General Music Chat

Nice job Sans.

You've got a really solid foundation here. You'll be able to punch everything up in post production. The bass is great as far as the playing goes. The sound itself though is so "thumpy" that most of the tone is getting lost in the bass drum. Adding a bit of mid and treble to it to give it a bit of definition will bring it out.

Hey Sans-

I was listening to a collection of scratch tracks I've been working on, and noticed today that with one of them, I did a very similar solo, meaning I used no vibrato or emphasis on the notes. What I had done to make it "feel out" was to add a little chorus, and a 350ms delay, with approx 1 feedback loop (don't recall fade settings) at about 50-60% Volume. It really made the solo come out. Might be worth tooling around with on yours.

Thanks man.
I did start playing with the delay pedal I have again last night at practice but it was acting really strange so I took it out of the loop. We had already made several changes with the set up by adding the two HotSpot monitors Tony stole and taking out a wedge. Ray was using a different amp. Tony was using a different mic (he stole that too) plus adding some reverb on the B/U vox via the PA. Too many changes for one practice session and then we got snowed out (that's an oddity in Texas and it don't take much snow either)

Thanks for the listen Koolin82.
Eric was playing an older discontinued 5 string bass. (sorry cannot recall the manufacturer) The engineer was awestruck by his tone but told Eric to go 100% treble on his tone knob for some reason I don't recall either.
I am going to insist to use a direct out on my amp next time out. I have a dark amp tone and a dark guitar as well and the nuance of the higher registers seem lost through the mic.

SANS, I cant believe how much better your timing is as a band,,,STOP STOP STOP, nobody else here has the balls to say it but you gotta get your tuning together as a band it sucks and its killing you. A REAL SIMPLE THING. I have had drummers get get pissed at me because their drums weren't tuned and I told them so. You guys have gotten much better but you are killing yourselves with your tuning, you gotta make the whole band to sing to pitch, you gotta get the overtones and harmonics in perfect form, GOD is allready smiling on you guys,you just gotta get him to take the ear plugs out by learning how to tune THE WHOLE BAND.

Glen.
I appreciate your direct and honest input.
But to be honest in return, the origin of your critique eludes me.
Sure I know the boys vocals are not always in perfect pitch. But to be honest, I don't really care. I mean, I after this last studio experience, would just assume they turn the damn auto tune off and let the boys sing it naturally with power (despite our needs for improvement) the way we do live. After all it's punk rock, not opera. If it our instrumentation you refer to. We all use the exact same make & model of tuner. Don't know at that point what more we could do? Drummer had brand new heads and cymbals bought just for this occasion. He is self taught, and had verbalized his concerns on appropriate tuning with the new equipment. If you know of some reference work I am sure he would appreciate the input as well
If you,d care to break it down to some specific points of contention. I will be happy to share it with the band for sure.
When I post these type of thread. I copy and print them too share everyone's critiques with the whole band.

Thanks again.

There's at least an 80% improvement from what I've heard from you to date, sans. That's saying something.

Your drummer needs to tighten up. Perhaps it was a rough day or studio jitters. Drums sound odd to me. Tuning or mic problem? I can't tell. I'm not a drummer. He seems to be dragging the beat a bit, though, in a few places. He needs to be crisper, more sure of his attacks. He's playing like he's askeered.

I like the idea of a wash of sound behind this - a B3 would do very nicely, especially with a nice pulsating Leslie.

Your leads need some effects in thier simplicity. Delay is called for, here. Maybe some controlled fb?

Bass needs to come up.

The singers sang this one pretty well. Huge improvement here!

Note that most of these problems can be fixed now, without rerecording it. That says it's a good job, George!

Thanks Phil.
When I work with effects on my guitar it always seems to me that by the time it reaches the point where I can hear a difference, it seems to be too much. I have to depend a lot on input from my bandmates and others like all of you. I may record some naked lead tracks with various level of effect for some critique from the board. That is, if anyone is interested in such a project.
We are definitely a work in progress as a band. Much to learn.
I appreciate all of you guys time, and critiques.

Sans, I have to agree with the basic truth that your band has come up a million %. since some of the early tracks you posted. The time has come to make it start to sound brilliant by making sure every one in the band is tuned to the band. This includes drums. Next time try some quick tracks and parts and work on tuning the band as a whole. Don't just count on that tuner some of those guits may not be set up properly. An open E chord may sound perfect
but an A bar at the fifth may be off enough to throw everything off.
As far as you singer I thought he actually did a decent job, but the little intonation problems may actually be from that one instrument that is out.
Even drums,Santana, Allmans, great drum corps,these guys all have there drums tuned to stand out,and yes it does make a huge difference.
Sans I think you guys are pushing on to the next level, No, I can hear it. But just like Craig maxim, I know you can do even better. Work on the overall band tuning and I know you will be amazed at how good you guys are.
Funny, the Who at superbowl, for a live performance the tuning was off and I wasn't really impressed. I thought their presentation was great, but their tuning really needed some help. What a band killer.

Glen
I am still not quite sure as to what you refer as far as the "whole band tuning".
I will however ponder this question. And again, I greatly appreciate your input.
Is it perhaps related to how we separate the guitar tones?
We, quite by intent use two different sounding guitars. IE a DEAN or an IBANEZ/ pedals / solid state vs. Les Paul / tube amp. We have this formula to maintain a differentiation between the the guitar parts as part of our signature approach to many of our songs.
Kind of a sugar cookie with a grunge topping if you will.

Sorry SANS, recording and spending money to do it is a tricky deal.
Even when I put down the guit trax for spring breeze ,it wasn't rehearsed,and I didn't carefully tune with new strings,my bass playing sucked and the only thing I had going for me was a boring 4 bar loop that kept reasonable time.
Go back and listen to some of my double stops,, I didn't keep the guitar in tune by adjusting the string pull.I am very critical of myself when it comes to playing in tune. Next time your band spends all that great energy to record , make sure the timing is great and if you hear tuning that is not perfect, Fix it.
Other than that you guys sound great!!!!!!!

Thanks Glen.
You input is appreciated a lot.
I'll keep both ears on it.

YAY!!!!!!

I submitted my R&B song to the client today, so I got a chance to listen to your new recording. I didn't realize it was one song, or I would have listened sooner. LOL - Thought it would be 4 or 5, and I wanted to give them my undivided attention.

I always liked this song. It's a great song. Could benefit from a little more arranging, but overall, the arrangement works. It builds as it progresses, which is what you want, and it sounds really full on the chorus, etc...

This is leagues above what you have posted before.

Feels nice doesn't it?

As I have always said, the singer has something good in his style and tone. Draws you in. I said that he could benefit from some confidence building, and it seems like he has done that. Probably from the practices, but especially playing gigs, and now the studio. He has gotten better. It's noticeable!

There is a wrong bass note around 1:43. You should punch that and correct it. Kind of sticks out.

I think the harmonies could be a little louder.

I think you need a little stronger punch on the lead guitar break. Maybe a little more distortion would do the trick, or some delay? It's a simple break, and there is nothing wrong with that, but it needs a little better tone, or as I said, some delay or reverb to fill it out.

The song ends with basically a second lead guitar break. You should really continue that same vocal line and harmonies over that though. It would be a really full ending, and they wouldn't walk all over each other. It would be really nice and full. They could drop out right before the last guitar chord, or else fade the song. Either way would work. But I kept hearing the vocals continuing there, with the guitar lead just addiing to the fullness. If you can still, try it out. Your engineer could probably just cut and paste the vocal parts there as well, so you wouldn't have to track all the same vocals again.

I'm sure you're proud.

It's a great song, and you guys definitely went up a few notches with this recording!

I remember how I felt the first time I had one of my originals done in a studio. It's a great feeling to hear something that much more professionally done.

You guys should be proud!

Congrats!

Looking forward to more!

Nice job Sans.

Koolin,

Was it you that asked me to check out one of your songs a while back?

I couldn't find that post when I went to do it, and then even got confused who had asked me to check their song out.

I've got A.D.D. like behavior sometimes.

If it was you.... so sorry bro. Which song was it?

I'd like to listen to it. I've got time now.

Sans you guys have come so far,as Chippy would say KUDOS.
If I have some time I will pull the track down and do some rough mastering for you. I think JW is right ,you shouldn't be afraid add tracks even if it makes it impposible to do live.
Give me a day or two and then I think you will really be suprised all your hard work. KEEP IT UP MAN. [thats what she said]

I appreciate all your input gents.

You to Koolin .... sorry somehow I had missed you post. Thank you so much for your time to listen to our music.
Means the world to all of us.

Perhaps at the end of March we will have done some corrections on the levels as the guys feel there is way too much difference between the vocals and the instrumentation. I kind of like it, but that is not how we sound live.

Then they will let me post all 7 perhaps.
Though I plan to do them one at a time so not to eat up too much of your collective times.
We are all busy people like Craig said.