The Rains, not so dry mix

Doug H

Doug H

I'll be there
Haven't been doing much tracking lately, just mostly hackng away at mixes here and there. Remixed my entry into the dry challenge.

This is from one extreme to another, mixed mostly on headphones (I know). I probably went a little overboard but I've been having fun messing around lately so...

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The Rains (wet mix)
 
How appropriate

This is what I was watching while listening. I'm just below & to the right of the VTX marker.

I like the contrast of the wet & dry sounds. Has a Celtic feel to it which I dig. Maybe a little too much delay on the vocal.

The rain sounds coming in my window made a nice touch. Maybe you could add something like that to enhance the mood.

Nice solo!:cool:
 
I've listened to the previous version many times because I really dig this tune. The song and the playing.

This feels like quite an improvement to me. The recorder sounds a lot better. And the jam section, while it already blew me away, feels like it blends together a lot better now.

That said, you may have gone overboard like you said. I feel like I have a "too dry" and "too wet" version of a very cool tune. If you back off on the reverb some, make sure you post it.

I'm surprised at how natural a sound you have though with all that reverb. If I applied that much verb it would sound horrible, but this sounds pretty good. What are you using for reverb?
 
I like this. Some really good sounds and a real "atmosphere".

I'd like to hear the "song" parts develop - more verses and choruses to balance out the instrumental sections. This is just my taste, though.

The acoustic guitar needs a wee bit of sparkle or breathing space - it sounds slightly "stiff" or "constrained" just now. The playing is good, it's the actual sound of the guitar I'm talking about. I'm not sure what I'd do, but some possibilities are:

1) Less compression (assuming it's compressed!). Also, maybe lengthen the attack time to let the dynamics shine through a wee bit more.

2) Condenser mic if it isn't already - might let it breathe a bit more

3) Wee bit of air EQ

4) A touch of reverb with the lows cut, to give a sense of space without muddying everything up

The singing is great - I really like your voice, especially on the verse sections.

I thought the delay cut out a bit abruptly in some bits - maybe a bit more gradual fade would help.

The flute-like lead sound was cool, but maybe a bit loud. It was also quite cutting in the higher registers - maybe drop the level a few db, and tame the upper mids too?

I liked the solo guitar, and I would have liked to hear the vocal coming back in for a verse/chorus at the end.

Good stuff! Hope this helps.

AB
 
Sounds good and alibish had some good suggestions. I love the sound of the acoustic, lead and drums, but I felt as you probably feel that the the vocals were a tad too reverby, and the flute (?) had too much reverb, and was too loud.

How was it recorded?
 
In my own opinion a little bit more of rhythm for the drums would be ok, it seems to be like loads of buffalos running throu' the desert... I think that a bit of normal drums sense (kick - snare - kick - snare...) with a sometimes tom - tom ... part would improve the song. Just an opinion. Good tune, anyway!

Luck!
 
M.Brane
Thanks for listening, that's a great idea and exactly what I'm going for with this one.

Kramer
Thanks man! :)

fprod south
thanks for al the good words, appreciate it. I tend to agree it was a bit much, I'm uploading a slightly "thinned out" version right now.

"What are you using for reverb?"
It's homebrew using the freeverb source code as a guide.

alibish
Thanks for the in depth reply.
the acoustic is been frown eq'd and compressed. I wanted to get as much voolume out of it at the start but leave it somewhere where it wouldn't dominate the mix towards the end without enveloping the track. What it really needs is a better job tracking it. I had backed off from a condensor (B1) for the dry channelge to try and give it some ambience. That lef tme with a so so track to work with. My acoustic tracking skills are next to none in the first place anyhow. Good suggestions, I may give that a whirl.

"I would have liked to hear the vocal coming back in for a verse/chorus at the end."
I think the original version I did wayyy back had some vocal stuff in the last third, hmmm...

edt: oh yeah, I've tried to smooth out the tail on the vox a bit. It's not a big point for me, but I efinately hear what you're saying.

CanopuS
I agree with the vocal, too much shrill presence, I've thinned it out a bit and dropped the lvel of the recorder solo a bit.
I think this was tracked through my behringer 892a (whatever it's called, the cheap one). vocal and acoustic mic'd with a SP B1, electric with an SM57.
Thanks for checking it out.

AJ_Cantos
"loads of buffalos running throu' the desert"
bless you! :) that's really close to what I was after. I hear what you're saying tho. Sequencing rythym is like pulling teeth for me. I've got this to a state where nothing bugs me and it's doing a couple of interesting things, so it's a sleeping dog right now. I'm not sure where I'll take it, a bit more "square" drumming here and there may create a ghost presence of a beat, hmmm...
Thanks man!
 
Very nice performance. I liked the wetter version you had up personally but I'm a sucker for EARLY 70's reverb when ambience was king. Hard to find that quality these days in the home studio but you did a very nice job with what you are working with. I wanted the word "again" to be held much longer at 2:15 with that being the emotional vocal peak to the song. Love the echoing there. The song left me a bit hungry for one more vocal part at the end after all the fine soloing stuff. Strong voice!
 
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I like it......like the flute parts especially......didn't find it too wet for my taste but I'm still having acid flashbacks so what do I know?
Cool!

Oh.......there's those drums everyone was talking about! :D
Don't have a problem with that......I've heard plenty of things where the drum played more melodically than rhythmically.
 
Zikes
There's some vocal bits I left out from the original cut I'm thinking of throwing back in. Thanks for the feedback!

Lt. Bob
heh
The big verb on the flute was kind of a thrill for me for a bit, you may have only listened to the slightly dryer version where you can actually make out the "tonguing" (I so didn't want to have to say that) on the high notes.
Thanks!

14yearoldkid
Thanks for checking it out :)
 
Straight to the keeper file!

I'm a sucker for a minimalist tune ending in a big finish - so this sort of hit all of my weaknesses. This is like the week of the 60s-70s renaissance. This has earmarks of Traffic all over it - you even get a little Winwoody with your voice - terrific stuff!!:D
The development is excellent and you absolutely floored me with that almost-behind-the-beat drum intro - damnit! Ya made me play air drums! I have nothing to add about the mix - at this point it's all a matter of taste. This kicks serious ass! You and Khompewtur have made my musical week. THANKS!!
~Milan:D
 
having the acoustic guitar being the only instrument in the first minute, I would like to hear it doubled, a little brighter would be nice, too. But, boy, that flute is just amazing. Synth or the real thing?
I like how you develop the song, nice progression! But, for some reason, the drums sound prety muffled like the acoustic guitar.

Al
 
very cool! one thing that stuck out to me was the first entrance of the flute.. it was a bit high.. maybe just dropping the volume a bit would do it.. everything else would just be preferences.. definitely a good tune doug.. it does sound better than the previous version!
 
I think everyone's already spoke my thoughts here. I think I'd back off on the verb maybe 20%, especially on the vox.

Well, maybe 10% - in the middle of my second listen I'm liking the verb more.

The section with flute and drums, etc. is suffering a little in terms of clarity, which may be a result of a little too much verb on everything. That's such a cool section and I'd like to hear a little more seperation between instruments.

Your stuff is always great. Something about this reminds me of the Sabbath "planet caravan" vibe. Very haunting.

good good good!
Chris
 
the intro does not offer enough to be that long. This is 2003 man, we want it now.

the guitar and drumming I liked .

Wilcard Score: F
 
MC Gitarz
Feel free listen to my tunes any time you like :)
This one is definately inspired by my original love of "prog folk"
Thanks man!

A1A2
I agree, the start sounds is a little bare to me too. The original version had more electric doodles at the start, but I couldn't get them to "fit"right. I think I need to figure that out.
It's a real recorder.
Thanks for the listen.

B.SABBATH
The lead is the only thing that happens in the first two minutes, so I've cranked it. I"m going to keep reviewing that.
Thanks

Groucho
You can take the boy out of the Sabbath...
I can't actually place the tune you mention, I[m going to have to try and dig out a CD (I know Sabbath on CD is blasphemy).
You've given me an idea. I used three vocal tracks since we weren't allowed effects in the challenge. I always liked the dry vocals, and utill I retrack them, I'm stuck with a bit of built in ambience (well drywall). Anyhow, I think I'm going to dry up the first wave and give the two tails progressively more verb.
Thanks man

CyanJaguar
ya, see my reply above, I hear that myself every time I play it.
Wildcard score? interesting. I've got some ground to cover. :) you've just given me an idea for a new challenge. :D
thanks for checking it out
 
Great tune ....
Don't think I can say anything that hasn't been said, but I'll say something :D
The flute sounds great, but mixed too loud for my taste. I'd use a ducking delay with high release for the vocal - again - *IMHO*
Great soloing - and I do repeat - GREAT SOLO!!! I like the sound of the drums, agree that a bit more of "kick - snare - kick" would make it more tasty.
Really good work and musicianship
bizarre
 
alibish said:
The acoustic guitar needs a wee bit of sparkle or breathing space - it sounds slightly "stiff" or "constrained" just now. The playing is good, it's the actual sound of the guitar I'm talking about.
Click to expand...

i wasn't quite sure how i was going to descirbe what i was going to say about the acoustic sound, but alibish did a decent job of stating what i was looking for.......the acoustic sound is just a touch 'hard' i guess.......

really cooly jam section...the flute thing is a great touch too.......
 
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