Tall Order. New Song.

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Robus

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Here's another original song that is getting closer to finished. This is much changed from an early version I put on on the Songwriting forum last month. You all gave me a lot of help with vocals and getting the harmony to sit in the mix on my song Delilah. Hope you'll do the same for this. All comments welcome. Suggestions about the lead vocal and melody, vocal harmonies, and composition especially appreciated. Thanks.



[EDIT: Latest version)

A Tall Order

They’re the same old songs we’ve sung
That we’ve known so long
Whistled them in the schoolyard
Chanted them with our friends
The young dudes drinking on a summer night
Knowing life can never end

Same old love that’s all
There was a time when the madness called
You might have done better
Would they have done for you?
I might have done better
And won the lottery the same day too.

And then we’d have to haul out for the border again
We’re running up a tall order and a monster tab my friend

The same old life that’s all
The skipping stone and the winters fall
It might have gone better
For cats like me and you
I might have been better
But you stood by me all through

And hey now let us set out for the border again
We’re running up a tall order and a righteous tab my friend

Have you got the answers?
Let me know
Cause I don’t want live without you
And I ain’t ready to go
Touch your fingers to my lips
We ain’t counting on tomorrows
Grab another night or two
Drop another IOU
All things we wish are true tonight

And then we’d better haul out for the border again
We’re running up a tall order and a righteous tab my friend.
Hey baby gotta haul out
Hey how’d we let us fall out?
Tall order and a monster tab my friend.


(words and music Ray Taylor 2015)
 
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Sorry about that. I pulled it to do a new mix and then had an idea for a new arrangement. I'll have it back up soon.
 
Okay, new arrangement and mix linked in the OP. It's a rough mix. I'm working to get the lead and harmony vocals to sit. All comments welcome.
 
Most everything sounds cool as is. I can hear everything pretty clearly, but the first issue I heard was an occasional Ess issue. I normally won't DeEss unless it's sticks out like those few spots on your song. Don't use a DeEsser though just isolate the S sound and lower the volume on it to where it still sounds natural, but doesn't stick out as much.

The drums seems a little far too or no power to them. The guitars and stuff are really cool. The one to the right sound much louder than the one to the left, but the thing is the one on the left does some cool stuff too lol...

Cool song though.
 
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The vocals could come up a little more and the guitar lead part could drop pinches here and there.

Bass was border heavy. No rumble, just seemed overly predominate for this style song.
 
Thanks. I assume you mean that guitar on the left? Yeah, I agree with you. I need to do a lot of work still on the bass and drums. I used a Fender Jazz on this one because it cuts through like crazy. I was having trouble getting the P bass I used on my previous posting (Delilah) to cut. But I may have gone overboard. I'm not 100% happy with the bass take, but I figured I'd better throw the mix up to get some feedback first because my natural inclination is just to keep fiddling with it beyond the point of diminishing returns.

Can anyone hear a kind of flanging sound on the lead vocal in the first line or two of the song? I don't know where it's coming from. I don't hear it on the raw track or when i listen to the FX bus where I routed the vocals for reverb. But as soon as I render the mix, it is there. Suggestions?
 
I thought this sounded pretty good. I like the guitar on the left. In fact I liked all the guitars.

The stereo balance sometimes gets off. Lot's of times something is playing on the right but not the left. And vice versa.

Bass sounds very nice. It's at a nice level too.

Vocal could probably be compressed slightly more and raised just a bit. A word here and there gets lost. And it doesn't sound over compressed. And maybe pull down the doubled track like 4-6dbs or so.
 
I think its done very well on the performances. I think the mix is close just needs some meddling. Drums sound nice and roomy, bass has a great tone. I do think the guitars are louder than the vocals. I would bump the vox up a little or bring the guitars down. Not a real big deal at the mixing stage, but the whole track seems quite and low on volume.
 
Robus said:
Can anyone hear a kind of flanging sound on the lead vocal in the first line or two of the song? I don't know where it's coming from. I don't hear it on the raw track or when i listen to the FX bus where I routed the vocals for reverb. But as soon as I render the mix, it is there. Suggestions?
Click to expand...

I think what you're hearing is the lead vocal playing off the background vocals. I have issues like that at times and what helps is turning down the background vocals more during that section. I use studio one 2 pro and it has some really bitching features for comping and extreme editing. You can zoom in slice the parts out that need volume adjustments and just turn it down right in the waveform for that small section without effecting the rest of the waveform. I don't have to use automation and pen it all in. I try to find the easiest ways to get the results I want because shit is too time consuming as it is...
 
Nice arrangement, which provides the space the song needs to have a very soft emotional touch to it - really cool!

I like how the guitar comes in at around the 2:56 mark - but I think this guitar covers up a lot more of the vocals.

I didn't mind the vocal level too much prior to this - I appreciate hidden vocals from time to time.

At around 3:05 it sounds like one guitar is cut off prior to the other? Or one doesn't last long enough?

Undoubtedly tuneful though Robus - good work!

Daryl
 
Thanks Daryl. New mix coming soon. I re-tracked the bass, tightened up the harmony, and made some improvements to the vocal melody, I think!
 
I've posted a new version. It's been reworked extensively since the earlier one I posted. I tightened up the lead and backing vocals, re-tracked the bass guitar, improved the vocal melody and tweaked the lyrics, and gave it a real mix. I feel it's much better all around.

I hope some of you who commented on the earlier version will give it a listen. All comments welcome. Thanks!
 
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All subjective comments coming....
The vocals are great but a wee too low - just for me. There's lots of songs where you have to "listen" to the vocals. So that's just a personal preference.
Overall it's a great piece, enjoyed the song and the performance...:D
 
Just listened to the latest mix only, so I can't comment on the earlier stuff, but I enjoyed it thoroughly. Although, admittedly I have no idea what the song is about after the first listen, it didn't really matter. I enjoyed the music so much, the vocal was compelling, I loved the bass, drums sounded nice, and the guitars sounded awesome too. At the beginning it reminded me a bit of a Pink Floyd vibe, but as it went on, I couldn't really trace any particular influence. It was quite unique. Anyway, I have no nitpicks on the mix; I thought everything sounded great. Thanks for sharing! :)
 
Thank you beagle! Your comments mean alot to me. I have great respect for your skills based on the songs you have posted.
 
Hey Robus, It sounds as though the drums(kick snare) are panned left. I would prefer in the center. That's the only thing that throws me off. I like this. Very soothing. Instruments are cool. In the chorus I would suggest a semi clean outlining the chords on every quater beat...ala police style. It would pickup the chorus, and the more backups on the chorus. It just needs a lift and something a little different to make it different from the rest of the song. good job!
 
Thanks yorgo. I'll have to look into this. I panned the bass just a little bit to one side of center, and the snare just a little to the other side. Forgot which side was which. Kick should be in the center. I like your suggestion for outlining the chords in the chorus. I agree it needs something to make a cleaner break from the verse. Might need a bit more of a drum fill into the chorus as well. I've gotten a bit sick of this one, and am working on a new song that is close to being ready to post. When I come back to Tall Order to do a final mix, I'm going to take a close look at the stereo imagining and see if I can get the whole thing a little more balanced.

Also on the to-do list: Lead vocal needs to come up, a few tweaks to the bass line to get the groove more solid and correct one mistake (where the vocal harmonies outline a major chord but the bass plays a minor chord tone--maybe nobody else heard it but I hear it...every single time! ;), and of course the drums need some work. Always the drums...

The comments have been a huge help.
 
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