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"Take it All" - final mix/arrangement?


BATSBREW

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after experimenting with some of your suggestions, i came up with this mix....

 

 

(updated 10-21-07)

streaming:

http://iacmusic.com/songs.aspx?SongID=47722&ArtistID=30211

or

http://tinyurl.com/2n6zb5

 

download:

 

http://download.yousendit.com/0EC7DE066B600A87

 

features the Peavey JSX Mini Colossal on all guitar parts (other than acoustic).

also features Brent Dacus on drums, drum recording by Mike Musgrove.

 

after several iterations of mixes, i think this is it.

a final mix for me, right or wrong, i stuck a fork in it.

 

moving on now, with a fresh new mix on my werewolf song for halloween.

posting soon....

 

comments are welcome.

 

 

takeitallsonarscreenbb0.jpg

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I still love the acoustic sounds you have on here. It's a very slick mix and something I think you should be very proud of. Was this all done in your home studio? The drums, especially, sound very ambient while being reigned in and focused in the mix; they compliment the overall mix very well. What kind of room and microphone arrangement were you using for percussion? The vocal track is great; it stands out in the mix without overpowering anything and is dynamically fitting. I definitely don't hear much of the room, so you totally have a great production room...I'd love to see some pics of your studio, just to see how it's laid out.

 

Nice Job.

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ProgRock11

thanks for listening....

glad you liked it.

 

this was mixed in Sonar, but originally all the tracks were recorded with roland VS machines.

 

i went back, stripped the files out of the roland, dumped them into sonar, then re-recorded the electric guitars all direct, using the peavey mini colossal.

mostly just to prove the little amp could do what it was supposed to.

 

i started with the drum mix this time, and built everything else up around it.

drums were played by brent dacus, and recorded by mike musgrove in the ft. worth area, and then discs were mailed to me. i had sent him demos to play along with, and then he sent me drum tracks back, and i started from scratch playing to those.

 

there are only 7 drum tracks, basically 5 kit mics, and 2 overheads ( i tossed the hi hat track, it sounded of ass ) ;)

 

srx bass close:

srxcloseug6.th.jpg

 

vs recording rig:

rigsmalleb7.th.jpg

 

strats and mini-c-cab:

gitsminiccabfy7.th.jpg

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FranklinPearl

no ipod action, eh?

what would it take to get you to put it on the ipod....

cash?

a new car?

maybe a hot date with hannah montana?!!!

LOL

:D

hey, that's cool... i understand.... but i appreciate the listen anyway!

the groove of this song, what you refer to as the 'swing'....

that was the number one dictate i had to the drummer, when i was talking to him about the way i wanted it done...

and he totally nailed it!

 

even when i program a machine, i'll push and pull the rhythm around the steadiness of the drum machine, to make sure it's got a hip swingin' groove!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jewel-

thanks for checking it out.

not much of a studio, eh??!!

LOL

 

but, it's enough for writing, and for getting decent recordings done.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Opus Antics

lot's of 'Yes' comparisons, i've heard on this one.... which to me, kinda hit me from out of left field....

or rather, i never saw it coming.

i guess i had more of a zeppelin, or rush background, than true prog rock... but i always dug Yes, have all of their early catelog.

maybe it rubbed off.

 

you know, on the issue of 'mass appeal', i just couldn't care less.

 

i mean, not that i don't appreciate bands that write music that way, but it's just not for me.

 

i mean, if i wanted to write songs that i thought were going to grab people across the board, i'd be coming from a different direction anyway..

but i've NEVER cared about that aspect of it.

 

i write for myself first.... and then put it out there, to see who digs it, or gets it, the way i do.

 

all i can do, is try to play it tight, sing it tight, but to try to twist it to match the current flavor, i'm just either not good enough to do that, or just really dont want to be lumped into the category to begin with.

 

i try to write stuff that sounds 'different' than the current mass appeal stuff. i really try to go another direction.

sometimes i pull it off, sometimes not.

 

when i think of Yes, i think of songs like 'long distance', or 'close to the edge', or 'see all the good people', that kind of stuff.

 

maybe i SHOULD try to write something truely old style prog rock.....

but more melodic, and classic sounding, than dream theatre style, or whoever is the current prog rock favorites.....

???

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I have to say, what a superb mix. I also love the blend of sounds you're getting. The tonality of the guitars just complements your vocal perfectly. My only reservation about the song is that it was a little difficult to follow. On one hand, that's good - you're keeping the listener guessing. On the other hand, most numbskulled non-musicians will get bored instantly. Of course, you don't care about that, and more power to you for it :)

 

I'm curious as to the order you lay your tracks down in. I know you said you used the drums from a demo as your basis, which makes a lot of sense, but what's the order afterwards, if there even is one?

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after experimenting with some of your suggestions, i came up with this mix....



(updated 10-21-07)

streaming:

http://iacmusic.com/songs.aspx?SongID=47722&ArtistID=30211

or

http://tinyurl.com/2n6zb5


download:


http://download.yousendit.com/0EC7DE066B600A87


features the
Peavey JSX Mini Colossal
on all guitar parts (other than acoustic).

also features Brent Dacus on drums, drum recording by Mike Musgrove.


after several iterations of mixes, i think this is it.

a final mix for me, right or wrong, i stuck a fork in it.


moving on now,
with a fresh new mix on my werewolf song for halloween.

posting soon....


comments are welcome.



takeitallsonarscreenbb0.jpg

I think I shall proptly burn all my equimpent and kill myself now.. *G*

 

nice stuff!

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Floophead3

thanks man, for listening and commenting!

just as a side comment, i just sold the little MINI COLOSSAL on monday...

so, it's gone!

 

as far as listeners getting bored with this one, that's actually fine with me.

 

i get bored with 98% of the stuff i hear on day to day radio, so really, i guess i would not expect anyone who was into that stuff, to get into this.

 

ii try to write stuff that pretty much asks that you become 'engaged'......

 

which means, really listen, and take it in.

 

in this day of ADHD listeners, i find i care less and less about the lowest common denominator, popularity and mass appeal, and would rather focus on what is different.

now if it's different and SUCKS, that's one thing!

LOL

then, i got a problem.......

;)

 

 

as far as track layout...

 

the way this one came together, was a riff first- then song arrangement....then program a drum pattern to fit the arrangement....

then, the drum machine goes first, and typically the guitar parts follow, then the bass, then the vocals, then any solo sections.

 

but on this one, i sent the demo to the drummer, who stripped off the drum machine tracks, applied a simple click track, then played his tracks to the music + click track.

he sent those drum tracks back to me, i wiped the slate clean, and started over!

same thing tho...

drums first.... then guitars, bass, vox, and solos.

 

 

eeglug-

glad you liked it!

 

 

 

333maxwell

no! don't burn your stuff!!

sell it on ebay, and make millions!!

LOL

glad you liked it......

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Reminds me of Yes in many ways, which seems high praise for this type of progressive pop-rock. The pretty intro, the vocal mannerisms, and then the plunge into a very muscular rock. I really liked the intro to the solo... that woke me up. Very together; I suspect it accomplishes everything you set out to do.

 

:)

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blue2blue

thanks for the critique...

i always think this is more in zep land than prog land, but so many others have suggested it has these prog-leaning, i guess i just have to go with it.

i think the reason the solo works like it does, is that the vocal melody line leaves this 'unfinished' feeling.... and then the solo section continues, and the solo kind of 'picks up' on the vibe left from the vocal preceeding....

interesting, i never really thought about it that way....

 

 

ProgRock11

brent dacus, the drummer.....

ft worth area, he plays with the symphony, does gig stew, country, rock, jazz, doesn't matter....

great player.

 

a little more info on the drums:

rode ntks for overheads. Senn 421s on all toms.. Different front head on the kick drum to make it easier to mic...huge difference. Separate mic on the hi-hat.

snare mic: betas sm57. Its got better rejection to knock the hi-hat down some and much higher proximity effect to bring out the lows in the snare.

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