"This time" it has vocals.

  • Thread starter Thread starter chessrock
  • Start date Start date
very good piano sound in the intro with nice ambience.

I also liked the guitar sound.

The vocal sound was somewhat less polished than the rest of the mix, sounding somewhat dynamicish and even distorting in some places.

Very strong song though. nice arrangement.

Funk on!
 
Great singing on this one. The distortion on the vocal I hear sounds like it was intentional? If so, I'm not thinking it's working for you on this one. Real nice tune so far though.
 
Yea, distortion was very intentional.

I just got myself a Big Muff Pie, and kinda' went crazy trying out on everything. Tried it on some guitar . . . tried on keyboards (where I REALLY liked it) and figured "What the hell?" and tried it on a vocal track which I blended in with the clean track on this one.

I appreciate the feedback, though. That is precicely one of the things I was curious about - whether or not it would make a usable fuzz on some vocals. I suppose I should try another mix without the fuzzy vocal track and see how that works.

I do know that I want to do "something" to the vocals. But what is it? I want them to sound kind of eerie, spacy, and effected. I suppose I could keep experimenting with the flange, but I don't want them to lose too much focus and have the effect become distracting.

Any suggestions on freaky vocal effects I might use?
 
Here's a fav. If you have a pitch transposer, detune it just a bit (.25-.35%) and run the result througha flanged reverb. Sort of a Ozzie sound.
 
The original version is still the better of the 2.It sounds like lyrics were "forced" within the framework of this song.It's like they dont belong there.They dont sit well and it's easy to hear that they were not intended to be in the song.
 
When writing this tune the melody and lyrics came to me first. The music was written around that, and I wound up liking what we were coming up with, musicwise, so much that I decided not to add the vocals at first. So that kinda' puts the kabats to your theory, but not totally. :)

I will agree that they aren't sitting well in that mix, though, and there is work yet to be done. I am happy with the bridge and chorus, but it's that damn verse that's got me confounded. Maybe someone else's voice would work better on that.

Think I'll give that detuned/flange/reverb idea a try. :)

Thanks for the honest input.
 
<<<<<When writing this tune the melody and lyrics came to me first. The music was written around that, and I wound up liking what we were coming up with, musicwise, so much that I decided not to add the vocals at first. So that kinda' puts the kabats to your theory, but not totally. >>>>>

Well shoot.LOL.My theories are usually wrong anyway so the track record is intact.:)

The vocals still dont seem like they belong ,but thats probably because I've already listened to this song about 100 times since you posted it in its instrumental version awhile back, and my mind and ears just cant picture it any other way.:D

It's still a good tune anyway you look at it ,but Im hooked on the instrumental version.:p
 
I was wondering who the hell was listening to that damn thing. :) I picture the music, by itself, making a good backdrop to a car commercial . . . or maybe a suspensful TV series or something. It kind of has that vibe, I guess.
 
I thought that song was excellent! Really nice style and flow. I agree with rbw about the lyrics. But hey, you can always fix the lyrics. Ideally you want to say as much as necessary with as few words as possible. I think that would make the lyrics "fit within the framework of the song" a little better.
 
In all "brutal honesty", it appears you are trying to get your vocals, (which are not on the same level as your music), to try and "fit" somehow...by trying effects, and what not...to make up for a not-so-great vocal track. Skip all the fuzz, repeat echos, and don't waste your time trying an "ozzie fix". Work on a good melody. There are spots, where it seems like it wants to click ...like @ 1:22, and the other related areas, for example. However, the end of that phase is weird @1:35. You've got the talant...get rid of the rookie intentions of covering up tracks with artificial, after the fact, sound effects. The sound effects, only take away, additionally, and don't add anything musically to the song either. Besides, that's what I do...and therefore I can tell someone else NOT to do it;)

Music: good
vocals: so-so
effects: bad
 
Really appreciate the honest feedback. Folks have been extemely helpful. I kinda' need to hear the bad stuff. I think of myself as a pretty good critic of other people's stuff but terrible with my own. And friends are always way too nice to say what they really think.

This song, to me, means a lot because it's a departure in to territory I have never entered. My music is very UN-electronic. "This Time" was a very fun attempt a totally different music style for me. Up till this attempt, I barely knew what a drum loop even was. :)

After a second listen, I think I have my problem nailed down. I tried to make the vocals too "electric"-sounding to fit the music, instead of just sticking to what I do best. Normally, I'm pretty strong at layering harmonies, as most of my stuff tends to sound like America or Crosby Stills & Nash, etc. I think I do that pretty well. A few spots like 3:47 (I like the low harmony I threw on there) . . . also at 3:07.

This seems to be a theme I could build on -- maybe for future projects, if I ever do any more electronic music, I might go after more of a "Queen" - or perhaps a mellower Alice in Chains vocal sound, and see how much fun I can have with the layered harmonies.
 
there ya go, Chess.... I mean, how many CSN&Y with electronica have you heard?? Might be right up your alley.. At least, it sounds that you might be more comfortable with it. Wow...what an easy solution (maybe...;) )
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top