The Bullet on its Way

Interesting and cool tune. Things I would suggest to improve are probably choices you made deliberately--buried vocals, boomy bass. If you turn it up loud--difficult for me to do with the bass being the way it is--I hear some kind of piercing midrange buildup around the lead-and-whatever-else vocal at certain points in the song. I'm sure you would hear it too. That's all I've got.
 
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Thanks--I will listen to it louder but I think I know the place you mean. I lowered the volume on the harmony vocals in the chorus to fight that but it's still a problem. Don't assume anything's on purpose...
 
Nice chorus - I'd call it late fifties harmonies (dating myself). The double vocals are very good - perfect unison.
The backups that differ lyrically work great. I'd like to hear you try a mix with a little wider spread on those backups. Wrap the lead vocal on both sides at like 2 and 10 and reverb out to 100 LR (I'd really have to have the tracks to guestimate exactly where). Is it a single backing track? If so pan it and send the reverb in the other direction. Love the voice - smooth and clear. Backing tracks are catchy and compliment the vocals....
 
This is pretty cool! That is a good melody.

I agree on the vocals being a little buried, but I didn't really notice the booming on the bass.

The vocal tone on the lowest lyrics ("a cool hand to hold me") ended up sounding distinctly different from the rest of it. You're switching registers on that part, aren't you? Are you able to do the whole couplet in the same register to get a consistent sound? Or maybe some EQ to take out some of the low end of that half of the line?

Overall, it was a very cool song tho. Ido's right that it does sound like "oldies" vocal parts but it contrasts well with the more modern electronica backing.
 
ido1957: I will admit that the "perfect unison" is perfect because it's the same take, pitch shifted!
I will try moving the reverb around. Thanks for the idea.

VomitHatSteve: I suspected the verse vocals were a little low, I will make them a little louder. I didn't switch registers...but I couldn't sing as loudly that low, plus it didn't cut through so I raised the volume a ton on the lower part of the melody. I will look into fixing it up a little with EQ. Thanks for the input!
 
Very little to fault on this one! As the others have mentioned, the vocals get a little buried in the place where the loud rat-a-tat percussion dominates. If that percussion was reined in a little, there would be a lot more room for the singing.
I'll try to listen to this on my monitors tomorrow as I'm listening on very flattering headphones. I can give you a better idea of any faults there may be (to my ears) then.

Nice work! :)
 
Jessica_X said:
ido1957: I will admit that the "perfect unison" is perfect because it's the same take, pitch shifted!
I will try moving the reverb around. Thanks for the idea.

VomitHatSteve: I suspected the verse vocals were a little low, I will make them a little louder. I didn't switch registers...but I couldn't sing as loudly that low, plus it didn't cut through so I raised the volume a ton on the lower part of the melody. I will look into fixing it up a little with EQ. Thanks for the input!
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Wow - that shifting is really well done. When I try it all I get is a washed out blah sounding echo. It doesn't affect my appreciation of the part though even though I know it's a dup - it sounds like two separate takes to me. Well done..:D
 
Your music isn't like anything I have heard, other than that psychedelic pacman record from WAY back in the day lol. It's way out of my realm of music, but that's a good thing. Doesn't get boring, but I can't really comment on the mix because I don't know how music like this is supposed to sound. I suppose you're doing a fine job :thumbs up:
 
Bubba po: Thanks...yeah I guess those drums are pretty loud. I'll experiment with that.
I'd appreciate hearing what you think after you listen on your monitors. I always have issues in that on my monitors and headphones, the bass sounds really quiet, and in the car it sounds super loud. It's such an extreme difference I have trouble figuring out what's a good level.

FoulPhil: Thanks! Pac Man Fever?
 
Bass is the hardest thing for me to mix and my truck stereo is the same. I think they hype the bass in car stereos on purpose. And my truck has a different bass level than my friend's truck so which one is "right" arghhh
 
Yes, Lead vocals are too low in the mix. Love the low tech approach though. I like the juxtaposition of the happy melody vs the dire consequences of the "bullet" ala "Pumped Up Kicks"
 
Interesting song. I think it is well done. I agree with most on this. Either drums(kick) are too loud or vocals need to come up a touch. good job
 
Jessica_X said:
I didn't switch registers...but I couldn't sing as loudly that low, plus it didn't cut through so I raised the volume a ton on the lower part of the melody. I will look into fixing it up a little with EQ. Thanks for the input!
Click to expand...

Turns out I don't remember my vocal theory as well as I thought. I'd thought there was another register below modal (standard voice) besides fry (growling/rattling).
 
this was cool jessica. it reminds me of The Monks with the staccato feel.
i'd raise the vocal or lower the music like 2db. as it is right now it sounds like you're singing in the middle of a room and the band is way in front of you.
 
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