Steenamaroo
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Cool stuff. Thanks Pete.
Yeah, that's right. I want a much bigger sounding guitar tone.
I guess I'll retrack with a lot more volume and a lot less gain.
Last edited:
Cool stuff. Thanks Pete.
Yeah, that's right. I want a much bigger sounding guitar tone.
I guess I'll retrack with a lot more volume and a lot less gain.
Steenamaroo
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New mix uploaded. All acoustic, electric, and bass guitars re-tracked.
Harmonies added, vocals mixed.
I decided to track DI guitar so that I could reamp several times if necessary - I'm not so hot on distorted guitar tones.
I used an amp sim while tracking and actually liked the sound it put out so, for now at least, that's what you're hearing.
Maybe I shouldn't have said anything.
Harmonies added, vocals mixed.
I decided to track DI guitar so that I could reamp several times if necessary - I'm not so hot on distorted guitar tones.
I used an amp sim while tracking and actually liked the sound it put out so, for now at least, that's what you're hearing.
Maybe I shouldn't have said anything.
Steenamaroo
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Another update with minor suggestions from the writer. Same link.
There's not a big lot of interest so I'll let it die off now, I think.
Thanks for all the comments folks.
There's not a big lot of interest so I'll let it die off now, I think.
Thanks for all the comments folks.
dobro
Well-known member
Hey folks.
I haven't been able to post any work on original songs lately but this song has come up as a co-write for another (female) performer and there's no reason I can't share it.
As usual my pal sent me an iPhone 'scratch' recording and asked for my ideas on direction.
I went with that girl-pop with attitude thing.
Alanis, Meredith Brooks, even Pink...slightly. ( Bye Greg...thanks for reading this far!
Anyway, here's my first pass at it. This is purely for structure and ideas. Everything except drums will be redone at some point.
A decent placeholder vocal should go in on Monday.
I'll update as we go.
Post 22 update - proper vocals, all guitars re-tracked, harmonies added.
Post22 Update: It's great. Forget the girl. This one's really good. I was listening for things to critique but kept abandoning that agenda simply to listen to the song. Really good sign.
(After I posted this, I noticed subsequent mixes you posted and listened to them. There's more clarity overall, but during the choruses that sound that you've added to the drumkit is a bit unfortunately hyped, I think.)
Steenamaroo
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That is a great sign! Thanks man.
Is the high end a bit harsh?
I did boost it quite a bit.
Post 22 update is the current mix, just to be clear.
I listened to the track on a friends system last night. It's a familiar system to me and I thought the vocal came across as being a touch bassy or muddy.
Thoughts?
Thanks for the listen and comments.
mjbphotos
Moderator
The "small speaker/AM radio" sound on the drums at the start and the other times it's used work, although when it started I wondered 'WTF?' 
At 2:35 when everything quiets down I think the guitar could be a little louder and there would still be enough of an overall volume jump when the rest of the stuff comes back in.
At 2:35 when everything quiets down I think the guitar could be a little louder and there would still be enough of an overall volume jump when the rest of the stuff comes back in.
Steenamaroo
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The "small speaker/AM radio" sound on the drums at the start and the other times it's used work, although when it started I wondered 'WTF?'
Haha. I don't mind a WTF as long as there's a resolution.
Thanks for pointing out about the guitar. I think you're right. It's something we went back and forth on for a while.
The fear was that it wouldn't kick in hard enough after that section, so I'm glad you mentioned that specifically.
Thanks man.
TAE
All you have is now
Hey Steen great job! I really like the song and the recording is very good...you're friend is a good songwriter... Definitely could hear Pink ripping this one out..right up her alley.
CFox
Banned
Good track, I'd just pull the MVOX back a little.
Steenamaroo
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Thanks TAE! He sure is!
Glad you liked it and thanks for the listen.
The main vocal? There is something about it nagging me slightly.
I've had this before with this guy, where I'm not sure if he's too loud, too dry or too bassy, but I really struggle to find that balance.
The voice has been mentioned a few times on here and elsewhere, so maybe I'll spend some time on it.
The track has been sent out already for its intended purposes, but I'd still like to get those little tweaks here and there.
CFox
Banned
Yeah bro, the main vocalist doesnt have a stellar voice and it's very up front like a Hip Hop mix.
Steenamaroo
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CFox
Banned
The rest of the mix is great. Maybe a touch wide in places. Did you use an enhancer at all ?
I think im just not a fan of his voice and feel the song should be married to a more powerful vocalist. Thats why I want his MVOX buried. Lol.
I think im just not a fan of his voice and feel the song should be married to a more powerful vocalist. Thats why I want his MVOX buried. Lol.
Steenamaroo
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Negative. There's nothing fancy going on in that respect.
There are two main electric guitar parts that are wide panned, though. The drums aren't pinned each way, so the guitar probably sounds much wider by comparison.
It makes sense. This song is to be pitched to a female vocalist that we know. She's a belter!
This fella singing it is just to get the demo across and making the words good and clear was important from a pitch point of view.
In that respect, the vocal is the one area that we're happy to compromise a little bit on.
In honesty his voice worked much better than I thought it would for this kind of production, but I'd still be interested in tweaking a little for myself, now that the demo has been sent out.
Thanks for being direct man.
CFox
Banned
Ohh, if you're pitching a demo then its fine. That explains the presence. He sells the lyrics and carries the melody very well. 
Steenamaroo
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Kick ass. Thanks.
What you said is good to know, regardless. I do a fair bit of work with this guy, so any and all feedback is taken in.
Steenamaroo
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I just tried thinning and verbing the vocal ever so slightly more.
I think this is where my monitoring setup falls down. I don't hear the problem so well on my monitors/headphones, but I hear it on other players.
I also turned up that light acoustic guitar bit before the last big chorus.
Same link.
Thanks folks.
I think this is where my monitoring setup falls down. I don't hear the problem so well on my monitors/headphones, but I hear it on other players.
I also turned up that light acoustic guitar bit before the last big chorus.
Same link.
Thanks folks.
CFox
Banned
To my tired ears ( late in Oz ) the mvox definitely sits a lot better in the verses, just wish there was a way to give him some more balls in the chorus.
rayc
retroreprobate
I like the current vocal but it doesn't "go" with the arrangement/sounds which are, as you made clear, pitched at a pitch to a female vocalist.
Good work.
"Make love like a couple of pros" sounds bad from my understanding of words -
make love like a pair of prostitutes - "make love" would be a poor euphemism and a couple of sex workers would be doing for an audience in this context.
Good work though.
Good work.
"Make love like a couple of pros" sounds bad from my understanding of words -
make love like a pair of prostitutes - "make love" would be a poor euphemism and a couple of sex workers would be doing for an audience in this context.
Good work though.
Steenamaroo
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Heh, I didn't write the lyrics so I can't give you a definite explanation, but that kind of thing is typical of this guy.
He has a way of warping common phrases or playing with your expectations.
He often bolts opposing imagery together or throws you a curveball.
He has some great lines like "you are by such a long shot the wildest dream I've had all day", or "if his past ever catches up with him it'll be so damn disappointed".
Both statements have the wind taken out of them, or take an unexpected turn.
I doubt he meant prostitutes, though, but even if he did surely a pair of them would be something of an even trade?
More realistically, it's just penned because it 'sounds cool' or it'll provoke a reaction, which is what it did. You'll remember it.
Thanks man. I appreciate the listen.
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