Greatest Version of Me

Drums sound pretty bad. Lead guitar is grating and distracting. Both have timing issues. Part of the problem may be in the technical ability of those playing them.
 
- The drums could use some bottom end I think, they are little crispy. The timing is not a big thing for me.
Are these real drums? Or Midi ?
- The vocals are excellent! Love the drawl. The phrasing is super and gives it a real nice meter. (except last line of chorus where it's kinda rushed). The hesitations between phrases (not sure if that's the right word) really work here for me.
- the blistering guitar follows the vocals nice but if possible I would turn down the gain and up the mids. The level seems okay too.
The song itself got me groovin right away - I like it!
:D :D :D :D
 
Thanks for feedback. Drums are triggered samples, then I layer up the snare/foot with other transient/body samples?

"Drums sound pretty bad" - are we talking just the 'timing issues' or quality of sound?

I run a "Rat" pedal into my DAW's amp cabinet simulation so some of the gain is printed, but I will try pulling back on the 'gain' of the pre-amp model and adjust EQ - I value your advice on this as you always capture such great tone on your own tracks

Cheers
Burt
 
I listened again, it is a nice song and vocal, which is why I dont think the rest stands up to the song and vox. Drums: cant hear kick, snare has no bottom/warmth, and bringing up the mids on the lead guitar is a good idea too. Drums sound very loose timing wise for my taste.
 
Thanks for clarification, yes overdid the lower end compression; could be my monitors as well (or sleepy ears) - can hear that now.

Drums possibly do with tightening, but when I use live triggering, I hate to over quarterise as it defeats purpose somewhat. I play drums, but I'm not a drummer!

Cheers

Burt
 
It sounds like there is a hole right in the middle of the frequency spectrum. Really hot cymbals and lead parts. Muffled sounding rhythm guitars. It sounds like you were trying to make a hole for the lead vocal and went way too far. Try to get some of the mids back into the mix, and this should come together.

I ran the track through my spectral analyzer, and confirmed my suspicions. I ran in on the intro before the vocal comes in because I think its the instrumentation that has the main issue, not the vocal.
 

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Thanks for this Live & Tobe - I think something went wrong at the mastering stage - I can hear what your saying now.

Also will redo lead and left side rhythm guitar to be something a little cleaner - as I agree it is not just about tone it is arrangement as well I think the lead is actually to busy for country rock. I was doing this in response to a brief with a deadline, but I know both the song and recording have got some evolving to do.

Glad to bring out your inner Banana split - I always preferred the Dilly Sister's Mexican Hat Dance myself

Cheers

Burt
 
I am real big fan of quantizing - Cakewalk has a nice "swing" or something that seems to work for me. 32nd notes or something.
I quantized something the other day, mixed it with the orig and found the bass drum hits doubled (everything else seemed to be in sync). Weird....
 
Yeah I am looking at how to set up a grove template in logic – I think if I create one off the foot then sync the other drum then it not so much quarterises as tightens. I guess if a bar still really stands out I could always quarterise, then humanize! With the new audio slicing feature in Logic 9 you can even run it over the baseline to tighten that.

A few of you guys have mentioned a lack of bottom end to the drums and bass? I like to high/low pass filter all each channel to minimize unnecessary frequency? On bass, foot and snare – on average – what would you filter below (and above)? This might also be accounting for some of the lack of depth in those parts?

Live42 when you say ‘hot cymbals’ is that an EQ or dynamic issue?

Cheers
Burt
 
I like your voice. The instruments I think sound a little muddy if that's the right word?

I wish that electric guitar would be louder and maybe a solo?
 
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