The Road to Nowhere

[K-dub]

This is my newest work in progress. It's an update to a rock tune I wrote many years back. I'm still waiting for other contributions, but I thought I'd roll out the early mix version in order to solicit input regarding how things sound at this point in time.

Thanks in advance for any/all comments about anything. It all helps.

Best,

Kev-

 

[K-dub]

...btw -- this is a headphone mix ... and I just listened on ear buds. It seems to translate pretty well.

... just a note about a different reference monitor.

Does anyone else check their mixes on ear buds?

 

[rayc]

I listen on a portable wav player with decent as well as cheap h/phones but not buds. I do the living room stereo thing and occasionally through the TV.
Seems pretty solid stuff Kevin. My only nit would be deevorce - it sounds a little forced and being a different pronounciation downunder (dvorce) comes across as wrong to my antipodean ears.
The tom panning works well.

 

[dobro]

I've started checking mixes on earbuds after I'm done with the monitors. I also still check mixes in the car when I think the monitor mixes are pretty much done. I've also recently bought an Avantone mixcube. I'm covered.

This mix sounds pretty good to me. Nothing jumps out on first listen.

 

[K-dub]

I listen on a portable wav player with decent as well as cheap h/phones but not buds. I do the living room stereo thing and occasionally through the TV.
Seems pretty solid stuff Kevin. My only nit would be deevorce - it sounds a little forced and being a different pronounciation downunder (dvorce) comes across as wrong to my antipodean ears.
The tom panning works well.

Good point, Ray. Now that you mention it, I hear it. This was a first pass vocal ... so at least I was close. If you can get mixes to sound reasonable through ear buds and laptops ... you're pretty close. It's still amazing what open air mixes tell you though ... and I wouldn't advise not doing one.

 

[K-dub]

I've started checking mixes on earbuds after I'm done with the monitors. I also still check mixes in the car when I think the monitor mixes are pretty much done. I've also recently bought an Avantone mixcube. I'm covered.

This mix sounds pretty good to me. Nothing jumps out on first listen.

Since ear buds are ubiquitous, I've taken to always checking out a mix on them. I'll have to look up the Avantone device to get your joke ... for I've no clue what it is.

Stu's working on lead guitar for this ... I'm looking forward to hearing what he'll do.

 

[K-dub]

Oh ... and I've got to add cowbell.

 

[K-dub]

The AVANTONE MixCubes mini reference monitors give you the ability to hear what your mixes will sound like on bass-challenged real-world systems such as computers, televisions, car stereos, and iPod docking stations.

NOW I get it. "These suck, but they work!"

 

[JG96]

I think that the vocals could come down a lot in the mix.

 

[K-dub]

I think that the vocals could come down a lot in the mix.

Agreed. I finally got around to doing a mix on my open air monitors ... faders down and build from scratch. New mix is on top.

Also -- I fixed Ray's concern about punctuation and delivery and added cowbell (finally!!)

It's a much different mix than the headphones one ... and thanks for the comment JG96.

 

[K-dub]

Finally got new tracks from Stu ...

... which caused me to throw away everything I'd originally done and start mixing from the ground up with new material and all sorts of other incredible contributions from an incredible musician.

Life is so hard.

New mix is above ... fresh from this afternoon.

(Or of you're too lazy to jump back ... here)

 

[rayc]

The guitars soound really good.
Dee is still there but I can wear it easily enough - I grew up playing cowboys'n'indians or Combat so I've enough US culture pushed through my eyeballs via the telly to cope easily with Amerikanisms.

 

[JimmyS1969]

What a tasteful use of cowbell! Not sure I am a fan tho. Sounds like a Cubase click track every time I hear one. This coming from a guy who owns a shirt that says 'more cowbell'. lol

I got a fever, and the only prescription, is more cowbell! - YouTube

 

[Tobe]

Another good one k-dub, you are so good at getting a nice wide sound.

 

[K-dub]

The guitars soound really good.
Dee is still there but I can wear it easily enough - I grew up playing cowboys'n'indians or Combat so I've enough US culture pushed through my eyeballs via the telly to cope easily with Amerikanisms.

Stu is exacting ... both in his playing and his sound. He's ranks amongst my favorite guitarists ... and has such a smooth style. Though his site isn't currently working, he's also a talented luthier and you can check out his site here.

 

[K-dub]

What a tasteful use of cowbell! Not sure I am a fan tho. Sounds like a Cubase click track every time I hear one. This coming from a guy who owns a shirt that says 'more cowbell'. lol

I got a fever, and the only prescription, is more cowbell! - YouTube

It's a real cowbell ... but the hard thing to do with any cowbell is add it and not have it dominate the sound ... which is strange when you think about it ... that once it's in there, it catches the ear to the point where it catches and becomes the focus. It's like the brain goes, "Oh, there's COWBELL -- we must listen to THAT!!!"

 

[K-dub]

Another good one k-dub, you are so good at getting a nice wide sound.

Thanks Tobe! I think I've got one more mix to solidify things ... but I'm wandering the right neighborhood.

 

[dobro]

Finally got new tracks from Stu ...

Yeah, this is the stuff. Well done, lads. Very satisfying.

Two things that might benefit from attention: when the guitar starts climbing those big dramatic steps, it would be nice if there were a bit more separation between the guitars. Ditto that fast fingerwork part at about 2.37.

Stu's outdone himself on this one. Nothing like a good song to offer someone the opportunity to play like a god.

 

[ahcvankampen]

Very nice song. I wouldn't change too much. However, something that you might try to improve is the intro. Sounds almost good but it somehow feels that the timing and/or length of the delay doesn't fit the tempo.

 

[K-dub]

Very nice song. I wouldn't change too much. However, something that you might try to improve is the intro. Sounds almost good but it somehow feels that the timing and/or length of the delay doesn't fit the tempo.

The quick delay on the guitar that goes far right?