Need Your help on this one.

guitar zero

guitar zero

c = b#
I've spent hours recording and working on this mix FOR FREE for a local gal, who initially said she loved it. Now she wants to cut out the fiddle, second acoustic guitar, pad, and mandolin and just leave it with her vocals and lone acoustic guitar. I actually think this mix sounds way fuller, wider and deeper, and it would be a mistake to cut it all out. What do you guys think? And yes, I realize it's her music, but I think she's making a bad decision here.



P.S. Thanks to poeticintensity for some initial feedback help on the mix.
 
I know you probably did a ton of work on the final mix - and it sounds great :D:D:D! Give her what she wants and keep the multi-instrument mix for yourself. She may want it some day....and it would "sound" good on your resume. She has a beautiful voice BTW.... I agree I would keep the full mix but it's her decision....
 
If you're doing it for free it's churlish of her to change her mind so late & after so much effort. Talk to her & if she persists give her what she wants and follow Gerry's advice. Do let her know that you've spent X hours on the project & what it would have cost had she gone elsewhere. She needs to know that free doesn't mean at no cost to the people involved.
I like the developed arrangement & the original guitar isn't so wonderful that it'd hold things together.
As to the singing - too mannered and not very original stylistically.
The fiddle is essential if nothing else.
 
At first listen, I do not like the strum guitar on the left. It is too far up in the mix for me and don't seem to fit and maybe that is a problem. That may be just a bad opinion from me though. I guarantee you this, I would not have listened to the whole song (especially more than once) had it not been for the progression of everything. Lose that and lose at least one listen and even though she has a nice voice it don't make anything good for the song flow to be dry like you talk that she wants.

To each their own, but I would make both versions and whatever. It's a nice song.
 
I'm actually really surprised that someone would opt for so much less when it comes to a production of their own song. I would've expected her to be impressed with the additions, but who's to say?

You did it for free, so you don't owe her anything, but it is her tune, so I can understand her wanting to hear it the way she wants to hear it. Then again, if she was that adamant about artistic control, she could've learned how to mix it herself.

Did the two of you discuss the direction this was going before you invested all that time on the extras? I thought it sounded pretty good.
 
Thanks for all the replies.

Greg, your response is probably the most accurate and succinct.

Heatmeister, I sent her a rough mix after we added all of the elements, and she said she "looooooooved it". That's when I started spending hours on polishing things up. That's what has me a little steamed, but ultimately I have to give her what she wants. I won't go down easy though. I think trumpino nailed it. Without everything else it's kinda boring, and probably not going to get a second listen. Now when I listen too, I agree the strummed guitar part needs to come down in a couple of spots.
 
I partly agree with her.

There is a good sense of space earlier in the song, and this suffers with the strummed guitar. That, at least could go. I like the fiddle and the mandolin, and I think they should stay. The pad is fine as well.

I'm not sure what sound she is aiming for, but there is a strong essence of Alison Krause in there, and were I to be doing this, I would be making the most of that.

Maybe you could find some Alison Krause to see what she thinks.

However, I am not convinced that just guitar and vocal is the greatest idea . . . there is a dnager of the listener losing interest if there is no musical story happening.
 
gecko zzed said:
I partly agree with her.

There is a good sense of space earlier in the song, and this suffers with the strummed guitar. That, at least could go. I like the fiddle and the mandolin, and I think they should stay. The pad is fine as well.

I'm not sure what sound she is aiming for, but there is a strong essence of Alison Krause in there, and were I to be doing this, I would be making the most of that.

Maybe you could find some Alison Krause to see what she thinks.

However, I am not convinced that just guitar and vocal is the greatest idea . . . there is a dnager of the listener losing interest if there is no musical story happening.
Click to expand...
Thanks. You may be right. I have a ton of Alison Krause, but I never made the connection. Maybe I'll just send her a mix without the strummed guitar. I like the way you worded this. Where is she headed with this song?

You guys are awesome.
 
Give her both... and I'd just turn the strummed guitar down a tad and darken it a bit and I think it'll fit in nicely... not convinced on the pad... but overall... nice...
 
If I'm totally off base on this, then forget you ever read this.
My thoughts are that this lady is a Christian who is trying to express something heartfelt to God and as such, has written what she sees as something pure, simple and uncluttered that isn't really designed to draw attention to her or itself. Whatever the wrongs or rights of that view, it's a view that has been prevalent in 'christian' music since the dawn of the rock era and partly accounts for why so much music of that ilk is so sterile, unadventurous and unappealing. Fortunately not every Christian has been that way about music but a sufficient number have for that kind of thinking to be underscoring much music by people who happen to believe in Christ.
So from that perspective, I can fully understand why she just wants her voice and guitar. By doing what you've done, you've taken away the intention and focus of where she's coming from and chances are, she may feel that those she might want to share the song with won't catch what she wants them to catch.
From a song point of view, I find it a monotonous song. It sounds like a thousand and twelve songs I've heard a million and eight times and zoned out, predictable chord structure, changes, climax etc. The violin and pad {maybe not so much the strummed guitar} certainly save it from being a total snore and actually really enhances it. It gives a listener who may be totally opposed to the core of the message something else to focus on and possibly enjoy without feeling that they're being imposed on.
So yeah, from where most of us stand she's making a bad decision because a dullish song {in my opinion} will be rendered even duller without some adornment. But, from her perspective, her request makes abundant sense, mores the pity, but it does.
Give her the copy she wants and keep the one you feel is the better. It's not unusual in music recording for the artist and the 'producer' to not see eye to eye about what they've worked on.
Funny thing though, one day both of you just may be glad that you did keep it.
 
grimtraveller said:
If I'm totally off base on this, then forget you ever read this.
My thoughts are that this lady is a Christian who is trying to express something heartfelt to God and as such, has written what she sees as something pure, simple and uncluttered that isn't really designed to draw attention to her or itself. Whatever the wrongs or rights of that view, it's a view that has been prevalent in 'christian' music since the dawn of the rock era and partly accounts for why so much music of that ilk is so sterile, unadventurous and unappealing. Fortunately not every Christian has been that way about music but a sufficient number have for that kind of thinking to be underscoring much music by people who happen to believe in Christ.
So from that perspective, I can fully understand why she just wants her voice and guitar. By doing what you've done, you've taken away the intention and focus of where she's coming from and chances are, she may feel that those she might want to share the song with won't catch what she wants them to catch.
From a song point of view, I find it a monotonous song. It sounds like a thousand and twelve songs I've heard a million and eight times and zoned out, predictable chord structure, changes, climax etc. The violin and pad {maybe not so much the strummed guitar} certainly save it from being a total snore and actually really enhances it. It gives a listener who may be totally opposed to the core of the message something else to focus on and possibly enjoy without feeling that they're being imposed on.
So yeah, from where most of us stand she's making a bad decision because a dullish song {in my opinion} will be rendered even duller without some adornment. But, from her perspective, her request makes abundant sense, mores the pity, but it does.
Give her the copy she wants and keep the one you feel is the better. It's not unusual in music recording for the artist and the 'producer' to not see eye to eye about what they've worked on.
Funny thing though, one day both of you just may be glad that you did keep it.
Click to expand...

Excellent Post. Thank you. You have just articulated what has been my suspicion. I think you've hit the nail on the head.
 
Honestly I'm with the singer, at least with how the other instruments are mixed. Everything except the initial acoustic guitar catches too much attention - they're too out front. I'd like it as a simple song.

The initial acoustic guitar is a bit boxy and a bit thin. I'd look for a small cut somewhere between 800hz and 1200hz. I'd look for a boost somewhere between 200hz and 280hz.

I also thought the reverb on the vocal was just a bit too large.

Heard some pops at: :29, :36, 1:29, 2:01

Minor problems, all. I thought it sounded very nice.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top