Sloop John B - Greg_L butchers the Beach Boys!

[Rokket]

Thanks man. I should be able to get started on your drums this week maybe. I don't know anything about pitch shifting and autotune and all that stuff. If I can't sing it, it just won't get sung.

Yeah, I can dig that. Most pitch shift plugins are designed for instruments anyway, it seems. They tend to really do a number on a vocal.

 

[Greg_L]

Yeah, I can dig that. Most pitch shift plugins are designed for instruments anyway, it seems. They tend to really do a number on a vocal.

I was gonna try and use a pitch correction plug on the clean guitar line that runs through the song. My first few takes were not good. I'm not used to that soft picking doodly shit. I kept inadvertently bending notes. It was a pain in the ass to get one decent take all the way through, so I was gonna try to tweak the bad spots with a plug-in. No dice. I couldn't figure it out fast enough and got frustrated and just re-tracked the fucking thing.

 

[RAMI]

Awesome Greg. Just great!!!

When I saw the title of the thread, I asked myself "How's he going to punk this one up???" But, you changed it just enough to sound different but still true to the original. I love the BIG toms, and this is the first time I really get to hear you SING. Your vocals blow me away on this.

Overall just a great version.

 

[Marcadiablo]

I was gonna try and use a pitch correction plug on the clean guitar line that runs through the song. My first few takes were not good. I'm not used to that soft picking doodly shit. I kept inadvertently bending notes. It was a pain in the ass to get one decent take all the way through, so I was gonna try to tweak the bad spots with a plug-in. No dice. I couldn't figure it out fast enough and got frustrated and just re-tracked the fucking thing.

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Greg_L]

Awesome Greg. Just great!!!

When I saw the title of the thread, I asked myself "How's he going to punk this one up???" But, you changed it just enough to sound different but still true to the original. I love the BIG toms, and this is the first time I really get to hear you SING. Your vocals blow me away on this.

Overall just a great version.

Hey thanks a lot Rami.

 

[DrewPeterson7]

I can't really listen to this from the office, but something tells me you'll dig the Okkerville River "cover" of this song, "John Allyn Smith Sails," that closes "The Stage Names." Absolutely phenominal version.

 

[Nico2112]

Have to be honest here, I've never heard the original recording, but this version of yours is up to your usual standard: GREAT

I really enjoy your recordings Greg, mostly cause I know that you track everything! I try to do that too, with not such good acceptance from the audience, and that is cause I can't sing shit! LOL

Another Greg production hit!

Cheers!

 

[K-dub]

This mix needs a little sonic cleaning, G ... largely because there is SO much density to the mix, some of the highlights (the vocals), and details get lost.

I'd probably bring back some of the low end back down to make room for the vocal pocket ... but it's one of those tricky balances to strike ... carve the low pocket so as to keep the right amount of air flow there, but not so much that it clouds the vocal region.

What really shines in this is your meld of styles, and how your arrangement kept vocally true to the version that inspired the repro, yet what you've got going on rhythmically underneath is so distinctively your signature.

That's not an easy thing to pull off, but you did it exceptionally well.

The performances in this are as per usual, spot on ... just a few more tweaks to clear the air and you'll be there.

Best,

Kev-

 

[bigbubba]

Dude, those toms just rocks. Can never get mine to sound like that.

The melodies are so cool. Super singing different parts.

The bass is pretty cool. You did a really cool jobs. That bass sounds cool to play. Very cool. I just recently got a bass and have been spending time with it and enjoying the bass stuff.

 

[Greg_L]

Have to be honest here, I've never heard the original recording, but this version of yours is up to your usual standard: GREAT

I really enjoy your recordings Greg, mostly cause I know that you track everything! I try to do that too, with not such good acceptance from the audience, and that is cause I can't sing shit! LOL

Another Greg production hit!

Cheers!

Thanks a lot. Yup, I do play all my own stuff. I don't do anything technically difficult, but I do take some pride in doing everything myself and doing it the best I can. So thanks again.

P.S. - You've never heard Sloop John B?

This mix needs a little sonic cleaning, G ... largely because there is SO much density to the mix, some of the highlights (the vocals), and details get lost.

I'd probably bring back some of the low end back down to make room for the vocal pocket ... but it's one of those tricky balances to strike ... carve the low pocket so as to keep the right amount of air flow there, but not so much that it clouds the vocal region.

What really shines in this is your meld of styles, and how your arrangement kept vocally true to the version that inspired the repro, yet what you've got going on rhythmically underneath is so distinctively your signature.

That's not an easy thing to pull off, but you did it exceptionally well.

The performances in this are as per usual, spot on ... just a few more tweaks to clear the air and you'll be there.

Best,

Kev-

Thanks a lot for the comments Kev. I respectfully disagree though. Taking out some lows doesn't help the vocals. I tried it. It just castrates the thickness of the bass and drums. I wanted a big and powerful drum and bass sound. Without that, it's just a cheesey amateur remake of a classic song.

Dude, those toms just rocks. Can never get mine to sound like that.

The melodies are so cool. Super singing different parts.

The bass is pretty cool. You did a really cool jobs. That bass sounds cool to play. Very cool. I just recently got a bass and have been spending time with it and enjoying the bass stuff.

Yeah bass is a lot of fun. It can be boring and monotonous, but it is what it is. Thanks for the comments and the listen.

Those big toms near the beginning are a 16x16 and an 18x16. Evans EC2 clears on top and G1's on the bottoms. I've got the resonant head tuned a little tighter to get that "boooowwww" doppler sound. I love big bombastic toms.

 

[ido1957]

Great vocals Greg! This shows why this song was such a hit... Not overly deep lyrically but excellent vocally. I thought the initial bass was a bit too loud but it seemed to settle in later okay. I think it's just cause later a lot more stuff was going on and it wasn't quite as alone in the mix. I think Rami's comments were spot on - rocked up just enough but still nice emphasis on the vocals... Great Stuff...

 

[Nico2112]

Greg_L:
P.S. - You've never heard Sloop John B?

Hmmm, nope

Living in a third world country, getting hold of great music was pretty hard back then (I suppose it's from the 70's or 80's...)

Anyway, again, great work Greg, you're sitting at the top of my Soundclick favourites "OMB" list (one man bands)

 

[Greg_L]

Great vocals Greg! This shows why this song was such a hit... Not overly deep lyrically but excellent vocally. I thought the initial bass was a bit too loud but it seemed to settle in later okay. I think it's just cause later a lot more stuff was going on and it wasn't quite as alone in the mix. I think Rami's comments were spot on - rocked up just enough but still nice emphasis on the vocals... Great Stuff...

Thanks a lot Ido for the listen and comments.

I was thinking that bass part is a little loud too. I just haven't fixed it yet.

Greg_L:
P.S. - You've never heard Sloop John B?

Hmmm, nope

Living in a third world country, getting hold of great music was pretty hard back then (I suppose it's from the 70's or 80's...)

Anyway, again, great work Greg, you're sitting at the top of my Soundclick favourites "OMB" list (one man bands)

Thanks dude. Sloop John B is an old folk song from who knows when. It's been through probably hundreds of variations. The Beach Boys did it in around 1965 or 66.

 

[Monkey Allen]

Sounds awesome. Dominant in the right earphone for me. I dunno if it's my earphones. It's excellent. Great work!

Edit: It's my laptop...earphone input jack is dodgy...only faint traces coming out the left. I just listened to some other fellas song, same thing happened.

anyhoo....keep on truckin!

 

[Bulls Hit]

This is not one of my BB favourites but you kicked it up into a cool version.

 

[Greg_L]

Sounds awesome. Dominant in the right earphone for me. I dunno if it's my earphones. It's excellent. Great work!

Edit: It's my laptop...earphone input jack is dodgy...only faint traces coming out the left. I just listened to some other fellas song, same thing happened.

anyhoo....keep on truckin!

Haha. Thanks Monkey allen.

This is not one of my BB favourites but you kicked it up into a cool version.

I'd say it's in my top 5 Beach Boys songs. "Shut Down" is probably my favorite followed closely by "409". But anyway, thanks for listening.