LISTEN LIKE BRIAN with VOCALS
- Thread starter rayc
- Start date
rayc
retroreprobate
OK folks - I've applied all suggestions to both stereo & mono (except the less reverb on the solo for the mono - it works as is) & have tweaked the snare drum a little. Rob recorded new vocals & they are in this as well.
What thoughts?
OH, sorry! I did find a click - it was on the vocal track and may have been a tongue thing. - gone now (Ihope it was the right one).
What thoughts?
OH, sorry! I did find a click - it was on the vocal track and may have been a tongue thing. - gone now (Ihope it was the right one).
DM60
Well-known member
I liked it, kick was a little heavy, but that is a taste thing. I think the vocals are so much better, I bet another go at it would that much more improved. Confidence as ido stated. Everything is so well rehearsed, one more go on the vocals would make it a really strong piece.
Really good work through. This is another good lesson for folks the new folks on board that shows the process to make a really good presentation of material. Nice job.
Really good work through. This is another good lesson for folks the new folks on board that shows the process to make a really good presentation of material. Nice job.
jamie_drum
New member
Cool track. I definitely think the vocal performance is definitely better on the most recent take. For a track like this, the vocals are a bit echo-y for my taste (although I am guilty of putting too much reverb on all my tracks 
). I think the overall mix is good. There is something about the rhythm guitar in the intro that bothers me a bit though...maybe the timing is just a bit loose? It just seems to drag a little. It's better later in the song. Maybe try chopping / editing up those first few bars and see if you can make it tighter?
). I think the overall mix is good. There is something about the rhythm guitar in the intro that bothers me a bit though...maybe the timing is just a bit loose? It just seems to drag a little. It's better later in the song. Maybe try chopping / editing up those first few bars and see if you can make it tighter?
robgreen
no face
Thanks a lot ido, DM, jamie and heat for coming back in. I cringed every time I heard the earlier one with the pitch issues and weak bits, but I was too burned out on it to face re-recording. Anyway, after a break, I enjoyed getting back to it and I'm much happier with the result - being stronger, it's buried under less vst gunk than last time around, and so has a better clarity I think. Good to hear other folks think so too.
ido - nice to hear the vocals sound pretty smooth. The main vocal is four tracks - one loud one centred, thickened by a left, a right and a centre panned take much lower.
The recording chain is an SM58/pop shield into an old yamaha 4 track that I use as a pre-amp, fed into an even older tascam us-122 and then into Ableton. In terms of processing, I used a similar chain to what I normally use for vocals - the spitfish de-esser, ableton's stock Compressor 2 (which I still like more than any other comp plug-in I've tried), a couple of saturation/warmer plugs, a stock ableton EQ as a high pass filter, Smartelectronix' Nyquist EQ to give a little more presence in the mids, the stock ableton reverb and then the Analogic Delay at the end. Other than that it's all entirely natural
Jamie - I could have endlessly tweaked delay levels on this - in the end I pushed them a little as I think it adds to the slightly psych feeling of the song. Thanks for your thoughts.
Yeah, I always enjoy Ray's threads for this reason too - you sometimes get to see stuff develop from an earlier stage than where most posters are prepared to share. It was cool to be involved with
ido - nice to hear the vocals sound pretty smooth. The main vocal is four tracks - one loud one centred, thickened by a left, a right and a centre panned take much lower.
The recording chain is an SM58/pop shield into an old yamaha 4 track that I use as a pre-amp, fed into an even older tascam us-122 and then into Ableton. In terms of processing, I used a similar chain to what I normally use for vocals - the spitfish de-esser, ableton's stock Compressor 2 (which I still like more than any other comp plug-in I've tried), a couple of saturation/warmer plugs, a stock ableton EQ as a high pass filter, Smartelectronix' Nyquist EQ to give a little more presence in the mids, the stock ableton reverb and then the Analogic Delay at the end. Other than that it's all entirely natural
Jamie - I could have endlessly tweaked delay levels on this - in the end I pushed them a little as I think it adds to the slightly psych feeling of the song. Thanks for your thoughts.
Yeah, I always enjoy Ray's threads for this reason too - you sometimes get to see stuff develop from an earlier stage than where most posters are prepared to share. It was cool to be involved with
heatmiser
mr. green christmas
In terms of processing, I used a similar chain to what I normally use for vocals - the spitfish de-esser, ableton's stock Compressor 2 (which I still like more than any other comp plug-in I've tried), a couple of saturation/warmer plugs, a stock ableton EQ as a high pass filter, Smartelectronix' Nyquist EQ to give a little more presence in the mids, the stock ableton reverb and then the Analogic Delay at the end. Other than that it's all entirely natural
Holy shit! That is the longest chain of anything I've ever heard of. Natural indeed
!I probably missed a couple of interim versions. But anyway...
I'm having a bit of trouble hearing the vocals in the mono version. A word or two here and there gets covered by the guitars. The BGV's are tough to hear throughout. The levels are fine in the stereo version.
Still don't like that "flangy stuff" in the intro.
Otherwise it's sounding pretty good. I like the dirty guitars. Kind of an early Neil Young guitar sound if you ask me.
I'm having a bit of trouble hearing the vocals in the mono version. A word or two here and there gets covered by the guitars. The BGV's are tough to hear throughout. The levels are fine in the stereo version.
Still don't like that "flangy stuff" in the intro.
Otherwise it's sounding pretty good. I like the dirty guitars. Kind of an early Neil Young guitar sound if you ask me.
rayc
retroreprobate
Hey Rob,
I like the pres in my Yamaha 4 track too! I use 'em often.
I'll try Greg's ideas generally and MMM's thoughts re the mono.
The only effect on any guitars in the song are the leslie on the intro lead and the reverb on the solo. Where's the flangy bit? I'll have to relisten to the guitar buss to find the concern.
I like the pres in my Yamaha 4 track too! I use 'em often.
I'll try Greg's ideas generally and MMM's thoughts re the mono.
The only effect on any guitars in the song are the leslie on the intro lead and the reverb on the solo. Where's the flangy bit? I'll have to relisten to the guitar buss to find the concern.
On the guitar in the intro. It's just my personal preference. Keep it if you like it. Don't pay any attention to me.
Chili
Site Moderator
I'm listening to the latest stereo mix. Sounds pretty good. So 70's, I like it.
I think you did great with the bass and kick blend. The bass has a bit of a Dave Schools influence, driving top end. I really like the tone of the solo guitar, too.
Okay, the mono version queued up, I like the stereo version much better. Call me 'new school'.
Thanks for sharing your art.
I think you did great with the bass and kick blend. The bass has a bit of a Dave Schools influence, driving top end. I really like the tone of the solo guitar, too.
Okay, the mono version queued up, I like the stereo version much better. Call me 'new school'.
Thanks for sharing your art.
rayc
retroreprobate
STEREO
MONO
Here are the latest mixes.
heaps of trouble uploading these - seems my LAME cpnverter was lame today.
The changes are slight: an 1/2 dB boost to the rhythm guitars on both, the same level change to vocals on the mono version and the toms panned a little wider on the stereo version.
As children are want to say on a car trip...
"Are we there yet?"
MONO
Here are the latest mixes.
heaps of trouble uploading these - seems my LAME cpnverter was lame today.
The changes are slight: an 1/2 dB boost to the rhythm guitars on both, the same level change to vocals on the mono version and the toms panned a little wider on the stereo version.
As children are want to say on a car trip...
"Are we there yet?"
Last edited:
robgreen
no face
Thanks a lot for coming back in again guys - probably would have settled for something not as good if it weren't for the repeated good ears on here!
Thanks Ido - your mixes are always very smooth, so I'll take that as a compliment. One of the (few) advantages of having quite a limited range of recording equipment for a long period of time I think - you make do with what you have available!
I know, I know. Is this not a pretty typical DAW chain though? Other than the reverb and delay, I think everything else is used pretty sparsely - I could use just one saturation plug and one EQ, but I tend to use them both differently - like with the EQ for example, I prefer how one cuts and the other one boosts.
Thanks Ido - your mixes are always very smooth, so I'll take that as a compliment. One of the (few) advantages of having quite a limited range of recording equipment for a long period of time I think - you make do with what you have available!
I know, I know. Is this not a pretty typical DAW chain though? Other than the reverb and delay, I think everything else is used pretty sparsely - I could use just one saturation plug and one EQ, but I tend to use them both differently - like with the EQ for example, I prefer how one cuts and the other one boosts.