"Highway Star"

  • Thread starter Thread starter GONZO-X
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GONZO-X

GONZO-X

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[edit: here's the newest version:]
http://soundcloud.com/bats-brew



"Highway Star"

:D



here's an updated version of this cover of a classic Deep Purple tune.
i did this for fun.

kudos to Xenophile, for all the keyboard work and drum programming.
I did all the Vox, Guitars and Bass.


http://www.nowhereradio.com/artists/album.php?aid=2302&alid=-1

or

http://tiny.cc/IfxLN

320kbps MP3, for stream or download (download is best)



ok, a quick background on this recording/mix:

i posted this a long time ago, couple of years maybe....
i switched from the roland VS platform, to sonar.....
and this was the very first recording i had ever put together in SONAR.

so, now that i've got a couple of years of recording using the sonar platform, i thought i'd re-visit this one, using whatever tricks for mixing i learned, or thought i'd learned, for a more modern sounding mix.

i re-recorded the rhythm guitar, which i was never really happy with. originally, it was done with a Demeter Isolation cab, for the new rhythm guitar track, i used my current guitar setup shown here:
gtrrig1small.jpg


--using a Palmer PDI-09 as the interface between amp and preamp.

signal = mesa mark2b >>speaker out to PDI-09>> thru PDI-09 to weber attenuator>>speaker cab
>>from PDI-09>>A Designs Audio MP-1 mic pre>> DBX MC-6 compressor>>Maudio audiophile 192 card>>sonar.



Keys:
when Xeno first sent me his files, i thought the keys sounded pristine.
then, i started really listening to the original mix, and realized that jon Lord's keys in that, are WAY dirtier than the tracks xeno laid down..
so i had been searching for a way to 'dirty' them up...
and tried unsucessfully, the first time round, to find any plugin (freebies) that did what i wanted.
well, i recently found out about the Voxengo Boogex VST.....and i tried it, liked it.


- i used it on the keyboard tracks (only the main one, not the two other harmony tracks and organ fills)

i liked it so much, i put it across the lead vocal as well.


i'm interested to know how this mix is translating on anyone else's playback system(s)
thanks!
 
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Okay I’m back. Knowing this song inside out helps so the vox being a bit low for my taste is well, my taste.

I think this sounds great and I give you all praise for tackling this song. I’m more familiar with the live version off Made in Japan so I like how you mixed a bit of that solo in with the studio version.

The drum programming is good but, well come on Ian Paice!

But the bass playing, dude you really killed that part, not to diminish the guitar work which is great too. The vox are good but here again, we’re talking Ian Gillan – Jesus Christ for god’s sake.
 
Classic. Great version. Yeah you've really got the bass cookin. Mix sounds spot on too
 
manslick-
thanks for listening!
i re-mixed this over the weekend, brought the vox up a bit.
check it out, see if this is more dialed in.
(link at bottom)


i had always played along with the live version, when i was first learning to play...
so when it came time to do this collab, i had to UN LEARN all the riffs!!
LOL
no kidding.....


and i did NOT play the solo note for note...
i changed the harmony parts, and played a completely unique, different and WRONG harmony solo part!!!
LOL

but we were not trying to clone the song, we were more making homage to it....
and played and sang it our own way, but tried to capture the vibe, that was more important.

again, thanks for checking it out, and commenting.


bulls hit-
thanks man.
i played the bass on a CARVIN LB70, active electronics, so i think i ended up on the bridge pickup, dialing some treble off, and bass up, to get a more attacky sound, like the rickenbacker sound.
it lightened the low end of the whole mix up, made it sound more old school, but the bass does sound cool that way....










new mix:
"Highway Star" at soundclick:

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_songInfo.cfm?bandID=661726&songID=8729638


this is a new re-mixed version, adding changes from listener comments. updated sunday feb 7-
i'll leave the original mix up for a couple of days....
 
Good stuff dude. I really like the original deep purple version. So, it's hard to 100% like your version LOL

You did a great job, don't get me wrong. I would like to hear your original music more than a cover.
 
thanks phil....

so, to hear my original music, just follow the link at the bottom of my sig.
 
Well you captured the vibe and then some. This is really a great piece of work. I’m all like Garth and Wayne in the presence of Alice Cooper.

The whole thing sounds great and I failed to mention the fine keyboard work the first time.

The vox though, man I can’t put my finger on it but to me they still need more presence. It could be my headphones or maybe the bass is a bit to basso ballsy cause I can hear the vox better if I turn the volume way down, so I know they’re loud enough.

Yeah I learned the live version too when it came out. I had MIJ on vinyl, cassette and reel to reel. Still have the r2r. The part I always loved to play is that open string riff with Ian doubling up on that snare – oh man – just rock it out.
 
manslick-
garth and wayne.....heheh
well, thanks.

vox is a hard call for me, i don't want to over treble-ize it, i've got high end push and then de-esser on it now, but the new version i posted has a boost in the box, that should cover the vocal issue..


new mix:
"Highway Star" at soundclick:

http://soundclick.com/share?songid=8729638
 
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Well, being a lover of Purple and an adorer of "Highway Star" from MIJ, I listened to this with very critical ears. For me, even the MH version cannot hold a candle to the MIJ version which is simply incendiary. But you guys done a good job. It's pretty exciting and ballsy for what it is and believe it or not, I could make out what the lyrics were. I've been listening to 'Highway Star' since 1980 and I've never really made out most of what Gillan sings in the verses !
 
Loved it, bro. Yup, all 6 minutes of it. Great rendition, and a very authentic-sounding mix, too.

2 thumbs up!
 
Yeah I can hear the boost in the highs and now I hear some sibilance on the es’s.

There’s an open string groan ( I call it ) or a errant open string at 2:55 that I didn’t notice before.

I’m gonna say it’s my headphones and recommend not to boost the highs on the vox. If I had one guess I’d say look some where in the frequency range near the fundamentals where you’re singing, maybe in the 300 to 600 hz range and try a tight Q boost just for a look see.

Weird, now when this ends I expect Child in Time to come floating in.
 
grim-
thanks man. i totally dig what you're saying, the made in japan version is like a sonic mugging.

i dig it.

gillan, man, he's so raw and intense and talented, i didn't even try to do his thing...
but tried to capture the vibe.
maybe i got close, but i know it aint no cigar.


poet-
thanks man.
i tried to cop the original mix on the first attempt a couple of years back, but on this one, i just decided to mix it as if it was new.
i kept most of the panning the same... but did mix up the levels, eq's and basically the whole sound of it with a more modern flair.


manslick-
yep, it helps to check these things out thru your monitors instead.
i try to get it to sound decent on headphones and small speakers, but it's made to shine loud and proud.


and yes, i keep expecting 'child in time' to follow, i look around, and nothing's happening.
wtf?

heheh
 
-i think you'll find the 2nd mix much better.

this wont be apparent, unless you're listening on a nice set of monitors


i tried to go real easy on the 'mastering' part of it...

very little compression, very low ratios, very high thresholds:

Here's a quick snapshot of what i set up for 'mastering' the final mix.

Harbal first, on the pre-master, which helped me dial the bass and mid and high in a bit better than what i had on the raw tracks.

then final process with Wavelab.

i tried to go light on the MBC, and on the limiter.

i ended up with a average RMS of only about -13.5, with peaks set for -0.2, but i still hear compression/limiting that bugs the crap out of me. i think the kick is what's doing it, but i like the way it sounds, and all i've got is a stereo drum track at this point, so the only other thing i could, would be to put a MBC across the drum track, and eq a bit...

hiway1.jpg
 
nice ....... really nothing much to say beyond that ...... a pretty good approximation of that distorted Leslie sound ...... enjoyed it.
Fairly amazing drum programming.
 
:confused:

I DL'd the mp3 from Nowhere Radio.

Didn't you have this on SoundClick?

Just making sure I got the right one?

Is this the latest > highway_star_02_04_10.mp3
 
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