My Contribution to the Homerecording.com CD

  • Thread starter Thread starter Shaky Tee
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Shaky Tee

Between being and nothing
Yeah, I'm cutting it close...I just printed out and signed the contract, and I'm now redong the cd burning (I burned an audio CD, rather than a data CD, per Slack's req's. Bad me :rolleyes ).

Anyway, I've worked on this song for the past two weeks, and was up all night trying to get this mix down. Not sure if it's totally there, but since I have NO time left, I figured, well, what the hell. For an initial mix, it's as good as it's going to get from my end. :D

Anyway...I'm probably going to remix this for use on my own CD on a future date, so any ideas would be cool - I already know that I need to bring that background padding down, or just toss it altogether (that's what I get for using the Fruity Loops' stock samples, :rolleyes). Any comments on the bass, etc, would be cool too.

I already know I have a rotten voice, so spare me the details on that! :D

the song is called Niland, and it can be found here:

http://www.artistlaunch.com/helens

Thanks, all!! :)
 
i liked the effort put into the lyrical content. I think what's happening with the vox is maybe getting comfortable with what you've written and going over it enough times till it flows almost unconciously.

I agree with getting rid of that background rhythm track or whatever. It wasn't adding much value.

Are you saying Dan od's on coke and croaks?
 
Hey Shaky,

I liked the music. It was nice & kind of soothing sounding. Easy to listen to. I think the vox sounded a bit tentative & back a bit too much, but not a bad sound. Recording sounded pretty good in my computer speakers :rolleyes:

I didn't really get the song - lyrics wise. There was a lot of imagery there, but I wasn't sure what you were getting at. Maybe it's just meant to be a poetic/artistic type song. That's cool too. Depends what your after with it.

Nice work. Look forward to hearing this on the CD :)
 
Here I go:

Couple of flat notes vocally, but nothing too terrible. You have a very interesting voice. Nice etherealness to the keyboards. Didn't like the bass drum -- or the snare, actually. None of the percussion, really. But that might just be taste. Nice keyboard solo around 1:45, but a little loud/bright.

Great cymbal crescendo at 2:20! There's a bit of overpowering bass around the minute-and-a-half mark and a couple of other places.

I'd be interested to hear this with different drum samples.

It's a very interesting song. Original, for sure. Not sure about the lyrics, but then again, mine are weird too, so maybe it's just me.

Nice job! Mix-wise it seems okay. Just needs a little work on the execution. Enjoyable.
 
Thanks all!!

I thought I was going to get a bit of a drubbing here. :eek:

Anyway...it's a description of a day in Coachella Valley. I guess I need to make that clearer.

About the vox...I did about 8 to 10 takes and picked out the best parts. But the 8 to 10 takes were the first ones I had ever done. I guess I just need to "get into" the song more.

Thanks for the feedback on the backing. Looks like I'll need to tweak the bass, then? As well as the keys...
 
Haha, I can't believe you named a song "Wiccan Love Triangle"
 
I wasn't feeling very creative that day... :p
 
Sorry Helen,

After reading your introductory post & then enjoying your excellent presentation @ artistlaunch...... I was expecting a monster listen.:eek:

Seriously, there are seveve intonation problems in the vocals along with over-articulation.

The composition is fine.......intro / verse / chorus etc.......but there is no feeling or passion in the musical presentation whatsoever.

The mix is fine also, but the basics that you had to work with had so little emotion that no matter how much tweaking you did, wouldn't cut it (to plastic and computer driven to be altered.)

On your next endeavor, I would love to hear a shitty mix but a gut- wrenching, smokin' initial take(s). (a couple of live players might be considered) Then some folks here can help you with the mixing, not me as I'm just learnin' how to do that, I'm just a musician.

Ralph
 
Seriously, there are seveve intonation problems in the vocals along with over-articulation.
Click to expand...

This actually helps me out quite a bit. Thanks!

I've had people bitch at me about pitch issues, so that's primarily where my head's been regarding my singing lately. As a result, I seemed to have sacrificed something...

but there is no feeling or passion in the musical presentation whatsoever.
Click to expand...

Understood. I did this with Fruity Loops and Midi. If I could figure out a way to bring out the emotion in that, that'd be cool.

If I could afford some extra players, I would use them. In the meantime, I gotta work with what I've got...

thanks for the feedback. I gotta resing this anyway...
 
Music Cool!Vox is lacking not in clarity but in pitch.I read flat-9 and he's really right.I suggest a re-sing.This has potential,it's just not polished enough in the vox area.The music is fine,good mix.Try singing with a finger in your ear,seriously.I find it works for me sometimes cuz I have a similar issue with my pitch.Also turning the bass up on the headphones when your recording the vox helps me stay in key.Good Luck!
 
Thanks WISC!

I read flat-9 and he's really right.
Click to expand...

I read him too, and I agree with him, for the most part.

I'm working on a technique I read about to improve my pitch issues. Like I said, I gotta resing this, so...

I gotta turn up the bass on this anyway...
 
I kind of like the repeating keyboard figure that the song ends with (at least I think it's keyboard).

Seems fairly well recorded except for the vocal. The vocal seems a little dark, like maybe it was recorded with a dynamic. If this is the case get a decent LD condensor like the Studio Projects C1.

The cymbal/string swells are a little much. If you tone them down a little they'll be more effective.

Good job overall.
 
Cominginsecond, thanks!

That repeating keyboard at the end is a mandolin soundfont. I guess I need to do something to make that more obvious! :D

I recorded the vocal using an SP B1 mic run through an ART MP Studio preamp. I kinda prefer my vocals dark, but it could also be that I added compression to the initial wave file and again after I added reverb. I guess one of those will have to go...

I also just remembered that I equed the hell out of the vocal wave file, as a result of some rather harsh distortion that I heard... :rolleyes
 
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AHHHHHH, very nice Shaky, and the pitch problem doesn't bother me at all. I think it actually works for the tune and for your style. Good recording, and played real well.

Dan
 
Thanks, Mr. DTB. Much appreciated. :)

I still gotta resing this, tho'....
 
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