new one to check out: "Not That Bad"

[famous beagle]

Hey y'all,

I've been away for a while---moved from Dallas to Milwaukee for a new job.

Anyway, I finally got the studio up and running, and here's a rough mix of my latest recording. I was hoping to get some general comments on anything (song, performance, mix, etc.) before I really dig into it.

Here's the link:

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=328768

The song's called "Not That Bad"

Thanks!

P.S. Though I know it might be tempting in this case, I'd appreciate it if you could avoid the obvious and refrain from posting "It's not that bad."

 

[ido1957]

Panning on headphones seems extreme - I would maybe pull it more towards the center (just my taste).

Nice harmonies...

Very intimate sounding lead vocals - close and easy to hear - I like loud vocals!

Guitar on left (acoustic) has nice sound to it.

I'd cut the intro of the "count in" beats.

Tremelo guitar on right is a bit more distorted than I would make it.

Synth choices are good. What are you using for drums?

Playing, arrangement, singing and songwriting is excellent.....

It's Not That Bad! (lol couldn't resist that comment )

ido1957

 

[famous beagle]

Panning on headphones seems extreme - I would maybe pull it more towards the center (just my taste).

Nice harmonies...

Very intimate sounding lead vocals - close and easy to hear - I like loud vocals!

Guitar on left (acoustic) has nice sound to it.

I'd cut the intro of the "count in" beats.

Tremelo guitar on right is a bit more distorted than I would make it.

Synth choices are good. What are you using for drums?

Playing, arrangement, singing and songwriting is excellent.....

It's Not That Bad! (lol couldn't resist that comment )

ido1957

Hi Idol, thanks for the comments.

Yes I'm going to cut the count off (this is just the rough mix)

I'm not sure which tremolo guitar you're talking about. If it's the first verse, that's an electric piano. Is that what you're talking about? There are lightly tremoloed guitars in the pre-chorus and chorus, but they're on both sides (an octave apart).

The drums were done on my Yamaha QY70 sequencer.

Thanks!

 

[XLR]

Songwriting: excellent

Vocal and guitar performance: excellent (only noticed one sharp pitch at 2:25) Really great vocal sound. Very close mic'd sounding, but it suits the voice. Makes me want to grab up my guitar and add a part.


Synth stuff: Dunno... hits me as wrong for the song, kinda fake in comparison to the vocal. (I realize the drums are synth too but they sound good to me none the less.)

Arrangement: well balanced and interesting.
Mixing: well balanced... rich tone overall.

Let me know when you've got a CD together because I want to buy one.

Tim

 

[rayc]

I have to, generally, agree with both of the previous posters.
The panning is extreme in the cans. You could pull it in a little & still have a wide image.
The electric piano (sounds like a rhodes) does seem rather thickened by the trem.
The synth lines would come off better as a guitar line, slide line OR an acoustic piano line - it would sound more in keeping with the intimate & organic nature of the rest of the song, which, by the way, is very bloody good.
It may be that, on occasion, there's too much going on. The melody, narrative & voice are strong enough to carry this song with the most rudimentary arrangement or backing - even just an acoustic guitar & piano.
I see from What I'd say that you have a penchant for trem. but Feeling Tired demonstrates what I mean about minimalist accompaniment.

 

[aspiring]

hey famous dog

Really nice song. I can only echo those comments about the synths and stuff though. Although I like the synth sounds you used (I want to start playing with stuff like that myself), they don't seem to work too well in this song. Maybe too many, too long, or just wrong. Whatever, they distract from the song, and that means they don't work.

Great work on the bulk of it though.
Cheers
aspiring

 

[Dogman]

Really nice song man...I'd like to hear it with the synth quieter....let the guitars carry it....just my preference....not really anything wrong with the synth, I just like the guitars....

Small nit, as I like the structure of the song, and how it's performed.

 

[XLR]

Hey, I just listened to the lyrics for the first time. Previously I was listening to the vox more as an instrument.

The song's uplifting and similar to what I've thought sometimes but not verbalized.

On that topic, I have to say my perception of what "bad" can be, re personal experience, has gone up a notch or ten in the last few yrs. But in contrast, what I've seen that's "good" has gone up levels too, kind of balancing and surprising me in the unexpectedly heroic people that are around. That might not make a lot of sense but it's been my experience and the song reminded me of it.

Tim

 

[famous beagle]

Thanks much for the comments everyone. I may have gone overboard on the synths because this was my first real experience with them, but I confess I do like the way it turned out. Maybe subtlety will be my aim next time.

I'm glad the lryics were thought-provoking for you Timothy. It's an older song, but one that I never really got too tired of.

 

[true-eurt]

Nice vocals...filled with your feelings.

I like the guitars.

There is a lot of high end I think.

A celtic drum would sound cool with it.

The Synth is distracting to me and seems out of place on this song. The sounds are very obvious. Perhaps a good lead axe/flute with some effects in place of the synth...Or some piano...or all three used in different places.

Great song makings here!!!

 

[famous beagle]

Nice vocals...filled with your feelings.

I like the guitars.

There is a lot of high end I think.

A celtic drum would sound cool with it.

The Synth is distracting to me and seems out of place on this song. The sounds are very obvious. Perhaps a good lead axe/flute with some effects in place of the synth...Or some piano...or all three used in different places.

Great song makings here!!!

Thanks true. Interesting suggestions. That's one more vote for the piano. Hmmm ... maybe I'll try that.