Safe

[volthause]

I think this'll be song #2 for me here.

Something a little pop-ish.. maybe.

Anyhow, any constructive criticism is welcome/invited.

*right click => save as*

 

[FattMusiek]

I smell POD...Did you use a POD on the guitars? Are the drums tracked or samples? Cool song, nice to listen to.

 

[volthause]

yikes... no POD. the intro is a re-amped direct track, and one of the other distorted tracks is also re-amped.

the drums are also real... no samples.

*edited for spelling*

 

[SLuiCe]

That's funny. I just posted a collaboration tune called Safe and Sound. Must be something in the air.

Guitar line reminds me of "Imagine."

Guitars sound like they've got my usual midrange problem to me. Like maybe you've cut too much 250-400 to let the bass shine.

Nice vocal. Warm. Nice harmonies.

Good spacious mix. I can't make out the words at all during the chorus, but it sounds like you mean them, so I guess that's all that matters. I think it's the way you're singing them, not so much the mix. Just thought I'd tell you before Studioviols gets a hold of you.

Nice song. Musically sounds like the radio. Little more polishing of the delivery, little more EQing, and you should be there. Good job!

 

[FattMusiek]

Well, in that case, good job .

 

[PiltdownMan]

Hold on... let me add you to the list of people I hate for being so much better than me...

There.. done.

I'm in SLuiCe's corner, mostly. He basically hit the nail on the head.

Gorgeous vocal. I mean gorgeous. If you're gonna do pop, do it like this. Thanks for not trying to emulate Scott Stapp or whatever the f**k that loser's name is. I love you for that.

Oooh, I'm surprised by the ending. I'd change that. Wasn't expecting the fade out. Sounds like, "okay, I'm too lazy to think of an ending." ;-)

Great song, man. Seriously. Wax on, wax off, and you've got a compilation song... or maybe a career.

Must be nice.

PIltdown Man

 

[volthause]

SLuiCe: I listened to that song (Safe and Sound)... I'll post it there, but go ahead and say it here that you've got a monster set o' pipes! As for the vocals on this song, the vocalist (not me BTW) does have his moments where everything is slurred together, but it just doesn't sound like him when I get him to enunciate (sp?) everything correctly. It sounds kinda dumb. Anyhow, he's got great emotion, and he's an incredible lyricist

Pilt: Thanks man, but you can't hate me because I'm not better than anyone, especially not you. Look man, we're all here trying to learn from one another.
Thanks for the comps on the vox... I'll be sure to let the singer know! As far as the fade out, it's kinda weird because most of my other songs have endings, and I just figured this one lent itself well to the fade out.

 

[terrible_buddhi]

I would actually love to know how you did the chorus vocally...sounds awesome! like the tune a lot, but is it clipping for anyone else?

I would agree on the ending...I think I would like to hear...if you staaaaaaaaay...done.

 

[SLuiCe]

but it just doesn't sound like him when I get him to enunciate (sp?) everything correctly. It sounds kinda dumb.

Hey volt, it's hard getting all the feeling you want into a vocal performance, and yet still be understandable. Some times I hear people so worried about their diction you'd think you were listening to a 3rd grade school teacher singing the alphabet song. Ever listen to Radiohead's OK Computer? I couldn't make out most of those words after 50 listens. Then I read the lyrics, and they all just started jumping out, like those "hollogram" paintings you have to stare at for a while to see the images. But what I'm getting at is I'd rather hear a good performance than be able to make out the lyrics on the first listen. Not all music has to be like that, where you have to know all the lyrics on one listen. I mean, if you're analyzing the words on one listen, you're thinking- not feeling.

 

[volthause]

I would actually love to know how you did the chorus vocally...sounds awesome!

Okay, let's see if I remember this correctly.

"But if you'd wait, if you'd stay"

-- two voices in unison, both compressed fairly hot, radically rolled off low end to thin it out, plate reverb with fairly long decay, panned out to 11 and 1 for a little seperation.

"If you'd touch me longer"

--harmony vox come in, also two voices in unison, less compression to keep them punchy, less rolled off low end for more definition since this voice carries most of the fundamental melody of the chorus. these voices were panned more to 9 and 3 for a noticible change in soundstage.

"If you'd just be stronger, We'd be safe"

--no change.

so yeah, lot's of vocals there. i was looking for that big sound.

 

[volthause]

SLuiCe, you've just totally outlined my personal philosophy of recording... you have to weigh the performance against the moment.

I'll take moment over performance any day of the week. Attitude almost always wins in my book.

 

[lynx]

Wow, I hear Ozzy in the vocals (the good one, not the "take me out to the ball game" Ozzy...yeesh.)

I am really liking the tune, one of the best I've heard on here since the summer started. Excellent job.

 

[MC Gitarz]

I WANT TO HEAR THIS BAND!
Where are you guys? (Maybe I should look at your website, eh?)
Kicking ass again with a major vengeance - better than awesome. You're gonna freak when I say this but the harmonies are pure Byrds - I swear I can even hear Roger McGuinn's voice.
Lead vocal is just plain excellent - song well written - but that kit! - Man, with the headphones on that kick just rocks my brain. Guess I need to make peaceful overtures to my drummer buddy so he'll play on one of my tunes. And I'm sure that you just provided us a clip, right? That doesn't sound like the end to me - or? Thanks!! Always a pleasure. - Milan

 

[volthause]

Milan: We're based in Raleigh, North Carolina. Odly enough, that's not mentioned on the website... I should fix that, thanks!

As for the Byrds reference, I take that kind of compliment very seriously, and I can't thank you enough. Although I'm not a big fan of them, being mentioned in the same sentence (in a positive light) as a band that is held in that high regard is serious praise in my book. I appriciate it greatly.

And that is actually the end of the song... short and sweet, and ready for radio.

 

[skids]

Volt,
This sounds very sweet. Nice song. Good harmonies. I have not listened to Catherine Wheel in ages, but for some reason they came to my head when I heard this.

I think it sounds great. The more talented folks here can give you the mix fixes.

My only complaint and actually it really bugs me. I don't know why. This song should not fade out, especially not the way it does. I mean the extended chorus part sounds more like it could be the fade but then the song is really short (which would be OK too) I really think you should go back into a short version of the chorus then to the intro guitar to finish. Of course maybe that's all a cliche. It's your song and your music. I probably should not be telling you what to do with the arrangement especially since you did not ask.

I just looked at the other posts and realized others have complained about the ending. I'll leave my "rant" up , but it looks like it has been covered. Sorry!

Good work!

 

[TripleM]

Nice song. I liked the feel when the chorus kicked in - nice vocals through that section. Cool harmonies, they blended well together. The "quiet" guitars had a distinctive sound. The power guitars did their job just like they're supposed to.

Some sibalance in the vocals. The singer sounded maybe a bit too close to the mic.

Although the chorus sounded cool, the change in volume from verse to chorus was maybe a little too dramatic. Nothing wrong with a change like that, it just seemed a little strong.

The snare seemed a little on the loud side.

Trip...

 

[volthause]

Nice song. I liked the feel when the chorus kicked in - nice vocals through that section. Cool harmonies, they blended well together. The "quiet" guitars had a distinctive sound. The power guitars did their job just like they're supposed to.

Some sibalance in the vocals. The singer sounded maybe a bit too close to the mic.

Although the chorus sounded cool, the change in volume from verse to chorus was maybe a little too dramatic. Nothing wrong with a change like that, it just seemed a little strong.

The snare seemed a little on the loud side.

Trip...

thanks man. i need to learn how to use a de-esser. i've had more than a few comments on the two songs i've posted about silibance.

thanks for the other suggestions too. i don't really know how to reduce the dynamic change between the verse and chorus without more compression on the whole song, which it's already pretty smashed. any ideas aside from re-tracking?

 

[chrisharris]

The song kills...I don't care if he's singing about virulent strains of spam...

The way the vocal changes in the chorus is pretty cool. I had a similar thing happen on a song I've been working on lately, but mine wasn't intentional...it was the result of the mids in my vocal piling up on top of each other when I started doubling and tripling and adding harmonies...I kinda' liked the effect, so I just turned them down some and left 'em middy. Yours WAS intentional, right?

**HOWEVER**
You've got some pretty major subsonic issues to deal with I think. Like when I solo'd just the stuff at 32Hz...it's hitting the meters about 25db hotter than is "SAFE," lol. Pretty much everything below 200 is WAY hyped. Put a warning on this if you release it.

Man, this sounds really good on headphones. That's the joy of body shaking bass; Of course, if you do roll off the low end, it's gonna' totally screw with the rest of the EQ, but I'm curious...have you listened to this on anything with a sub? How's it do in your car?

Cool song.

[edit] I saw a comment about clipping up there...I'll say that this was clipping the meters, but I didn't hear it...I think my meters are probably set a little hot anyway to keep me from clipping the crap out of everything I record, lol.

 

[TripleM]

i don't really know how to reduce the dynamic change between the verse and chorus without more compression on the whole song, which it's already pretty smashed. any ideas aside from re-tracking?

I don't know what your setup is. But most computer-based recording programs have the concept of a "volume envelope." This allows you to turn the volume of individual tracks up and down during the song. My thought might be to turn up the quieter parts. It might help - don't know for sure though.

 

[volthause]

Chris: thanks for the heads up on the subsonic probs. i don't generally listen to this stuff on a system that has a sub. it has sounded fairly natural, if only a slight bit bass heavy, on most every system i'm ever put it on. i'll revisit some of the sub-bass issues and trim them down a tad.

TripleM: well, riding the faders (or automation as the case may be) is always an option, but it tends to sound a little fake to me when the intensity of a song rises, but the volume doesn't take that same leap. i guess i'll just do some experimenting and see what pans out.