You Got The Love

[robgreen]

Hey up all. Currently down a bit of a cul-de-sac with an original tune, so I decided to take a break from it and do a cover. Not necessarily a song I'd listen to much in its original form, but I had an idea in my head how I'd like to take it on and I think I got pretty close to that.

It's meant to sound a bit woozy with various parts bleeding into each other, rather than any real separation. The beat was also just done as a guide beat originally, but I ended up liking it and stuck with it- gives it a kind of stoned disco feel I think.

So, any comments or feedback on mix, arrangement, performance etc. much appreciated:

 

[ido1957]

Sounds well balanced and smooth. Could use a few accents but that's a minor thing. I think the mix is good and the performance is tight. Good one...

 

[PDP]

The beat was also just done as a guide beat originally, but I ended up liking it and stuck with it-

That happens, I've taken "I'll change that later" out of my thinking, things tend to integrate more than one might think.

I've heard complete substitutions into songs that work, but I try not to count on it.

Good song, nice vox, enjoyed the listen.

Pete

 

[eddiedskim]

i like! Your voice sounds like the guy from OMD from the 80s. I think the drum is too abrupt when it starts. Meaning, there are too many kicks and hits... I think it would sound better if you cut some out and save it for the chorus or something.

 

[Stereo Steve]

gives it a kind of stoned disco feel I think.

Hahahahaha. I have to admit that is a pretty good description.

Kinda drops me off at 1:40 just a bit. Maybe bring in some low bass from there to 1:58 when the instruments come back in? Seems like something I'd try in a spot like that. Forgive me but I've never heard the original song so maybe that's good; maybe that's bad but overall, I like it.

 

[robgreen]

Sounds well balanced and smooth. Could use a few accents but that's a minor thing. I think the mix is good and the performance is tight. Good one...

Thanks very much ido - that's good to hear. It's the first time I've mixed low and then brought up the volume with a little compression/limiting post-mix, and I think that leaving some headroom has made a positive difference to overall balance. By 'accents' do you mean a couple more tonal variations/fills/breaks etc? Cheers

That happens, I've taken "I'll change that later" out of my thinking, things tend to integrate more than one might think.

I've heard complete substitutions into songs that work, but I try not to count on it.

Good song, nice vox, enjoyed the listen.

Pete

Thanks Pete

I know exactly what you mean, the beat has embedded itself and stubbonly resisted any attempts at updating. I think because you end up mixing everything else around it, it becomes harder to substitute.

Thanks for the kind words on the vocals too - listening back now I'm thinking they may sound a little thick before the beat/piano kicks in, so I'll look at the low end and pre-delay on the reverb later I think and possibly update. Hard to get an objective view on your own singing, so good to hear it's sounding ok!

i like! Your voice sounds like the guy from OMD from the 80s. I think the drum is too abrupt when it starts. Meaning, there are too many kicks and hits... I think it would sound better if you cut some out and save it for the chorus or something.

Cheers Eddie - hadn't really thought about when I was doing it, but you’re right – there’s an echo of Enola Gay on the whole mix, not just the vocal I think! One of my question marks was whether the fuller instrumentation comes in too abruptly, but I’d thought it may be the first piano chord that comes in too soon. I’ll have a look later and think about paring down the beat in the second verse a little – thanks for taking the time to listen and comment!

Hahahahaha. I have to admit that is a pretty good description.

Kinda drops me off at 1:40 just a bit. Maybe bring in some low bass from there to 1:58 when the instruments come back in? Seems like something I'd try in a spot like that. Forgive me but I've never heard the original song so maybe that's good; maybe that's bad but overall, I like it.

Cool, thanks Steve. I don’t know whether the original was a big hit in the US, but it was fairly ubiquitous over here – I’m not sure I went to many clubs in the late 90s/early 00s without hearing it at least once of an evening (regardless of club type). You can here the original here though if you like: Source Ft Candi Staton

Thanks for your comments on the bass – there are two bass parts on the track, one bass guitar line and one distorted synth line. I dropped out the bass guitar line between 1:40-1:58 and just left the synth line in to pare it down before bringing everything back for the big chorus. I’ll see if the latter needs a boost

 

[heatmiser]

I don’t know whether the original was a big hit in the US, but it was fairly ubiquitous over here –

And all this time I thought you were from Manchester, New Hampshire...

I've never heard of this tune. Other than the lyrics themselves, what you've come up with sounds pretty much like your own work. I like it a lot. I assumed you changed things pretty substantially and thought maybe I'd recognize the original once I heard it, but nope...it is very different of course, but doesn't ring a bell. I really didn't like the original at all to be honest.

I actually agree with eddie's specific point about the drums. They seem just too busy right when they first start up. Not a huge deal...just a little too chaotic for a few seconds there.

The vocals are cool on this as is the arrangment. Nice job.

 

[Stereo Steve]

You can here the original here though if you like: Source Ft Candi Staton

Wow, You've got the original beat hands down! While a matter of personal taste more than anything, I like yours much better.

 

[rayc]

I'd like it to be even more sparse - make the bass a little more grainy & brutal with the lush vox on top but what you've done is good Rob. the beat is pretty well placed mate!

 

[robgreen]

And all this time I thought you were from Manchester, New Hampshire...

I've never heard of this tune. Other than the lyrics themselves, what you've come up with sounds pretty much like your own work. I like it a lot. I assumed you changed things pretty substantially and thought maybe I'd recognize the original once I heard it, but nope...it is very different of course, but doesn't ring a bell. I really didn't like the original at all to be honest.

I actually agree with eddie's specific point about the drums. They seem just too busy right when they first start up. Not a huge deal...just a little too chaotic for a few seconds there.

The vocals are cool on this as is the arrangment. Nice job.

What, they've built a new Hampshire now have they?? I still haven't got round to visiting the old one yet

Thanks a lot for the listen and comments Pete - I'm not a huge fan of the original either, I just cribbed the lyrics and the chord sequence for the idea I had lodged in my head.

As I said, I did wonder whether there was a little clutter at the start of the instruments coming in so it's good you and Eddie clarified that for me. Thanks for the comments on the vox and arrangements, I really appreciate

Wow, You've got the original beat hands down! While a matter of personal taste more than anything, I like yours much better.

Cheers Steve, that's good of you to say

I'd like it to be even more sparse - make the bass a little more grainy & brutal with the lush vox on top but what you've done is good Rob. the beat is pretty well placed mate!

Thanks very much Ray - interestingly, I did experiment with downsampling and a little more gain to make the bass more grainy, especially in the sparser part when the guitar comes in, but couldn't get it all to sit right. I'm working on a minor update, so I'll revisit that and repost in a couple of days. Cheers fella for the feedback!

 

[Manslick]

You've got style. This is very good. Did you use a pitch corrector on this? I don't care if you did. I ask because at times I hear an artifact that alludes to it.

Well the arrangement is very soothing. I really like the piano panning there around 303. Even the white noise sounds good right now. I like the bass line too.

Looking forward to your escape from chez cul-de-sac.

 

[robgreen]

You've got style. This is very good. Did you use a pitch corrector on this? I don't care if you did. I ask because at times I hear an artifact that alludes to it.

Well the arrangement is very soothing. I really like the piano panning there around 303. Even the white noise sounds good right now. I like the bass line too.

Looking forward to your escape from chez cul-de-sac.

Thanks very much Manslick, I'm glad you like. I'm looking forward to leaving the cul-de-sac now too - I got two originals that are 90% done, but stubbornly resisting completion at the moment for one reason or another.

It's not pitch correction on there, but I listened closely and I think it's a mixture of the gain, reverb and me falling away half way through a note coming together to create a (pitch) perfect storm. Is it a slighy phaseyness that's coming through every now and again?

I've revisited some of the settings and punched in a couple of replacements over the bum notes, so hopefully that's now addressed the artifacts. Updated mix here with a few tweaks, the early beat pared down slightly and a little more fuzz on the bass synth. Nothing hugely different, but would be good to know how the opening beat sits now:



Cheers all