Raunchy Guitar Blues

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Fixed the mix!

I fixed the mix. Sounds better. That's what happens when you try to keep it down because people were sleeping.

Now, whatcha think?
 
OK, what does the silence mean? If it was way bad, you'd say so. If it was awesome, you'd say so. Is it just mediocre, totally unnoteworthy?
 
I'm a forty-something noise and vibration engineer and I do music strictly for fun. I am taking guitar lessons, and I'm striving to learn how to make good recordings. In this case, the drum machine did the drums and the bass line. The guitars were recorded direct using a Digitech RP50. I used a Rode NT3 for the vox.

Please let me know what I can do to make a better song and recording.
 
ok I'll post. Your lead playing sucks man! Good news is, the more you play lead the better you get. Try to learn ALL the positions of the pentatonic scale. It's a 5 note scale man, you're gonna need the WHOLE neck! I dug the vocal style. Very reminscent of David Byrne from talking heads. Little bit of Neil young too. Try some harmonies. The recorded tracks all sound acceptable to me. I dug the rhythm guitar. The composition is solid and straightfoward. Nice blues tune man. Keep at it.

peace
 
Thank you! I'll keep practicing. You're right about working on that whole neck thing.

Thanks again.
 
how did record the lead guit.
it souds like you di 'd it without speaker sim.
drums sound ok, maybe a tad more basdrum and les reverb.

Remco
 
Thanks, remco.

The guitar is a Carvin DC135 -> Digitech RP50 direct to US122. I meant to turn the cabinet voicing on, but I may have missed it. I'll have to double check next time.

The drums and bass were recorded direct from a Yamaha RY9 Rhythm Programmer.

Thanks again for the input.
 
If you are going to use a direct guitar device... don't make it sound like that intro lead. Very grating and strident... it's like a 3.5khz icepick to my head. Also, learn to punch in to cover a few of the mistakes.

And please learn something other than the pentatonic scale. I know you're new to guitar but at least use the blues scale if you're going to call this blues.

Finally, I believe the Geneva Convention banned that backing rhythm in 1988 after "The Return of Bruno" was released.

The Young meets Byrne vocals are cool... should have turned them up.

On the recording/mixing tip:

In general there is a lack of sparkle and depth to everything. Fairly brittle sounding guitar tones. Vocal isn't as up front as it should be. Serious lack of low end and groove.
 
Cloneboy Studio said:
1. If you are going to use a direct guitar device... don't make it sound like that intro lead. Very grating and strident... it's like a 3.5khz icepick to my head. Also, learn to punch in to cover a few of the mistakes.

2. And please learn something other than the pentatonic scale. I know you're new to guitar but at least use the blues scale if you're going to call this blues.

3. Finally, I believe the Geneva Convention banned that backing rhythm in 1988 after "The Return of Bruno" was released.

4. The Young meets Byrne vocals are cool... should have turned them up.

On the recording/mixing tip:

In general there is a lack of sparkle and depth to everything. Fairly brittle sounding guitar tones. Vocal isn't as up front as it should be. Serious lack of low end and groove.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice, CBS.

1. Sorry 'bout that. I hadn't noticed it. Yeah, I need to figure out that punch thingy.

2. Teacher's got me working on the major scale for the next session. I'll have to dig up the Blues Guitar book. I've been playing on and off for 20 years, but if you added it all up, I'm still a beginner.

3. I am unfamiliar with "Return of Bruno".

4. Thank you! I'll keep that in mind.
 
well, I'm a no one and maybe I can't play guitar myself BUT I'd say the following:

1.) put the vocals up??? why? what the hell are you guys listening to normally? radio-friendly mixed new metal? i think only in the last years engineers started to mix the vocals way too hot because those kids buying it don't listen to anything else than the vocals anyway. listen to SRV - are his vocals louder, no way!

nevertheless I don't like the way you sing - but that's a matter of taste.

2.) pentatonic. i don't think it's the scale that sucks. add some slides, bendings and hammer-ons'/ pull-offs. or to put it in another way: add some soul to it.

3.) backing track: sounds quite real for unreal :D . and I don't know "return of bruno" either.

4.) probably I'm deaf or one only hears that thru studio monitors: I can't hear anything itchy. to me the whole mix sounds ok.

but as I said: I'm a no one and probably I only see things this way because I suck as well. :p


(by the way: I checked the song with a freq-analizer - still not that bad)
 
Hey, six.

Thanks for giving it a listen. I totally redid the song since those other guy listened to it, and you caught the new one. I'll post the old version as "Raunchy Eutychus" sometime later today.

Thanks for the comments!
 
hmmm, ok, sorry guys.

the old version ain't that bad. just the vocals lack of compression I guess. I think the old guitar tone matches your playing a bit better, really. maybe you just would have had to eq it a bit. know "sympathy for the devil" by the stones? I'm sure you do. that guitar tone is so damn edgy - but as long as it fits...
 
six said:
I think the old guitar tone matches your playing a bit better, really...
Click to expand...

LOL! Lots o' distortion, compression, and chorus cover a multitude of sins!
 
apl,

Soudwise this is IMHO better.
stil 2 much reverb on the drums , it make the drum souds far 2 away
maybe put the toms and snare a bit up

Remco
 
remco said:
apl,

Soudwise this is IMHO better.
stil 2 much reverb on the drums , it make the drum souds far 2 away
maybe put the toms and snare a bit up

Remco
Click to expand...

Thanks, remco. The reverb sounds good when I solo the drum track. Maybe that's the wrong way to do it. Next time I'll pay more careful attetion. Since I'm using a drum machine, I'd have to read the manual to figger out how to adjust individual drum volumes, and that'd be extra work!
 
hey there,
i listened to both versions and i think that the new mix is a big improvement. I think that the song is well structured, and your playing was prety good. I'm a beginning blues player myself, and i couldn't do as good of a job as yu did. keep up the good work!
Jason
 
Thanks for listening, Jason.

I have to give credit where credit is due; the chord structure and bass line came from the drum machine.
 
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