Song Critique Please

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Member Since: Nov 21, 2002

Hey, as you may or may not know, i started a new band a while ago, finally with a singer (and an amazing one at that). Hes the son of a successful lounge singer who play's atlantic city often. So we have been playing some gigs at clubs and bars lately, finally got a song recorded. I think it came out good. I think the chorus vocals are a bit loud. what do you think? any advice would be great. The chatter in the beginning and end is all intentional, its all basicly whispering inside jokes and such. Thanks
its called "all comes back to you"

www.nowhereradio.com/comingsoon

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Member
Since: Jan 21, 2004


Feb 08, 2004 11:18 am

Hiya,

I really like this song. I think all the vocals are a bit loud but they are really bad on the chorus.

The drums seem really lost in the mix too.

It has a really nice feel to it though. Quite catchy too!

Also the intro seems too low, I know it isn't probably meant to be understood but I couldn't hear it at all for until just before the song started.

Anyway, cool song.

...bringing sexy back
Member
Since: Jul 01, 2002


Feb 08, 2004 11:56 am

im assuming that this was recorded live right? the choruses sound like they were overdubbed with a fairly over-loud vocal. actually, in fairness, the level that the vocal in the chorus is at is what the rest of the song should be at ideally....

its a good tune man, dont get me wrong, but id crank the backing track up in line with the chorus

by the way, if ya put h t t p : / / in front of your links here (without the spaces) itll make a nice little clicky thingy like this : www.nowhereradio.com/comingsoon

look forward to hearing where ya go with this!

Member
Since: Nov 21, 2002


Feb 08, 2004 12:11 pm

So i should bring the verse vocals up in line with the chorus? ill try messing with the EQ to get the backing track out. yea it was recorded live with vocals and the lead guitar overdubbed. Ill try and have a better mix up... eventually. Thanks alot

...bringing sexy back
Member
Since: Jul 01, 2002


Feb 08, 2004 12:13 pm

id crank the whole part that was recorded live up to the same level as the main chorus - use that vocal on there as your guideline...


Member
Since: Jan 18, 2003


Feb 08, 2004 12:57 pm

hey dan, i like this guy's voice, and the song itself. some of those chords are great and strange. he does sound like a lounge singer. it works.

with some vocal treatment he would sound really good. like everyone else said, he's too loud in the chorus. i'd like to hear it recorded track-by-track, bringing up all those intruments, and giving the voice its own space and treatment. sounds like you may only have the capability to record live right now and do some overdubbing. have you thought about recording it with a home studio?

Member
Since: Nov 21, 2002


Feb 08, 2004 01:41 pm

thanks guys. Yea, basicly i recorded it live because i only have 1-in capabilities on my soundcard, we recorded rhythm guitar bass and drums together, on one room mic. The all the Vocals are on seperate tracks, so i can tweak them all individually. My brother is going to record a lap steel part to it at some point today, for the end part with all the harmonies (co co co co co co caieaieaine, etc), which would fit nicely. I just tweaked it a bit brought up the backing track, and tried giving a little EQ to bring the snare and bass drum out. The Bass drum is pretty buried unfortunately. but the bottom line is that i am a novice at home recording, and am still learning so all this critique is really helping me out, so thank you. I think its an improvement from my older stuff, and i owe everything i DID learn, and WILL learn to HRC. Tnaks for lending an ear!

Member
Since: Nov 21, 2002


Feb 14, 2004 03:44 pm

Hey, i got an updated mix up. Its still not great, but i think its the best i can do with what I have. We changed the name of it to "arriving to the end".

www.nowhereradio.com/comingsoon

Thanks.

Frisco's Most Underrated
Member
Since: Jan 28, 2003


Feb 14, 2004 07:28 pm

Wow, I really like this song. I think the current mix is pretty good (listening on lofi playback) considering it is just one track for rhythm guitar, drums and bass. I must say the wailing at the very end of the song wasn't too pleasant to listen to. I'd really like to hear this with all parts tracked out and mixed. Like I said, it's a really cool song.

Member
Since: Jul 02, 2003


Feb 14, 2004 10:35 pm

hmm, I could have swore I left a comment on this one when first posted. Anyhow, I love the song, but I'd sure like to hear it done as coolo and forty suggest and track each part by itself so you can control the mix and sound better. I'd drop the whispering at stuff the beginning and end though.

Awesome lead singer, and I really like the slide guitar in it, gives the song a George Harrison flavor. :)

Dan

Member
Since: Nov 21, 2002


Feb 15, 2004 12:06 am

hey thanks, ive been working on the whispering part, i cut it down to about 4 seconds, and made it louder so you can hear what we're saying. Thanks alot. BTW its actually a steel, not a slide guitar... but its all the same :)

We arent going to retrack those parts now, but when its time to put out a CD, we will redo that, this is just a demo we are giving to some clubowners and stuff.

I was just listening to the whole thing backwards... cause i like to do that cause im strange, its interesting how when played backwards everything sounds either in german or like a middle eastern religious song hahaha. Thanks for listening

Frisco's Most Underrated
Member
Since: Jan 28, 2003


Feb 15, 2004 12:21 am

I think the whispering at the beginning gives the listener (or at least me) a sense of anticipation; I like it. The whispering/screech at the end I could do without. Just my thoughts on the subject.

Member
Since: Nov 21, 2002


Feb 15, 2004 12:44 am

i agree, i liked the whispering anticipation too, but for a streamed Mp3, people think that its a mistake or something wrong with the mp3, so for now im cuttin it short, when its on CD, ill put it back, try to give it that kinda build similar to the beginning of the Dark Side of the Moon. but for now i think people would prefer that it would just "cut to the chase" and get to the music faster. im probably gonna trim off the second scream, which was added cause we invisioned using the scream to medley it to another song, basicly we need to decide on these things as a band when we practice tuesday. either way, that is the final mix for now, dont want to keep on uploading changes, when its on a CD, it may be different, who knows. Thanks guys

Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002


Feb 16, 2004 06:13 pm

Agree with coolo on the fixes, but you did a great job with just one mic for sure. It reminds me of 60's AM radio for sure. I did like the vocals as well, nice touch. The scream, well that was a bit Zappa ish so it kinda got me. But indeed, that tune would be splendid all tracked out as the ohter suggested, but for now to give club owners a quick taste, not a bad effort at all.

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