Gun in the Drawer - Original

[Bruthish]

Imagine going to bed with your lady and everything is all normal. You are awakened by loud crash and find that the apocalypse(of your choice) has happened and all you have left is your lady. This hope of helplessness is what I tried to capture.

This is a work in progress, this started off as a song I started about 15 years ago and it turned out totally different. I know there are a lot of issues that I need to address....but am I on the right track according to your ears and systems? This is the longest song I have ever done and I have already cut some of it out!

Let me know what you think.....your not going offend me.

Latest Version

 

[andrushkiwt]

I'm on headphones, with no a lot of low end, and the kick is pounding through. Maybe down a bit? The vocals sound really good, as do those string patches on the far sides. Man, I'd bet with that kick down a little, it'd sound even better. All these vocals sound really good, and guitars too.

 

[easlern]

Sounds great on my headphones bruthish, can't hear anything I'd change. That acoustic guitar sounds great.

 

[Bruthish]

Taras...you know I like my kick heavy lol. I brought it down 2db..see if that helps

easlern...yeah I was amazed at how well the acoustics recorded considering I just put the mic at face level above the guitar.

I also brought down the low end reflects of reverb on chorus vocals..they sounded a little muddy...

Thanks for the comments!

UPDATED FILE:

 

[Nola]

The recording is solid. Acoustic stands out as being a really nice sound. The vocal is like Tom Waits-chain-smoker level grainy, but not as powerful a delivery. The 2nd mix is a bit clearer with some kick moved out of the way. I prefer the 2nd mix.

 

[Bruthish]

Thanks for the listen Nola...yeah I really haven't found my niche yet vocal wise and this way I seem to have a little more control. It took a gazillion takes to get it to sound even this good! I wasn't trying to have a more powerful delivery though... just a somber feel.

Thanks on the acoustic sound. It did turn out really well. Those are old strings too, wonder if it would have sounded even better with new ones? Lol

 

[andrushkiwt]

wow, that's 2db down and it's still really heavy lol. Is there an extra kick hit in there somewhere? Something is throwing me off the groove and I think it's like a quiet ghost note in the kick. Those acoustics and pads sound really good. I just changed the strings on my Gibson and I think it sounded better before Maybe it's the type I put on...boomers' 12's. Possibly too thick/heavy. There's no brightness to the higher strings.

Ah, just had a thought.... are you using Superior/EZD? If so, I'd check that the kick hits aren't exactly on the line/beat. When that happens, it's possible some of us will naturally come in a touch early, and it can result in the drums sounding like they're lagging. I'm not feeling like the kick is in as tight with the bass as it could be. Also, those three quick strums on the acoustics could be the culprit at points.

mix-wise, really good sound man.

 

[Bruthish]

Taras, listening in the car on the way to work I heard exactly what your hearing. There something going on with the kick I wasn't able to catch in initial mix. I do think there are some double hits which accent some notes heavier than others. Also, I think the kick has so much low frequency that not all systems are picking up and when they do hit they sound crazy loud. I really need to get back in there and adjust them and see if I can get them with less attack but still cut through the mix. I think the kick and bass are walking on each other too.

 

[andrushkiwt]

Taras, listening in the car on the way to work I heard exactly what your hearing. There something going on with the kick I wasn't able to catch in initial mix. I do think there are some double hits which accent some notes heavier than others. Also, I think the kick has so much low frequency that not all systems are picking up and when they do hit they sound crazy loud. I really need to get back in there and adjust them and see if I can get them with less attack but still cut through the mix. I think the kick and bass are walking on each other too.

ok cool, yeah I thought I heard extra notes in there somewhere. Really quick ones, like ghost kick notes or possibly accidental overwrites, or unremoved midi notes. Something. There's something going on in there. it'll all clear up nicely when you sort it out, for sure.

 

[jimistone]

This is really good bruthish. I don't hear anything I would change.
killer song!

 

[Robus]

I'm not hearing the echo or doubling on the drums, so maybe you fixed it. Just a thought: did you render the drums tracks but forget to turn off the plugin? I've done that before, then wondered why it sounded like the drums were sounding thicker than normal.

I like the song. Some kind of bridge or change up wouldn't be out of place. Interesting arrangement, good performances. Nice atmospheric synth parts and effect. You've mixed the electric guitars low, which creates a bigger, more open sound to the mix in most cases.

The level of some of the drum fills seemed low. I agree with Taras that the kick and bass could be tighter. I think your kick is just too busy. It's playing a syncopated part while the bass is more restrained and emphasizes the quarter notes. There are some groove issues there too. Thought I was hearing a little swing on your eight notes, but it seems like your kick and bass aren't quite agreeing on how much swing to swung. That's a problem I've often had to work through as well. My suggestion would be simplify they kick, put the emphasis on the quarter notes, and throw in the occasional syncopation sparingly to lead the changes.

Good work!

 

[Bruthish]

Thanks Jimi and Robus for the listen and comments!

I kinda rushed this thing together and Taras first brought it to my attention that something was just not right on the beats. I went back in and found that somehow it jumped off about a 1/16 note and when I copied and pasted it was just a viscous cycle...so I got that fixed. There were also a lot of kick notes on top of each other which makes those notes REALLY loud. I think I got all of those fixed.

This latest version I changed up the beginning bass line a bit. I really like the original but it was throwing the beat off some too, so I re-did it a little more simpler. I also bumped up the snare on the fills(as Robus mentioned). On the last chorus I added a higher harmony part to "bring it all together" but not sure if it worked or not.

Anyway, thanks so much for all the help. I have to step away from this one for a while and then I will come back and fix those parts that are bugging me!



Here is the latest one:

 

[VomitHatSteve]

This was cool. I like the vocal effect and the miscellaneous synths.

The only critique I have is that it didn't seem to get anywhere. It seems like there's this intense build throughout the whole song until the guitar interlude, but it just stays at the same level when it hits there.

Maybe add some distorted leads? Or at least a double time drum pattern? Or something to turn it up to 11.

 

[Bruthish]

This was cool. I like the vocal effect and the miscellaneous synths.

The only critique I have is that it didn't seem to get anywhere. It seems like there's this intense build throughout the whole song until the guitar interlude, but it just stays at the same level when it hits there.

Maybe add some distorted leads? Or at least a double time drum pattern? Or something to turn it up to 11.

Thanks for the listen and comments VHS! I totally agree with you on the "not going anywhere" part and thats why I added a higher harmony on last chorus...but I don't think it had much effect...at least not what I was thinking. This song doesn't even have a bridge really. I thought about a key change at the end too, but not sure I can pull that off lol I will have to think on this to see what else I can do. Thanks!

 

[andrushkiwt]

Just realized there isn't a hi-hat throughout the song...unless I'm just not hearing it. Still sounds pretty good man. I agree the FX are pulled off well, particularly the string type. While I still think the kick is a little busy at times, the vocal melody is catchy...good tune dude

 

[Bruthish]

Just realized there isn't a hi-hat throughout the song...unless I'm just not hearing it. Still sounds pretty good man. I agree the FX are pulled off well, particularly the string type. While I still think the kick is a little busy at times, the vocal melody is catchy...good tune dude

eh, I turned it way down. I kinda liked the dry sound without it, but it's there. Your probably hearing it and just not realizing it because its so faint. I did kinda agree with you on the kick however I took some of it out and it just seemed to lose something. The synth part samples came with Sonar when I bough it so they have came in handy! Thanks so much for your help getting this on track! I need something rockin' now to do...Spring break is next week and the wife is gone! I see another tune coming my way!

 

[andrushkiwt]

Yeah, I have 3 days off in a row starting Tuesday, and I'm trying to come up with something new so I have a track to work on. Maybe I'll just remix something old. Have you tried that yet? That can be a fun learning experience too...

 

[Bruthish]

Yeah, I have 3 days off in a row starting Tuesday, and I'm trying to come up with something new so I have a track to work on. Maybe I'll just remix something old. Have you tried that yet? That can be a fun learning experience too...

I have so many half written songs that I would like to go back and complete some. I am really bad at coming of with something that sounds really cool then putting it on the back burner lol. But I have two in mind already that are more rockin' and will be a good change of pace.

 

[ibleedburgundy]

Neat song. I feel like there is a ton of unused space in the mids that could be exploited here to fill things out. If you wanted.