Please critique this tune for me!

infiniti driver · « **on:** 7 Feb 2004, 03:31 am »

I put this in the wrong forum yesterday thinking I was putting it here (Duh) So I moved it here......if you would RIGHT CLICK /Save AS on the link and let me know what you think about this tune, changes, etc.

I do appreciate any comments good or not so good!

This is something I banged out that has a decent feel. Although it is simple:

Ch 1/2 Emu XL-7 (Basic drum beat)
Ch 3 Acoustic Bass
Ch 4/5 Midi Synth
Ch 6 Parker Electric guitar, B&K 4006, Marshall Amp, Celestion Speaker
Ch 7 Crash Cymbal
Ch 8 Dream station high hat (needs editing fade at the foot)

Ok, it is a rough mix, but it has its moments. See if this instumental needs anything...all ideas are welcomed. I called it guitar practice, the name is Meta-Guitar-force.

To d-load, right click/save as. 5Meg MP3 file using VBR/320/184

Afterall, it is all about music and emotion.

Good or bad, some feedback would be helpful. Thanks!

http://www.mz1.us/mp3s/download.php?band_id=82&song_id=133&mode=song_hifi

mgalusha · « **Reply #1 on:** 7 Feb 2004, 04:14 am »

Very cool! I'm not a musician, so take my comments with a whopping grain of salt.

IMO I think the drum track should be lower in the mix. My reasoning is that it's too accurate and repetative and takes away from the flowing sound of the guitar. Of course I was playing this on my computer which is pretty far from hi-fi. I listend to it again just now and I still think the synth drums are too prominent.

Thanks for sharing, it's very cool to participate, however slightly, in the creative process.

Mike G.

Rob Babcock · « **Reply #2 on:** 7 Feb 2004, 05:19 am »

Hmmm...I get a message saying, "ERROR! Sorry- deep linking to songs and images is not allowed"

nathanm · « **Reply #3 on:** 7 Feb 2004, 05:28 am »

Well as someone who does this same kind of self-recording\synthetic backing vs. guitar kind of thing myself, I'll offer my 2 cents. Believe me, I am not trying to take the piss out of your recording - I could say the same things about my own work! Heh!

1. You've got good guitar chops, no criticism there.

(I can't play leads fer crap!)

2. The guitar seems to be swimming in a sea of reverb - either that or the pad sound from the synth is getting in the way. If this was the idea then okay, but personally I think it really detracts from the playing. Since the guitar part is what is driving the tune it should be up front.

3. Since the drum machine part is ostinato it draws neagtive attention to itself and its drum sounds. I know all too well how hard it is to get a drum machine to sound good in a mix. Anyway, the drums are the loudest part of the mix and very dry in contrast to the rest of the sounds. The snare sound isn't bad but the hi-hats are very fakey sounding. Then there's the occassional really loud toms and crash off to the left. Not the greatest.

4. I would reverse the treatment of the elements - make the synth background bed receed and put a much drier guitar track front and center. Other than that all I would suggest is to tweak the drum part so that there is more variety in the track. Switch to a ride cymbal for a few measures perhaps, and make a bunch of alternative fills to spice it up. (the tedious part!)

infiniti driver · « **Reply #4 on:** 7 Feb 2004, 05:29 am »

You have to right click/save as, and download. I don't have the address set-up to stream it here..but if you would like to stream it and can go to 208KBS stream speed minimum....her it is!

Click on this link, open the window and then you can hit the stream. Called Meta guitar force.

It may be #1 (ratings are reset several times a day) and if not, just look for it under Abercrombie IV, Meta guitar force.

Hopefully you will not have to log in to the site to stream it.

http://www.mz1.us/mp3s/chart.php?order=1&pagebreak=40&pagenum=1

Rob Babcock · « **Reply #5 on:** 7 Feb 2004, 05:43 am »

Wow, I really like it. I'd have to say I disagree with Nathan on one point- I really love the guitar sound, and I think the reverb really works on the guitar. The cheesey drum sounds are a distraction, and they are mixed too prominently. If you backed 'em off a little and added some bass drums to the mix you'd have a winner (of course, I'm listening on my 2" computer speakers, so maybe there is some bass drum!

).

You do have some chops! And I really loved the tune. I'd be pretty interested in hearing more, and certainly I'd love a listen once you hammer out the percussion problems (assuming you mean to).

infiniti driver · « **Reply #6 on:** 7 Feb 2004, 05:44 am »

This particular copy of it was not mixed on the big system at all, it was mixed on the boom box which is nothing but midrange. I agree that I could bring the guitar up (once I settle on the correct chops). The channels 1/2-5/6 were rolling in 2mix when I laid the guitar track live, with no idea where it would go and no edits..total ad-lib practice..I just punched record and laid it. Actually the mix is not a mix at all..it was unity feed from the recording (recordings are never recorded at proper level so that is why you feed the multitrack to the mixer and do it right) and summed through the computer by stacking a bunch of wave files on top of each other. If this tune has some potential, I think it may be worthy of a really good mix, and better recording, live drums etc..but before I go to the effort, I want to see if it "grabs" anyone first. I am exploring vibe with it anyway..and I really am not that good a guitarist, I do better on bass but this parker axe basically plays itself!

Keep up the critique!!

Rob, were you able to access the tune yet?..

Now if you really want to hear a better mix Nathan, go to that site (lots of artists there) and check out "weebles" (they don't fall down)..this was a full 8 channel mix, real drums and vocals. This was done in 97 but it still works good..

infiniti driver · « **Reply #7 on:** 7 Feb 2004, 05:50 am »

PS...this link will allow for checking out the other tune. Warning, I do say the f word..but that was 7 years ago and I was exploring light metal then...seeing if it would vibe.

http://www.mz1.us/mp3s/bands/82/music.php

nathanm · « **Reply #8 on:** 7 Feb 2004, 06:02 am »

Crikey - these webpages are a total mess! Broken link city!

Anyway, I seem to have managed to download a few in spite of the chaotic text. "spread of the dragon"

infiniti driver · « **Reply #9 on:** 7 Feb 2004, 06:22 am »

Exploring some things, I think you need their cookie to take full advantage of that site...

grub · « **Reply #10 on:** 9 Feb 2004, 06:08 am »

yeah man! cool track. I just have a couple of suggestions, but I really enjoyed the lead playing too.

I think you could make the sustained ambient chords a little hipper by voicing them a bit differently (I'd suggest adding some stuff a little lower, but you don't want to foul up the bass hits, so not too low). You could tweak the progression a little bit if you want some more variety. You don't need to add any different chords, but just add some extra notes into it (Experiment, and use your imagination. Dont' be afraid of sound masses with some bite).

Another suggestion is don't be afraid to "take it outside" a bit. Some good ways to mix it up are playing pentatonic and wholetone licks...wholetone's are a great way to carry the listener away from tonality (you can take them on a harmonic journey). Lots of guys like to combine both (playing a short pentatonic lick and then repeating it up a whole step, and up and up and up....) ; )

nice little diddy though--I'm putting it in my collection!
-->grub

infiniti driver · « **Reply #11 on:** 9 Feb 2004, 02:52 pm »

Thanks Man!

I put some 2 buss compression, (afterall, only the guitar is the "real sound) on the entire track and it brought the snare down, and theguitar up some. I do take everyones advice and tonight I am going to track it with real drums and make the fills stronger. I feel the rythum part needs to be separatly tracked as well but I just don't want it to get too reputicious. I think I will substitute an electric bass for the upright but also track the upright and make a comparison. On the site it is posted, it seems to also be pretty well received, achieving number 10 slot for all time popularity...but the kicker is if I repost it, it will lose its standing so I will attempt to repost it under a "redux" name.

Anyone else? I got plenty of time to work on this thing and it will be part of another album with others tunes. Thanks for the notes!