#1919918 - 08/04/24 08:39 PM
Re: Unfinished recording-- need VSP producer ears!!
[Re: TAPKAE]
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Popmann
Loquacious Planeteer
Registered: 05/23/02
Posts: 33617
Loc: Twangville, TN
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Hey...so I got feedback elsewhere, is anyone having trouble understanding the lyrics? I mean LITERAL understanding...
To me the vocal is SO f'n loud and SO compressed...I mean it's not the final vocal, but I wasn't thinking there was a lyric intelligibility issue...I don't plan on doing anything really differently when I record the final...
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#1919936 - 08/04/24 11:27 PM
Re: Unfinished recording-- need VSP producer ears!!
[Re: Popmann]
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Mike Musgrove
Planeteer
Registered: 05/06/03
Posts: 4313
Loc: DFW Texas
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I’m hearing R&B. Maybe a Luther Vandross vibe. Great tune. I wouldn’t overthink it…
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Mike Musgrove
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#1919937 - 08/05/24 12:16 AM
Re: Unfinished recording-- need VSP producer ears!!
[Re: Mike Musgrove]
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motown59
Planeteer/Artist # 238
Planeteer
Registered: 03/01/04
Posts: 18227
Loc: California
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Vocal level is fine. Dynamically it dips below a bit of intelligibility level a few times but not enough.
I figured you’re doing some parts over, or is this meant to stay as-is for an archive of the song. ? Some syllables drug out too long unnaturally.
My $.04 cents second impressions- still, all the good stuff doesn’t need repeating:
Piano late(or drum fill early) on the opening.
Something seems slightly askew between the guitar and piano chords at :34, and again in the song at those areas.
Bass needs two beers on it, or less coffee.
Claps too loud and obtrusive coming from both sides. Off beat sometimes too… I know this was an Ai drum follow… So, same drum fill note can be ignored.
At 1:00 there’s something clammy on the piano part, again at 3:16 and maybe other same parts. Each time my ear goes to it, not in a good way. I could be wrong and it’s hip.
Edited by motown59 (08/05/24 12:21 AM)
_________________________
kel
"I love what you guys are trying to do up there" ...from an audience member at one of my gigs.
Gear: Fender Medium pick
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#1919938 - 08/05/24 12:50 AM
Re: Unfinished recording-- need VSP producer ears!!
[Re: motown59]
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Popmann
Loquacious Planeteer
Registered: 05/23/02
Posts: 33617
Loc: Twangville, TN
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This was NOT AI drums. No...AI failed HARD on this one. Which is partially my fault--being SO piano based...I try to play over exaggerating the groove on guitar...so it "picks it up".
This is a MIDI sequence. FWIW.
But correct-this is in zero ways the final vocal...I was just concerned that someone couldn't understand what words I was singing...in multiple spots in the song...while that might jsut "iron itself out" in the final mix/compression...I'd rather know what's a problem HERE...and make sure it's just a level thing and not me being a mumble mouth.
Bring the vowels held too long. If I know anything about me as a singer, it's that I'm going to sing it JUST LIKE THIS...unless something is pointed out that I work on before hitting "go" because I tend to not THINK about it much at that point. Not in the way of "could I phrase it differently"--the only thought is "did I hit the mark?" not..."maybe better aim over there..."
I'll put that all on the running list I'm making. 
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#1926760 - 09/08/24 12:48 AM
Re: Unfinished recording-- need VSP producer ears!!
[Re: Popmann]
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Popmann
Loquacious Planeteer
Registered: 05/23/02
Posts: 33617
Loc: Twangville, TN
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If anyone wants a progress report:
So, what I've done here:
-Claps gone. Still don't understand trhe negative reaction to them...but, I don't feel strongly enough about it to fight the overwhelming hate.
-Did the middle 8 I mocked up "for real"...which then also changes the dynamics of the third verse it leads into.
-tuned the guitar chords Kel noticed rubbing on the minor turnarounds.
-Faded the tune where I kind of always intended to...I didn't spend much time getting it smooth--just drew a line...but, I decided this was one of those things that was best not left to the collective imagination.
My original ask for advice was about the four 4 bar sections that repeated in the song...I intentionally didn't want to color opinion, so I didn't print off the strings...or horns...or lead guitars...wanted to know what you thought should be there. After someone offline made a radical edit to the end...and I wrote the little middle 8 at Flat's suggestion...I saw the way to just make it a non issue:
1st instance: this is the one every said needed nothing...novel at the time keyboard part would carry it. I agree. So as is.
2nd refrain: I cut the middle two bars out so it just goes from the end of the chorus to the I chord and then the minor tunraround i nthe next verse.
3rd refrain: this is where I cut it out completely and replaced it with the relative minor "middle 8"...though technically, it's a "middle 4"...
4th refrain: no longer exists. This was a little "Two birds one stone" thing, too-some people offline objected to the solo starting late in it's bar...so, I spliced out the entire section and turnaround and went straight from "so we're singing Willy's Blues..." --into the guitar solo, which now comes in largely right after I'm done singing in the bar, so it's a little like I'm singing and then step away from the mic and start playing an outro lead.
Still to do:
1- Honestly, still would like to have a fretless bass. It was the original intent. Playing the same line, it takes some of the "coffee" Kel felt. Because "mmwah" brings it's own "laid back-ness"...I'm a bit rusty, though.
2- This is the same scratch vocal. Obvi this needs a real few takes and comp.
3- I need a high pad function to come in on the chorus...string pad...Hammond...something like that. I was always assuming it would jsut be a carry over from what handled the big phantom repeating theme. That's gone now...so, I cranked up the Hammond yesterday. Don't love it. So violins/Violas it will likely be.
Anyway...let me know if you think this is improved...or made worse...I'm leaving the old version up for the sake opf reference. I did take down the bridge mock up, because it sounds absurd compared to the real one. 30min vs a day or work? It better. 
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#1926761 - 09/08/24 01:00 AM
Re: Unfinished recording-- need VSP producer ears!!
[Re: Popmann]
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Popmann
Loquacious Planeteer
Registered: 05/23/02
Posts: 33617
Loc: Twangville, TN
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Oh--and a tech note, since I was asked and looked for someone in town.
Except the 2 reverbs and delay aux....this is mostly Harrison DSP. Their Mixbus channels/busses and XT and AVA plug ins. Only a handful of exceptions: there are a couple channels of SPL Transient Designer on the overheads and toms...and a API 2500 on the 'band bus'--which is pianos and guitars bussed together. Some kind of "BS factor" to that since I record VIs through some third party DSP...like console and tape sims...Aphex Exciter...Neve EQ...whatever I would normally track with. Meaning--if that piano sounded like that, I would do X recording it on the way in. So I do. Relatively subtle things--getting some boxy gone...or adding some grit...or opening up the top of what are probably 44.1 samples...etc...
Still, I think it's a worthy note. Ultimately, it's why I mix in Mixbus. The working mix sounds more like the final mix...it all takes less time...the tools sound good. Not in an apologist way. Like I can "get by with"...sure...but, that's not what I'm saying.
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#1927133 - 09/09/24 05:42 PM
Re: Unfinished recording-- need VSP producer ears!!
[Re: Popmann]
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Popmann
Loquacious Planeteer
Registered: 05/23/02
Posts: 33617
Loc: Twangville, TN
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So, I went to lay down a fretless last night...and I realized...doing all these edits in Mixbus...means I don't have a timeline I can play bass to in Cubase anymore. So, I guess I'll need to make a new Cubase project with the edited tracks....since I still need a pad, lead vocal, and maybe fretless.
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