Curious what you think--First Tune Posting

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mrface2112

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This is my first posting to the mp3 clinic. I recorded and mixed this tune about a year ago (late june 04). So it's a little old, but it's one of my favorites.

I still haven't recorded vocals on it (and yes, there are words), simply from the fact that i don't sing all that well and haven't wanted to ruin what i think is a great sounding song with my vocals. :D

anyway, like i said, this was an early effort, and i'm curious what y'all think. I didn't want to be a DJL and never post anything i've recorded....and i've been around here long enough to finally get past the bashfulness.

It's called "I'll Know Why".......

<http://www.jalapenocornbread.com/homerec/i_know_why.mp3>


cheers,
wade
 
I like the sounds a lot. There are one or two tiny timing issues to my ears but I think it'd be a good song with the right tune and words. Thanks for sharing!

I really the tone on the electric guitar, although the delays could be a touch quieter (not easy with stomp boxes!!!).

You make a good point about not sharing etc. I'm definitely on the bashful side because I think my recordings are frankly pretty lame ...
 
thanks noisedude! i appreciate the feedback. ;)

yes, there are a few timing issues with the "drums" and "tambourine". they're midi and i played them "by hand" on my Radium 61 and i've never gone back and lined up the parts to the beat in the drum editor. i oughta.....but i'm lazy. :D and it's kinda grown on me with the "flaws"....

the electric guitar was DI'd through a VTB1 (as was the bass, albeit with some toob introduced), and the delay actually is the Mod Delay plugin that comes with Nuendo. i laid down the solo at like 4 in the morning, and i *hated* it the next morning, so i buried it in a modulated delay before dumping the mix to cd. it really grew on me--kinda reminds me of the cure in a way. but i hate the cure, so i'm not sure why i think that's a good thing. :p

i've been meaning to get someone who's got a "voice that's pleasing to listen to" to lay down the vocals, but again, i'm lazy. i can hit the notes just fine (so i *can* sing)....i just kinda sound like neil young.


cheers,
wade
 
it actually sounds quite good.
the guitars sound really nice and I especially like the bass. the snare seems to have a weird sound too it...is it a synth or sampled??? it needs more realisticness to it, it sounds too static right now and doesn't have a humanized feel to it. it also sounds like there is a delay on it (maybe on the reverb)...and it starts to sound like it's off beat. the congas are dry sounding, although I've never been able to get congas to sound not dry. it's probably just the nature of the beast since the head is made of a very dry material. don't rush the kick drum either, this song seems like a layed back

on the guitar solo...again, the delay is a little too much...it's off beat. figure out what your BPM is for the song and then figure out the corresponding ms delay time. again, bass and acoustic sound wonderful...so i wouldn't touch those if i were you. just a little more here and there and I think it'll sound great with vocals.

good luck
:cool:
 
mrface2112 said:
thanks noisedude! i appreciate the feedback. ;)

yes, there are a few timing issues with the "drums" and "tambourine". they're midi and i played them "by hand" on my Radium 61 and i've never gone back and lined up the parts to the beat in the drum editor. i oughta.....but i'm lazy. :D and it's kinda grown on me with the "flaws"....

wade
Click to expand...

ah, i was typing my response when you wrote this.
don't ever let the flaws grow on you....because a flaw that you're used to, is a huge mistake to someone else's ears. if you hear something wrong, correct it the first time you hear it. and yeah, listening to it a second time...FIX THOSE DRUMS!

there, that should give you enough encouragement :D
 
thanks! i think you'll be surprised to know that the kick, snare, congas, tambourine and organ are all midi. not a note of real percussion on the entire track. and they're all out of the LM7 plugin that comes with Nuendo, with the organ being the Native Instruments B4. absolutely there are timing issues.....y'all are inspring me to go fix em. :D

the bass is an old yamaha cheapie, and the acoustic is a Martin D15, recorded with a pair of MXL 603s->Mackie 24*4->Symetrix 425->Delta 1010. i really love the sound of that martin with the 603s into the 425.....

and yeah, the delay really does need to be lined up to the bpm. i hadn't discovered such things as MS to BPM conversion charts when i did that mix. :p


cheers,
wade
 
I thought I recognised that snare sound from somewhere but didn't want to mention it. :D:D Yeah, that LM-7 kit is actually pretty usable as long as you pull back the cymbals a bit and don't go overboard with panning the toms.
 
yeah, i have to admit that i'm pretty fond of the snare and kick from the LM7--i've used it on a couple of my earlier tunes. don't care for the toms much and the cymbals are pretty much worthless, but the congas are kinda cool.

a friend of mine thought the LM7 snare sounded like the snare on some of Widespread Panic's studio recordings (done down at John Keane's place in Athens, Ga), and Todd (panic's drummer) uses a DW snare.....and i do have to agree that there's a similar tonal quality there. maybe the LM7 was designed off a DW, or maybe Keane's stuck some samples in there (which i think unlikely given that live, the snare sounds identical to the studio material)......no idea.


anyway, i'll have to put something else up soon. i appreciate the comments!


cheers,
wade
 
I love the verse, it's got a good feel to it. Classic chorus, too. Nice! Reminds me a bit of Porno for Pyros. I like the lead guitar and think the delay fits with the temper of the song, but is suited to the simpler melodies you play during the lead. Dropping the bongos in during the chorus could help pull the song along, too. More subtle details!!

-Casey
 
Thanks supercreep--i've been calling this instrumental version the "lounge groove". :D the lyrics really rob it of the laid back groove, to be honest.....and i like the instrumental version a LOT better. of course, that's largely b/c i don't like listening to myself sing. :p i hadn't even considered dropping the congas in the chorus--that's an interesting idea. FWIW, it was the chorus chords that actually inspired the lyrics to the song.

the lead was the only take i did of it, and honestly (and obviously), my lead guitar playing isn't much to write home about. i can *construct* a lead, but i can't improvise for shit, really. and all of my solos are melodic in nature. however, put me on mandolin and i can improv like there's no tomorrow. i've been playing guitar for about 15 years now.....and mandolin for a little more than a year and i'm easily as good a mando player as i am on guitar--if not more so. i think the mando just comes more naturally.

but honestly, i'm a drummer first and foremost. i just like playing something with strings a lot more. :D

i'll have to post up a song with some mando here in a little bit.


cheers,
wade
 
mrface2112 said:
Thanks supercreep--i've been calling this instrumental version the "lounge groove". :D the lyrics really rob it of the laid back groove, to be honest.....and i like the instrumental version a LOT better. of course, that's largely b/c i don't like listening to myself sing. :p i hadn't even considered dropping the congas in the chorus--that's an interesting idea. FWIW, it was the chorus chords that actually inspired the lyrics to the song.

the lead was the only take i did of it, and honestly (and obviously), my lead guitar playing isn't much to write home about. i can *construct* a lead, but i can't improvise for shit, really. and all of my solos are melodic in nature. however, put me on mandolin and i can improv like there's no tomorrow. i've been playing guitar for about 15 years now.....and mandolin for a little more than a year and i'm easily as good a mando player as i am on guitar--if not more so. i think the mando just comes more naturally.

but honestly, i'm a drummer first and foremost. i just like playing something with strings a lot more. :D

i'll have to post up a song with some mando here in a little bit.


cheers,
wade
Click to expand...

Well if you're ever in Sacramento we've got some tracks warming up for your mandolin, bro.
 
Supercreep--

Unfortunately i'm in central VA.

If you can get me stereo 24/44.1 wav files of some stuff you want some mando on, i'll be glad to lay down some mando and get the track back to you.

I can do FTP or burned cdrs, etc.


cheers,
wade
 
Nice tune! ONe of the best on here right now


Thats a great guitar i sure have seen that thing get its moneys worth. i always had trouble micing it just perfect. I always went through a Direct Box one positions did you place the mics on it?


Was this recorded in pro tools?
 
thanks J, i appreciate the compliment! :-D

this was recorded in Nuendo. i don't have my tracksheet with me here, so this is from memory--i usually mic all of my personal acoustic tracks like this. one of the things i like best about that D15 is the mellow balanced tone which makes it ideal for recording. i like the sound of it a LOT better than my buddy's HD28V.

mics were MXL603's and were placed in spaced pair config. one was aimed at the 12th fret about 6-8" out, and the other was over my right shoulder, right next to my ear, aimed towards the floor and angled just a little back towards the lower bout of the guitar (i'm a righty). mics went into Mackie VLZ preamps (on an SR24*4) and then into a Symetrix 425, compressing very lightly.

i can't tell you for 100% certainty, but there was also a strong liklihood that I had a Studio Projects B1 about 4ft out from the guitar as well. I always put one of those out there, and lately i've been adding my dragonfly to it as well....but i recorded this before i had the dfly.

can't say i use a DI on it--the only acoustic pickup i've got is an old dimarzio, and it doesn't sound good at all on this guitar. sounds ok on my plywood yammerhammer, though.


cheers,
wade
 
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