New Song - Albuquerque

[Chili]

I recently changed around my room and changed it back and got to messing with the sub-woofer and now I don't know where I'm at....

Here's a new song I'm working on. Really need to know how the low end is working; bass and kick. I can hear it, but I don't have it thumpin on this mix, at least not on my system. How does it sound to you?

I have had the pleasure of getting White Strat to record some acoustic guitar solo's for me. I'm very happy with how it came out. At the very end of the song is an electric/acoustic interchange, I might replace the acoustic part with a violin if my daughter's violin teacher ever gets it done...

Also, this one is up on my website and not soundclick or anywhere else. I'm trying my hand at website design. Please let me know if you have difficulties listening to the track. It's a flash player.

Thanks in advance.

Albuquerque

 

[Track Rat]

I like this tune. Very clever chord choices. I LOVE your backing vox. You use a sub in your monitors? They freak me out as far as monitoring for mixing but that's just me. The bass levels seem OK to me, maybe just a bit wolfy (I couldn't resist). I can really hear the compressor on the acoustic rhythm but as an effect I very much like it. Your mix balance feels good to me but I'm easily amused.

 

[Chili]

Thanks Track Rat!!! Glad to know you didn't have problems with the link and the low end is working.

Yeah, I use a sub with bookshelf speakers. I have Event ALP5's for critical listening and such, but they aren't very good for low end freqs. So, I bounce between the two often. Some day I'll upgrade to 8" monitors.

Thanks again for the listen.

 

[Simman]

Chili it sounds pretty good here only nit might try different reverb on vocals and could use more cowbell

 

[aaronmcoleman]

Hey track rat...I think I have your old yorkville monitors! brother rat gave them to me.

As for the song...I love the acoustic tone on the rhythm guitar. The guitars are spread too far out for me. The stereo image is super wide...but that's just my taste.

Bass sounds good tone-wise. I'd like to hear a little more volume.

Vocals are awesome very raw sounding, but well recorded.

And those solos are super cool. I can't hear a few notes...so maybe some compression to bring the whole solo together, or some volume automation.

Rad song!

 

[Chili]

Hey guys, thanks!! More cowbell, indeed!

I did a quick remix last night and brought the bass and kick up a little more.

Thanks Aaron, for the nice comment on the vox. Much appreciated. the wide guitar spread is a taste thing, I kind of like them like that. And for some of the quiet notes, it's pretty much compressed heavily already and I don't want to do much more in fear accentuating pick noise and such. I'll try some automation to bring out those missing lil boogers.

 

[TripleM]

I liked the guitar parts. I liked the bass part too.

The acoustic guitars and lead vocal have a little crispiness or "over-brightness." Just a little. I loved the acoustic guitar solo though. It's just a bit ear-fatiguing.

I'd turn up the vocal "ahs" maybe 2-3 dbs.

Some timing issues around :28. Some more minor ones after that.

 

[guitar zero]

Nice song Chili. Regarding the low end: At least on my monitoring system the bass could come up a dB or two. The kick is buried. I really have a hard time picking it out. As for the rest, it sounds to me like the snare is mostly ring out and little pop. Not sure if that's what you're after, but I can hear a little more crack to the snare sounding good. It would be interesting to hear how you have the rhythm guitars eq'd. Sounds a bit strident, and lacking some of that good 400 Hz woody resonant sound. Did you boost the highs some?

 

[toad_uk]

Great song, nice vocals, some nice guitar playing. Drum wide panning is unusual but I like it - I like playing around with stereo. Only critisim is that the percussion sounds a little busy during the acoustic guitar solo, but other than that I can't really fault it. Nice work (was relieved it wasn't the Prefab Sprout Albuquerque).

 

[Chili]

Hey Guys, thanks. Some good comments. I'm away from home for the week, so I can look at these this weekend.

I gently roll off the low end of the acoustic rhythm guitars so they don't compete with the bass or vox. The lead ac. guitar, I don't believe I eq'd or at least not much.

I agree about the percussion being busy. I was on the fence with it and waiting for someone to comment to confrim. I used the EZD latin pack with a pre-made groove, no editing like I usually do. I like the wide stereo effect on drums, too, everything else for that matter. More so just to use all the available space. I might pull the drum overheads in a little.

I see some of you guys have some tunes posted, I'll give those a listen this weekend.

Thanks again

 

[Greg_L]

I think it sounds mostly pretty good. The kick is buried and the snare seems too loose and roomy for the rest of the song. Overall I think it's kind of harsh. Very compressed. Seems that way, anyway. Some of that stops and starts are kind of loose. I dunno, it seems like a good song with some good performances that's just maybe a little too busy and overcooked.

 

[moresound]

Great as always Dave.
Gotta video in mind for this one?
Give my best to White Strat.

 

[Chili]

Thanks Greg!! I lowered the threshhold on the limiter a little more than usual, maybe that's the overcooked harshness you're hearing.

Thanks for listening, Henry. No, no video in mind. I need something, haven't done a video in a long time.... too much work. Actually, Albuqerque in this song is the name of a submarine, not the city, and I already did a submarine video. lol.

 

[heatmiser]

Sounds pretty good Chili. I like the bass sound and playing a lot on this, but it did seem to come and go volume-wise.

I'm not getting the kick coming through too strong here. I'd actually like to hear that more myself.

The guitars and vocals have a little bit of a sizzly quality to them, like the high end is hyped a little.

I like the panning myself, and it sounds pretty typical of what I remember of your mixes. Fun tune man.

 

[Chili]

Thanks Heat. I am still out of town and maybe won't have time to look at it this weekend. I'm on a plane early Monday morning again so who knows when I can get back to it.
But I have this list and I'll be checking everything that everyone here is suggesting; especially that kick!!!

Glad you like the song and thanks for listening.

 

[arcadeko]

Low end sounds fine here. Mix sounds nice and balanced. Guitars sounds great.


I duuno why but the word "Albuquerque" just cracks me up - maybe cause it rhymes with turkey?

sounds good Chili - your new setup is fine


hehe - you just sang Albuquerque again - damn thats a hard word to spell

your getin down on that axe with some spanish style - song has a nice pace and development - good work dude

 

[Chili]

That's funny A-KO, my wife walks around the house singing "I'm a cookie". The spanish guitar is courtesy of White Strat.

So, now I'm confused. Some don't hear the kick, others say it's okay. Some say low end is fine, others don't. High end is a little shrill/harsh.

Time for lots of reference material listening.... What would sound similar to this song???

 

[60's guy]

....my wife walks around the house singing "I'm a cookie".

lol

Great tune, Chili!