General Music Chat

I've been mixing a song, "Spring Song," and - I've done it again.
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I've heard it so many times I can't tell if it's right or wrong.

First: WARNING. It's a love song; actually has the line "I love you" in it.

Hey - I do about 22 different styles of music, after all . . .
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I'm not really looking to see if you like the song or not.
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What I'm asking for, specifically, is comments about the vocals and the mixing.
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It's the first song: "Spring Song."
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Thanks guys.
ummm . . . I think . . .
Hmmm . . . considering what forum I'm on, just give me a minute to find my body armour, first. ok?

By the way - every posted song is a different style of music.
3-11-09 1:13pm EST

Well, I listened to it. Vocals sounded a little thin, meaning the mix was very dry and lacked depth.. needs just a hint of reverb or something .. I dunno. The harmonies didn't quite sound strong enough, but certainly not weak either. There were no visible vocal mistakes, but at the same time, it just sounded kind of nervous, for lack of a better term. Volumes seemed good overall.

Hard for me to critique the song just because it's so far outside of what I usually listen to.

well I'd say it's nothing a good mix won't fix... The lyrics on the other hand... well they're just so generic and lacking passion. They really create no atmosphere for the song. Try using less cut & dry phrasing and step out on the edge a bit.

www.myspace.com/blunderingeye
www.myspace.com/445175001
http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/6039/

"my dog is a bitch"

happen to agree with hayden on the lyrics not running through enough. sounds a bit 'cats in the cradle' melody - sort of, well alright just a bit

I usually don't do this but you asked.

The mix was OK, but the arrangement is a little boring. I kept picturing some cool bass or keyboards or something to spark interest.

The guitar(s) sound a little out of tune. Nothing drastic, just a few cents here and there. Make sure you use a good tuner, a strobe if you have one, and tune between each take.

The girl's voice actually grew on me, even though the lyrics were throw aways. I liked her warbly vibrato, it gave the song a spooky quality.

I would write new words and hire a killer session guy (bass or keys) and rerecord it.

Best of luck.

Very odd vocalist, there...reminds me of a girl I worked with once. Kinda limited, imho, & I don't think she fits this song. She could do Celtic stuff pretty well, though, if she livened it up a bit.

There's some chording problems in here, I think. Like some of the changes are being missed by one of the guitars, which makes it sound out of tune. Wait! No...at :52 there's a lil walk on one of them that makes it sound off...separate them farther & that might fix it.

It's kinda dirgish for a love song. Where's the jubilation & happiness...if someone loved me like that, I'd wanna cut my wrists (or hers). Sorry, but I think this melody prolly needs a story to carry it, rather than the "I love you" lyrics. It just doesn't seem to go anywhere near love as I think of it, musically or lyrically. Maybe it's her voice. Maybe it's the pace. Maybe it's the lyric or the melody. Whatever it is, it just ain't making it for me as a love song.

She just doesn't SOUND like she loves much of anything, here, like she's concentrating too hard on the simple melody to express any kind of love at all. I know simple is hard, but she's missing the feel of the lyric for me. Maybe, as Kramer mentioned, she's coming across as being nervous.

This is bothering me. I can't quite put my finger on the whole thing.

I mean, there are slews of slow love songs that work, but this one sounds almost sad in contrast to the love it's trying to express. It IS a rather sad melody. Perhaps that's it.

RM, I know I'm rambling, here, & I apologise, but I really AM trying to help, in my own small way.

If you picked up the pace, the melody might work for the lyric. If you told a story, the present pace would work. The guitars seem to be at odds in places, though, as I mentioned above. Perhaps some more separation & EQ'ing is called for on them.

and now.. my .02..
There are only vocals and guitars.. is that a complete song? Imho U need at least a hint of percussion (tamborine or something) and it's begging for a flute, keyboards or a violin..
Otherwise, good song you-all!!

Hey Alan: I felt the main vox was too hot for the overall mix. The feel of the guitar though pretty was kind of buzzy. A spanish guitar tone would have more of that easy gliding spring love song kind of day thingy.
Man its hard to express a feel sometimes.

Did you tell your singer to put on her body armor too?

I agree with a couple of comments above, vocals are too hot and guitar intonation does seem a bit off in places. Do I hear a 12 string?

Guitar needs a bit of EQ, add some lows. In the very last section at about 3:30 the vocals overpower the guitar part, guitar needs to come up, vocals down. Singer sounds good but needs to work on both phrasing and getting some POWER in her voice. Good voice, pretty good pitch control, but sounds wimpy. I don't think she should try to add any vibrato to her voice, for that song at least. Other styles, maybe, but the straight vocals she did here with no vibrato work for that song.

Some percussion here and there might not be bad, but I don't think a full drum part would be necessary, it's nice without it. But some keys might add a lot, both bass and string sounds would help a lot. Not bass guitar though, keys...like a synth bass of some sort...long slow notes to fill out the bottom end. Sort of like the way Pink Floyd uses low keys a lot. Swell in and fade out. And no, I don't hear a B3 and a leslie...(I know what you're thinking...)

As far as percussion goes, not much of it but some might help. A bit of a cymbal swell here and there, some wood blocks or tempo sticks (can't remember the proper name) If you had some Chinese temple blocks a good percussionist could do some really nice stuff in a place or two, I think that might fit here and there. But no actual drum part.

Overall, vocals just need a bit of mixing and I think the guitar intonation sounds off, that kills it altogether so it would have to be redone from scratch. Guitar part anyway.

Something a friend told me not long ago after doing a lot of studio work, have the background singers remember to NOT pronounce any hard consonants..like K, T or S...not that this one has a lot of that, but something to remember. If vocals are at 3/4, guitar should be around 1/3. Harmony vocal parts around 1/2-2/3. lead instruments should be just slightly under the overall lead vocal level. But vocals (or the ooohs anyway) during a lead should be below that lead.

Thanks for some genuine input, people.

> vocals - more echo/ reverb
> Guitars - out of tune: NOT. Perfect tuning, may be vocals.
> Bass: I don't want bass in it. The background male vocals supply the bass. I will boost them.
> Percussion. I don't want any percussion in this song,
> Flute - Yes, Absolutely. I've been looking for a flutist for over a year . . .
> Vocals too hot - ok, good, I'll cut back a tad.
> Guitar needs lows - ok.
> Supporting guitars - some will be removed.
> guitars at :52 - see above.
> Vocals hot at 3:30. I'll adjust.
> Emotions conveyed in the singing. She is new at this; give her time.
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All in all - quite a list . . .
After being saturated with this song - I lost all perspective.
When I'm in the middle of the forest, I can't see the edges.
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Thanks, again, people.
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I've got a few hours of work ahead of me . . .
I will post the re-mix when done.
Alan

Yeah, I know how you can get kinda drowned in the whole thing after working on it for hours or even days. Sometimes it's best to set it aside for a day or two, if you can manage to force yourself to do it.

Have you considered using a recorder instead of a flute? There are more recorder players than flautists, I think, that will switch off from penny whistle to recorder to harmonica to sax & such, at least in my experience. With a minimum of work, you could prolly do a reasonable recording yourself on a recorder.

Just something more to think about as you perfect your thingie...

You can't really add bass to the existing guitar track via EQ and make it sound right. Maybe play another guitar part eq'd with more low end on it and only playing the lower strings. Definitely doesn't need bass guitar on it, but I think a cello would add a lot to it, kind of fit in between the guitar and where a bass guitar would be. Vocals need to be redone with more confidence and authority, but save the current vocal track if you have enough extra tracks, and occasionally use the fader to bring it up at times for a natural chorus effect. Just don't overdo it. At least that's what all I would do if I could write pretty songs and sing like that.

Philbymon, I usually try to wait 24 hours between sessions.
Re flute/ recorder. Well, in a few months I’ve got a gig for a benefit for a Fife and drum corps.
Good chance of finding a fifer there.
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R.A. The bass is supplied by the male vocals.
As I said before, the singer is new; I’m giving her a break. She was just concentrating on hitting the right notes. Let’s not ‘dis’ her too much, ok? This is only her 2nd song.
More feeling and confidence will come when it comes.
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I've made all the changes I mentioned in my previous post. Wanted to wait till later to listen to it again.
I'm playing tonight, so it'll probably be tomorrow afternoon before I listen again.

Not that I expect you to care Alan, but I am very pleased with the fact you are willing to work with new talent. Nothing helps a newb learn and grow than to work with those of greater experience.
Being from a profession that eats its young for lunch (Nursing) To see talented musicians nurture the newbs make me feel warm and fuzzy.
With you working with her and encourging her she will have a breakthrough ! Then you will really have something to be proud of.
And so will she.
Kudos brother, bravo!