Let Me Go

Phrasemaker

Phrasemaker

New member
I thought I'd try my hand at using some outdated synth pad sounds to enable some guitar wankery in a bad way, I also added some vocals to fully exhibit my ineptitude in respect of all things musical. Joking aside, Luke has been tinkering with some Floyd influenced kind of grooves and as the weather was crap today, I thought I'd join him. Feedback appreciated re mixing, though I don't think it'll make the top ten.

many thanks in advance

Tim

 
Very Floyd-ish. Specifically Floyd Wall-ish.

I thought the sounds were good. Good synth sounds. Good guitar and piano sounds. Vocal was nice and clear. Maybe a could of slightly flat notes. Nothing bad though.

Drums sounded good. But I thought the snare was a bit too upfront and dry. The whole thing is an ambient piece, but the drums sound really dry. Seemed a little out of place.

edit - forgot to compliment you on the stereo spread. I thought that was real nice.
 
Thank you very much TripleM, I started this as a bit of fun and got right into it after a couple of hours. I am going to re take the vocals tomorrow so should eliminate the flat ones. I'll also treat the drums and maybe add some fills. I'm actually surprised that a year on after getting the basics running for home recording and adding to it through the year, re learning to play everything, learning bass and just about managing to sing after a fashion that it's possible to create a track like this at home., not meaning I am bigging it up, just a n honest thought.

much appreciated

Tim
 
Phrasemaker said:
Thank you very much TripleM, I started this as a bit of fun and got right into it after a couple of hours. I am going to re take the vocals tomorrow so should eliminate the flat ones. I'll also treat the drums and maybe add some fills. I'm actually surprised that a year on after getting the basics running for home recording and adding to it through the year, re learning to play everything, learning bass and just about managing to sing after a fashion that it's possible to create a track like this at home., not meaning I am bigging it up, just a n honest thought.

much appreciated

Tim
Click to expand...

Hey Tim - I gave this a quick listen on my laptop speakers and sounds pretty good. Can't really comment on the mix from these speakers, but sounds ok.

I know what you mean by what you say above - after a relatively short time, I'm making recordings that sound almost passable, and it totally amazes me. The wonders of modern technology! I had to learn to play in time properly, especially on the bass, which I'd never played before, and I had to learn how to sing properly (after a fashion!). Now, I listen back to what I've laid down and I can't believe that it was just useless old me what did it (to be fair, I tend to do quite a lot of editing on stuff like backing vocals to get them sounding almost just right, which wouldn't be possible without a computer).
 
Thanks Jonny, I appreciate you taking time to listen. I have a few things to iron out tomorrow with fresh ears, but it's growing on me.
Surprising how recording becomes a big chunk of any available time, I love it.

thanks

Tim
 
Tim,
The drums do need to be wetter to fit and the vocals further back.
HR is filled with Eureka moments followed soon enough by backward steps and self painted cornerings before the next epiphany.
My 1st biggie was discovering how to not apply reverb, that was followed by the same regarding compression.
Learning a DAW after being on 4 track cassette for a couple of decades was a big leap also.
 
What is it with Floyd and flat guitars this week? Or is it just me?

Nothing else to add to what's been said about the mix.

I must be developing ADD. I did get all the way thru this but I was left with nothing. Nothing stuck.

Sorry man, all I got.
 
Thanks Ray, yes I have attended to the dry drums today, as far as reverb and compression go, I'm doing it the opposite way and finding when I need it, as I initially tended to overlook both. Having added a rack compressor to my set up with gating and a few other useful functions has brought compression more onto my radar and I am beginning to find it a valuable asset. The vocals will sit better in the re post as I upped everything else around it by small increments until it sound better balanced through my monitors. I knew as soon as played it on the pc before posting it yesterday that the vocal had somehow escaped its leash. I have this happen from time to time after working for a few hours on a track, I become deaf to the item I am scrutinising and find it sounds a good few db louder after a rest. Thank you.

Manslick, thanks for taking time to listen, I check my tuning with the guitar very often and I suspect it maybe intonation issues between keyboard and guitar, I'll check the guitar as I've not touched the bridge for 25 years plus other than for re stringing and upgrading pickups. In the meantime I'll sharpen as I play where I think it needs to be closer to the keyboard. No need to say sorry about not being left with anything, I listen to heaps of stuff that does nothing for me, but that does not alter my readiness to listen to tracks and offer advice where I think aspects aside from the content can be bettered, content is kind of the author's domain and unless they specifically ask for my opinion on whether I think it's something that I'll hum till I drop, I tend to be fairly reserved unless it's got some exceptional property one way or other.

all the best

Tim
 
I appreciate this one is not gaining me a fan base, but I'd be interested to know if the dry drums are better, I also replayed some guitar parts, after checking intonation, tuning ect before and after each note played. I dropped the main vocal level as Ray pointed towards it, I also re did all the backing vocals, sung it loads of times multiple tracks with different parameters to get a choral kind of thing going on. I took out the couple of bits of track debris that seem to have slipped by my ears first time round. I also gave the drums a proper ending as opposed to the simply wiping them at the point the track ended in first version.

Many thanks for taking up your valuable time listening

Tim

 
Tim,
I'm listening with heaphones and the bvox appear to lean a little to one side. When I lift a can off one ear it seems that the levels are even but togther they lean - it's probably me or you've panned them that way or, if there's any stereo delay on them the 1st to appear is psychoacoutrically louder.
The guitar is still good, the vocal levels much better for my taste and all instruments appear to have their place.
well done.
 
Thanks again Ray, yes the B vox has been a bugger to get right. I have since re taken a fair amount of it again, taking some of it out wider on the second section. I imagine I'll be tinkering with that part for a while as it needs to be as good as I can get it. It was meant to be fairly even left/right but the second part seemed to burrow in the near middle for my liking, I'll get there. Made my day you mentioned the guitar, I got exactly what I wanted with it, and was wondering if it was me deluding myself that it sounded half decent. 24 tracks is very tight for a track like this, I'm seriously considering getting and linking another R24, for such occasions, as I need control of every part of every track in an ideal world, and sitting with it all on the pc is not where I want to be heading. This was simply a fun exercise which got out of hand, now I am determined to get it somewhere near right.

All the best

Tim

Just added another version, hopefully the Bvox is spread better Ray, the second section I took the if in doubt add the 7 year old daughter option.


 
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I'm putting this one to bed now, as the latest version I have posted here is pretty much where I want it and I've not got any other advice to work with. I've played it through various systems and aside from maybe attenuating the bottom end a tad it sounds comparable to some of the commercial stuff in my collection, aside from the odd shortcoming vocal wise and maybe my playing style doesn't suit all tastes.

Thanks to those who contributed, really appreciate your time in doing so.

Tim
 
I listened to this this morning and thought I'd posted something in the thread. Looks like I didn't though :facepalm:

Thinking back to what I thought I'd posted, the main things were
1. you managed to wrangle a good sound out of the synth pads. I was expecting something really cheesy, but was pleasantly surprised
2. the first section before the song proper kicks in didn't do a great deal for me. I think it's too long and a little without purpose sonically and the song gets much better when it all gets going. That may just be me though.
3. I was ambivalent about the kick. I listened through a couple of times and couldn't make my mind up whether it was a bit loud or sat in the mix fine. I think probably on balance it sounds fine in the final mix.
4. You seem a little lacking in confidence about your vocals, but you shouldn't do - they sound good to me.

...I approached the song with trepidation as I can't stand The Wall (despite much trying to get into it) but it works out well. I think these were all my thoughts from this morning ;)
 
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Yes, as robgreen said the intro is a bit too long. Your vocals got some bowie feel to it. I also think the drums are a bit too loud since they stole much of my attention.
 
Thanks Rob, The intro is easily altered lengthwise and that's certainly a consideration at the point where I put the track with others and where and how it sits in a compilation, it can allow me overlap of tracks or can be trimmed, I'm pretty open to altering that. I think the kick in light of your pondering and subsequent thoughts may be a touch too imposing, again easily adjusted. I appreciate your taking time to listen and reply, I'm gradually gaining confidence on the vocal front, and appreciate your thoughts.

Fuccess, I take on board your thoughts re the drums and the intro, I'll enjoy the Bowie comment for a while.... certainly again helps with the vocal confidence that I have been lacking. Thank you.

All the best

Tim
 
Phrasemaker said:
Click to expand...

I think this is really good. I don't know how I missed this one before. I can't really add anything advice-wise that hasn't been touched upon already. A song that would sing perfectly well in The Wall.

robgreen said:
...I approached the song with trepidation as I can't stand The Wall (despite much trying to get into it)
Click to expand...

How can anybody possibly not like The Wall? It's a masterpiece.
 
Pretty good mix, I think the levels are pretty much there. There's an area from about 3:12 to around 4:00 where an underlying synth falls out and it seems a little bare in comparison to the rest of the song, but that's an arrangement thing and totally your call. And your daughter's a little bit pitchy in a couple places, but all in all a really good sounding song. I listened to the first version, then parts of the second and third and there's no question that the sonics were improved by your revisions.
 
I like it, but to be honest the bits without singing are a bit slow and straight up and down. I want it all to rock a bit more.
 
Thanks Mr Clean, I appreciate your taking time to listen and reply. I got into the wall quite a bit when I was less grey than now and it had to played on vinyl, to be fair that album and some of Floyd's earlier work influenced me a lot. Thank you.

fat_fleet, Thanks for your detailed listen and for raising the points you mention. I wasn't sure about the area you mention as yes, the synth does fall away and as I have a spare track available, I will look at that area at the weekend and try adding to it and make a decision then. I dropped my daughter in at the deep end with the track, literally stuck cans on her head and looped the section to see how young vocals would contribute to the overall sound I was after at that point. I'll get her in front of the mic when I tinker as above, as she can hold a note and I might as well get it right, in light of the positive feedback I've had re: this track, considering it began as a throwaway exercise that got out of hand. I am considering writing additional tracks to tag on to this one with a bigger theme, something to have on the back burner. I'm really chuffed you noticed the progression the overall sound of the mix, I spent a fair bit of time on it.

Thanks for your thoughts Tobe, something else for me to ponder, I am thinking of continuing this and having it form part of a bigger whole, at that point I will be able to consider how this track works in a bigger context. Thank you!

Many thanks

Tim
 
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The Wall.
I've enjoyed PF since way back - was in h/school from 1970 so was "of the age"/
I stopped listening at the wall. It was too repetitive, indulgent and obviously the result of grievances built up as a juvenile that were spewed out as a ruminating adult.
I was given a CD copy about 10 years ago so tried to get into it but failed. It's part of my music collection but consigned to that section (mostly gifts & purchases based on music mag reviews) that collects dust.
Mind you I found parts of WYWHere tiresome as well.
 
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