear mix. The kick has a tad too much... something. It sounds like it's distorting slightly here and there. But it's really a minor thing. Other than that, the drums are really good. The slap bass gets too trebly in those ad-lib parts, but it grooves nicely and works very good with the drums. I've never heard the original, but this is VERY nicely mixed and grooves like hell. Sounds really 70's. Boogie time :)
 
I agree about the slap bass. It was a bit on the trebly side....I think overall it was a good job. I to heard some distortion here and there. What was it recorded on?
RF
 
nice cover.

very crispy and kinda 'fragile' sounding. the vocals sounds like they're struggling a bit on the intonation. Other than that, pretty much note for note....so to speak.
 
Yeah I notice the odd intonation problems with the vocals as well. I really like the singers voice though overall, very good.

Where are the backup vocals? That would really really fill the space. Bit of verb on the snare is possible.

Very good guitar solo!

The guitar I find a bit crispy, biting, like a strat in the middle position, harsher than necessary. Maybe just too much treble on it, EQ'd too much.. don't know.

I don't hear the kick distorting, but I do hear some weird rattling sound in the same section of the song, everytime. Sounds like rattling beads or something.

Nice job!
 
I agree with previous posts.

There's some very slight intonation problems on the vocal, but I'm not one to talk, 'cause people say that about me all the time.

The playing and arrangement is very good, but lacks the thick backing vocals, which IMO is a trademark characteristic of Steely Dan. Without BGV's, it loses a lot of that authentic Steely Dan flavor.

Overall, I think it's a good, respectable effort.
 
Id say you can cover this tune.LOL!The only thing I kept wanting to hear were the back-up vocals.This is really good cover of a band that is REALLY hard to cover in my experience in cover bands.I actually heard a band try to cover this tune one time and I swear they were playing the chords to Sweet Home Alabama and singing the words to this tune!LMAO!:DIt was sight to see and hear;)
 
Great cover!

The drums sound fine,I think you definatly captured the lightness and groove of the song.

Your voice is a good fit,he usually doubles his,dosn't he?
Might sound good on your voice.

Great job!

Best to you,
Pete
 
I think you did a pretty stellar job. Love the performance, paricularly the vocals.

Productionwise, you got some nasty action going on in the highs and hig-mids. I would pay close attention to what's going on from 3khz to 7khz. Particularly, the guitars are a little grating and can contribute to some listening fatigue. Also, the bass around 2:33. Ouch, my ears. :)

Nothing that a little EQ and/or multiband comp couldn't cure in no time, though. Other than that, I think it's all good.
 
Nicely done, about as close as can be to the original.

I like the singer, she doesn't overstylelize like so many female singers do, god I get so tired of that.

On the other hand put a flame under her, she sounds like she phoned it in. LOUDER, HAVE FUN!!

Nice job!!

GT
 
Pretty damn good! And I'm old enough to remember "The Bristol Stomp." The kids in Bristol are hot as a pistol when they do...
the Bristol Stomp. (Geezer alert).
Here's another vote for vocal harmonies...would fatten things up a bit.
Overall, a great job, nice going!

Mark

edit: Man, I'm more of a geezer than I thought. Bristol Stomp was about kids in Bristol, Pennsylvania...not Bristol, UK. D'oh.
What the hell, Bristol is Bristol. :D
 
Josie was very well done but what everyone should be listening to is Sweet Thing! That's happening my brother. :D Chaka's one of my favorites.

OK I'm off subject.....Josie is very well done....the guitar ride is a little stiff sounding. I personally had enough depth in the bass on my speakers and...........oh hell! Sweet Thing Everybody.................listen to THAT!!!!
 
Thanks to everyone who listened.

The general opinion seems to be that the rhythm guitar sound a bit crispy and bright, I agree with this. The original sounds much warmer like a 335, this version is a strat into a crapy practice amp. I do have a J Station but the guitarist dosn't use it on principle (although he used it for the solo, Blackface setting, and I thought it sounded good). In general I have noticed that this business of 'bright and fragile sounding' is a reccuring theme, it could be my use of compression and I find the mid range EQ difficult to deal with. It seems that very small adjustments can change the character of the sounds completely.

The bass does cut your head off on those slap bits. I tried to get the Chuck Rainey sound which has a lot of clicks and buzzes becuse the earlier mixes had lacked definition at the bass end. Then I realised that the original had a doubled guitar through the verse. Over driven miced up pignose in my version (no J Station again)

I read about multi-band compression in SOS. I have been thinking about getting a graphic and using it in the side chain for a bit more control. What do you think??

Is there a good way to approach mid range EQ? it tends to be hit or miss with me I just play around with it until it sounds like the instruments can breath in the mix but i'm not very systematic.

I also wanted to add backing Vox but with 8 tracks, and the extra guitar line, I got myself into a corner. To be fair the singer wanted to do her vocals again. I might try to bounce the guitars and find space for the backing vox

Lt Bob, thanks for the comments on Sweet Thing, I first heared the Mary J Blige version before realising it was a Chaka tune. Chaka kicks Mary J's ass on this one so I went out and got Rufusized, what a fantastic album!

Thanks again for giving it your time
 
I didn't catch...

what kind of 8-track you're using. Tell us, hmmm? Tech heads and hardware geeks are dying to know!;)
 
Nailed it musically; nothing to worry about there! Solid musicianship. Nice vocal. Great guitar tones. What Chessrock said about the EQ, I heard. I liked the bass tone, maybe it was just too up front? Also, the drums are on; although, the cymbals were a bit harsh... All in all, a stellar stab at a VERY difficult tune! :D
 
Re: I didn't catch...

A Reel Person said:
what kind of 8-track you're using. Tell us, hmmm? Tech heads and hardware geeks are dying to know!;)
Click to expand...

Nothing too fancy:

an old Fostex D80 hard disk recorder
Mackie CFX 12/4/2 desk with built in Reverb (the desk was originally for live use)
Behringer Tube Composer
Johnson J Station
GEM Equinox
Pure 1 Condenser mic
SM58
 
I didn't read any other comments but just ignore most of what I say anyway..

First great job.. excellent solo.. This is a great performance..


The mix sounds a bit too crisp to my ears.. Too much on the highs.. that highhat is especially too harsh.. and the bass sounds like there is too much treble.. the drums sound very compressed and over e.q.'d imhop.. that bass sound is too synth sounding.. some minor vox issues in one or two spots, but they are very minor.. I guess enough for me to notice though..


my biggest complaint with this is all the treble.. The whole thing just sounds tooo crisp and compressed and it needs some meat imhop.. I have to read the other comments..


Overall this is very good! Just ignore most of what I said anyway because I have mix problems of my own that I can't get resolved..



great job with this tune!
 
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