"Unconditional" Feat. my favorite sax player

[participant]

G...

echoing what others said ...this kicks buttocks ...love that guitar tone... vox rox! The Lt. really added the sweetness... of course the bass rox; that's a given Love how you did the octave-up thing on the vox...

This is so inspiring; (makes me feel like a jerk, working on a song about resentment ) "Unconditional" makes me want to write beautiful love music

This' gotta go on the next homerecording.comp CD. Man, it's great musicians like you and a handful of others here that makes it worth the time.


Chad

 

[SLuiCe]

Getting in late here as usual. Been travelling a lot. ..

Guys this is fantastic! If I couldn't make out the lyrics, I'd say turn 'em up, but since I can, I like the current blend. (I hope that makes sense.)


Nice job Lt. Bob. You remember that rough track I sent you? While I was in Vermont I was thinking of revisiting that and I had both you guys in mind for a collab. And then I came home and saw you guys working together again. Funny. So, Guernica if you're interested, I just ordered some MC012 mics and I'd love to test 'em on an acoustic tune with you two. PM me guys.

This is nicely done fellas. Guern you've got a GREAT voice. I agree with SAM. Skip the dinner and movie....

 

[jamal buchet]

....wow......man..those first few vocal lines sound so sweeeeet...almost like shit i dont know i cant hold a note that in tune so long to save my life!!!..holy crap....that is good.....that guitar sound is excellent too...at first i thought to maybe make the vox alitlle louder but ....really i think theyre just fine......lyrics great too....harmonies.....man ...i am really starting to dislike you..lol.....how bout if i send you all my stuff w/ lyric sheets..and you know..just lay down a few track for me.... ...

lt bob......i never understood how to play a "real " instrument...lol....but apparently you had to have been "first chair"...in class...GREAT playing on this....(plus i think the whole collaboration thing kicks ass)...

men......you do good work.

jamal

 

[Guernica]

jcmm

hey man, thank you very much for the listen and kind words. "....almost haunting" I like that alot.

stratomaster

Hey strat, The vocs are recorded w/ 2 different mics (nt1000 on lows, and cheap AT dynamic on the higher stuff), i run them both through a dbx pre. Then its off to adding more manually doubled tracks (set way back in the mix), and verb mayhem. Caretaker9 asked about that "keyboard" sound you mentioned, and i neglected to respond. This is actually a guitar harmonic riff and a delay.... I stumbled onto that and liked it there. Thanks again.

mkg

I dont know who it sounds like, but you aint no "pusbrain mullet" my friend Thanks for the kind words.

B.Sabbath

...dude, you kill me!

...........check your PM's

muzeman

Hey muse, regarding verb... I guess its no breakthough....... I just started experimenting more with the use of a decent effects send. .....and noticing what happens when you put "just" the effect in different panning locations......... was an interesting learn. Thanks again for the nice words, Im looking forward to hearing your next one.

crawdad

Hey Crawdaddy, I'm glad you like it. This was the music that i was trying to get to you for critique........ damn faulty mp3's. I have studied the hell out of your mixes, and your compliment is taken with the highest regard. Your presence adds alot of class to this forum. .....and i think i can speak for everyone when i say "Im glad youre here".

participant

My man, that "drop the 2k on the acoustic" tip was worth a million bucks. It really softened it up alot. Thanks for the kind words. ........hey man, resentment is good........ a mans gotta vent!

SLuiCe

......another big "find" in here. Thanks a million for the nice words. Your posts are all great learning experiences. Ive dug into your mixes, and used them for comparisons whenever ive needed that certain something. I know what you mean re: the vocals........ they were tough to git in right. Re: a collab.......... well of course damnit! I'll send ya a note.

 

[Guernica]

sorry jamal,

I missed ya. Thanks a bunch, and youre right ........ colabs "do" kick ass

 

[crawdad]

Well, Guernica--I am glad to be here myself! I learn something every time I hear a good mix. I go, whoa, how did he get that sound? What is the secret of that bass track? Why do those drums sound so good? Etc. Not to mention the treat of hearing all these great tunes.

I'm glad you are on Nowhere. I just downloaded the song and listened at my leisure today. I'm still thinking about your tracks and how you got it all so good sounding. Did you do any mastering on this? Also, what was your mic choice on the acoustics? Not only are they played very well, they sound superb! Lt. Bob is a godsend, is he not? Wait till you hear his horns on my v3 of Ain't Goin' Back. He's a freakin' sax playin' maniac! I love the stuff he did in the section where its kind of polytonal--his note choices are so perfect!

Anyway, you too are much respected and valued around these parts. With this, your stock can only rise!

 

[Llarion]

I'm listening to this crispy firngering and delicious vocals, and terrific arrangement, and I'm fairly quivering, waiting for the sax...

Ohhhh, there it is!!! YAYUH!!!

Oh, the wretched excess of this song. I am DIGGIN THIS!!!!

Only one minor suggestion, and it concerns said saxophone:
Perhaps a bit more edge and a tiny bit more 'verb, to match the patina of the rest of the song. They sound a little bit "separated", because they have different master EQ curves.

Beyond that, I have nothing to say at all in the way of criticism, just kudos for a brilliantly written and arranged piece!!

Lt. Bob plays a KILLER tenor!!! just killer... Ohboyohboyohboyohboyohboyohboy...

WONDERFUL stuff, GREAT collab. I can watch Americal Idol with a smile now.

Phil "Llarion: The Jazzinator" Traynor
www.llarion.com
-Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons;
for you are crunchy, and go well with ketchup.

 

[mixmkr]

new strings sure sound good...
a couple minor quibbles. the vocals up to 1:30 seem a bit low in volume. Then when you come in an octave up, things are just fine. I also like the sound on the vocals at that point too...a nice kinda room sound created by either doulbing/chorus'sing...or whatever.....something that would "match" the previous vocals would probably require more effects twiddling...and that actually may not be so good, but that's what I might try first off too. The other 'verse' vocals are a tad low maybe also. I might hold the sax until 1:30.

I liked the low "string thing" in the intro too. Seems I remember commenting on those before, and liking them on the other version.

nice bobbling synth arpeggio thingy-ma-gig ya did.

No complaints on the sax playing/sound at all...very good.

again...the vocals seem a little low towards the end...following up the sax solo.

All in all...very good stuff.

 

[Guernica]

Crawdad

Hey man, ....no, no mastering done....... .....none worth mentioning anyway. I used an NT 1000 on the acoustics, and low vocs..... It seems to work pretty well as a general purpose condenser.... ...so as far as a "choice" went....... well, having only one makes the choosing easy.
Im looking forward to hearing the tune you and the LT. are workin on. Thanks a bunch.

Llarion

Thanks for the listen and nice words. Mixing horns is a new frontier for me. I understand what you mean when you say "matching the patina". ...I just get a little concerned about over-coloring. Lt. Bob's sax work was really terrific on this, and i didnt want to take anything away from his articulation and feel.

mixmkr

......good ears mix, I raised the level on the lead vocs just a tad when the rhythm kicked in. That level seemed to overdominate the first verse when it was set that high. ....... I dunno, like i mentioned, the low vocs were tough to get just right.... ...I'll mess with them a little more when my "unconditional" burnout fades. There are no keys in this song.... only guitars bass and drums. The synth part you mentioned is a guitar harmonic riff, and delay. Thanks for the nice words

 

[Barometer]

First time I've heard anything from Guernica and frankly this blows me away. I think the best thing I've listened to so far (no offense anyone). Great job, you have my respect for sure

 

[GONZO-X]

UNCONDITIONAL-

nice acoustic tones to start..... very smooth....... with some nice high end.....articulate......

ominous tones behind......good depth in the mix......

excellent sax tone........ very reminiscent of the floyd dard side session....beautiful technique......

vocals are good.....nice eq on the low to bring it out without it being muddy.......
you could possibly get the lead vocal a little more upfront with a touch more compression...... good harmony, sits nice in the mix to me........

NICE SONG!

 

[Guernica]

Barometer

Thanks a bunch man..... Im glad you liked it.

GONZO-X

thanks for the kind words gonzo. I was heading for a floyd type-a thing when this all started..... ....glad it hits ya that way.

Everybody

......I wanna thank everyone for being so helpful and kind w/ this. I truly appreciate the tips that were given, each one is a learning experience that i will use in the future. ....its time to let this thing go. I just wanted to say thanks one more time.


cya on "your" post G

 

[SLuiCe]

It ain't over quite yet...

My girlfriend, from the other room, just asked me to play this. Back off man! That's my woman

EDIT: Man, that's some damn fine sax too. Beautiful phrasing Steve.

(Oh, man she's packing her bags. It's the song. It's gotta be the song... )

 

[macle]

Hi Guernica,
Very nice tune. The mix sounds all good, nice space to create that mellow mood. Interesting, too, the way the lead is in a low register, and the answer vocal is in a higher register, that creates a real distinct sound. Acoustic sounds great.

Some thoughts maybe (since you asked ). I thought the low vocal could come up, the high one, and sometimes other stuff, the sax, for example, cuts more, so seems more the focus, and seems to overshadow the low vocal. The high vocal seems kind of dry compared to the rest, and the effect (or doubling or widening) is cool, but it seemed to stick out to me, if you know what I mean. And the drums, a machine? Would be nice if those were real (though machine drums are everywhere, and no one seems to mind, always ruins stuff for me, just my opinion.) The hihat at the beginning of the verse seems loud, but then you lower it, and the part before the singing seems uneccessary. Some noise near the end, hiss from a guitar or something (also near the break, like a chorus effect going or something).

But, really really nice and well done. My thoughts are just nitpicky. Just trying to be useful.

Great job,
Macle

 

[theron]

Hey dude,
remember me?

I loved the sultry and polar blend of instruments..
The sax was unexpected (minus the fact that LT BOB was involved) and adds sincere warmth to the ominous tapestry of exposed truths you weave.

I can't say enough about the recording........to my little homerecording ears, it was solid as February Ice.

Your vocals are nothing shy of envious.

If this song were a dish, it would be reluctantly sweet and defiantly satisfying.

 

[chrisharris]

good music never dies; it just gets recycled.

 

[Guernica]

.....that was a kind bump Chris, thanks

 

[muzeman]

This should be bumped to the top at least once a week.
Man those vocals,wow!

Think I'll just let it loop for a while.
Ya man,smoooooth!

 

[dtb]

G, and you, LT, and whomever else playing on this, one of these days you guys are going learn how to play, record, mix, etc.,


















































he he he he he he he

dtb

 

[muzeman]

55 minutes and still looping,just dosn't get any better than this!