death ray

[heatmiser]

Hey,

First new tune for me since October...probably bit off more than I could chew, but I had big plans - partially actualized here.

Finshed around 3 this morning, and in my haste to completion I think I captured a few cringe-worthy vocals. Not sure if I can stomach going back and re-doing them, but may have to.

This is about a college roommate of mine who proceeded to publicly loose his marbles over the course of a year or two.

I went back to my old drum-machine-through-guitar-pedals thing from years ago, so no cool rock drum loops here, but I wanted a quirky kind of sound for this - is it working?...on any level?...mix advice? Please and thank you.

Orignal mix with all drum machines:
SoundClick artist: kingseesar - death ray


New mix 05.06.11 with additional, acoustic drums by PoeticIntensity:
SoundClick artist: kingseesar - death ray 05.06.11

 

[robgreen]

I think it sounds great Heatmiser. I've listened through twice and I'm struggling to see where any major concerns are. It's got a nice quirky, lo-fi feel and reminded me a little of the silver jews.

Ba ba ba's towards the end could maybe do with a little boost, but after that I'm struggling. Really enjoyed it.

 

[heatmiser]

Thank you Mr. Green - never heard of the silver jews...helluva name though - will check them out.

There is so much going on at the end there it got kind of hard to know where to put everything. "Ba ba bas" is exactly what I named those tracks on the roland. There is a "Ba ba bas L" and a "Ba ba bas R" .

 

[PDP]

Hell yeah its workin Heat, sounds great, I love the song, excellent trance like groove, catchy chords and melodies, great job.

I would lower the drum machine loop sound in some places and bring in a solid kick and snare and alternate between the two, I think I hear you already doing that but I'd lower the loop sound even more in some places and let a kick & snare carry it, it would break up the monotony of the loop sound. ( so I'm really just talkin drum mix levels)

Overall great job, really liked this one.

 

[heatmiser]

Great - thanks for checking it out PDP.

Yeah, I have a high tolerance for repetition, but you may have a point there. I did do exactly that with the drums, but only at one point in the tune (where you hear the people talking and stuff).

I tried to create some variety when recording the initial pattern by manipulating the FX pedal while the drum machine did its thing. I was turning a delay on and off and I would add and subtract reverb every 8 bars or so. I then tapped out a kick and snare separately on a different drum machine to beef it up a bit, but by themselves, they sound kinda weak. Thanks again - I may try to do more of what you suggest...

 

[Bulls Hit]

I think the lofi drums work well, particularly when the kick gets that flabby distorted sound. I'm a big fan of running stuff through guitar pedals. What I'm not keen on is that accented hat that hits just before the snare in just about every bar, it just seems too prominent. No other mix issues form me, vocals sound good, accoustics and bass sound good, nice melodies in this tune

 

[PDP]

Great - thanks for checking it out PDP.

Yeah, I have a high tolerance for repetition,...

I like that about your stuff, the overall song is by no means monotonos, it's trance like. Along the lines of what Bull is saying I 'd just blend the outstanding hi-end drum machine parts into the mix more in some spots.

 

[heatmiser]

I think the lofi drums work well, particularly when the kick gets that flabby distorted sound. I'm a big fan of running stuff through guitar pedals. What I'm not keen on is that accented hat that hits just before the snare in just about every bar, it just seems too prominent. No other mix issues form me, vocals sound good, accoustics and bass sound good, nice melodies in this tune

Cool, good advice. Thank you. I'm thinking now that maybe the distorted drum loop should be EQd a little darker in general. That might make that hat a little less overbearing. The whole thing could maybe be a little warmer and the hi mids on that drum machine are kinda harsh at times.

I like that about your stuff, the overall song is by no means monotonos, it's trance like. Along the lines of what Bull is saying I 'd just blend the outstanding hi-end drum machine parts into the mix more in some spots.

Yeah, I think I get what you're saying PDP - and thank you for explaining. I'm listening now trying to find spots where I could switch up the drums a little for some contrast. We shall see...

 

[squibble94]

Wow, great song! Very catchy. I think I like the drum machine in this better than your other loops. Now for the mix. The drums do seem a bit loud. The looping of them does not bother me though. The bass can come up some. An idea just hit me... In the second verse it would be cool to add some synth/organ stabs on the quarter notes maybe. Not too prominent, but just enough to drive the song and add variation. I think this song deserves some kazoo too.

Kcearl would have a blast with this one!

 

[heatmiser]

Wow, great song! Very catchy. I think I like the drum machine in this better than your other loops. Now for the mix. The drums do seem a bit loud. The looping of them does not bother me though. The bass can come up some. An idea just hit me... In the second verse it would be cool to add some synth/organ stabs on the quarter notes maybe. Not too prominent, but just enough to drive the song and add variation. I think this song deserves some kazoo too.

Kcearl would have a blast with this one!

Thank you squibble . The bass can come up? I would love to bring it up some but was wary of boominess. I'll give it a try as I almost always like more bass. I will also play around with the drum machines (EQ and levels) and see if I can come up with anything better. I kinda like them as is, but you and others have some good suggestions for me to try.

I loved collaborating with KC the one time we did that. He is really great to work with and talented, but we always have trouble lining things up tempo-wise.

 

[PoeticIntensity]

While listening, I openly grinned with the sound of the opening guitar riffs. They sound great, man. Drum loops need to come down just a bit, and I'd see if I could fatten up your vocals just a bit - either that or bring them up just a tad. Maybe try putting them through a chorus effect of sorts for girth?

On the whole, this was highly entertaining. Good stuff, man. If you'd be interested in some acoustic drums, I have some ideas which may or may not work. Keeping the repetitive structure, but with an acoustic overdriven sound... Let me know.

 

[heatmiser]

new mix up top

Thanks PI. You've confirmed a few things here. Thank you for offering to play along with this too. I think that could be really cool. I'll PM you...

With your feedback along with everyone else's, I went ahead and uploaded a substantially different mix:
- New lead vocals - fewer sour notes, same tone problems I guess
- more kick/snare - less distorto-drum-machine swirling stuff
- much more bass - probably too much, but I like it like this

Same link as up top (updated tonight) - does it sound ok..?

 

[PoeticIntensity]

PM sent, Pete.

 

[Chili]

Listening to new mix.

I'd like to hear the vox slightly louder. BGV's are louder then lead vox, I think it should be the other way around.
Drums sound fine to me.
Good bass tone, as always... It really comes through nicely and fits perfectly in the mix. Makes me think you mixed this at my house on my speakers.

Didn't listen to the words, sorry. Wouldn't mind if you posted the lyrics.

Cool.

 

[arcadeko]

Great mood set with the whole package. Nothing bugged me about it so I all I can say is I enjoyed listening to it. got some Beck feel to it... I can dig it

 

[chrisharris]

Sounds fine here. I like the song.

 

[ido1957]

Sounds great heat - gonna put some PI drums on ths this?

 

[Greg_L]

Sounds pretty great to me. Bass sounds awesome. I don't know how I missed this for 4 days or whatever. The vocals could be louder, but I like em a little buried. I'd like a little more thump in the drum track. More kick, or whatever that is down there. Just a little more to really drive it along. That's nitpicking though. It's certainly pretty damn good as-is. Nice job.

 

[heatmiser]

Listening to new mix.

I'd like to hear the vox slightly louder. BGV's are louder then lead vox, I think it should be the other way around.
Drums sound fine to me.
Good bass tone, as always... It really comes through nicely and fits perfectly in the mix. Makes me think you mixed this at my house on my speakers.

Actually I did. I dropped by the other day...don't you remember you told me that would be ok?

I did raise the ba ba bas and stuff on this mix and may've gone too far. I'll take another look - thanks Chili!

Great mood set with the whole package. Nothing bugged me about it so I all I can say is I enjoyed listening to it. got some Beck feel to it... I can dig it

Cool - I dig that you can dig it. Thanks arcadeko.

Sounds fine here. I like the song.

Thank you chris.

Sounds great heat - gonna put some PI drums on ths this?

Thanks ido. Yeah - I'm playing around with that now. I'm trying to integrate all of the percussion (minus my lame finger tapping 808 samples ). Lining it up just so is quite difficult for me. He cranked something out in no time that is very restrained but has some nice subtle variations. I hope I can get the right mix.

 

[heatmiser]

PM sent, Pete.

Gracias!!~

Didn't listen to the words, sorry. Wouldn't mind if you posted the lyrics.

Lazy . Ok, here they are (odd the way I've started to use nouns as adjectives...(i.e. insanity churches)). I kinda like the sound of it although I realize it is grammatically incorrect. Does anyone else do that?

Death Ray

Woke up just a weight on your bed
Meat bag pinned by the gravity shackles
Paranoia creeping through your head
One missed step and the gallery cackles

I can't go where you want me to tread
Nobody knows what goes on in your head

Don't judge me by the things that I do
Judge me by the things that I tell you I'm thinking
Death ray beams coming after you
Tin foil dreams and your faith is shrinking

I can't go where you want me to tread
Nobody knows what goes on in your head

It's your life - and you can do what you want
Just go out and do it before it's gone
Don't let them tell you that it's easier this way
No one's gonna tell you when you're wrong

Choked up on the gravity bong
Beat down waiting for the cavity searches
Stay up with me all night long
Stumbling into the insanity churches

I can't go where you want me to tread
Nobody knows what goes on in your head