Sammy Barker - Acoustic / Christian / Emo - Demo Track

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get2sammyb

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Hi HomeRecording people,



My name is Sammy Barker, and I am 16, concentrating on playing some acoustic, christian, emo stylee music.

I am not a recording master, as a 16 year old I don't have enough money to do anything good. I would one day like to go to a studio but your tips here are good enough to help me pass by (I think this new song of mine isn't so bad that you can't listen to it).

I just finished in a pop-punk band, it didn't really work out, and I have decided that going solo is the only option I have. I love working in groups etc, but this way I can reinvent myself as much as I like without treading on anyones toes.

Anyway here is a mix down of the first song I wrote for my project, its called Look Upstairs (Somehow).

As you guys are audio boffins I really want to hear what you think / like / dislike / hate. I also wondered if anyone would be happy doing some simple drum machining and piano, just to bring it to life.

If you are not interested thats cool it will be interesting to hear what you think on it lyrically / musically / the voice I tried to put across.

I am not going to kid anyway - I am pretty poor guitarist and pretty poor singer, but sometimes my songs just click into place and I need to record them.

Your thoughts are appreciated,

Sammy.
 
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Guitar sounds pretty good in this tune. I'm not a very good vocalist, so take the vocal tips for what they are worth. They sound good, just a bit dry. I think you could fix this with just a little verb, or some delay. They aslo get a bit louder in a few spots. Maybe some compression could help that. Sounds like you got a bit close to the mic, and there is some sibilance and some distortion. You will probably need to re-track to fix that.

Again, these are just my opinions, and can only be taken for that. Just some suggestions. Nice tune overall, and you are miles ahead of where I was at 16. Keep it up.
Ed
 
Dogman said:
Guitar sounds pretty good in this tune. I'm not a very good vocalist, so take the vocal tips for what they are worth. They sound good, just a bit dry. I think you could fix this with just a little verb, or some delay. They aslo get a bit louder in a few spots. Maybe some compression could help that. Sounds like you got a bit close to the mic, and there is some sibilance and some distortion. You will probably need to re-track to fix that.

Again, these are just my opinions, and can only be taken for that. Just some suggestions. Nice tune overall, and you are miles ahead of where I was at 16. Keep it up.
Ed
Click to expand...

Yeah I am gonna give retracking the vocals a go... Couple of pops etc in place - and they do seem to vary a bit. I might add some delay because I know what you mean; bit plain.

Cheers for the constructive pointers - every little helps :D
 
I don't like doing this but I could use some more feedback... (*bump*)
 
Well, you seem to have a decent voice, but it does seem you get too close to the mic. It also sounds like you have a cold or something, with a bit of a nose singing style . . . I don't know. Maybe sing louder from further away would help, as mentioned earlier.

The obvious criticism is that there isn't a lot going on in the song. Just the same two guitars playing throughout. I don't know if that's a problem, though. Maybe when you're doing the speaking part, you could do a little strumming riff. Just a thought.

But for a simple, acoustic song, it is decent. Being only two guitars playing, when one is even the slightest bit off, it really stands out. I noticed the LEFT one off just a bit at a moment or two. I'd say give the vocals another shot and it's a solid song.
 
get2sammyb said:
I don't like doing this but I could use some more feedback... (*bump*)
Click to expand...

Ok, here we go.

First thing that pops in my mind that this is quite dry. I don't mean that it shouldn't be. I think the worst thing you could do to this is soak it all..

Guitars - There is a bit buildup around 250-500hz, not bad thou. Don't EQ the "bottom" of the guitar out. Infact I would try to compress it out and not EQ at all. Guitars are also lacking bit of "air", that is propably caused by not so good mic(s). Also I feel that guitars are a bit "lifeless", I would try some nice slow chorus (if you have some good one) as a send effect to give some life to them. Then compress them a bit, not much but to even the high/lowend.

Vocals - If you can, retrack them. Try to keep constant distance to the mic. I think you don't sing "dynamically" enough to start bothering any mic techniques etc. You need to get those sibilances down too. I would suggest some multiband compressors if you have one (eg WAVES C4). Compress the pops and S'es. Also after that try to use normal singleband to even out the dynamics a bit and make it overall more "fat". Also try to get rid of that "nosey" sound. I don't know if it is you singing that way or the mic. Anyway play with substractive EQ hmm.. around 400-900hz don't EQ it drastically because people tend to notice immediately if there is something "unnatural" in vocal/speach.

Backvox - Those are nice :). I think you recorded them just further away from the mic? Sounds nice. Anyway, try to send all those backvoxs tracks to one group channel and compress and maby even limit them a bit. You don't want any sudden volume level changes in those backvoxes..

Talking - Try to compress this out more than the singing, overall process this as a entirely different track than the vocal. EQ and compress. Don't do any delays to this track.

Overall effects - The song could use some nice reverb. Mainly to "glue" the parts together, just so that you more "feel" the verb rather than hear it. Maby some dealy to the lead vox too, but veeery low volume and just maby :)

Well those were my opinions, hopefully you get something out of this. Good luck! :p
 
Awesome, just what I am looking for guys.

@ The comment on it being a bit empty - I am looking for someone to play some piano and do perhaps a simple drum beat to it. Could someone help?
 
This recording is very charming.

Do you really think god is listening?
 
i would dubble the rhythm guitar and pan them.
and play the solo part only when you r not singing
 
R we listening to the same tune cause it sounds like somebodys singing along with you in the OTHER room. But i think its a good tune. YOu can make this a great track just take the advise up there and get to it :) May i ask what program and equipment you used to record this?



And as for michaelwookey mayby god is i sure hope he is cause when people sing and praise him its awseome.
 
People hate my voice at school. Apparently I am "instantly off putting".

Anyway I held the mic some way away for this song - kinda what I wanted to do for this particular track in order to make myself sound a little distant.

Do you think I should change that?

As for is God listening? Yes, I believe he is.
 
Hey i like it!!

but just to reiterate what has already been said ....the pops need to be fixed.....i'd retrack the vocals again ...why not can't do any harm....

i like the simplisticity of the guitars..... adds to the charm of the song....i'd actually love to hear some violins or cello's or something in that song....just to eat up the emptiness in places where the vocals have stopped...

but apart from that ....its a very charming little song ...but the vocals need compressed and the pops need to go !!!
 
I can hear the Midlands accent, dude, but living with a Christian Brummie myself, I guess my ears are a little more attuned to the nuances!!

You need to get a good guitar tuner, and make sure you use it between takes. There are problems on what I think are the G chords.

I like the song. Keep at it! :)
 
Try recording to a click so your basic tracks are solid.

Retrack the second guitar and nail the timing.


Your voice is fine, you just need to keep working at it.

Try doubling or tripling your background vox and backing them off bit.

The spoken word stuff is nice, but you've got to avoid the plosives.


-Casey
 
so i was playing around with your fle trying to help you out i tried to make it sound a bit more desecnt. It's pretty dificult though when you dont have the session to work with just the mp3 file. but heres what it sounds like compare the two.


NOte: Still needs to be re recorded.
 
J_Audio45 said:
so i was playing around with your fle trying to help you out i tried to make it sound a bit more desecnt. It's pretty dificult though when you dont have the session to work with just the mp3 file. but heres what it sounds like compare the two.


NOte: Still needs to be re recorded.
Click to expand...

Awesome that you guys are prepared to help me in this way.

Yeah I can hear the difference; sounds tons brighter and the singing seems to have tiny bit of echo.

I am gonna retrack the vox and the lead guitar. I also have two more songs to do so I will come back with those - get your feedback on them; get them improved and they I really hope one of you nice people out there could help me with getting some strings and piano instruments in. I know there are nice people out there that will do that :D
 
A touching song. Reminds me how much better things sound without sugar coating them with reverb and compression. The spoken section doesn't fit in sonically I think - needs to be reworked in level and in what's behind it.

Tim
 
I'm totally dry for songwriting at the moment, so I might steal this tune and work on it in private. Don't worry Sammy, it won't go to number 1, and if it does, you keep 100% :D:D:D
 
noisedude said:
I'm totally dry for songwriting at the moment, so I might steal this tune and work on it in private. Don't worry Sammy, it won't go to number 1, and if it does, you keep 100% :D:D:D
Click to expand...

Hehe - cheeky swine.
 
Don't worry, it'll still be shite, it'll just be shite with my shite singing!!! :D:D

I'm just finding it too much to learn how to write songs, arrange them, record them and make it all hang together singlehandedly. Having a song already there is half the job ... now I can play at the technical stuff some more. :)
 
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