Please listen and advise.

  • Thread starter Thread starter Teddie
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Teddie

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Folks,

This is my first song using a software/computer based multi-tracker. I started doing 4-track then 8-track analog recording (tape) when 10MHz XT's were the fast boxes around the block (record with that? Pah.), and until just a couple of months ago, I never even thought to find out if you could multi-track on a PC (I'm using PowerTracks). I'm loving it, but I'd like some input from you nice folks as to how I'm doing before I do the rest of the songs for my CD. Please go to http://listen.to/smartapple and listen to the MP3 for the song called "Which Way?" -- it's the only song I've got right now. Thanks much for your help and input. +++ Teddie (http://listen.to/smartapple)
 
this sounded good. I would bring the drums up in the mix and get some better drum sounds. I would also like to hear less processing on your voice, just my opinion though. but overall, it sounded good.

ametth
 
Hey Teddie,
My last post was a song called "Witch Weigh" It is an instrumental/horror/scary soundtrack kind of thing. I was just messin' with ya. :D

Layne Staley is the vocalist for Alice in Chains. Zakk Wylde used to play guitar for Ozzy Osbourne. He went solo and has released a few albums. A lot of critics don't care for his voice, but I think it is awesome.

Can't wait to hear more!

Brad
 
Ametth, thanks for listening to it. When you say better drum sounds, do you mean more realistic drum sounds or did the drums just sound dry/thin (?). I'm taking your advice on bringing up the drum level. Regarding the vocals, did you hear too much compression, or was it the doubling? I think I messed up on singing some of the backup vocal tracks, sounds like it caused some phase shift where I didn't intend there to be any... Although I did flang my voice on the bridge. Thanks again for listening to it.
 
Nice arrangement...solid guitar sound, I like the little harmony at the end of verse 1. I agree with ametth, the depth of the FX take away from the "clarity" of your vocal. Keep doing what your doing...it's a damn good song!

Garger
 
That was great...I agree with ameth about bringing the drums up in the mix and I also agree with Garger on the vocal effects...I dig the flange on the bridge vocal tho, and I thought the backs up vocals were really good...but like both ameth and Garger, I think less processing on the lead vocal would serve you well......you sounded on key and had some natural power there to work with...I'm not sayin' get rid of all the processing, just play around with it....enjoyed the tune...wanna hear more stuff...gibs
 
Garger and Gibs, thanks much for your comments. I really love this input - external ears - not my own. My wife and kids just say, "That was great, hon" or "Dad, you're awsome - can I have my allowance" Pah. This input you guys are giving me is helping so much. I've got somemore tunes lined up and I'm going to try and migrate your advice to those as well. I'll ask for a sound check when I get those out. This BBS is a god-send. Thanks again.
 
Cool man! I agree with what everyone said, specifically the drums. I don't mind the vocal processing, but it could probably use a little less. Love the harmony parts. You've got a great voice, and you did a great job on the recording. Post more ASAP, great job!
 
Cmiller, thanks for listening to it and for your kind words and input. I'm wondering about the processing on the voice. Are you talking about the compression I used on my voice or the doubling of the vocal tracks (I duplicated the track on the main vocal and moved one back just a tiny-tiny amount then panned one to L and one to R). I wonder if that's what you and other folks are talking about(?) Thanks much! +++ Teddie
 
Oh, folks,
Regarding the "over" processing on the vocals, just wondering who listened to the "lo-fi" version and who listened to the "hi-fi" version. I just listened to the "lo-fi" version (ugh) and have come to a conclusion as far as the vocals go. (sorry, this may be a long post) -- I saw a suggestion a while back on fattening the vocals in the "mic and vocals(?)" forum and this is what it said and this is what I did on the song: When I recorded a vocal track (the main vocs for instance), I duplicated that track and then moved the track back very very slightly to be out of phase with the original track. Then I took the original and panned it far to the left channel and then I took the vocal that I moved back slightly and panned it far to the right channel. Although I think it sounds pretty decent in stereo (has anyone heard the hi-fi stereo version?), when I listened to the lo-fi version on mp3.com it was in mono, which put those two tracks on top of each other causing a very strong flanger effect, which is not what I'm trying to do. Does anyone agree with my theory? Or is there really just too much processing going on with my voice on that song? Probably, but the mono version is really flanging the poo out of my voice. I'll probably need to post this question in the "vocal" forum, but does anyone know how I can get that fat vocal sound that I can achieve in stereo without it going phase-crazy in mono? Or should I just go straight mono with the vocals? Tips..? Okay I'll post this in the vocal area too... Thanks everyone. P.S. Is it okay to repost a sound check after bringing up the drums on that song?
 
Great song.

I think the doubled vocal might be mixed a little too "wet" (just my opinion, a lot of ppl will probably like that "wet" sort of sound). Maybe dropping the doubled vocal back a little might make the vocal a little more "clear".

I'm no expert though.

Maybe put up the drums a tad.

Other than that, all is good. Nice voice.

What sort of mic/preamp setup do you use?
 
MrLip, Thanks a lot for listening to it and thanks for your input. Which one did you listen to, the lo-fi or the hi-fi version?

My mic/preamp setup is a Shure SM57 mic going through an ART Tube MP preamp and then straight into the sound card. Thanks again, Teddie
 
Interesting. I just ordered a shure sm-57 and an ART tube MP. Do you use a pop-screen/spit-guard/whatever those things are called? (I can never remember).


I listened to the stereo mp3. (I guess that's the hi-fi one).
 
Mr. Lip, what a coincidence, eh? I've had my SM57 for quite sometime (about 4 years) and I really like it. And I love my ART Tube MP (I just bought it about 2 weeks ago).

I would actually like to use a pop-screen, but I've never really needed one. Every once in a while, but very rarely, I'll make an explosive pop sound with my mouth and have to do the that section of the track over again, but usually, for some reason, I don't pop much into the mic even though it's about 2 inches away from my mouth when I'm singing.
 
That was way cool! man them vocals really are great, say you used a little flange here and there? well it sounded great to my ears, shit man you got a cd out? I want one! I'm very impressed over this tune...as you can tell :D, put some more up dude!

David
 
David, you're too kind, man... Thanks for listening to it. I'm actually trying to get a few more songs done to do a CD. I'll probably start another song-project this weekend. I'll post it for a sound check as soon as I finish - probably be ready to post it the following weekend. Thanks again!
 
Sounded really good, I liked the vocal effects, I also think the drums should be a little louder. Man that was a ripping guitar solo.
 
First off Teddie, I know you stole that title from my last Mp3 post, you just spelled it incorrectly. :D Just kidding, of course. ;)

I am very impressed. You've got a great sound and that is some really solid composition. I really like your voice a lot!!
Not to be a name dropper (and please take this as a compliment, because I love these dudes' voices) you kinda have a Layne Staley meets Zakk Wylde thing going on there, and it works. It works very well! Upon first listen, I also thought the drums needed to come up a bit. When I listened again, I thought they were okay. I dug the vocal effects, I thought they worked very well in this tune. The guitar solo was also very impressive. Keep up the great work!

Post more! POST MORE!
 
Thanks for listening to it, GT. Yeah, I'm definitely going to bring the drums up a bit, probably tonight. That guitar solo took me about 50 tries to "accidently" stumble upon a good one (finger tips were getting very sore). Plus my baby boy was sitting in his swing a few feet away from me while I was trying to get the solo right and everytime I started to play, he'd crack up which made me crack up. Was a difficult solo... haha. Thanks again for listening and for your comments.
 
Brad, thank you very much for the detailed input and for your compliments! No offense taken on the "Layne Staley meets Zakk Wylde" thing... I actually don't know who those folks are (is this because I'm old? Turning 31 this year, god help me). I'll probably still bring those drums up just a tad. I'm going to probably post another song for sound check in a week or two. By the way, what was the name of your last MP3 post? Thanks again!
 
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