New to the forum and a new home recording...

hey i reckon this is great. Im from Australia, you should check out a band called the Panics, you have similar styles. And maybe Lisa Mitchell too, she has a whimsical style like yours.

I think the mix sounds good, perhaps a little bright and present for my taste, but thats just me.. it does suit the song.
 
not bad at all - good job. Remember - I tell this to young bands:

"There's one thing more you're gonna need besides all them amps and guitars and drums and things to make it in music - we call this thing A SONG."

You have a song :)
 
Hello stickboy a lot of my friends are just crazy about your material and are looking forward to a US tour.

I had the same problem with my Rode microphone and all it needed was a new tube.
You should contact Christian at proaudiotubes@aol.com he'll set you up with a nos tube.
Changing the tube out is very easy and you get your K2 back. With a better sound to it!





:cool:
 
ahhh hmmm i may look into that - think is though i think its more a pro tools mbox usb thing

if i plug the mic straight into my sound card its fine.... but i have to go through mbox to use pro tools... also if i di my guitar amo into mbox i also get the sound... but not when plugging certain other things through it.... very bizarre... sounds like some kind of earth hum but have tried various things to no avail

U.S tour.... now that would be awesome.... kinda gotta keep doing the day job though to pay the bills!!
 
stickboymusic said:
if i plug the mic straight into my sound card its fine.... but i have to go through mbox to use pro tools...
Click to expand...
What a pain. Simple solution would be to track with a no-problem app & interface like Reaper w/whatever hardware, then just mix in Pro Tools.
 
I personally don't like the song. I can't share in these guys' enthusiasm. It's boring, cheesy, repetitive, and no different from any other modern indie hipster singer/songwriter pap. So having said that, it'll probably make you a million dollars. Good luck. ;)

The recording is great though. My only gripe is the silly, out-of-place, and unnecessary swooshy whirly sound effect thing that dances across the stereo field. Other than that, it's very good. If you're really "new" to this little hobby, you're off to a good start and put together a better mix than most people that have been doing this for years.
 
ha thankyou mr greg for your honesty.... not the most useful post but i understand its not to your taste, if its any consolation i had a listened to your page and whilst all very good...also not to my taste so i fully understand why you wouldnt like my track.

I personally like the strange sound panning accross (its why its in there!) but cool if you dont like it

you say it is "no different to any other indie pap" and then dont like things that are a little different.... cant win them all

;)
 
stickboymusic said:
i had a listened to your page and whilst all very good...also not to my taste so i fully understand why you wouldnt like my track.
Click to expand...

Thanks. Just do what you like to do and don't worry about what anyone thinks about your songs. That's my musical philosophy. Your mix is good, and for this purpose of this forum, I think that's the most important part.
 
Hey there, regarding your noise problem, a buddy of mine had a similar issue. He tracked the problem to the cheap mixer he was using. Does the problem persist when you DI into your MBox without the mixer?
 
hmmmm interesting question.... im not actually sure i tried that (dont know why!?)

Will give that a go..... dont really want to have to buy a new mixer right now (cash!?) but if it solves the problem its good to know for the future

im pretty happy with my baby blue bottle mic but yeh would be nice to get the valve one in use again

i think the reason i didnt try it is that if i go into my computer soundcard - through the mixer - i have no problems so "assumed" it was an mbox usb issue

no harm giving it a try though

thanks!
 
I think you should try backing off the mike and using a spitshield. Getting characteristic harsh 'essing' on the vox from close proximity to the condenser's diaphragm

The arrangement could use some serious pruning in sub-major parts. Too much going on, all the time, on the same 3/4 'figure'.

The 3/4 thump is way over-emphasized...never gets a groove...won't fly...never leaves the runway. No tweeny notes or filligree to catch ears and move a body. thump THUMP THUMP, thump THUMP THUMP.....

You played all the parts, right? All the instruments are of one mind....locked-in.

Maybe use a couple other cats to contribute to the tracking of parts...get some other ideas cooking to break it out of the grid that constricts it. Or change up the feel in other sections....revisiting the thumping theme.

Main flaw: fatigue.

And in that respect, I have to disagree with my esteemed collegue and mentor, Greg. It's not the same as a lot of pap. It is inferior.

But the lyric and melody are good. Sung a tad too forceably stiff, though.
 
hey greg

thanks for listening.... i do infact use a pop shield (i know its not on the vid) and sing maybe 12 inches from mic so not sure what youre hearing there? (pops?)

Apart from that i will take other comments on board..... not had much negative feedback from this track so far but will bare things in mind.... drums... i quite like the simplicity of the beat im not one for ghost notes etc i dont really like the drums being a focal point/distration in my music but thats a personal taste.

Bit mean saying its inferior to "pap" but nevermind... the publisher likes it and is doing a good job of getting it out there

Hope all is good on your musical journey

x
 
I think you've done about as much as you can with your equipment. You've got a good sound that seems very contemporary. Keep shopping it around on the side and see what happens. Just don't give up and not do anything! It seems to me music is going through a bad cycle right now with short attention spans, digital libraries and what not, but I see hope developing in our society. People just need to relearn how to listen to music.
 
you got it right there my friend

plenty of people giving up on the whole music thing.... i fit around what i can with a full time job etc and record hopefully to the best of my ability on a small budget home studio.... i know i "could" get a better/more commercial sound but it really isnt me i like the whole slightly lo-fi real sound that home recording can produce

as a wise person once said "if our heads in the clouds we're not far from the stars" make of that what you will


x
 
Not being mean. Only pointing out that the successful 'pap' music out there....by Morrison, Blunt, Mraz, and others....has definable, quantifiable, and explicitly obvious advantage and appeal over your offering. You have the voice, the writing skill, and the hair; but you fall down in arranging for recording....interest, texture, restraint, taste. You need a producer, with experience...or a new producer, if you have one: an objective set of ears and honed arranging talents to guide you as you lay stuff down is what you need to get in the running with the other contenders. Your finished product is unnecessarily sub-par.

I'm glad your publisher is getting it out there. But you can thow bait out there, and never get a solid bite.

I personally think that you'd do better..much better...concentrating on capturing your music using your voice, and a guitar. Let the potential clients hear the better part of your talent....and not be off-put by you ham-fisted attempts at full production for market: it jades clients' better perceptions of your potential; you hobble yourself by exceeding your expertise.

That's not being mean. I'm trying to help you by giving you an honest listener's perspective. "But the lyric and melody are good."

Did you not notice that??

And I'd go on to say your guitaring is adequate for the function.

The reality is, I strongly believe, that you haven't a shot at a contract with the work as it is here presented. Your only hope would be a client who can hear past the ineptitude of your production. And that's not a thing to bank on....and also reduces your chances of success.

An experienced manager would be giving you the same advice. I think.

Good journey to you, as well.
 
hmmm i do hear what you saying and i do understand

thing is "The reality is, I strongly believe, that you haven't a shot at a contract with the work as it is here presented" for example

whilst it may seem you know what youre talking about, maybe it is just your opinion

I say this as i have recently signed a small publishing deal and in the past 6 months have had my songs/productions call them as you will placed on

gossip girl
my last five girlfriends (film trailer)
Huge (film end credits)
massive (bbc3 sitcom)
What's Wrong with Virginia (song in film specifically asked to record a cover for the film by writer of "milk")
Microsoft (internet trailer)
Microsoft (song featured on every handset worldwide)

I guess from this i am doing "something" right but like i say i will take you comments on board

x
 
Hmmm..that's interesting.

Do you have a central site with a variety of your works....including the placed material? Maybe the publisher's site....audition snips?

Of course it's my opinion. But I'm thinking this offering may not be repesentative of your larger body of work.

A lot of stuff can be placed in production music that, otherwise, has no shot at a 'big 5' consideration. I assumed, from what you...and possibly others... wrote, that you were shooting for something larger than production music placement. I based my comments upon that poor understanding. My bad.

In the production music business, someone...sometime... will rent anything. The clients are a lot broader in their tastes. And the music is affordable.

Congratulations on your licenses. Your first quarter is due. Has anyone snagged the vocal versions?

ps I'm not breathing my comments on the work above back in. The arrangement is pretty awful, for a pop tune.
 
Last edited:
ha i take from this that you don't particularly like ANY of it

to be honest with you the people you mentioned earlier Mraz, morrison etc im really not aiming to be along side them its not my thing - i dont aim for the spotlight i just love writing and recording.... i can get a more pop/produced sound but dont aim for it , i like the kinda lo-fi ness it suits my voice and song style and people like it.... maybe for the fact that its instantly recognisable as one of my songs/recordings.

i dont play live (anymore) im not the right person for it, i hate being in the spotlight but its not going to stop me loving creating music... i decided to aim more for this sync stuff (but not tailor my music especially for it unless its a composed piece for a certain thing) because it means i can do music, get some income from it and not "have" to play live, kinda suits me.... i know you have picked up a lot on the structure of the song... i dont really like to follow too many books.... who says it has to be verse/pre chorus/chorus/verse etc etc .... ok history may say it and yes the BIGGEST songs do follow this but im fine where i am.... also the sync stuff often only uses a 30sec - 1 min cut so its fine.

i havent heard your music, so dont know if you dont like mine becuase maybe its just not your preferred genre or maybe its because you DO like the traditional structuring of a song.... post me a link to some stuff if you don't mind

x
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top