General Music Chat

For those of you who discussed this song: the new mix is posted.
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Most of the talked about changes have been incorporated.
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Thanks, guys.

I think that it is better. However, at 1:14, & again at 1:40, the guitars seem to be at odds to me, cringingly so. Almost like they're playing two different tunes for a mere second. It's that transition chord or note that isn't working on one of them. Again, the problem may be solved by better separation, but somehow I doubt it. It does give the impression of being out of tune, but in actuality it's the approach of the two takes. One has a change that rings through the strum of the other guitar that just doesn't work. That cannot be fixed, I'll bet, without rerecording one or the other of the guitars.

The tones of the two guitars seem to be too similar, as well, to me. Somehow, I think two completely different sounding guitars would somehow work better for this recording, like the contrast between a parlor & a dreadnaught. That might even have solved the problems mentioned above. (Am I making any sense at all? I do these like I would do my own stuff, & I realize that at times I seem overly caught up in what to other ppl may seem trivial, but I do my best when you ask for an honest critique. I've listened to this one five times all the way through, & rechecked the points of contention many many more than that.)

I wish I had the two recordings side by side to compare, too. I feel like I'm missing something else, but I dunno what it is after my night of self-abuse yesterday.

Hmm, I'll have to check at 1:14 and 1:40.
Anything there that I don't like - I'll just erase it. If it's too distracting, then it doesn't belong, anyway . . .
I understand what you're saying about 2 different sounds, btw - that'd increase the separation.
Your approach to a song review is pretty much the same as mine, btw; no problem.
Alan

The mix is better, still some dissonace with the guitars as was mentioned, maybe run it through autotune? It's a last resort tool but works (sometimes). Keep at it.

Yes much cleaner and brighter! Yet this mix enlightens me to how much I dislike the (what is IMHO) the over use of vibrato in the vocals. If indeed vibrato is the correct musical terminology for the waver of a singers voice.
Not that it's "wrong" mind you, just not apealing to my sensability.
That aside, beautifull song my friend!
Thank you for sharing it with me.

Philbymon,
Do you use a D9 in many songs?

No. I use E9, C add9, but I don't think I use a D9. It isn't the chord, though, cuz I waited for its repeat at 1:20, & the effect isn't there, although the chording as I'm hearing it is the same at both points....it's the second guitar part that is single noting through the chords that's making the effect, I'm sure.

Those spots of the song use something similar to a D9.
It is a D9 add 6th, also called
D7add6add2 also called
F#7b13sus4b5/D
.
Whateevr you want to call the chord . . .
In each case, it does not stay there- but it resolves immediately into a straight D, which then adds the little finger on the E string, 5th fret.
That resolves into an A5th.

Better mix, the guitar intonation/dissonance still drives me nutz. Yes sans, that's called vibrato and I don't think it would have improved this particular song, it sounds good with no vibrato. On listening several times, I think vibrato might work nicely in a couple of places, but very sparingly.

The ending is better, I think the vocals still need to be pulled back a hair, vocals don't overpower the guitar now but if it were me I'd pull the vocals back just a bit more. As you did already, very slight changes, nothing major. I can barely tell it's been changed, which is what you want. Nothing drastic, just a slight difference. I think rather than overpowering, the vocals now compete with the guitars. I'd want the guitar to take center stage and the vocals to drift a little more to the background for the ending. If it were me...

Sounds good, I'm not sure what to think about the guitars, in one place it's only one guitar sustaining and it sounds out of tune to me. It's very noticeable at :26 and the scale at :51-:53. I hear it again at 2:10 but the one guitar chord sustained at 2:20 sounds in tune. 3:21 it's there again. I'm not sure what it is, but to me it just ruins an otherwise very nice song.

Nice song, if you can figure out the intonation or dissonance and eliminate it, the song itself is nice. The mix is good, only thing I would change is the ending, I would pull the vocals back a tiny bit more so they don't compete with the guitar part.

vastly improved Alan. yes the guitar still has the issue and I still think the lyrics could be more figurative rather than direct and dry, but a much better mix. dont give up, you'll get it right! I think you should post it on ezfolk.com

that damn song is growin on me.....

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

"thems that knows me knows better, thems that dont, dont matter"

that damn song is growin on me.....

Yeah when I listened to it the first time it kept running through my head for an hour or more, I think it's a good song if he can get the kinks worked out.

I just re-mixed "Spring Song" again.
I had to delete the Bradley Boogie to post it . . .
Fixed some of the intonation, cut lead vocals, boosted my background vocals, lotta little changes . . .

Nice job Alan!