Hello everybody , hoping you got a second to check out my stuff , pretty pleaseee :

Amorican

Amorican

New member
Hey there , hope you are well . I have been "home recording" myself & my songs for as long as I've been playing guitar . I started at 11 years old and am now 29 . Like all of us , I have been through some rough times and have had a difficult life here on this rock spinning through space . After pretty much the last 2 years of me trying to kill myself in various and self destructive ways , I've been trying to be on the rebound and maintain a clear head and stick to my goals, hopes , and dreams . Which is music , self expression , and SONGWRITING . Still hoping it will take me somewhere good/great .

I've posted on and off for years on this board as well as the gearslutz forum . But have been off those for years and am really trying to get back to it .

I've got 15 tracks recorded that I've been working VERY hard on . I've been recording all the parts myself , as well as mixing and mastering etc...Would like to put out my own album -- my own lil' masterpiece . I've only ever been in bands and done that whole "thing" . But now am alone.

I need to now what you think about these 4 tracks I put up . Songs blow ? Production blows ? ****ty Guitar playing ? Horrible Mixes ? Or if I did anything right , well that'd be great to know as well , Here is a link:

https://soundcloud.com/tony-nash-1

Please let me know if I'm on the right track or whatever your thoughts are--I look forward to hearing from ya and also checking out everyones projects on here !

Peace

Tony
 
I think the songwriting is pretty good...the problem for me is the vocal (timbre and delivery). The timbre is unpleasant, and the delivery is forced or contrived.
I'd have someone else sing it and then repost it. Is that an option? I actually think this has potential because I was digging each song before the vocal kicked in. If the vocal melodies were stronger, I could probably ignore the timbre and delivery issues, but you need one or the other [great melody or great timbre/delivery] and the vocal has neither. Don't fret too much about it, though, because vocals are the hardest part for 99% of us.
 
Ya ive been trying really hard with my singing and writing good melodies and backing vox and stuff...I guess I failed haha. I do agree it is tough for a lot of us . And sadly i do not have the option of someone else singing it . I was really trying to get it right on my own since I write the songs and stuff and have a drive and vision im trying to convey. Maybe i should do the vocals over completely idk. Thank you for listening and giving constructive criticism though ...i should be out at open mics and trying to build my solo career but what people think of my voice keeps me hiding it and my songs away from the world haha, oy vey
 
Amorican said:
Ya ive been trying really hard with my singing and writing good melodies and backing vox and stuff...I guess I failed haha. I do agree it is tough for a lot of us . And sadly i do not have the option of someone else singing it . I was really trying to get it right on my own since I write the songs and stuff and have a drive and vision im trying to convey. Maybe i should do the vocals over completely idk. Thank you for listening and giving constructive criticism though ...i should be out at open mics and trying to build my solo career but what people think of my voice keeps me hiding it and my songs away from the world haha, oy vey
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You could try a George Costanza and do the opposite of everything you're trying to do vocally

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKUvKE3bQlY

So maybe do quick takes where you don't try to convey anything, and hope it conveys naturally? That would help with the stiff feeling of the vocal. Or have a shot of whiskey. Then you just have to work on timbre, which there's not much to do other than different mics (try a ribbon to soften your voice -- to me it sounds bright and that's part of the issue. A ribbon might help a lot) or EQ.

But, don't get all depressed over it. Music should be pleasurable not this huge undertaking or chore. Write songs you like, perform them in a way that's enjoyable, write new songs. Don't harp on a song forever, thinking this and that has to be perfect, and don't take music so seriously because that will convey, too. When you write you are working "VERY hard" to me it implies harping over the songs, maybe too much.

And remember, just because I don't like the vocal timbre, it doesn't mean you failed. Other people might be fine with it. We all hear differently and have preferences. I prefer lower male vocals, duller voices, slack styles, rounder timbres, etc. Others will give you feedback and maybe think I'm wrong.
 
You rock man thank you . I do agree with you . I laughed with the whiskey remark because i sadly was pretty blitzed on heroine when I recorded these songs haha , and now im sober and trying to get back to my music, so Ill prob figure something outt .like i said its been a rough road lol
 
not sure why its so bad , ive been trying to leave life since I was born lol ...bi polar manic depressive and sad all the time , tried therapy tried pills , everyday is a struggle . but im trying to create some good art to leave behind i suppose
 
4tracker said:
..the problem for me is the vocal (timbre and delivery). The timbre is unpleasant, and the delivery is forced or contrived.
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Really?

Look, the OP's vocals are a little buried, a little over-reverbed and a little forced in places. But these are good interesting songs... I think you're being a bit harsh.

Amorican - definitely material worth working with here - I think you need to get a bit more confident and a bit more relaxed at the microphone - I get the feeling, apart from the reverb, you're actually a bit far back from the mic itself - it sounds distant in more ways than one. Everything else is pretty good, mixing is a bit on the dark/bassy side for mine and a few things need taming, but nothing that can't be fixed. I like the plonky upright piano sound too.

You have an ear, you can play, you can write and you need more work on the singing. Keep at it. Hopefully someone else apart from me will disagree with 4tracker's overly harsh assessment.

Open Sore is potentially a great tune.

Don't go Elliot on us, OK?
 
Armistice said:
Really?

Look, the OP's vocals are a little buried, a little over-reverbed and a little forced in places. But these are good interesting songs... I think you're being a bit harsh.

Open Sore is potentially a great tune.

Don't go Elliot on us, OK?
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+1000000 this!

Blame it on tracker for posting a Seinfeld clip. Youtube kept playing and had me stuck, and I stopped listening to Feeling Wrong.

But Open Sore and Count On Me (listening to it right now) are good, I like them. You've got good things going on here.
Getting feedback for four songs all at once may be too much. My advice is to pick one song and re-post it for critiquing here.
Focus on what others will say about your song and mix. They will help you improve you're songs.
Not that they are bad at their present form. Far from it. Just need some fine tuning.
 
Hey guys thank you so much ! I'm all up for re doing my vox and fixing all the other stuff. I tried to make my mixes with bass and low end cause in the past they came out to light and no punch. But What are some of the things I could fix mix wise do you think? I want to make this good enough to hand out and get me shows and spread my name.
Part of the problem with me and my bands in the past is I never get to fully play and create the music to the vision I hear and see in my head and that leaves one feeling very frustrated. I hate having to water myself down and settle because of the limitations of the other guys. THe point is I wanna be 100% proud of my art and confident and know im getting my vision done right or as close as I can get.
 
Feeling Wrong was the song I listened too.

I think Armistice is right. Way too much reverb (I like reverb when used well). I suggest dry it up, get it mixed, then add reverb as required. There are two main ways to use reverb, as a treatment or as an effect. You have to ask yourself what is it that I want here. (IMO)

On the vocals, they really are not that bad. IMO, I think you may be trying to sing in a way that doesn't work for your voice or you need to "season" your voice with lots of practice to get it to sound like you want. But you really need to find your voice and write and play to that. You don't get the voice you want, you get the voice you have and you play to that.

I wouldn't give up singing just yet, just work at it a bit more. Many of us can't sing very well, but that doesn't stop us, we just work to what we have.

Open Sore - Vocals sounded OK, didn't like the reverb and you had some pitch issues. Mix wasn't bad, but the way you are mixing your vocals make it hard for me to really get a good fix on the mix.

Based on those two songs, you need to go back and rethink the vocals on the mix. I think they are hurting your mix. Revisit your bass in the lower region, has some issues down between 100-200ish area. Maybe just some roll off, not much just help it sit better in your mix.
 
thank you again so much everyone for listening... i have decided even though ive been working on these songs for almost a year...Im gonna just scratch it all and start over and try to do it right like yall are saying....i have tons of songs and always am writing new ones and feel the new ones are even better...i do hate to trash all that ive worked on but i wont be happy until i get the sound im hearing in my head...i try to sing with soul and emotion but maybe i should sing more like elliott smith and more work with my voice i guess...i hope to figure it out..i can play guitar all day and can play anything but i want my voice to be of equal quality i want to make songs that hit people where it counts and help them perhaps as well..i dont want the first the first thoughts to be oh wow too much reverb and shitty voice and this is an amature recording....i gotta start all over but maybe i can get it right this time
 
i love so much music and that is prob why i dont know how to sing or what my voice is...im equally influenced by chris robinson and elliott smith and jeff buckley and so many more...but those are all big shoes to fill i know..hmmm

this is my youtube page and i sing low on some songs and loud on others...but def second guessing myself and if i should take these vids down..but they all have good amount of views and feedback so i might leave the videos up and just start my album from scratch.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQy2XJ6xeJX28pCHRcl1FJw
 
Amorican said:
i dont want the first the first thoughts to be oh wow too much reverb and shitty voice and this is an amature recording....i gotta start all over but maybe i can get it right this time
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My first thought was actually "this is promising" while listening to the opening guitar lines, if that helps your confidence. It seems like you are overthinking it a bit. Like Lou Reed said, "between thought and expression lies a lifetime." Everyone struggles to get the idea in their head onto tape. I can think of symphonies, but I can't get them on tape. Do you know Kevin Shields? The guy from My Bloody Valentine. He took like 20 years to write a followup to Loveless because he was so drained from Loveless and also couldn't get the sounds...is that the way to go? I don't know. It's one way, but I bet it is maddening. Don't overthink it unless that's what you want to do, but it's a rabbit hole. The songs you posted need a vocal redo, but that is about it (my speakers weren't playing the low end, though, so I'm not sure how that would change on better monitors. I just have a laptop right now. Maybe the guys are right it needs a cut).

A more important point: what are you hearing in your head that you aren't getting to tape? If you can answer that, maybe people can point you towards getting it.

Do you own a ribbon mic? PM me, and I can recommend you a cheap one. I think a ribbon would help your voice sound fuller and warmer. I liked the distant vocal on the mix, btw, because it took emphasis off the vocal and also added an eerie distance that fits these songs, especially now knowing your back story -- I think it added to it...

Your songs are sincere and from the heart. That's a big plus and rare.
 
I agree with 4tracker, unless there is some bleed issue, I wouldn't do it all over. I would try and get the vocals to where you want it. If you are recording multi-track, then each tracks has its own sound. If everything else sounds good, just re-track the vocals. I have to do that all the time. I very often have to do 30+ takes to get my vocals to sound right (remember, originals are new songs you are learning) and they are still not that good.

When cutting vocals, sing it as many times as required until it feels like a song you've been singing for years. Then you will get the vocals optimized. A lot of people think just because they wrote the song, they should "just know it", well it doesn't work that way.

Try redoing the vocals only. rework the verb a bit and re-post. It can't hurt.
 
Amorican said:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQy2XJ6xeJX28pCHRcl1FJw
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I liked these all, and the voice sounds better on them! What is up with that? Are you cutting loose more on the youtube videos?

Looking at the room in the video, it is going to be hard to get something fancy sounding, so maybe embrace the lo-fi? The guitar is awesome. I like how this feels live...maybe perform live more? I was entranced by the guitar/vocal combo watching it and not as much just listening.
 
thanks bud....i record in a diff room though i have an actual studio room ..and ya i do have to play open mics and shit more...just am my own worst critic and feel like people would think my songs are to edgey or sad or something...still trying to figure out what im gonna do about my recordings though...might start over, try new things idk..thanks again tho man!
 
so after some writing and much thought..im gonna start all over and get rid of these trash songs....I have 6 brand new songs that are way better and more representative of where i wanna go ...so i just gotta start recording...gonna really try to capture each sound the best best best i can and mix way better than I did these 4 songs and really try to make the best album i can or ep but these new 6 songs are gonna be something i hope.

thanks everyone you guys are AWESOME
 
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