United States

This is my new band. All music is written and recorded in my basement studio. Let me know what you think! All comments welcome.

Cheers,
Alex

First, I would like to say that I like the Portrait on the Wall. Very nice.

Ok, the first thing that should be done is removing the 6 or 7 seconds of dead air from the beginning of Portrait. the space is not needed. I think there is too much treble on both of the songs and that it needs a deeper base sound to "plant" them.

The vocalist needs to pay more attention to the words. A lot of the words are being hidden because they are not finished, so pay attention to diction. Also, add variations of loud and soft...it will make the songs more interesting and less karaoke.

In the beginning of both songs, the vocals were too loud, but in the chorus of both songs, the vocals were almost drowned out. So work with the levels on that.

That's all I will say, but great job and I will definitely check back in to see what else you post.

Hi Alex. (I am Alex too by the way:)

Alex. You have asked for an opinion. Please be warned that on this site musicians say what they really think. We are all different here, we come from different schools, backgrounds, styles, genres and countries. If you ask for an opinion you WILL get a constructive criticism.

And so here it goes: I am not commenting on the music style - that is different for everybody. I am only commenting on the mixing/production and the musical qualities of the two tracks you have posted.

-OVERALL-
You have good ideas for the song arrangements. You have talent and you could make it sound great... only if...


-MUSIC-
I am a guitarist, so I will go from the guitarist point of view.
You guys are on time, the drummer knows what he is doing, but the guitar is out of tune.

=the bad=
Overall good tunes. Kurt Cobain would be proud.

Lead guitarist: Please tune your guitar better next time. You may have tuned it with a tuner, but the bridge and fretboard needs work. It sounds out of tune when you play it. Way out of tune. Have a setup done at a good shop on your guitar if you need to. Something is not right there.

Lead work on Life at a Glimpse 2:22 though 2:50 needs a lot of love. Dude awesome tune, but you just killed it. Look at your fretboard. See how huge it is? All those notes to be had, hanging there like riped peaches, do not be afraid to pluck some of them . Let it sound, let it fly. Else it sounds like your guitar just smocked a big fat joint.

Bass player. I can't hear you. Where are you at? Perhaps you are doing a kick ass job just like the drummer, but where the hell are you in that mix? I want to hear bass player please.

=the good=
Drummer - You are awesome, dude. I do not care what anyone say you are awesome. All in all those could be some kick ass tunes, give it some love and you will have it, you are almost there. The arrangements are interesting enough. With some practice the vocals will get to the right emotional intonations that your music is just begging for.

You do have talent, do not give it up. Make another 10 tunes like that, polish it all up, get that lead work up to snuff, get that bass sharper and more present and you are ready to go gigging.

The intro for to "Life at a Glimpse" is awesome, until lead totally kills it. Melody on the same tune is great. Just practice not to mess up the singing on it and you will be golden.

-MIX-
* Portrait on the wall

Yes you can mix good quality in a bedroom if you know what you are doing. Last track on my profile was recorded and mixed in a sleeper cab of T600 Kenworth semi parked in an abandoned truck stop in Lusk WY. So no excuses on mixing.

Mix on this track is awful. All sounding mushy and hard to hear what is really going on. Therefore the tune looses it's... well everything. In places I could not make out the words at all. The voice is drowned in the crescendo of bronze.

From the recording stand point it seems you guys have recorded all life in whatever room you were at the time. This is why it all so mashed up together. Consider recording all instruments separately and then EQ/Level the tracks individually.

Your drummer is on time, record him alone with a click in head phones, then record the rest of your tracks (bass first, then guitars then vocals) ONE AT A TIME. That way you can level and EQ everything perfectly.

Once you do that you have yourself a good song man.

* Mix on Life at a Glimpse is better, though guitar in only left channel is not my personal favorite arrangement. I do not mean the part the guitarist is playing, but the mix itself. Get that thing close to the center please.

Pease!

so it's lo-fi...
the mix aint perfect...

BFD...it still kicks ass!

Being born and raised in Grunge Country, I can tell you you guys freaking rock! take all the advice of these other folks, and apply. With the gear you have, you don't need to settle for the "hums" and noise.

I get so sick of the someoldsameold sh*t...You don't sound like anyone I can think of, and THAT is freakin' nice!

very nice, guys...thanks for sounding like YOU!!!!
I'm watching you guys!

You get a good recording, you guys will be dangerous

Thanks to those who have submitted a response thus far. We are much appreciative and will use this criticism to further our music. Hope to catch each of you down the road and thank you personally. Keep the comments coming.

Cheers,
Karma Breakdown

Hmmm I don't see the reference to Grunge that much. Sounds like jams to me, not so grungy? But yea that's kinda off-topic.
Cool songs, but it's just not my thing.

I agree with most of what's been said, esp by Jessica. Enunciation & clarity makes it for me, sometimes to the point that I've been known to overdo it. (Just as bad, btw!)

Overall, I like your basic premise, & look forward to its development into a more finished work.

You have a good overall sound.

Thanks for posting you music.
Sounds a bit to busy to me at points in the song listed first. So much so the crescendo is lost all together.
Too much trebble. More vocal clarity needed at the chorus.
Just my 1.5 cents.

Nice to meet you Alex.
Nice songs, especially Life At A Glimpse.
You have a good voice with a great tone
but only thing I see is sometimes you sound
flat(that is ok I am flat on some of my songs too hehe)
Just keep working on that, I know I definitely
am working on that cause I feel it makes
us better singers.
It is really opinion though cause I know
some people like the rawness of emotion
no matter how on pitch the voice is.
Overall though I like the energy of the band,
You guys really do seem to click well.
This is not really my type of music
but believe me this appeals to tons of
people out there.
It has sort of a Nirvana/Ben Folds kind of vibe
going on.
Hey do what You love and that is the important thing.