Safe Words

[JD01]

This is a re-working of the first song I started working on when I joined the other forum

Always really liked this song, but it was a bit ambitous for my first project and I never got it sounding anything like what I wanted it too.

Greg will probably remember a few early versions of this

[Bubba]

Is it....

monkman.jpg

I'll listen later, fella.

[JD01]

Is it....

monkman.jpg

I'll listen later, fella.

[vomitHatSteve]

I don't think I'd mind the crashes coming down a notch on the chorus and the vocals coming up a touch on the verses.

A lot of string rattle on that bass line. Not really my style, but I'm guessing that's what you wanted?

[WhiskeyJack]

Right out of the gates i like the bass. Is this re-tracked or is it older from the original time you set about it?

The crashes are a bit loud. And the stereo seperation sounds just a little too unnatural and a bit dry. but only for my own tastes. If you like it keep it. I just would give them a bit more space in the mix to glue them together a bit more. Either sending them to a verb or just narrowing that stereo gap.

You got your EZD ride sounding really fkn awesome. kudos. I can't get that thing to sound good ever. Is it a ride or is it a crash just with the velocity dialed way way back?

I think of he last few mixes of yours i have heard this might be my personal favorite Jdood.

[JD01]

Cheers guys,

Crashes down, no worries. The chorus is the EZD Giant Beat Crash. The verse is one of the rides, don't know which one.

The bass was tracked on Friday morning so it's a new one. In fact everything has been retracked except a couple of clean licks in the verse that don't really matter anyway.

I also look into the separation on my cymbals to try and make them more natural, Bubba has mentioned that before on other tracks.

[rammer24]

I thought this section was slow lately. Then I realized that it's only because I haven't come in here to check out new stuff.

I hear nothing wrong with this other than I'd bring the vocals up. I'm a sucker for soft verses and loud choruses. This one scratches me right where I itch. Nice, dark mood, aggressive.

Drums sound probably the best I've ever heard from you. Though, when they're almost playing alone at about 3:20, the snare does sound a little box-y. But I don't hear that during the rest of the tune when the whole "band" is playing.

Diggin' the guitars lines in the outro.

Just bring up those vocals, and Bob's your uncle. I really like it.

[JD01]

Cheers Rami. I'll try and remix this based on the comments from you guys next week.

[Bubba]

Really good, JD . Sorry it's took so long for me to get around to listening. The bass is sounding a lot better. I still think there's slightly too much of the rhythm guitars and the vocal could come up a touch, especially in the choruses. There is nothing to be ashamed of in that vocal, get it loud and proud. I think the treatment of it is spot on, too.
The solo tone is a lot better but really needs some finger wobble on the held notes. There has been talk that the cymbals are a bit loud and I still feel that's the case, although I do see the need for them to be thrashing away a bit.

All in all this is the best mix I've heard from you, and a good song, too.

By the way, I was listening to the radio this morning and a song by Therapy? came on - I haven't listened to them much before, but it really reminded me of your stuff. It was called "Screamager".

[JD01]

Really good, JD . Sorry it's took so long for me to get around to listening. The bass is sounding a lot better. I still think there's slightly too much of the rhythm guitars and the vocal could come up a touch, especially in the choruses. There is nothing to be ashamed of in that vocal, get it loud and proud. I think the treatment of it is spot on, too.
The solo tone is a lot better but really needs some finger wobble on the held notes. There has been talk that the cymbals are a bit loud and I still feel that's the case, although I do see the need for them to be thrashing away a bit.

All in all this is the best mix I've heard from you, and a good song, too.

By the way, I was listening to the radio this morning and a song by Therapy? came on - I haven't listened to them much before, but it really reminded me of your stuff. It was called "Screamager".

No worries, mate. I know you have other shit to deal with at the moment.

I dithered a fair bit with the heavy rhythms and chorus vocals - I might try turning the vocals up a touch in the chous. Aside from that, I'll just turn the cymbals down a touch and narrow them slightly.

On the lead vibrao thing - I was thinking about it this morning while tracking something else, I know what you mean now, I just don't think I'm that into it...

I remember Therapy. Don't remember Screamager particularly but I remember the Troublegum album and there were a few good tunes on it.

[Greg_L]

Damn I thought I responded to this already..

Anyway, like the mix you just posted, I think the bass is way too clacky. But the rest seems pretty okay to me. I think the bashing crash cymbals can come down some. Dry the vocals out a little. Guitars seems to have a little better shine than usual. Your timing is off on those middle chugs. That section sounds pretty amateurish like that. I think that whole breakdown is unnecessary, but if you have to have it, make it tighter. Really, the entire second half of the song is 2 minutes of just mostly superfluous music and it seemed to drag on to me. That's just me though. The mix is probably one of your better mixes.

[JD01]

Cheers, Greg - when you hadn't commented I figured you were just sick to death of this song!

I'll retrack that bass line and guitars in the interlude when I get a mo, its only two chords!

I know what you mean about the structure - its odd having three verses/choruses (chori?) before the interlude and solo, I did think about rejigging it to stick the third verse after the solo but I started to like it the way it was.

[einstein magoo]

Vocals up please, a bit more on verses and a couple bits more on choruses. I'm with Greg on second half of song. Just kind of meanders along. Kept waiting for the vocal to come back and put some SCREAMING closure to the thought. Good playing and vocals!

[JD01]

Vocals up please, a bit more on verses and a couple bits more on choruses. I'm with Greg on second half of song. Just kind of meanders along. Kept waiting for the vocal to come back and put some SCREAMING closure to the thought. Good playing and vocals!

Cheer's Einstein.. you and Greg have me thinking now whether I can just do a hatchet job on it and just swap the interlude and 3rd verse/chorus around without retracking anything.!

[Greg_L]

Cheers, Greg - when you hadn't commented I figured you were just sick to death of this song!

Lol no. I downloaded it like a week ago. I've listened to it. I was just clearing off my desktop and thought to myself "did I go back and comment?" And I hadn't. That happens to me a lot. I'll see something new at a time when I can't listen right then and there and then forget to go back to it.

[Greg_L]

Cheer's Einstein.. you and Greg have me thinking now whether I can just do a hatchet job on it and just swap the interlude and 3rd verse/chorus around without retracking anything.!

Since it's obviously done to a grid, you should be able to if the chord progression works out. Do tiny crossfades to blend it back together.

I've arranged songs like that in demo-phase may times. I'll track my scratch tracks, and then swap around entire sections to suit my whims. Then I'll track it the new way for real.

[JD01]

Cheers, Greg - when you hadn't commented I figured you were just sick to death of this song!

Lol no. I downloaded it like a week ago. I've listened to it. I was just clearing off my desktop and thought to myself "did I go back and comment?" And I hadn't. That happens to me a lot. I'll see something new at a time when I can't listen right then and there and then forget to go back to it.

I do that too, I can't easily listen to stuff on weekday evenings unless I have stuff set up for mixing, so I end up downloading stuff onto my phone and just listening on earbuds or in the car then completely forgetting about it.

[JD01]

Cheer's Einstein.. you and Greg have me thinking now whether I can just do a hatchet job on it and just swap the interlude and 3rd verse/chorus around without retracking anything.!

Since it's obviously done to a grid, you should be able to if the chord progression works out. Do tiny crossfades to blend it back together.

I've arranged songs like that in demo-phase may times. I'll track my scratch tracks, and then swap around entire sections to suit my whims. Then I'll track it the new way for real.

It should work quite easily actually - I'm not stamping on any pedals when tracking, the clean guitars and dirt guitars are tracked separately - so just picking up a chorus and sticking it somewhere else shouldn't cause too much trouble.

[rayc]

Cut & paste - the magic of a DAW.
Experiment with it but save the original project.
James, do you croon? Just wondering - most of your tracks are angst ridden which is cool but this one made me wonder.
Safe Words - maybe there should be a sub forum on the topic.
The clanky bass suits the kick drum on this one.

[JD01]

Cut & paste - the magic of a DAW.
Experiment with it but save the original project.
James, do you croon? Just wondering - most of your tracks are angst ridden which is cool but this one made me wonder.
Safe Words - maybe there should be a sub forum on the topic.
The clanky bass suits the kick drum on this one.

Croon? WTF?!?!?!? No Chance! I can barely even sing at all.

Cheers thoug, ray.