Something Between

[Mr Clean]

Hi Guys & Gals.

Here is my latest recording, an old song I wrote back in 2005. (I'm working my way through my backlog of old crappy demos and recording 'better' versions.) This is basically a true story/breakup song but I won't go into the long story that created it.

I put a 'lo-fi' crossfade type thing on the intro and I'm not sure I like that so that may go. Maybe the bass is a touch too loud? Not sure, sounds OK here. This is the first recording with my new acoustic also.

The train noises at the beginning are a nod to the fact that I wrote this at Liverpool Lime St station.

Thoughts, opinions, put downs.....all welcomed



LYRICS

There’s something inside, a feeling unknowing
The thoughts that I hide, desperately showing
The times I have tried, against the wind blowing
The turn of the tide, the to-ing and fro-ing

Oh there’s always something between you and I
I don’t know why, I don’t know why
Something keeps calling to me

But I’m slowly, forgetting the places
My memory, misplacing the faces
Times and the dates and the streets and the faceless
I guess in time we will all become nameless

But there’s always something between you and I
I don’t know why, I don’t know why
Something keeps calling to me

All the songs that you sing my love and your crooked smile
The misery happiness brings

Well it’s only, a handful of chances
And you’ll see, beauty it dances
Sick to my eyes of all your sideways glances
I can’t disguise the demise of romancing

But there’s always something between you and I
I don’t know why, after all this time
Something keeps calling to me

 

[TripleM]

In general I think it's really good.

The only nits I have are just related to levels.

The train station effects are fine. But at about :12 they overwhelm the guitar for a couple of seconds.

I didn't really get a "lo-fi to hi-fi" transition feeling. At about :22, things just got louder.

I'd pull back one of the doubled lead vocal tracks. Make it a little less noticeable that it's doubled tracked.

I think the lead vocal needs to be bumped up just a bit.

I thought the guitar and vocal tone were great.

Bass has a bit too strong of a low end for a song like this.

 

[Mr Clean]

Cheers Trip. Appreciate the feedback and it's all noted.

I've since planned to redo the bass. I did this on a Hofner Violin with flatwounds and it's just too deep. I'll redo it with my Precision and get a bit more twang to it.

 

[Dr.SpringReverb]

I also didn't get a "lo-fi to hi-fi" transition feeling. Other than that, it sounds very cool. Nice vocals and good song. Didn't had a problem with the bass sound, sounded good to me. But then again, i really like dark boomy bass sounds. I would do the intro different though, just slowly fade out the ambient noises as the bass comes in instead of a "break", without a volume change of the guitar.

 

[jm67]

Really like the song - and the vocals sound great to me. I like the doubled vocals and harmonies. Overall this is great work.

I concur with the posts above about the intro. I like the train noises ok, but if you want the "low-fi" to "full fi" effect, I think you need to make the intro guitar sonically different from what comes at 0:22 and beyond. You might try a "telephone" effect - e.g. severely bandpassing just the mid's until 0:22. Or, you might try giving it a strong reverb, like it's floating in the distance. Just some ideas...

 

[rayc]

I like it as it is. the stereo image is quite narrow for the beginning (after the train that is) and seems to widen later & that's fine too.
I like the level of the doubled vocal & the use of it or additional vocals in parts through out.
'tis cool.
Bass, nah, it's good as is. No need for toppy rounds or 1/2 rounds innthis sort of track - you've plenty of top end happening in vox and guitar.
Cool!

 

[DM60]

Everything sound correct to me, mix was right, bass sound great, vocals at the right level. I have a couple of producer type comments, when the train is coming in, the guitar fades in, and then out the end the guitar fades out. One the main lyrics,

"There’s something inside, a feeling unknowing
The thoughts that I hide, desperately showing
The times I have tried, against the wind blowing
The turn of the tide, the to-ing and fro-ing"

If that were as snappy like each on quarter notes (maybe 8th, not sure if that is too fast), but less drawn out. Then the change

"All the songs that you sing my love and your crooked smile
The misery happiness brings"

Stays as is. Just another view. But I do like the song and it is good mix, good lyrics, good sound.

 

[Greg_L]

Okay you wrote it at a train station, but the train sounds don't add anything to the song IMO. It's just WTF does all this train station noise have to do with anything? But besides that, I think it's good. Your acoustic sound is nice and not shrill or squeaky. The backing vocals can probably come down some to me, but it's not a mix killer or anything. Pretty good as-is.

 

[Mr Clean]

I also didn't get a "lo-fi to hi-fi" transition feeling. Other than that, it sounds very cool. Nice vocals and good song. Didn't had a problem with the bass sound, sounded good to me. But then again, i really like dark boomy bass sounds. I would do the intro different though, just slowly fade out the ambient noises as the bass comes in instead of a "break", without a volume change of the guitar.

Thanks for listening mate. Appreciate the feedback and suggestions.

Really like the song - and the vocals sound great to me. I like the doubled vocals and harmonies. Overall this is great work.

I concur with the posts above about the intro. I like the train noises ok, but if you want the "low-fi" to "full fi" effect, I think you need to make the intro guitar sonically different from what comes at 0:22 and beyond. You might try a "telephone" effect - e.g. severely bandpassing just the mid's until 0:22. Or, you might try giving it a strong reverb, like it's floating in the distance. Just some ideas...

Thanks for listening mate. Appreciate the feedback and suggestions.

I like it as it is. the stereo image is quite narrow for the beginning (after the train that is) and seems to widen later & that's fine too.
I like the level of the doubled vocal & the use of it or additional vocals in parts through out.
'tis cool.
Bass, nah, it's good as is. No need for toppy rounds or 1/2 rounds innthis sort of track - you've plenty of top end happening in vox and guitar.
Cool!

Thanks Ray. I haven't re-done the bass as yet and the more I listen, this bass grows on me. Thanks for the feedback.

Everything sound correct to me, mix was right, bass sound great, vocals at the right level. I have a couple of producer type comments, when the train is coming in, the guitar fades in, and then out the end the guitar fades out. One the main lyrics,

"There’s something inside, a feeling unknowing
The thoughts that I hide, desperately showing
The times I have tried, against the wind blowing
The turn of the tide, the to-ing and fro-ing"

If that were as snappy like each on quarter notes (maybe 8th, not sure if that is too fast), but less drawn out. Then the change

"All the songs that you sing my love and your crooked smile
The misery happiness brings"

Stays as is. Just another view. But I do like the song and it is good mix, good lyrics, good sound.

Cheers Dave. I think I'd struggle to sing this any other way as I have been singing it like this for the last 9 years. No harm in trying though. I'll dig the guitar out later and have a tinkle with it.

Okay you wrote it at a train station, but the train sounds don't add anything to the song IMO. It's just WTF does all this train station noise have to do with anything? But besides that, I think it's good. Your acoustic sound is nice and not shrill or squeaky. The backing vocals can probably come down some to me, but it's not a mix killer or anything. Pretty good as-is.

I knew you wouldn't like the sounds effects mate. They're supposed to be symbolic in that the 'something between' me and the then girlfriend was a train journey. Long distance relationship blah blah blah. Just a bit of fun really.

The acoustic sound was my main worry on this mix, being a new guitar and all. My usual guitar is quite heavy on the treble where as this new Epiphone is pretty bass heavy. I just wanted a nice medium ground sound for the bass to sit under and the vocals on. I'm quite pleased with the result.

Thanks again folks

 

[Greg_L]

I knew you wouldn't like the sounds effects mate. They're supposed to be symbolic in that the 'something between' me and the then girlfriend was a train journey. Long distance relationship blah blah blah. Just a bit of fun really.

Ahh, I see. It's not that I didn't like the train sounds, I just didn't get the relevance. But now that you've explained it, I get it. Lol. I'm a total caveman.

 

[DM60]

You know Ant, maybe putting a departure/announcement at the start/end might show that better in the song. Just a thought.

 

[Mr Clean]

Ahh, I see. It's not that I didn't like the train sounds, I just didn't get the relevance. But now that you've explained it, I get it. Lol. I'm a total caveman.

You're not a caveman dude, you just know what you like and like what you know.

Knowing you don't like acoustics in general and you think it sounds good is more than enough for me mate

You know Ant, maybe putting a departure/announcement at the start/end might show that better in the song. Just a thought.

I did think about that Dave but I couldn't find anything decent enough to use/fit. Can't even record one with a handheld nowadays as everything is digital and on a screen. Suppose I could make my own.

 

[dobro]

I think it's fine. The bass sounds good here. The mix works.

So, if you write a song in your bedroom, what sounds effects are you gonna put on that one?

 

[heatmiser]

Sounds really nice right out of the gate Mr. C!

Full, yet crispy clear. Acoustic guitar in particular sounds awesome. Vocal tracks are nice and tight. I would've preferred a touch more bass myself, but I tend to think that of many recordings here, so that may be my own bias.

Always enjoy hearing your offerings man - thanks!

 

[Mr Clean]

I think it's fine. The bass sounds good here. The mix works.

Thanks man

So, if you write a song in your bedroom, what sounds effects are you gonna put on that one?

Good question.....have to wait and see about that one.

Sounds really nice right out of the gate Mr. C!

Full, yet crispy clear. Acoustic guitar in particular sounds awesome. Vocal tracks are nice and tight. I would've preferred a touch more bass myself, but I tend to think that of many recordings here, so that may be my own bias.

Always enjoy hearing your offerings man - thanks!

Thank a lot Heat. The feeling is very much mutual

I battle with the bass a bit on my recordings. Although my first instrument is guitar, I play bass in bands and I love good basslines. It's tricky to know when there's too much or too little.

 

[robgreen]

This is really good Mr C. Strong melody, and really cool vocals. I like the prominence of the harmony vocals a lot - they made me think of the Boo Radleys. I also really like whatever that backwardy type thing is, it adds another dimension to the song. What is it? Is this the crossfade you mention in your original post? If so, it sounds like you were unsure about it, but I'd definitely keep it in.

I got no mix critique, it's just an enjoyable piece of work

 

[Mr Clean]

Thanks Rob. Appreciate the feedback, glad you enjoyed it

RE:The backword thing. That is the last guitar note (G) of the intro, shortened, reversed and stretched. An interesting little trick I stumbled upon once upon a time. I make a bit of Techno/Dance music from time to time and that's a good thing for fattening up bass drums, doubling them, etc.

The way the intro sounded originally was the same, tonally, as the picking on the outro. Just straight guitar, no fx at all. I like it both ways though. I'm just glad the acoustic sounds nice. It sounded strange to me because I'm so used to my other guitar sound. (Been playing and record that for 17 years) This was a test for the new guitar that turned out rather well, I think.

Thanks again