The Lonely Weekend (a new tune)

[propman]

Update: Second Mix below.

Mix #1: [MP3]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/65316259/The%20Lonely%20Weekend.mp3[/MP3]
Mix #2: [MP3]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/65316259/The%20Lonely%20Weekend%20(Mix%202).mp3[/MP3]

 

[Greg_L]

The mix is okay to me. I think the backing vocals and harmonies get too stacked up and stomp all over everything at times. Spread em out a bit more.

 

[Tobe]

Nice Beetles type melody, but the lead vocal is hiding... and something (one of the harmonies my guess) is creating a buzz.

 

[Btyre2013]

sounds very good, I can hear everything well, my only critisism is the analog noise/hiss which you can hear on the fadeout, most likely from the electric guitar track, but apart from that I really liked it in every way, there is some very interesting EQ going on which grabs my ears attention, it also sounds 'thick' but well balanced and neutral.

 

[rpm61]

Sounds good, nice song, there is some interesting percussion that I can't hear very well but otherwise I like it.

 

[propman]

The mix is okay to me. I think the backing vocals and harmonies get too stacked up and stomp all over everything at times. Spread em out a bit more.

Thanks, Greg! In regard to the backing vocals, could you be a bit more specific so I can better address the issue? I'm assuming you mean during the "horizontal lines" bit. Also, is it my imagination or is the bass a little too loud in places? (Should I compress it?)

Nice Beetles type melody, but the lead vocal is hiding... and something (one of the harmonies my guess) is creating a buzz.

Thanks! So, you've gone a step further than Greg in saying that the entire vocal is hidden? Do I need to bring it up or the backing down? Also, I'm not entirely sure what you mean by "buzz." Is it discordant?

sounds very good, I can hear everything well, my only critisism is the analog noise/hiss which you can hear on the fadeout, most likely from the electric guitar track, but apart from that I really liked it in every way, there is some very interesting EQ going on which grabs my ears attention, it also sounds 'thick' but well balanced and neutral.

Wow. The vocal-mix plot thickens with an "I can hear everything well" vote. I'll try to address the hiss at the end (caused by aggressive EQ boosting on the little acoustic riff at the end) with a bit of noise reduction. Can you be a bit more detailed about the EQ you found interesting? I'm curious. Thanks for listening and for the glowing review!

Sounds good, nice song, there is some interesting percussion that I can't hear very well but otherwise I like it.

Thanks! What percussive elements would you like to hear more of? I'll try to give them more of a presence.

 

[Btyre2013]

Wow. The vocal-mix plot thickens with an "I can hear everything well" vote. I'll try to address the hiss at the end (caused by aggressive EQ boosting on the little acoustic riff at the end) with a bit of noise reduction. Can you be a bit more detailed about the EQ you found interesting? I'm curious. Thanks for listening and for the glowing review!

yes it's hard to describe without using vague language. To be specific the snare sound around halfway through, after the quiet section, sounds really thick and I like the way you have EQ'd it, very creative production, and sounds colourful if that makes sense, not flat and boring, almost analog...

 

[propman]

yes it's hard to describe without using vague language. To be specific the snare sound around halfway through, after the quiet section, sounds really thick and I like the way you have EQ'd it, very creative production, and sounds colourful if that makes sense, not flat and boring, almost analog...

Thank you! I spent quite a bit of time on the snare so it's rewarding to know that it you dig it so much!
It's a fairly tweaked synth snare accented with hand-claps. What's funny is -- aside from the synth filter, I didn't EQ it.

 

[propman]

Mix updated.

 

[rpm61]

The new mix sounds good, I hear everything better. I don't know if it's just the sound of the kit but what I was hearing sounded like maybe a wood block or handclaps that add texture. I also thought I heard a sub or maybe the bass amp speaker rattling in places that sounded cool. Anyway, the new mix brought things out nice and I like it!

 

[propman]

The new mix sounds good, I hear everything better. I don't know if it's just the sound of the kit but what I was hearing sounded like maybe a wood block or handclaps that add texture. I also thought I heard a sub or maybe the bass amp speaker rattling in places that sounded cool. Anyway, the new mix brought things out nice and I like it!

Thanks! I added a synth bass below the electric one during the "why cant I" passages to fatten it up. That's probably what you're hearing. The percussion wasn't anything standard. I just hit shit I had laying around my room and sequenced the sounds. The "woodblock" is a computer keyboard, I think, with some subtle double-tracked beatboxing mixed beneath it.
I tried to bring it out but I think it's just fits better in the background. Thanks again!

 

[VomitHatSteve]

I've only listened to the second mix. You've got some cool stuff going on here!

I think the buzz referred to was the bgvox "oohs" in the first section. I'm hearing something buzzing there at least.
The first word after "horizontal lines" is the one that's coming through most buried to me, but that can probably be largely attributed to the falsetto.

I like the fuzzy bass.

 

[propman]

I've only listened to the second mix. You've got some cool stuff going on here!

I think the buzz referred to was the bgvox "oohs" in the first section. I'm hearing something buzzing there at least.
The first word after "horizontal lines" is the one that's coming through most buried to me, but that can probably be largely attributed to the falsetto.

I like the fuzzy bass.

Thank you for listening, Vomit!
I see what you're saying about the "buzz." I boosted the highs on the backing vocals quite a bit on the backing vocals which probably accentuated the already buzz-y low notes. I like that quality but being that it was done in unison with the bass note and in the same key -- albeit an octave higher (I think), I can see how it could be mistaken as cab buzz.

Your assessment of the falsetto being the source of the muddiness is, I think, right on the money. I've tried boosting those syllables, lowering the backing vocals, etc. and it's still pretty non-understandable. (If you're curious, the line is "there aren't any horizontal lines huggin' the corner.")

Thanks in regard to the "fuzzy bass." Do you think the level is good? I keep thinking it should come up. The bass on my other recent song (Suburbian Child) seems more pronounced and I'm not sure if it's acceptable to have different bass levels across different songs if they're meant to go together eventually.

You, Greg, Ray and Heat always come in to check out my songs. I really appreciate that and the consistently good advice I'm given.

 

[rayc]

I like the bass as it is - the sub addition adds interest as well.
The harmonies sound like very early Nilsson ones - he was great at self harmonizing and the tracks he did before he was famous were quite Beatle influenced but all his own.
The track sounds like it's part of a song cycle. It starts a journey so I'll be looking forward to your next track so I can continue.
There's some feeling of the 1st or 2nd Mull Historical Society album in this - he did melodious & vaguely humorous melancholy well as do you.