Latest mobile recording session (Amy Winehouse Tribute Band)

[Bill L]

So last night I was asked to record an Amy Winehouse Tribute band that has a lot of local pros (and many of them are friends of mine, which is how I got the gig). Anyway, we recorded this live for a demo so they can lip synch a video for promotional purposes. Some quick info on what I did. It was recorded in an old mill building that was repurposed as a rehearsal, recording space.

Recorded using an Behringer X32 Rack with a 32 channel Behringer digital stage box using Presonus Studio One V3.
Drums were recorded with kick, snare and 2 over heads. (beta 52, random snare mic and a pair of Apex SDC overheads)
Bass was direct from the guitar, not the amp direct out
Guitar was an Epiphone Sheariton or Dot, old and I'm not sure if it's modified through a Vintage Pro Reverb with a Sennheiser E 609
Horns were all live using Samson Q7's (SM 58 equivalent)
Keys were direct out of his Roland keyboard amp (not sure which one but I see them all of the time so I should know by now).
Vocals were done with the mics that were set up at the facility (which were SM 58's that were already there. I had mics but why bother? )

I still have a lot of work to do but, as always, I'd like to hear what you guys think (understanding that I can't change any performance issues but I can fix any mix issues).

Valerie Take 1.mp3

Amy Winehouse Pic.jpg

The pic was taken during one of the tunes (don't remember which one).

[SweetDan]

That sounds amazingly good! They're tight. Nice recording too.

Just some minor things stuck out:

- There are some missed rhythms or notes in the bass line; these you should be able to copy/paste similar notes from other parts of the song to fill in these glitches, even though you said you can't fix performance issues. Wrong note at :18, :27. Weird timing pitch thing at :47-:48. Dropped notes 2:21-2:22, 3:30.

- Sounds like the background singers are singing harmonies lower that the lead vocal, but even given that, their tone sounds a bit heavy and "close" (proximity effect?); maybe a bit of panning and EQ to lighten their part up

[rayc]

White board speakers so no quality, (I'm working at present).
Nice capture.
I'm not a fan of the original so the covers don't do much for me - nice horn riffs.
Cool work.

[JD01]

Bill, this sounds really tidy. Well impressed with that, particularly for a single live take.

[Greg_L]

The singer's affecting the affect of Winehouse's voice is too much for me. But that has nothing to do with you. You did a great job capturing all that. I'd say it needs more spread in the mix. It's all pretty centered, and it still sounds good, but more breathing room between all the stuff would be good.

[vomitHatSteve]

I'm a little disappointed that it's not you on vocals, Bill. I think you'd make a great Winehouse!

[Bill L]

Hey guys, thanks for all of the replies. As I mentioned, they were using these audio clips for a sample video to use for bookings. So they did their video shoot a few weeks ago and they just released these videos. Obviously, they are pantomiming to the earlier recorded tracks. Knowing what I know of tribute bands in this area, these guys are near the top and, in the case of Amy Winehouse, there's no one to compete with.

Here's the 2 videos I've seen:

[BBvideo=560,315]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jY6wjF9ng3w[/BBvideo]

Here's a full song:

[BBvideo=560,315]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LVWax6LyGQ[/BBvideo]


I should also add how much I hate tribute bands. Sadly, that's what places want to book around here. And if you look like them, even better.

[Greg_L]

I should also add how much I hate tribute bands.

Fuck yeah, I hate those fucks too.

[Lt. Bob]

horns are missing in action.
You can't hear it's a group of horns ..... that one horn dominates so much that sometimes it sounds like it's just one horn and I didn't even know there was a bari till I looked at the pic ... and they're just sorta there.

I basically hear this all the time on horns.
Horns should be mixed as if they were background vocals ... you should be able to hear all of them and discern the words they're saying ... horns don't have words but you know what I mean.

Otherwise it sounds great .... the vocals sound very good.

Nice!!

I too hate tribute bands but at least this one is pretty good.

[vomitHatSteve]

I don't like tribute bands OR amy winehouse! Wheeeee!

[Greg_L]

As much as I absolutely loathe tribute bands, I have to keep reminding myself that it's not entirely their fault. Sure, they lack any hint of artistic integrity, but if stupid braindead idiot people didn't pay to go see that garbage, they wouldn't exist.

[Lt. Bob]

I was asked a few years back to play in a Pink Floyd tribute band.
Now, I LOVE Pink Floyd ..... but that note-for-note thing is not being a musician to my taste.
it's being a typist.

I often compare players that can only think in terms of playing stuff note-for-note as a secretary taking dictation from an author.
He/She might type every single word of that book but they're not an author .... they're just the typist.
That's how I see it when you play something note-for-note and do that every single time you play it without even the possibility of doing anything else.

Having said that, everyone does what makes sense to them and certainly in my early days ( so freakin' long ago) I learned stuff note-for-note ..... it's one way of learning.

But I told the Pink Floyd band no thanks.
They actually have a semi-big concert on Orlando coming up and part of their ads say that they will be playing DSOM "note-for-note".

Just not something I want to do anymore.

[Bill L]

horns are missing in action.
You can't hear it's a group of horns ..... that one horn dominates so much that sometimes it sounds like it's just one horn and I didn't even know there was a bari till I looked at the pic ... and they're just sorta there.

I basically hear this all the time on horns.
Horns should be mixed as if they were background vocals ... you should be able to hear all of them and discern the words they're saying ... horns don't have words but you know what I mean.

Otherwise it sounds great .... the vocals sound very good.

Nice!!

I too hate tribute bands but at least this one is pretty good.

Thanks for the input Lt. Bob. When I got back home (just now) I listened again and I hear the horns very clearly. They're mixed heavy to the left channel with reverb and delay being stereo. So either my left speaker is not playing nice with my right or perhaps something on your end.

I completely agree with you regarding the mix on the horns. In fact, the Bari is mixed more upfront (in my opinion, anyway) than the others. The trumpet, of course, cuts through and the tenor is just adding flavor/texture. The Winehouse stuff is very bari-centric and I tried to bring that to the mix.

I don't like tribute bands OR amy winehouse! Wheeeee!

I love the horns and the old time vibe of the Winehouse tunes. Just not a big fan of hers.

As much as I absolutely loathe tribute bands, I have to keep reminding myself that it's not entirely their fault. Sure, they lack any hint of artistic integrity, but if stupid braindead idiot people didn't pay to go see that garbage, they wouldn't exist.

I kind of get it and I kind of don't. I mean, if you like Floyd or Tom Petty you're just not going to see them live and if a band is willing to put on a competent show I guess that's cool. A friend of mine was in a Zep tribute and they were awesome. They were close enough to the originals (or in their case live versions) but still were able to play what they wanted and that was kind of cool. The note for note bands, like Boob mentions, are cool too, I guess. I'd just never want to see that. I'd rather listen to the original. But people seem to pay to see even really bad tribute bands. That's why I decided to start doing sound rather than trying to book my own band. Never mind that we all play in other bands (which can make scheduling things a nightmare) but half of the band are first call for their positions (the bass player and myself but for sound). Not to mention I get paid more in accordance to what I feel I should be paid doing sound rather than playing. Around here, depending on a number of factors, most guys in a band are lucky to make $100 per gig. Even the "A" list guys (and I'm talking old school national and international veterans) don't make much more than that at the local venues (consistently and in the local area. Not tours in Europe). I mean, I had the baritone sax player for Jimmy Vaughan play a gig with me for $50 and drinks (he doesn't drink so there was no actual incentive for him). The night before, he was on stage with Jimmie and Eric Clapton at Madison Square Garden. Of course, he didn't do that for the money but still...


As far as playing in one of those tribute bands? I was asked to play guitar in a Petty tribute but I ended up not doing it. I find it difficult to imagine a reason why I would want to. Even the wedding band circuit I'd find difficult to do. A number of my friends do it. Some of them have for years. Others play for a bit, take a lot of time away and then go back. The money in the wedding/corporate/function band is very good. I just know I'd be miserable playing it.

[musicturtle]

Good work [mention]Bill L[/mention] !

Really clean recording.

[Lt. Bob]

As far as playing in one of those tribute bands? I was asked to play guitar in a Petty tribute but I ended up not doing it. I find it difficult to imagine a reason why I would want to. Even the wedding band circuit I'd find difficult to do. A number of my friends do it. Some of them have for years. Others play for a bit, take a lot of time away and then go back. The money in the wedding/corporate/function band is very good. I just know I'd be miserable playing it.

The corporate thing does pay well but I know guys that do that and they get kinda strange and it alters their view of music somehow.

If you do it for a living, unless you're in Louisiana where there's still a pretty busy music scene, it's difficult if not impossible to do with a band.
That's why I do a solo ..... with tips I make from a couple hundred to as much as 5 a gig and I can book most nights.
I'm currently booked permanently 4 nights a week with a permanent 5th night half the year .... so my booking consists of booking my Mon., Tues. and Wed.'s.
I make decent money this way but if I were in a band, like you say .... I'd make maybe 100 bucks a night and I wouldn't be booked but 7 or 8 gigs a month.
The way I do a solo, I've come to enjoy it but playing with other musicians is better and if I didn't have a mortgage that's what I'd do.
But for me it's business and I make fairly good money as a solo.

Sound guys can book themselves about as much as they want and they get paid better than players AND doing sound well is almost as demanding and creative as playing IMO.
I've done sound for all my bands for 50 years and do occasionally do hired sound work and I enjoy it quite a bit.

Plus you get weight-bearing exercise to keep your bone density up.