Who We Are - New project

K

K-dub

Well-known member


"Who We Are" is my new band. We started working on the music bed to a new tune last night. This was the 2nd take. It's going to need vocals and a little more polishing in production, but I'm doing this project as kind of "live" ... meaning nothing is in the recording that cannot be created live by the players on stage. No extra guitar. Nothing but the 6 people doing what the 6 people do in the moment. Well, actually 5 ... in this recording ... because I don't play an instrument in this song. I just sing ... but I'm not singing ... yet.

This is just the music bed. Vocals to follow.

How do you like the sound so far, though? Anything stick out as terribly off sonic-wise?

Any/all comments warmly welcomed, and thanks!
 
Very nice man! Your vocals suck on this particular track tho... lol :)

Cool tune and I hear nothing that jumps out at me at all.
 
As you already know, the vocals don't really cut through in this mix haha but seriously, this is sounding really nice so far. Can't wait to hear it finished with the vocals.
 
musicgeekandlvr said:
As you already know, the vocals don't really cut through in this mix haha but seriously, this is sounding really nice so far. Can't wait to hear it finished with the vocals.
Click to expand...

The thing I'm going for is "live" ... and though I was forced to record our first project ("You Monkey's" -- down the first page in other thread) by overdub (due to schedule conflicts of band), this was a live recording of the whole band on this take ... with everyone playing at once ... and recording all at the same time.

Accordingly ... some performance warts are present ... but on the whole? I thought it was a fairly strong showing of what the band sounds like on stage.

I tracked my lead vocal today ... but I've not yet addressed the mix with that included yet.

The rest of the guys are coming over tomorrow to do their vocals ... and yes, we want to mostly have the band sound like it does on stage, but we're not anal purists. It is okay if we "edit" some of the actual live gaffs we made ... where threads of performance trailed off into "huh?" land.

But I thought this was an excellent start for what we actually laid down in less than two hours time.

... but it still has a ways to go.

There's five singers in the band ... and there's 4 part choruses to add ... but off to a solid start, I think.
 
i loved the organ-guitar riff when the drums come in at the beginning and at the ending...Unless you are using that hook for the vocal riff, I'd like to hear it more throughout the tune. Good jams, especially guitar in last half, but it could use some tightening and I'm missing not hearing that hook..I'll look for the vocal version. Great soul feel...
 
The acoustic guitar sounds awesome. Very good.

Drums sound good. Kick is a little soft. Cymbals are a little splashy. Maybe move the overheads up a bit?

The lead guitar, when it hits the higher notes, is fairly harsh.

The bass is pretty rumbly and indistinct. I think you need to retrack with some low end taken out and maybe some high midrange to define the attack.

Electric crunch guitar sounds good to me.
 
Thanks ALL!

This actually was very quick post after Thursday's lay of music bed. I accordingly didn't devote much time to mix ... just made it sound okay.

Got together with the boys today and wrapped things up.

Newest version is up on link above. Vocals ... lots of new stuff now there ... I've not dialed deep into it ... as I've spent the whole day in studio ... and need fresh morning ears before I roll up the sleeves to attend ... but this, I think, is close.

Do you?
 
Listening on HPs, sounded pretty good. Acoustic being extremely panned was a little distracting, other than that I don't have anything. Damn good mix for a live setting.
 
Also ... FYI ... I activated the ability to download, should anyone want a free MP3.

Please feel free on behalf of the band ...
 
DM60 said:
Listening on HPs, sounded pretty good. Acoustic being extremely panned was a little distracting, other than that I don't have anything. Damn good mix for a live setting.
Click to expand...

It was actually just the best place for it in the "live" soundstage ... where it wasn't getting frequency crushed by the other parts.
 
Sounds great-I like and appreciate the approach, all the sounds are good-vocals are clear and out front-good guitar sounds (Les Paul, SG?). Personal nitpick would be the snare/hi hat sound or the ambience of it, not sure, maybe it's just too loud for my tastes, and yeah maybe the bass is a little indistinct, seems like the low piano notes and kick drum cover it a bit but whateva who cares the song is coming across very well in a mostly live performance, nice to know you are prepared to capture the magic while it's fresh! I like the way that guitar note leads when the band drops out, very cool!
 
Stratomaster said:
Sounds great-I like and appreciate the approach, all the sounds are good-vocals are clear and out front-good guitar sounds (Les Paul, SG?). Personal nitpick would be the snare/hi hat sound or the ambience of it, not sure, maybe it's just too loud for my tastes, and yeah maybe the bass is a little indistinct, seems like the low piano notes and kick drum cover it a bit but whateva who cares the song is coming across very well in a mostly live performance, nice to know you are prepared to capture the magic while it's fresh! I like the way that guitar note leads when the band drops out, very cool!
Click to expand...

I had to play a balance between the piano's low end and the bass. I actually rolled a lot of energy into the kick ... to take a bit of "knock" out of it, because the piano player tends to try to play rhythm with his left hand when he plays ... which is okay, but requires some addressing because otherwise the low frequencies of the piano/kick/bass make low end mush.

So I rolled off the really low frequencies on the piano, and moved most of the kick energy down below the bass ... so the bass can poke through better. I *may* still have too much low energy in the bass though. I'm getting some feedback from here and other places that would like to see more clarity down low.

This actually was the 2nd live take of the whole band recorded all at once on the fly ... in order to capture the essence of what we sound like "live".

I also think I've got to replace the hi hat mic. It's just a bit too hot. It's a condenser (because I like how a condenser grabs the highs) ... but I may go to an SM57.
 
Under advice from others regarding a bit of a harsh top end ... I pulled back the hi hat and the cymbals ...

Better?



 
Cool sound, acoustic sounds great. When the verse first kicks in, it's very reminiscent of Buffalo Springfield's "For What It's Worth" to me, but it doesn't sound derivative or anything. I really like the sound of the acoustic and organ. Thanks for sharing!
 
Finished.

New mix up on all links ... modeled on some of the changes and mix improvements Marco made ... as well as a completely new ending solo out of our lead guitarist ... who just was not happy with his first on the fly effort. He wanted something measurably more defined.

Please enjoy, and thanks all!!!
 
famous beagle said:
Cool sound, acoustic sounds great. When the verse first kicks in, it's very reminiscent of Buffalo Springfield's "For What It's Worth" to me, but it doesn't sound derivative or anything. I really like the sound of the acoustic and organ. Thanks for sharing!
Click to expand...

I don't know how I totally missed this. Thanks bud! Check out the new version. I took the best elements of Marco's mix and JJ's new lead and did a faders up new mix.
 
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