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Post by nikonbob55 on Mar 4, 2004 13:52:49 GMT
Hi All, Finally finished the first new song on the PS5, and just loving this little blue box! I hate the sound of my voice (my attitude was always I'll write the stuff, I'll play the stuff, but dear God, don't ask me to SING the stuff!), but I'll just adopt the outlook that it's merely a "placeholder" for where the lyrics should be. Anyway, I deleted the backing track (called "MondayAM") from SoundClick, and posted the final mix, now titled "Living In The Moment" in its place: www.soundclick.com/bands/6/ballsagainstthewallmusic.htmComments, critiques, and suggestions are always welcomed. The short process is that I took the instrumental tracks and mixed them down to 1&2, panning them hard L&R afterward, added the vocal, then did a live mix from the line out to the computer where I added the flange on the bridge, a light touch of delay (8 tap, emulating a small hall), then "normalized" the signal to get maximum saturation without clipping and distortion. Saved the file in MP3 format, and the result is what you hear. Thanks! Bob
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Post by mcarp555 on Mar 4, 2004 15:06:40 GMT
I still like it! Don't worry about the vocal - not many of us can toss stones without fear of recrimination (myself included). Actually, your vocal has a very strong Bryan Ferry slant to it. Partly the delay as well, I think. The only real critical remark I can make is that the 'normalization' has squeezed a bit more high end out than I would like (listening in lo-fi). Big whoop. A little less compression next time and you're good to go.
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sbkenny
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Post by sbkenny on Mar 4, 2004 18:01:55 GMT
Hi Bob I think this is a great recording. I know what you mean about not liking your voice, I think we all feel the same? ![:-X](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/lipssealed.png) it really is a matter of confidence and just having the balls to really let go. To me, it sounds like you do what I do and perhaps increase the input and output range on the vocal track so you dont need to sing loud? When really what we need to do is not be afraid and just sing loud. Theres a beautiful voice inside all of us if we work at it but most importantly dont be afraid to use it! That said I think this is a really good song and when you have more confidence perhaps a revisit to make this a GREAT song??? One question, how did you record the drum pattern? Congratulations Bob! Simon
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Post by nikonbob55 on Mar 4, 2004 19:05:06 GMT
Hi Mike and Simon,
Thanks much for the kind words, and Mike, for a very good critique! I tested the mix on a number of speakers, but I never listened to the lo-fi stream, just the hi-fi. I wound up removing the normalization processing, and the multi-tap delay as well, which left the high end more intact, and actually sounded cleaner. I then made (and uploaded to Soundclick) a new MP3 of the latest version. Simon, to answer your question, I programmed the drum pattern on the PS5 (using one of the standard Rock patterns supplied), and when I did the live mix to the computer, simply slid the TG fader in and out for the bridge. It's less elaborate than Mike's method of inserting Drum Pauses (in the Essay section), yet it works well. As I play more and more with the PS5, I think the best workflow for me is to continue coupling it with the computer, in order to increase it's versatility. The next piece I'm working on will require a lot more in the pattern, so I'm reading Mike's essay as well as the reference manual in depth in order to program it all correctly.
Thanks, Bob
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Post by latmat on Mar 4, 2004 22:20:02 GMT
I liked it man Good work, you know your voice really isnt that bad, it started off a little rough but by the End I was starting to hear some good things happening. I'm not a big fan of that vocal and acoustic guitar effect, but the lead guitars tone was great. Well played too, its nice to see another guy here with a litte bit of distortion kickin in! ;D Check out some of my tunes, to see what I mean, 'Deep Down Inside' would be a good example. Very good, Cameron
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Post by Rob on Mar 4, 2004 23:25:42 GMT
did some one say distortion? lets have a listen then!
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Post by Rob on Mar 4, 2004 23:31:50 GMT
Great song and great recording. I agree with Cam, nothing wrong with your voice, simply practice. Not only are you in tune, but your voice also has character, so no worries there.
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Post by nikonbob55 on Mar 5, 2004 0:02:56 GMT
Cameron and Rob,
Thanks a lot guys - I appreciate your comments, as well as the knowledge that I'm not the only person out here who cringes at having to sing! Distortion most definitely has a place (seems like not all that long ago when we still called it fuzz!), and when it works, it just works! Enroute to give that tune a listen Cameron!
Bob
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Post by nikonbob55 on Mar 5, 2004 0:12:14 GMT
Cameron,
Nice track! Really good guitar mix, and you have a very good voice! Good work! Thanks for suggesting a listen - I enjoyed it!
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Post by mcarp555 on Mar 5, 2004 13:40:12 GMT
I'm listening to the new mix now (minus 'normalization'), and the high end is much improved. It's hard to tell exactly without having both versions on hand to A/B, but it does sound better than I remember from the day before. Groovy! (I'm old enough to say that).
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Post by nikonbob55 on Mar 5, 2004 15:13:45 GMT
Thanks Mike....I don't know if it was the "normalization" or the multi tap delay I'd applied, but without them, the high end is much cleaner. Less is sometimes truly more. Oh, and I must admit - I'm old enough to remember exactly what "Groovy" means! ![:o](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/shocked.png)
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sgulley
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Post by sgulley on Mar 5, 2004 21:40:54 GMT
Good job (especially for your first song). The mix sounds great to me, and I loved your bass part!
Keep 'um commin' Stan
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Post by JimDurand on Mar 6, 2004 7:11:17 GMT
Great song Bob. I like the heavy chords in the chorus. Reminds me a little of Frank Zappa ![8-)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/cool.png) The drum pattern really fits well. Great Composition! Jim
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Post by nikonbob55 on Mar 6, 2004 17:38:01 GMT
Stan and Jim,
Thanks very much! Glad you liked it! Zappa, eh? Wow, I'm old enough to remember when the Mothers of Invention kicked up such a stir....kinda like the musical version of George Carllin's "7 words" routine! The next one is instrumental, and I'll be able to work on it this weekend...all is done but the bass, and my friendly neighborhood FedEx man stopped off this morning and left a box containing an Acoustic Electric fretless....love the P-Bass, but this piece is kinda mellow, and just needs that "mwah" sound that only a fretless can deliver. I should add, that while "Living in the Moment" was the first piece on the PS5, I've actually been writing music and recording on analog Tascam decks for a number of years now, so while this deck itself is new, the concepts are old friends of mine.
Thanks! Bob
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Robin "Two-Flutes"
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Post by Robin "Two-Flutes" on Mar 16, 2004 23:16:25 GMT
Hi Bob,
I just listened to both "All Along The Way" and "Living In The Moment"....You've got a strong sense of melody which I like.
Good separation on "Living In The Moment". Like others have already said, you have a good voice but I think it's deeper than Bryan Ferry's (such a smoothie!) and it's got a hint of Leonard Cohen (who's voice I like but his lyrics are the kind to encourage suicide!). I'm also thinking of that dark haired singer/poet who did something with Kylie....hmmm I wouldn't buy Kylie's music but I think she's lovely and very genuine and I'd love to do something with her too!! It's amazing what the PS5 can do - I have so much to learn (he said, quickly changing the subject).
One criticism I have is that I would have liked to have heard the lead guitar part a bit stronger (louder) in the whole mix. I would have kicked the drums down just a tad and brought up the lead guitar....except I would have no idea how to do it!! Really great panning....just right.
Hey! I'm still humming your song!!
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