Everything Changes

[Alison]

My second effort with Reaper!

I've had many "ta-da" moments with this. A friend of mine sent a link to a bunch of videos for using Reaper, made by Kenny Gioia. They really have been helpful. I even managed to "punch in and out" with some tracks, something I could not do with Studio One.

EZ Drummer and using the midi with them still mystifies me. In this song, I used 2 different drum sounds. 1 for the chorus, one for the verse and bridge. When I double click the drums to show the midi, I get only one section. . .the song will keep playing but nothing else will come up (even if that drum set repeats). If I want the other section, I have to go back and double-click that. Same thing happens even if it repeats. Normal? Or have I done something wrong?

Anyway, I'm not sure I like this song very much. It's all about making changes. I was thinking about what my husband and I had just been through and wishing my daughter would venture out this way (I miss her the most). My son and his wife have already told her that they could get her a job out here in a heartbeat but, I think she is hesitant to make the change. . . so this song is a homage to what my husband and I endured and a hope that our daughter may follow. . . I like the idea of the song just not so much the lyrics.

Another startling (and age-defining) discovery. I mentioned in the other forum that I had to turn the gain WAY up on my interface while recording in order to hear the instrument I was recording no matter what I did with the tracks that were already there. . . well, I now have hearing aids. I've known for quite some time that my hearing was bad but never realized how bad until I got these. They actually have a "music" mode I can switch to get better clarity. . .damn my pride, should have done this a LOT sooner.

Anyway, enough here's the song, I kept it pretty much to just the basics.

Everything Changes v. 2.mp3

Finally got a friend of mine to put a decent guitar track on this. Problem 1, her guitar sound is wonderful but the high end was so extreme it overrode all the middle notes (she was finger-picking) so, I had to re-Eq it and take out a lot of the top end so I could hear the rest. Problem 2, the beginning sounds a bit distorted. I soloed all parts until I realized it was her guitar. Not sure why it would distort, maybe recorded too hot? I really worked hard at trying to balance out the guitars and I'm not sure I accomplished that.
Other problem. . .fell down a huge rabbit hole working with the drums. I was trying to quiet down the cymbal crashes when, upon playback, I discovered, there were no drums on the first verse, so I went back and tried to redo the drums as best I could. . . ugh, drums! May need an EZD session with @JD01 in the near future. Anyway, I keep on keeping on with Reaper and, so far haven't lost another project. . .yet!

Here it is. . .

Everything Changes rm.mp3

[rayc]

I was in an ongoing collaboration with two fellows who wore aids. Both wore them and both tried to "master" the recordings. They weren't successful at that. Otherwise the aids were great and they could hear quite well with them - both had the 'music" mode specifically calibrated for them specifically for the nuances of recording.
The song is good...musically it's rather like some of the pastoral Velvet Underground tracks.
The lyrical theme is fine, the wording is good and things seem to move along fairly smoothly after the 1st dozen bars.
Can't help with EZ Drummer or MIDI - sorry.

[Alison]

Thanks, @rayc, I appreciate you taking the time to listen.
I was thinking of handing this over to a friend of mine who is an excellent acoustic guitar player. My hands have a tough time playing bar chords these days (the joys of getting older) and I realize the guitar parts are a bit ragged. . .sigh!

It's going to be a while before I can get totally adjusted to these hearing aids but I do have to admit that I didn't realize how bad my hearing was until I finally broke down and got these. Hopefully, recording will improve as I get used to them.

Thanks for listening!

[vomitHatSteve]

Song sounds pretty good.

Sequencing MIDI drums is a whole skill set that you just have to practice at, I think.

Mix wise, I wouldn't mind the left acoustic coming down a few dB. Some reverb on it would also help with creating distance.

[Tadpui]

I'll give a listen when I'm in front of my studio computer later. But for the MIDI items coming out in chunks, you can glue them together so they act as a single item. You can right-click and drag to highlight multiple MIDI items, then right-click one of them and select "glue items" from the context menu. That'll make one item out of the bits and pieces. At least that works for audio/media items...I'm assuming that it works for MIDI items as well. I use this a lot once I've comped takes together and they end up with tons of cuts in them.

[Alison]

Thanks, @vomitHatSteve, I do have some reverb on both guitars but, probably not enough. I'll definitely check that out.

@Tadpui, I thought I had glued the parts together (that's one of the things JD showed me) but I guess I didn't do it right (forgot to right-click to highlight I think). I'm going to keep working on those drums!!

[JD01]

There's a weird distortion floating over the top of this mix - like an interference sound.
The left guitar is too loud I think and I reckon both guitars could do with a touch more reverb - it feels really, really close... but not in a nice way! The drums, except the cymbals, are really quiet.

Cello bass sounds good on this one, sounds like you just to spent a bit more time on the mix generally. There's a few little flubs on that left guitar too, but they won't be so prominent with a dab of reverb and turning it down a little.

[Alison]

There's a weird distortion floating over the top of this mix - like an interference sound.
The left guitar is too loud I think and I reckon both guitars could do with a touch more reverb - it feels really, really close... but not in a nice way! The drums, except the cymbals, are really quiet.

Cello bass sounds good on this one, sounds like you just to spent a bit more time on the mix generally. There's a few little flubs on that left guitar too, but they won't be so prominent with a dab of reverb and turning it down a little.

Thanks, JD. I had a lot of trouble with the guitar parts. I've sent this song to a friend of mine who does an excellent job of finger-picking. Thought I'd see what she does before I re-track the strummed guitar. Hopefully, I'll get it soon then I can do a bit of a remix on this.
I was pretty happy with the bass line, all things considered. The weird distortion could be because I had the mic's too close to my guitar?

Thanks for listening!

[Alison]

Just added a new mix in the original post. . .just FYI

[rayc]

This mix reminds me of a blend of I'll Be Your Mirror and Ocean by The Velvet Underground.
Gently flowing.


Personally I'd EQ some of the click from the kick but that's personal prob I have with most drum program kick samples these days.

[Alison]

This mix reminds me of a blend of I'll Be Your Mirror and Ocean by The Velvet Underground.
Gently flowing.


Personally I'd EQ some of the click from the kick but that's personal prob I have with most drum program kick samples these days.

Thanks, Ray! I used to love Velvet Underground so, I take this as a lovely compliment. Not too sure I understand what you mean about the kick though. . .I'll look into it. Oh, those drums. . .
Thanks for listening and commenting, I appreciate it!

[Lt. Bob]

never heard anything of your I didn't like.

Still haven't ......

drums are obviously something you're getting down but these aren't bad to my ears.

Like the song

[TripleM]

I listened to both mixes. There were things from each mix that I liked.

I thought that overall mix 2 sounded less brittle and warmer. That fits the mood of the song better.

I thought the vocal treatment was better in mix 1. The noticeable delay/reverb on the vocal in mix 2, to me, did not fit the song. It's a rather intimate song, and I think a vocal that sounds closer to the listener sounds better. The vocal in mix 1 might be a *little bit* too dry. But just a little.

With your friend's guitar, I didn't notice anything objectionable in the high end. So whatever the problem was, you addressed it well. Honestly, you could maybe add just a little high end back to it.

The bass is sounding good - no more bouncy ball sound!!!!

[JD01]

I'm guessing one labelled V2 is the new one?
The left guitar seems a bit loud and close, bit more reverb, bit less volume. The picking on the right seems nice.
That's about it really.

[Alison]

Thank you, @Lt. Bob, you are far too kind!

@TripleM, thank you! I didn't do anything to the lead vocal in mix 2, just added a little harmony in the chorus. I'll definitely go back and check the verb on the lead though because, yes, it needs to be intimate! I'll check my friend's guitar too. I think the EQ in Reaper is a lot more refined and I'm finally getting a better bass sound although, I am hoping to have a REAL bass soon!

@JD01 actually, the mix labeled "Everything Changes rm is the new mix (rm, meaning rough mix). I've tried to label all versions differently so I can find them easier. Still working out all the kinks with Reaper but, I feel like I'm getting there. . .slowly! May have a new thread in General Recording with a bunch of questions soon!

Thanks for listening everyone, I appreciate your input very much!

[TripleM]

I listened again to each mix. And boy I'm hearing a delay/reverb on #2 that I'm not hearing on #1. Maybe my ears are playing tricks on me. But the lead vocal sounds different between the two.

[Alison]

I listened again to each mix. And boy I'm hearing a delay/reverb on #2 that I'm not hearing on #1. Maybe my ears are playing tricks on me. But the lead vocal sounds different between the two.

Hmm, okay, I'll check it out. I really didn't change the lead vocals (that I recall). Thanks, definitely worth checking out!