My first submission here for your feedback

2

24Fretz

New member
I wanted some feedback before I publish this on Spotify and whatnot, but this may be a faux pas. I got excited and posted on YouTube when I thought I was finished, then realized that I should probably have gotten some feedback first. Hopefully that doesn't put people off, because I genuinely want honest input.

This is a cover of Sweet Child O Mine, but done in my own harder rocking style. It's the first time I'm publishing a song where I sing the whole lead, so I'm interested in feedback on my performance as well as the mix. Also, it's the first time I recorded a full drum kit in my basement studio. My microphone collection is still pretty low-budget.

YouTube
 
Much as I thought I would hate it - I didn't. Sufficiently different. I also thought the recording very competent and clean and well polished. We usually have to scrap about and come up with nice comments to describe the pile of poo we often listen to, but Despite me hating this kind of music, I played it completely through - which for me is pretty rare! Your mics - did a pretty decent job, and it's nice to hear top end that doesn't cut your ears in half. Don't apologise for it. I'm sure others will pile in soon, but I have to say I liked it.
 
What is that distortion over everything? Are you clipping the master? Something isn't sounding right - it sounds like clipping, honestly.
 
rob aylestone said:
Much as I thought I would hate it - I didn't. Sufficiently different. I also thought the recording very competent and clean and well polished. We usually have to scrap about and come up with nice comments to describe the pile of poo we often listen to, but Despite me hating this kind of music, I played it completely through - which for me is pretty rare! Your mics - did a pretty decent job, and it's nice to hear top end that doesn't cut your ears in half. Don't apologise for it. I'm sure others will pile in soon, but I have to say I liked it.
Click to expand...

Thanks Rob, I'm glad it's not a pile of poo!
 
andrushkiwt said:
What is that distortion over everything? Are you clipping the master? Something isn't sounding right - it sounds like clipping, honestly.
Click to expand...

I have a fairly basic mastering chain on the recording. I might have been too aggressive with the limiting. Still trying to figure out the back end.
 
On my phones, the opening drum section sounds muffled. When he settles into the groove
with the snare and hi-hat it cleans up nicely and all sounds well here. I like the tone in your
voice - the low notes are clean and not weak. If only I could hit those notes as well :rolleyes:
 
Pretty cool cover man! I also thought I would hate it from the title, but it actually cool.

Yeah, there is a bunch of distortion that I can only assume is from the master output bus compressor/limiter. Fix that shit man. It killing the song.

Well done otherwise on low budget. You just got plugin-itis.. Less is more here. :)
 
Agree with comments that this is a good cover, nice job man. There's definitely something on the overall track that's squeezing life out of the song though - it's nearly there! Drums are pretty good for a basement recording - sounds to me like the toms could be beefed up a little, and the kick is a tad dominant maybe?
 
Thanks for listening, everyone. I'll go back and rework the master compression and limiting. I think that will improve the drums too.
 
Hello,

So I want to get my first impressions down as no matter what anyone says - first impressions count!

1. LOVE that you didn’t decide to take on all of Slash’s guitar solos and merely end up imitating them - the heavier and lower riff way of doing the solo not only avoided the above but also meant that by the time the end of the song rolled along I was literally waiting with such anticipation to see you shred higher up the fretboard, which was nice when it finally arrived. The idea for a bass adaptation for part of the main solo as well is inspired IMO. wasn’t expecting it and really enjoyed it.

2. Vocals were solid and again no attempt to imitate which was great. Made it your own. Sounded just a touch James Hetfield Black album/load/reload in parts (minus any growling or “yeeeahs” going on). Enjoyed that though.

3. The harmonies were spot on and enjoyable.

4. Whoever the drummer was he did a really great job

5. The ending was more abrupt than I was expecting but for me that added a certain appeal to it.

I’d say you’ve done a cover to be proud of and made it your own, without sounding like you needed to follow linear structures of instrumentation set by the original song, which I’d say is one of the most important things to achieve. Only critique would be as some others have already mentioned - there does appear to be some clipping or over-intense periods of sound, especially at the beginning. Also - correct me if I’m wrong but I’m guessing the girl in the video is your daughter? Really nice sentiment as I imagine you’ve done the song for her? Well done!
 
mflem said:
Hello,

So I want to get my first impressions down as no matter what anyone says - first impressions count!

1. LOVE that you didn’t decide to take on all of Slash’s guitar solos and merely end up imitating them - the heavier and lower riff way of doing the solo not only avoided the above but also meant that by the time the end of the song rolled along I was literally waiting with such anticipation to see you shred higher up the fretboard, which was nice when it finally arrived. The idea for a bass adaptation for part of the main solo as well is inspired IMO. wasn’t expecting it and really enjoyed it.

2. Vocals were solid and again no attempt to imitate which was great. Made it your own. Sounded just a touch James Hetfield Black album/load/reload in parts (minus any growling or “yeeeahs” going on). Enjoyed that though.

3. The harmonies were spot on and enjoyable.

4. Whoever the drummer was he did a really great job

5. The ending was more abrupt than I was expecting but for me that added a certain appeal to it.

I’d say you’ve done a cover to be proud of and made it your own, without sounding like you needed to follow linear structures of instrumentation set by the original song, which I’d say is one of the most important things to achieve. Only critique would be as some others have already mentioned - there does appear to be some clipping or over-intense periods of sound, especially at the beginning. Also - correct me if I’m wrong but I’m guessing the girl in the video is your daughter? Really nice sentiment as I imagine you’ve done the song for her? Well done!
Click to expand...

Wow, thanks! It definitely sounds like you picked up on my thought process in the rearrangement. Definitely trying to give a nod to the key parts of the song, but innovate instead of imitate. Yes, that is my daughter, and my older daughter is the one who did the video shooting and editing.
 
Musicianship is really good - everyone. Energy in the intro is good. Guitar sound is terrific.

The bass is a little muddy and a bit indistinct.

Kick and snare sound excellent. The cymbals, especially the hats, are a bit sizzly. They seem really hot in the 2500hz range.

The vocal was well sung and well recorded. But it needed more energy. I guess I'm used to the original. But it was kind of a church-choir style delivery. And an octave low.

After the intro, the energy in the band seemed to wane.

Again - musicianship is really good. All of you.
 
Great version. It's so easy to murder a tune like this that everyone knows. Tell the drummer congrats on that little fill in the intro :thumbs up: You've put your own spin on this and made it your own with some good production choices Nice job
 
Pretty good, I listened and watched all the way through. Could use some tweaking but still, not bad.
Only thing that really dissapointed me was it wasn't heavy enough. Was hoping for more. :D
Im not always a fan of heavy, but if you're gonna go heavy, go HEAVY :D

In a lot of ways the original GNR is heavier and more powerful.

I was hoping for something more along the lines of what 5 finger death punch did with the Bad Company song.

Mixwise, we can get into nitty gritty stuff, which the average listener don't give a shit about. But they know the song, they know the emotional impact they get from it, so that's what has to be topped. You are, after all, competing with a multi platinum hit. Gotta go big.

Just some food for thought.

But it was pretty good, I'll give you that.

:D
 
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