finally!
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Posted on Jan 30, 2004 01:16 pm
coolo
Frisco's Most Underrated
Member Since: Jan 28, 2003
So I finally got this track recorded and mixed with my group Vox Machina. It's called My Time in the Pro Members Music under hip hop. I like the mix, but would definitely request any feedback. I still need to put the mastering processes on this piece. As it stands right now, I think it is a bit bass heavy, but I will tweak that while mastering it. Beware, it is 6:30 or so long, and has one swear word in the chorus (none in the verses). All the parts are actually me playing instruments (actually it's just the bass and vocals) and then sampled. Drums are the only soundfonts I used. So, what do you think? Oh, and for those who haven't heard my previous stuff, that's me rapping (2nd and 4th verse) and singing the refrain. I haven't had any new tracks with vocals for a while.
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Jan 30, 2004 03:48 pm coool. i like how y'all rap about the truth and not some fake made up junk like the hear on the radio. the scene needs more artists who aren't afraid to ignore what's popular and just be themselves. i finally got to see that outkast video for "hey ya" late last night and i couldn't stop laughing it was sooo good! outkast is one of those groups just out there doing their own thing and not caring what joe average thinks.
as long as you keep beign real no one out there can ever say anything negative that will stick. wtg on that.
btw, how far along is this track? i could hear maybe this needs some thin airy pads behind everything to fill in the spaces.
olddogMember
Since: Jul 02, 2003
Jan 30, 2004 11:27 pm Hey nice job coolo. Bass level sounds pretty good to me, except near the end it does tend to overpower a bit. You have a really nice flow going there with a nice melodic tone.
I'm with Jamie, a little someting in the background would really be icing on the cake.
Dan
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Jan 31, 2004 02:05 am I dont know about you guys, but I heard a few odd cyclic sounds in there. I am guessing the sample coolo refered to. I personally like the minumalist style of this track, it suites coolo to a T. If you have heard any of his other tracks he is a master of making alot with a minimum of distraction, and this track is just that. Nothing to take away form what the words are telling you. The vocal parts are the main instruments, the rest is just frosting on the cake. I found it very soothing and easy to listen to, in fact at 6:26 in length I still listened 3 times and noticed little bits that I didnt hear the first 2 times.
Anyway, coolo I didnt hear any harsh thud or muddiness, could be the mp3 not sure. I want to listen to it a bit louder tommorrow before I give any more critique. The only thing I notice and it may be because I listened at a low level was it could maybe use a little EQ to bring out a bit of sybalince in the voices. But like I said before it may just be the mp3. I will put it into a two track editer and give it my mp3 breath of life and then see what it sounds like loud.
coolo, I really like this one. The more I listened the more it grew on me. Tuna even came out of the game room to check it out with his buddy and they listened a couple times through as well and thought it was Quote:
Pretty tasty as they put it.
Peace
Noize 2 U
PS: DL'd it and its in rotation allready on my box. I think we'll be listening to this on the way to Linkin Park,POD and Hoobastank tommorrow night.
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Jan 31, 2004 10:51 am OK, had a chnace to listen to it a bit louder this morning. I like it even more now. Tuna sat in with me cuase he is trying to learn more about how to listen through my moniters, so we tweaked and listened together. I played just the Raw mp3 and then with the breath of life added. (Just so you guys know, the breath of life is a steeing on my BBE that is set to add back what mp3 compression takes out.) Anyway, we both agreed teh sybalince is just fine, you can hear the voices just fine at a bit louder volume, and I dont mean ear splitting, just normal listening. Tuna complimented you on the flo of the rap as well. He noticed that you use differant verbage then most and he even made the statment that your voices seem more like another instrument, (I almost shed a tear at that one since I didnt even prod him for that thought) as they flo so well with the music going on behind them. He also like the bass over bass melody line you had going. And the cyclic drone sample you have in there has some great peaks and valleys that really fit well with the flo of the lyric.
There were only acouple of places that would say the bass seemed a bit much over the vox. I didnt watch the time so I cant pinpoint it but if I listen without zoning out I will let ya know.
Tuna did make a comment that tickled me a bit, he said it was almost trance like in the way the vocals sat over the melody and the drone sample. He related it to this kat from the UK Tricky whom I didnt even think Tuna knew. He has a style were the vocal is blended so well into the melody and you can loose yourself easily in the track as move on.
So long story short, great mix and great track as well. As always cant wait to hear more.
Peace
Jan 31, 2004 08:46 pm heh, you just got compared to Tricky
way to go!
cooloFrisco's Most UnderratedMember
Since: Jan 28, 2003
Feb 01, 2004 02:53 am Hey, thanks for the kind words. Feedback (even negative, not that there was any) is always appreciated. I've heard of Tricky, but never heard his music. Maybe I should check it out.
Anyhow, the "cyclic sounds" you are referring to is me just going ohweeoyweyoyweeohweeoyeeyeeohwee into the mic. I put some wierd flange effect on it (the peaks and valleys you heard), copied the track and reversed one of them and put one all the way right and the other all the way left. I like it cuz it really fills out the background of the song when it's going. As for the other synth suggestions, I'll take that into consideration, as I'm planning on doing a solo version of this track where I sing my verses rather than rap them and I'll also cut the other MCs out. But for this version, the composition is pretty much complete. It's just tweak the mix and master from hear on out. Actually this song is going to go on a compilation my label is putting out. Hopefully we'll have the CDs pressed and in our hands by the end of Feb.
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Feb 01, 2004 02:06 pm I would never haved guessed that was a human voice, at least not while it was in the mix. Now I am going to be litening really hard to hear that. I have done the same thing with guitars, voices and such witha rack unit from Lexicon called Vortex. It was kind of a redheaded step child for Lexicon as it didnt sell real well, but now is coveted by those who learned how to use it, and it was hard to use. But it can twist
anything into something completely unrecognizable. Anyway it is pretty kool how it ended up.
WaltChief Cook and Bottle WasherMember
Since: May 10, 2002
Feb 01, 2004 10:17 pm I just like it. However to give it a genre, I would have to go with a fusion or just a Coolo. It is fresh and unique. I would not compare it to anyone else. Hip Hop and Rap I can take or leave in general, but this I just like. You got some real genious going there Coolo.....Keep it up!
TheTincanbugsloppy dice, drinks twiceMember
Since: Aug 05, 2003
Feb 02, 2004 10:08 am Hi coolo, I heard this one before the weekend, actually, just forgot to actually post something. I like it! Very finished sound, I thought. Not really my genre, but I found it to be catchy, and I was tapping along with it until the end. Nice!
cooloFrisco's Most UnderratedMember
Since: Jan 28, 2003
Feb 04, 2004 08:11 pm Walt, Tincan, thank you much for giving a listen. I really do appreciate it.
I have a question now. There is a crazy delay effect on the first and third verses. I have gotten a couple comments that it might be excessive. I was hoping to get a few comments on if you guys think it is excessive or if it fits. Can you understand the lyrics in the first and third verses?
thanks
Feb 05, 2004 04:47 pm i think that's what makes the vocals so thick. If you were to do anything, I'd suggest instead of shortening the feedback time, instead just capture the effected track (100% wet) separately and EQ it differently, then mix it back with the 100% dry track. does that make sense?
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Feb 05, 2004 09:02 pm For the most part you can understand it very well. The delay part does override it on occasion, maybe just lower the level of the delay in the parts that seem blurred. I think it hits rythmically enough to not be too distracting, especially the third verse, it seems to have several parts were it flo's in perfect rythem with the bass.
cooloFrisco's Most UnderratedMember
Since: Jan 28, 2003
Feb 06, 2004 02:13 am I guess the question is, does it add to the song, or subtract from the song?
the delay effect is only on the backups, not the full verse. and it's timed so that it should pretty much stay on rhythm. I personally really dig it, but have heard from a couple people. I'll figure it out soon.
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Feb 11, 2004 05:06 pm I as well think it adds to the song. I like the rythm it has as well.
Feb 11, 2004 08:53 pm i like it
Feb 28, 2004 03:23 pm mang, i dont ever listen to hip hop unless my pal adam pushes something my way. i usually end up liking his recommendations. if he would have thrown this my way i would have liked it as well.
i feel tempted to say you need an exciter on this. the bass is good but the track seems muffled somehow. exciter? but what do i know?
who are your favorite artists in your genre?
cooloFrisco's Most UnderratedMember
Since: Jan 28, 2003
Mar 01, 2004 12:03 am hey, thanks for listening forty.
I'm going to get some exciter type action going on this (or maybe a tad of reverb or something) when I get around to mastering it. I definitely need to boost the high mids here.
uh, just a thought, you should push this song on your friend Adam (hint hint).
As far as hip hop artists go, my favorites are outkast, the coup, zion i, atmosphere (lucy ford lp), c ray walz, talib kweli, and lots and lots of miscellaneous underground stuff.
el musicoFreeleance Producer/Engineer/GtrMember
Since: Aug 11, 2002
Mar 01, 2004 10:10 am i would take the drum tracks, copy them and add 10:1 hard compression, add more reverb, and then slide that just under the original to liven up the mix. for my tastes i would eq the guitar a little brighter so there's more definition and separation from the bass. maybe shelving the low end of the guitar at about 100Hz and maybe even pan the keys slightly just left the guitar slightly to the right. these are just ideas and you may have done this to some extent, but i really dig the track, there's just something missing in the mix. i can't put my finger on it
cooloFrisco's Most UnderratedMember
Since: Jan 28, 2003
Mar 01, 2004 01:28 pm el musico, are you sure you are listening to the same track? I'm pretty sure there is nothing in this track that sounds anything like keys. And if you are, the guitar is actually a bass played high on the neck. hmmm.
Mar 01, 2004 01:39 pm ah! el musico is describing the 'new york compression trick.' i believe i have read about this elsewhere. i totally forgot about it. is that a good thing to do with rock too? i must try it!
el musicoFreeleance Producer/Engineer/GtrMember
Since: Aug 11, 2002
Mar 01, 2004 04:13 pm my time, right?
coolo, i guess what i thought was guitar could be bass... i tune low, hehe. there's like this one note pad in the background throughout the track.
forty, yes it works best for rock to make the drums sound huge
Mar 02, 2004 12:34 am as a rapper myself i really appreciate the creativity in all music, but in hip hop originality is very important i am definately givin you props on originality and btw leave the beat how it is leaves your lyrics more of the focal point of the song
cooloFrisco's Most UnderratedMember
Since: Jan 28, 2003
Mar 02, 2004 11:05 am bottomlineinfo, thanks for the good word and thanks for giving a listen.
el musico, yeah, the song is my time. I guess I was thrown off by the keys comment cuz I'm not sure where you're getting that from. The guitar sounds played by the bass is on purpose, cuz I don't have a guitar, but I do have a bass (fancy that!). Anyhow, after listening to the track last night for the first time in about a month, I have to concur with you that the "guitar" parts could be eqed a bit brighter. I'm pretty sure the drums will fatten up nice and good in the mastering process. Thanks for taking the time to listen and critique.
