#21500 by
Craig Maxim
Mon Feb 11, 2008 10:10 am
Good info!
Thanks everyone.
John, my first impression was that computer lag (Not lag, but the slight delay that can occur - I'm forgetting the term), through USB was the issue. But if that was the case, it should only show up on "Come" because I DID have to turn the "monitor" button on the software off, because the slight echo was driving me crazy. But on Maria's Song, the headphones were in the audio interface itself, not the computer. So the delay would not have been an issue, because I was singing with the keyboard BEFORE it even went into the computer. They would have BOTH been delayed in that instance, and so, still been in time with each other.
So, I re-listened to both songs, and they seem mostly in time to me. However, in both songs, the beat leads the songs, and that could make the songs feel a little off-rhythm, almost off-beat, or syncopated. Maybe that's what you're hearing.
On the other hand, I recorded the songs immediately after writing them, because of the deadline I was up against, so there was no practice time put into it. That's probably what it is. Delaying a little where I shouldn't, here and there, because I haven't yet "learned" the song I just wrote. LOL
Well, you know what I mean, haven't perfected all the parts yet, so I am slightly unsure while I am singing, which part is coming up, and whether I am singing too long or too short, for the chord changes coming up.
But I do know what you mean. Live musicians, are feeding off the vocals along with the whole feel of the song, so they can follow wherever you go. Maria's Song has the drums coming from a keyboard, and a straight beat is going on, without changing, whereas a drummer, would have emphasized certain parts of the song along with me, which puts the whole thing in sync.
G/A I'm not offended at all, but I am surprised. "Come" has a slight latin flavor going on, that reminds some here locally, who have heard it, as Santana-esque, and knowing you like music from other cultures (well, Middle Eastern at least) I thought you were gonna dig it.
One thing I realized too late, is that the repeated guitar riff, doesn't make sense at first, because there is no beat to anchor it. Once the beat kicks in, it makes more sense, timing wise. Had I realized this, I would have put some rim clicks, brushes or something similar in the intro, to keep time before the full beat kicked in, so it was obvious that the guitar was in time and makes sense.
Maria's Song I played all the parts on keyboard. But as I mentioned before, for "Come" I played around with looping software, which is way cheating, but I tried it, cause I don't play lead guitar, only rhythm, and I thought the keyboard was not an authentic enough sounding "guitar". If I hadn't had to take my Roland Fantom x-6 back to the store, things would be different, and I could fool anybody. LOL That keyboard, like the Korg M-3 and the Yamaha Motif, all have very very good samples. The Roland GW-7 I'm using now, is a good keyboard and has some good piano and organs in it, but is weak on alot of acoustic instrument sounds. At least to me it is.
Shredd6,
Thanks for the compliments on vocals. I'm very grateful for the reassurance on my vocals, cause ashamedly, I am a lead singer that smokes like a bandit, which is classified in some religions as a bonofide "sin" for lead singers. So, I am working my way up to quitting - AGAIN- cause it is degrading my voice horribly, and I am about 65% of what I used to be vocally, and IT'S THE DAMN CIGARETTES DOING IT!!!!
Note to self...
CIGARETTES ARE BAD!!!!
