Just finished a new song with new acoustic!

Posted on

Member Since: Jul 02, 2003

I just finished up another song, this one written in 1977! I did this one all today start to finish with my new Takamine 6 string.

I'd really appreciate any comments anyone might have and if the mix sounds okay.

Song: When I'm Down

HiFi:
www.soundclick.com/util/s...701853&q=Hi

LoFi: (Sounds terrible)
www.soundclick.com/util/s...701853&q=Lo

Download: (192kbps)
www.soundclick.com/util/D....cfm?ID=2701853

Thanks for listening!

Dan

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Aural Enthusiast
Member
Since: Jul 31, 2005


Aug 01, 2005 09:27 pm

VERY Beatle-esque, but nothing wrong with that. Pretty song Dan. Acoustics sound nice. Backing vocals and drums could come up a little bit. Liked the "In My Life" sort of drum track. I'm a fan.

Malcolm

Member
Since: Feb 17, 2005


Aug 01, 2005 09:43 pm

sounds real sweet...you have a real sweet sound in this tune...it is rather Beatle-like, but damn thats a good thing.

Whats your review of the Takamine? I just bought an Ovation CC026...I looked at the Takamines...

I'm gonna put this tune in my station at the click...

btw...I agree with the above poster...drums could come up...just a tad.

Member
Since: May 15, 2004


Aug 01, 2005 09:54 pm

A real CLASSIC, Dan.. I'm keeping a copy for reference if you dont mind...

Member
Since: Jul 02, 2003


Aug 02, 2005 12:13 am

Thanks very much Malcolm glad you liked this song and the others you've listened too. I will indeed bring the backing vocals & drums up a bit, appreciate the suggestions. :)

Dan

Member
Since: Jul 02, 2003


Aug 02, 2005 12:31 am

Thanks Rasmuth, seems anytime I pick up an acoustic my Beatle influences come to the surface alot stronger than when I'm on the old electric. :)

This is my second Takamine, the other being my 12 string which I've had for over 20 years and I love them. This particular guitar (EG320C) is at the low end of their line but the action, tone and finish are excellent on it. I was really wanting the next model up, but they had sold it before I made my mind up. LOL.

I tried about a dozen different guitars ranging from $600-$2300 and while there were definitley a few that sounded a bit better and were fancier most of them didn't impress me any more than this $300 Takamine. I just wanted something for the few occasions I do an acoustic track that would sound decent and this one gets the job done. :)

Thanks again, and thanks for adding the song to your SC station!

Dan

Member
Since: Jul 02, 2003


Aug 02, 2005 12:32 am

Thanks for listening ciinx and your more than welcome to keep a copy, I'm glad you liked the song!

Dan

Hold 'Em Czar
Member
Since: Dec 30, 2004


Aug 02, 2005 12:56 pm

love the texture of that guitar...hell of the whole song...lots of stringy plucks, i'd like to hear a hair more snare (maybe set the attack time a bit longer if you're compressing it?)

how do you pack so much volume and clarity without sounding harsh? i'm having alot of problems with volume and clarity (almost as if i'm afraid to really slam the highs) hell i bet if you A/B this song against one of my hard rock, your's has a better high-end AND i bet it's just as loud, if not louder....teach me your ways!

i dig this tune, and LOVE the chord progresson so much i'm gonna play it a third time right now....

cheers

Member
Since: Jul 02, 2003


Aug 02, 2005 03:26 pm

Thanks much WYD, glad you liked the tune and mix!

Mix wise I try to get everything sounding as clear as I want it to sound, which is easier with acoustic songs than electric, for me anyhow. On the guitars I roll everything off sharply from about 200HZ, though it varies. I just sweep EQ from about 100HZ-250HZ till the bass starts coming thru nicely and thats where I leave it. The bass I do the same but with a lower frequency till hear the kick the way I want it, usually ends up around 80HZ. Just a lot of fiddling with EQ on the various tracks basically. I didn't use any effects on the guitars except the solo which I used a little reverb and the vocals which I used a little reverb & chorus.

Probably the 2 main things I do to get things sounding the way I do good or bad, is with Har Bal & Ozone. I take the initial mix and run it thru HB, then use a small amount of multi-band compression, Exciter, Stereo Imaging, & Reverb then set my ceiling for the Maximizer to -.3 and pull the threshold down till it's I see the indicator is working steadily, but not constantly. My typical song has about 3dB-6dB of movement on the meters while playing. I don't like to use it to the point all the dynamic range is gone, but I'll pull it down till I get the sound I want and where it ends up it ends up. :)

Thanks again, I appreciate the the listen and comments!

Dan

Hold 'Em Czar
Member
Since: Dec 30, 2004


Aug 02, 2005 04:01 pm

GEEZ!!!! way cool, as i use the same mastering chain as you....ok on my stuff (which i'll upload tommrow) i just used ozone for the compression on the two lower freq. zones.... i have used the exciter a few times, but i usually didn't like what it did, only takes a smidge on the third band IMHO...so i opted not to do that...the imaging tool really messed with the mix when i summed to mono...if ya have a phase scope, you can see what i'm talkin' about and here's the kicker.....i've never messed with the maximizer because i was never quite sure how it worked. hahahhahaha

i just used the defalt limiter in wavelab "Peak Master"....but now i wanna try the maximizer in ozone.

thanks man

Member
Since: Feb 17, 2005


Aug 02, 2005 05:49 pm

not to hijack the thread, but another way to bring the kick drum out is to clone your bass track so you have 2 tracks...pan one extreme left and the other extreme right...totally opens up the middle of the track and the kick just comes right through...plus anything else in the middle comes through better

Hold 'Em Czar
Member
Since: Dec 30, 2004


Aug 02, 2005 06:43 pm

i like to clone and treat one as a "sub" kick for the lows, and another as the "click" kick for the highs....both in mono.

Member
Since: Jul 02, 2003


Aug 02, 2005 10:56 pm

When I use the Exciter it is very sparingly, same with the Imager, I could probably turn both off and you wouldn't really notice much difference. I agree the imager can mess with a mono mix. I've also used cloning for various things, so many things you can do and so little time. LOL

Dan


Member
Since: May 15, 2004


Aug 03, 2005 03:29 am

Anyway, I really enjoy the sweet sound of the acoustic guitar. I'm trying to match my new song's rythm guitar EQ to yours. I know most contributions are made by the player, the guitar tone and the mic; but is there any other "special" touch up you've made during mixing?

The sound was actually awesome!

Member
Since: May 15, 2004


Aug 03, 2005 03:32 am

oppsss sorry, Dan... I've missed your reply to WYD above,,... lol forget it..

Member
Since: Jul 02, 2003


Aug 03, 2005 03:45 am

The only other thing I did on the rythm guitar was I mic'd it with my SM58 and at the same time I went direct to the mixer (it's an acoustic electric) 1 is panned about left 65, the other right 65.

If yours isn't an electric acoustic, then could either mic it with 2 mic's or you could do much the same thing just cloning your track and then using a pitch shift of about 5-10 cents and possibly a slight delay should do the trick.

Dan

Member
Since: May 15, 2004


Aug 03, 2005 04:02 am

Pitch shifting??? That's a new trick for me.... 5-10 cents probably wont harm the overall tune I guess... I'll try it for sure right away!

Thanks Dan!

Hold 'Em Czar
Member
Since: Dec 30, 2004


Aug 03, 2005 11:47 am

that reminds me......

one time, in my not so educated years of recording, i put EVERY mic i had around an acoustic guitar in order to caputure everything! lmao

picture my roomate sittin' with a 12 string in the dining room, with blankets and mic stands (and some mics without stands) forming a simi-circle around him! and we thought it sounded great!

Member
Since: Jul 02, 2003


Aug 03, 2005 02:54 pm

I bet it did sound cool WYD!

Dan

String bender
Member
Since: Unknown


Aug 03, 2005 10:19 pm

Oldog what can I say, I really enjoy your music and this track is no exception. Great job! The guitars sound nice and clear. I can hear the Beatles influence in your writing which adds to my enjoyment as I am a Beatles fan too. Keep it up!

Member
Since: Jul 02, 2003


Aug 03, 2005 11:52 pm

Thanks Dm, appreciate the listen, glad you liked it! :)

Dan

Member
Since: Jun 27, 2005


Aug 05, 2005 08:04 pm

This is really a great track- The acoustics sound fantastic- a sound I've yet to capture.
it is a true art. great job

Member
Since: Jul 02, 2003


Aug 06, 2005 02:11 am

Thanks goby! Nice to hear all the fiddling with the track resulted in a good sound. :)

Dan

Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002


Sep 18, 2005 02:27 am

OD, sorry it took so long to get to this. Now I am glad I didnt just run through my inbox and delete them all. Then I wouldnt have gotten to hear this one.

Dang it, it make me jealous. INdeed gotta agree on the Beatle thing, maybe your right about it being when you pick up the acoustic. Anyway, I love it. Absolutely pleasant, and this one will be in my playlist for those relaxing moments. I gotta burn it to a CD and try it in the car.

Speaking of which, when are ya gonna release a whole CD of your stuff???

Anyway, tunes like this are why I missed being around for the last few months.

Peace

Member
Since: Jul 02, 2003


Sep 18, 2005 03:01 am

Welcome back Noize!!! It's really good to see around again. Hope all has been well.

Thanks so much for the kudo's on the song! I really want to get a CD together, but I want to get a bit better at my production, playing and singing and really do it up as best I can. I'm hoping by early next year. :)

Again, it's really good to have ya back!

Thanks,

Dan

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