Suburban Blues...

[LI Slim]

...is the name of my new song. Although it was written before Sept. 11, I find it is helping me express and get past this malaise. Anyway please listen and tell me what you think about the mix, song, whatever. Thanks.

www.mp3.com/LarryKolker "Suburban Blues"

 

[Slackmaster2K]

Very nice work LI. Once again I really like your guitar work, and this recording is pretty nice and big.

Very cool!

Slackmaster 2000

 

[Gidge]

Good clean recording and mix...once again, a real good song....with such limited instrumentation, you fill up the space pretty well.....

 

[theron]

Full song with nothing more but the necisities. I would like the vocal to stand out more but, that is cause I like your writting and want to hear the lyrics better. Great harp and soapy clean git tracks.
You're definitly a songwritter that can pull it ALL together.

theron
(yes, I know I can't spell)

 

[Meshuggah]

Damn. I don't like it personally (tho I like the guitar a lot), but it's clearly very good soungwriting, and a pro performance and recording. good job!

 

[LI Slim]

Thanks, Slack, Gidge, theron and Mesh-

I have a particular fondness for this one myself. I always agonize over how prominent to make to vocal. With no bass or drums (altho I do have an egg shaker in this one), I want to make sure the guitar is full enough. I'm constantly tweaking back and forth. Do others think the vocal should be louder?

 

[dobro]

Nice song. I like this one.

The reason you're getting confused about levels is because of perceived distance. The guitar sounds right close up, but the vocals are further away, and it's disconcerting because the listener expects the voice and guitar to sound the same distance away. This wouldn't happen if there was only one mic on you singing and playing at the same time, right? I don't hear any bleed on this one (aside from the emotion ), so I reckon you tracked guitar and voice separately. If you've got the heart for it, track it again, or just the vox, and do the voice closer to the mic. Hey presto! Level confusion vanishes. If you haven't got the heart to track it again, use reverb and predelay to put guitar and voice at the same distance from the listener.

 

[LI Slim]

Thanks for your input, Dobro.

I dunno. I just listened to it again. I was as close as possible to the mic on the vocal without causing distortion (about 12"), and only a few inches closer on the guitar. I have very little reverb on the vocal (admittedly, none on the guitar). The vocal sounds a trifle muffled to me now. I think I might have over de-essed, thereby causing an eq problem. I think the vocal just needs a little good 'ol fashioned volume too!

 

[MAC2]

Nice job Slim!! This is definitely the best recording of yours that I've listened to....and I think the mix sounds just fine as is.