White as a Ghost Reggae, sort of.

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The Ghost of FM

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I was reading a while back that not to many people here post any Reggae tunes and this got me searching through my archives for something I did a few years back that kind of has a Reggae feel to it but doesn't really fit the classical definition.

History Repeats

Anyway, check it out if you wish and as always, your comments are welcomed and appreciated.

Cheers! :)
 
it sounds pretty good ghost........it has kind of a police vibe going........it's a good song....

it's a song that i'd say definitely has a reggae influence (mainly in the drums).....but doesn't really have the back beat guitars or keys that makes reggae so distinctive........a guitar in there playing on the back beat could be a cool addition
 
Interesting song. Kind of straddles several different genres. Cool.

Mix-wise, the one thing that leaps out at me is the main vocal. There's a harshness in there on certain notes that's really noticable when I turn it up loud. I would personally lay off the verb a bit on the vox, but at the least, I'd make sure to cut everything above around 4k. There's some sibilance issues that might be cleared up by laying off the high end of the verb.

I think if I had my way, I'd cut the verb on the whole thing by about 20% - particularly on the kick and the vox. But it just depends on what you're going for.

Good stuff.

Chris
 
Ghost!

A nice addition for my collection!
Has a real 80's feel.
Did you write this in the 80's?
A good listen, man Thanks!


Dan
 
A nice tune - sooooo laid back - relaxing, man.
Everything sounds like it's where it should be to me - nothing sticks out -I dig the background vocals. The chimes were nice but then I thought they might be in there a little too often. (just me) I think the backbeat guitar idea is a good one. But I know I've never been very good at making that happen. I liked the verb on this tune - but I'm only on headphones - don't know what would happen on the system. Coooooool, man - light one up.
Milan
 
Pretty cool Ghost.

I just listened to the Low Fi take...

I think it's all been said.

Reverb heavy on the vox. (Some strategic stereo delay (with or without stereo panning) might have done the trick..Who knows?)
Bass line is sorta buried.
Needs the Bright wah guitar on the back beat.
The tempo felt a click to slow. (That "Bounce" a click or two up may not have been right for the darker feel, so again, who knows?)

I really liked the use and the counter melody of the church bells..
It fits the mood really well and provides a sort of darker "Swell" into the outro.

As always, There's more in your tunes I like than not.

I'd like to hear what you consider your 10 best tunes sometime.

:)
 
:cool:

Ghost;

Very cool toon Bro! Great subject matter.

The mix sounds great except for the aformentioned borderline distortion on the Vox.

I like it alot. Staying in my collection fo sho!

CR ><>
 
Paying my respects, Dept.

powderfinger - Thanks for checking out the tune! I had thought about the rhythmic guitar chord whips to make it more of a tradition Reggae tune at the time but the mood of the song seemed to want to flow in a different direction.

groucho - Thank you too for giving it a spin! The vox does have some problems in it and as I remember it, there were some eq issues I was having with the echo effect which was a cheap Alesis multi-effects unit I had at the time and an older Electro-Voice BK-1 small condenser microphone that was used for the vocals.

The verb issues are understandable that you have with the song. Ordinarily, I don't use so much of it but, this song seemed to demand something out of the ordinary in that I was trying to create a dream like state in the mood of the music and the verb seemed like a good idea at the time.

HevyD47Ca - I am very glad you liked the tune and humbled that you feel it worthy to put in your collection! Thanks!

The song was actually written and recorded around 1992 but, I am sure my head was still stuck in the 80's at that time and probably still is stuck there for some reason.

Also very glad to see you back at the forums and participating. Very, very cool!:cool:

MC Gitarz - I was glad to see the song "sparked" your interest and that it helped you to chill on a Sunday afternoon. It is indeed a mellow track.

BillyFurnett - Those church bells were Tubular Bells! I guess at the low speed stream, the song would probably sound like like total garbage. I am impressed you got through it. Thanks!

If you get a chance, try it again at the higher stream or download it and I am sure it will sound a little better to you.

Axe4Yahweh - Glad you enjoyed the subject matter of the song! It isn't a religious song exactly but, I suppose some religious ideals could be taken from it. Bless you for your time.
 
Ghost: It sounds good to me. It has a sad sound to it. History always repeats, and in many cases this is unfortunate. That is what I heard. Walter
 
Cello mixed nicely, in the wayback, gives a good support in the beginning and blends nicely finally with the bass, if I'm hearing things right.

Gosh ... did you shave ? Clean vocal, and sounds nice. Cool tap delay there ...

Nice violin samples, you could soften them up a bit further if you want.

This is not as ultra-hot as what you have been doing, and the comprimise is good to my ears.

AAAAahhhhhgghhh ... the bells ... the beeeeellllsssssssssss

:D

Nice bells.

At 2:59 the vocal is a bit soft, I'm losing it.

I could understand all of the vocals on the first spin.

On the hook, 'History Repeats' , I'd like to hear some backup vocal. Maybe a static vocal backup on the hook as a suspended figure, and then an ascending backup to counter the scalar motion downward ...

This is a cool song, good lyric, very well rounded from performance to mix ...

For those really low notes, if you reach up into your nose a bit, that might help.

You could do a lot with this song, and yes I noticed ... no guitar.

Thanks for making the music ... happen.
 
Cool tune,nice vibe to it.
I liked the vocals.

I think if you replaced the bells with a steel drum,and added the backbeat git,you would have a Reggae hit.

Definitly a well written and performed song.

Pete
 
I liked the vocal sound you got on this one. Reminded me of Duran Duran. Definitely has the reggae feel, just needs that mandatory "chicka chicka" rhythym guitar. That would be so easy to add in there too. Bells were cool!
Nice stuff ghost!


Twist
 
Hahaha, that's the first bell solo i've heard yet. I'll give you points for being the first to try it that i've heard.

I think there is something on the vocals that is happening at the end of history repeats. I think the delay acting on the sibilance sounds a bit odd, almost like a small crash cymbal.

Good vibe although I think the only thing that really i could imagine is totally reggae would be the drums, everything else could qualify as rock too. Keep up the good work.
 
Nice song, simple and elegant.
You could add more to it, there's plenty of room, but I think it works the way it is. Cool bells too
 
Respects part II

Walter Tore - Thanks for giving it a listen, Walter! I know it is a pain on dial-up and I appreciate your time and effort.

It is a sad song. True enough. Luckily, it was meant to be one!

studioviols - As always a heart-felt thanks for the listen and the thoughtful critique and analysis.

The Cello you heard in the beginning of the track I think was part of a sting ensemble patch from my keyboard. I love those kind of sounds in pop tunes! I think ever since George Martin popularized classical instruments in rock music, he unwittingly served to gainfully employ 1000's of real musicians around the world for many years to come until the advent of the synthesizer. A pox on Mr. Moog!

As for the "clean vocal", I do have a few flavours to my voice and screaming like a wino on welfare payday, is only one of them!

About the Bells; I loved them too, when I was scrolling through all the samples I had in the keyboard, I stopped there and hit the record button on the reel to reel!

The additional backing vocals in the chorus was a good idea and one I will probably use if I do a remake of the track in the future. Unfortunately, this song was put together on a 1/4" machine which I no longer own and I cant play the multi-track master to really do much with the track.

As for reaching into my nose............................I am always surprised to find what's up there!:D

Glad you enjoyed the track.

muzeman - Thanks as well for giving it a listen and for your arrangement ideas and kind words. They are appreciated!

twist - I don't think I own even one Duran Duran record but, I know they got a ton of air-play back in the day so, I guess it is a good compliment to be compared to them. Thanks and glad you enjoyed the track!

Khompewtur - Thanks for your kind words and Kudos points for originality! Predominantly, recording three chord rock songs as I normally succumb to doing, it's nice to throw out something a little different now and then.

Bulls Hit - Simple and elegant. I think most of my grade school teachers wrote the same comment on my report cards in school. Only, they never used the word elegant! Thank you. Sir!
 
Raggae? Maybe not, but a cool song nonetheless. I thought the mix sounded good. Liked the delay on the vocals.

I could have used some background harmonies especially on History Repeats to change that up a few times.

The bell solo was cool. I might have liked a little more verb trail on them to try and have them sustain longer. I don't know if that is possible. Maybe a combo delay and verb. Make them a little more ethereal. :rolleyes: :)

Nice work. Good change of pace around here.
 
Hey Ghostie:

I listened to your other tune as well, "Murder On The March", but the thread was buried before I could comment.

Both this tune and that one are well-produced, methinks.

What they both have in common is a *little* bit of repetition to them, which works well for a "trancy" feel. That uis a take it or leave it issue, depending on your musical tastes.

"History Repeats" has nice clarity to it.
The way you laid out the instruments in the mix was well-done.
Being a lyricist, I had no problem catching all the lyrics, which I enjoyed on this tune.

Didn't catch the Reggae feel in it, either...Felt more of a Alan Parsons vibe, which was groovin just fine.

Nice job, and keep it up, sir!


VI
 
Ghost of FM,

this is the first tune I've heard from you (i've been away for awhile). This is really 80's, some more gated verb on the snare/vocal will totally bring it back:)
I think you should (should have) bring the key of the song up a little, I keep imagining you singing more freely/expressively if you sang it higher.

Al
 
This may sound inane and nutty, but this really reminds me more of Roger Waters' stuff. I love Roger Waters.



I guess this is one you're not working on, so I won't bore you with my mix opinions other than to say that I pretty much agree with Groucho...although, I do like the effect (delay) on the end of "repeats." I dig FX with meaning. If you ever decide to do anything with this, maybe somebody could take a run at a screaming melodic lead guitar line...maybe somebody with a strat and a fondness for delay. I wonder what D. Gilmore's doing these days.

Anyway...dug it. Thanks for checking out mbuster's tune too.

chris
 
Respects Vol. III

skids - Thanks for checking out the tune and for your thoughts on the mix. They are appreciated!

Village Idiot - "Alan Parsons"! I am honoured for the comparison! I have all the CD's and a few of the original vinyl LPs from them.

Their production influences probably were a factor in how I tried to shape the tune.

Thanks also for checking out, " Murder on the March". That tune was just a drunken adventure in the studio and should be judged accordingly.

Glad you liked the tune and thanks for the listen and your time to do so.

A1A2 - Thanks for checking out the tune and for the vocal analysis. I generally do have some dynamics issues where I am not quite sure to whisper or to scream. I think monitoring levels are critical on headphones when one does vocals and you are right, I should have let go a little more in spots on the track.

Thanks and nice to hear from you! Your contribution is helpful and appreciated.

chrisharris - Roger Waters is also a real favourite of mine. I love his drama and doom that he injected into his solo albums after the wall.

It is possible that he too, influenced me in this track but, I don't hold a candle to him in sheer cynicism and budget.

The screaming guitar solo is a wonderful idea and one I might consider making room for in a re-do of the track but, my plate is full with other projects on the fly right now. Who knows though, perhaps I will re-do the track before the year is up and post it again as a re-make?

Thanks for time and effort to post here. You have some great music and talent from what I have heard so far.

Cheers! :)
 
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