Slack Tries to Sing Part 2

  • Thread starter Thread starter Slackmaster2K
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Slackmaster2K

Slackmaster2K

Gone
Ok, I think I did better this time. I took your advice and cranked the backing tracks way up so I had to stretch to sing over them.

This is another 4MB file so of course I'll understand if there are no takers.

I think I got it right this time....(at least better):


Slackmaster 2000
 
Thanks. Listening to it now (at work) with cheesy headphones I'm noticing that the vocals on the chorus are distorting pretty bad. I don't think it ever clips but for some reason they just sound crappy. My biggest problem is that I don't have monitors...so to listen to the recording on "real" speakers I have to send the mix to tape which is a pain in the ass.

I'm also noticing that with wimpy speakers I'm singing off key again. That's really starting to get annoying!

Thanks again.

Slackmaster 2000
 
S2K:

I listened to both versions of Hindsight and I have to say there is much improvement in the vocal track on take two. Something about cutting loose and not holding back makes everything better. This is true for everything from sports to music to...well, let's just say everything. You are a braver soul than I. If you tried to download an mp3 that I happen to be singing on, it would probably crash your system before you even got to hear it.

dmc
 
Listening to it through event 20/20 monitors
it sounds fine. I even threw in my 2 cents
via an .mp3 file on my freedrive where I added a scratchy, crunchy acoustic guitar part. The idea being, you'd get better reference for key information against the acoustic guitar track than the electric stuff. You can always erase the obnoxious guitar track after you lay down the vocal.

File: HS_Mix.mp3
Drivename: FreedaMop3
Keycode: 262770

I know I mixed the acoustic guitar too loud.
But maybe that's what you needed to push your vocal thing along....
I don't know. I don't claim to sing at all.

[This message has been edited by drstawl (edited 11-10-1999).]
 
Yeah man,
Take 2 was head and shoulders above the other...
I think that your next major stepping stone might be a good vocal mic... (that is mine...)
When you record in a studio with a $2000 vocal mic you begin to understand how record companies can pull dildos like Kid Rock off the street and make stars out of 'em...
Lets all have a contest to see who can find the best internet price on an NT-1.

S8-N
 
my name is kiiiiiiidddddddd suuuuuuccccccckkkkkk !! ... sorry...had to do it... :D

- eddie -
 
Man I can't stand how these rappers and rock-rappers find it necessary to "intruduce" themselves with their first 10 songs. When did conceit become cool?

I guess I'll have to write a song called "Slackmaster's in da House" or some shit like that and let everybody know that I'm going to rock their world before kicking their asses, screwing their women, and then maybe shooting at some cops.

Anyway...

DRSTAWL:

Good idea with the acoustic track. I know it was intended to help my vocals but it *might* have given me an idea for an acoustic track in this song. I recorded a quick track right after hearing yours...but my computer decided to screw me over. I've started the lenghty process of backing up and reinstalling operating systems. I'm going to dual boot NT & 98...should be nice. Anyway, I'll upload the track to my juston account and let you take a listen when I get the time.

S8-N:

A vocal mic would sure be nice. Once I have 4 or 5 tunes ready I'm going down to the music stores to see if anyone rents mics. Hopefully I'll be able to cut all the vocals on a better microphone in a day. My budget won't allow for anymore big purchases.

Slackmaster 2000
 
I wouldn't try to do vocals on more than one song per day but that is me... I abuse my vocal cords in a way that makes it impossible (or at least unwise) to try and do more than one track in a day...
In the studio I have done as many as 4 tracks in a day but towards the end I begin losing control of my voice and it starts breaking up... This can be a cool effect or it can suck, you don't know which untill it hits you...
DRink room temp water(not cold) with a bit of lemon juice to help your voice...
Warm up with easy to sing melodic stuff beforehand... (I like negro spirituals: Swing low sweet chariot.... Lean on me... Ease on down the road... Amazing grace...)
Don't take aspirin or cold medicine or cough drops, etc...
Take a dump before tracking... All that straining might produce unwanted side-effects...

That's all I have to say about that...

S8-N
 
Thanks for the tips. The thing with me is that I'm easily freaked. Basically I have to cut each track in less than 5 takes or I'm not going to get it for quite a while. Every track on every tune that I've ever done has been recorded in less than 5, and usually in 2.

After about 5 tries I start to get real nervous and sweaty and my brain kicks in with "what if you can't do it? what if you never get it?"

There's one tune that I've been working on for over 3 months because I can't hit the guitar part just so...and it has to be "just so". I'll work on various parts for an evening but I'll usually have to give up for a week at least until I calm down. Sucks. So basically when I get something down that's barely good enough...I'm probably going to use it. That's why all of my stuff is barely good enough :)

I think it also has something to do with the music becoming less "live" the more you play it. I start to focus on the cool little things that I didn't realize I was doing and then suddenly I can't play ANYTHING.

And since I'm so paranoid about vocals, I'm going to do them all in one day. Probably once or twice through each and call it good. I'm my own worst enemy it seems.

Slackmaster 2000
 
I know what you mean Slackmaster. Especially when your short on time and feel you 'have' to record. I've found if I'm not really into it, it's better not to even try. But what I do do a lot of, is rotate around a bunch of songs adding bits here and there. I find this alleviates some of the bordom of working on the same song over and over.

This can have the bad effect of getting stuck in a perpetual loop re-recording things, which I'm think I'm in.
 
Version 2 is killer. Vocals are a pain, I hate doing them. I have to keep one ear away from the headphones or I get so off key it's pathetic. It's like I can only sing on key if I hear my throat or something...I only wish I could get as far as some vocal tracks on the computer. Thanks to Dragon and Emeric, I think I may have at least reduced if not solved my sturrering problem on the pc. The old ctrl/alt/del thing helped and I also reduced my color settings and chunked the clock display and screensaver. still get an occasional dadadadadada but I think that may be my record/playback volume levels? Anyway, this is the first time in over a week I've visited this site, because of playing with this stuttering thing, and your tune was a welcome thing to hear. Gives me hope...lol...gibs
 
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