Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Here's the first new song and demo from me in a long time. Following our recent move I've got a lot more "studio" room so hopefully this is the start of a creative period!
This is just a simple pop tune with three helpings of 330 (330/12 clean, 330/6 clean, 330/6 crunchy lead). Enjoy listening.

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_so ... ID=7592154

Nicely done, Ricardo. The vibe puts me in the mind of The Birds. I like the minor detour during the 'middle-8.' Just on a technical standpoint, the vocals are just a tad loud in the mix to my ear. Maybe some compression would help keep the voc dynamics even.

walker wrote:Nicely done, Ricardo. The vibe puts me in the mind of The Birds. I like the minor detour during the 'middle-8.' Just on a technical standpoint, the vocals are just a tad loud in the mix to my ear. Maybe some compression would help keep the voc dynamics even.

Cheers for the feedback, Mark.

I actually had a musician firend of mine tell me the vocals are too low in the mix.

One thing's for sure - the vocals are from a very rough single take and need to be re-recorded. There's a few bum notes and the room is echoey. Next time, I'll use the portable sound booth technique (blanket over the head!).

Thanks for listening.

Mr. Vincente,
Nice melody throughout...regarding vocals, the highs in your vocals go loud when you reach for notes. The even vocal patterns sounds low when two guitar parts are attacked heavily with your playing. Overall, the vocal fader will lower and raise the vocals when required...as if I'm telling you something new! Good mix overall...looking forward to more.

Addendum: To be artist, engineer, vocalist and producer, two hands only, is a chore, correct?

...wisdom

Living up to my contrarian usual self, I quite think the vocal is exactly where it should be. Add a couple of harmony parts, and you'll really have a Byrds thing going. Good job!

JimK

Thanks for listening, Joe and James.

Add a couple of harmony parts, and you'll really have a Byrds thing going

That's why we love the Byrds so much (one reason); they were so good at three part harmonies. Unless the song is truly predictable, I'm not quite so good I'm afraid. I tried to put harmonies on the chorus part but failed miserably to get it right. Although it's the chorus which needs it most, I'll have to go and stick a harmony on the verse parts. As I say, the vocals need re-recording so I'll be back ...

To be artist, engineer, vocalist and producer, two hands only, is a chore, correct?

For the most part I enjoy it. Whilst I'm doing stuff at home just for my own enjoyment, I rely on a lot of presets which I set up a long time ago and it's a pretty quick and spontaneous process. What I do find tiresome is programming drum patterns. If I had a large studio, I'd have a proper drum kit or at least a midi kit.

jimk wrote:Living up to my contrarian usual self, I quite think the vocal is exactly where it should be. Add a couple of harmony parts, and you'll really have a Byrds thing going. Good job!

JimK

With this in mind - and re-recording the original lead vocal a bit better - I went back and revisited this project.

Here are the results ...

Old version: http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_so ... ID=8258869

New version: http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_so ... ID=8258885

The new version sounds great, Richard. Seems a little REM influenced.

beatlefreak wrote:The new version sounds great, Richard.

Thanks, Kris.

beatlefreak wrote: Seems a little REM influenced.

I'll also try and take that as the compliment it was meant as but between you and me, Rickenbacker 360 or not, I can't stand REM.

I really enjoyed this Richard.
This is the sort of stuff that makes me come back for another listen.

Listening to the other tracks your influences come shining through.
'Winter Time' is excellent, and very Byrds like.
'Goodbye' starts off like 'tomorrow never knows',which is fine by me.
Other songs have a nod to the likes of 'The Enemy' and 'Manic street Preachers.
It's all good!

Thanks for sharing.

Cheers, Rob! Much appreciated feedback and praise.
I'll have to look up that MSP song as I don't know it. Not a big fan of them at all to be honest. I bought Mowtown Junk and on the basis of that first single I was convinced they were going to be just about the best thing ever. Then everything after that was just totally bland to my ears.

Edit: Just realised that "The Enemy" is probably a band I don't know and not a song by the Manic Street Preachers .... it's early ... where's that kettle?