SUGAR DU

[rayc]

Here's one that's been bubbling since Nov.
It was pretty well sorted musically but I had no melody or lyri.
The lyric came in a fell swoop to me two days ago - a bit of a laugh after watching a doco on Emo - and the melody, well, after listening to the backing for so long I couldn't divorce myself from the guitar lines I'd thrown in.
Still multitracked vocals as I've not had time to comp. I've just finished tracking them 1st to last attempt at the "melody & phrasing" in an hour.
NO tuning YET. The multi gives a false sense of averaged tuning anyway.
Thoughts?

SUGAR DU190223.mp3

Here's a version with comped vocals and some panning of bvox etc.

A little tidier but lots of timing to sort:

This mix addresses some of the vocal timing issues...it's also a result of rendering/freezing a bundle of tracks as I discovered Spectrum Matcher, even when in it's "freeze" mode, is a CPU hog.

I've implemented the suggestions from vHS & Armistice...

This is where my brain takes me with the assistance of tuning. I've only tweaked the backing/support vocals though. I think the harmonies REALLY help the boring verse.

New mixed based on the things MMM mentioned.

I've had a crack at singing more aggressively...finally had the house to myself for an hour or so.
man, being a hermit is bad for the voice...I can barely talk some days and trying to sing, aggressively, really hurt. I ended up talking for one chorus just to get some implied aggression happening.
Pitch wise this isn't too bad. I can do the simple verses close enough but the aggro parts of the chorus "GO AWAY" are hard to hit a note with.
Well, I gave it a crack.
I wanted to do another song today but I may have to leave it as I've coughing, spluttering and had a reflux burn episode, (though that may the part of a two day migraine hangover - not sure).
These are single takes on this mix. I have a couple of more takes I can comp from but, for this mix, I assumed my last takes were the better ones.

APRIL REVAMP

I had a little twiddle and found I had a close enough vocal to run as a double track on the verse.

Better?


I gave it a few days. I couldn't get a better, crankier vocal out so tried to "fix it in the mix". A bit of panning in the outro and a little less bass.


FINISHED - well, I'd had enough. The master isn't too bad...pity about the vocal.

MST Sugar.mp3

[vomitHatSteve]

That drum fill at the start sounds super-fake, but I kinda like it.

I like the bass tone here

The lead and bg vox are drifting apart from each other throughout. I think the bgvox might just be slightly behind?

[rayc]

Thanks @vomitHatSteve,
I've lifted the octave higher take I did of the verse but will need to fix the timing.
Oddly my pitch was better an octave up.
I also need to sort out the 1st syllable of the song...& probably of each verse too.

[vomitHatSteve]

Oddly my pitch was better an octave up.

Interesting. Maybe your comfortable range is just different from what you thought it was before?

[Alison]

Cool song, Ray, as usual! I heard a couple of timing issues with the vocals but nothing really serious, gave it the "human" element.

For what it's worth, I really enjoyed the song!

[rayc]

Cool song, Ray, as usual! I heard a couple of timing issues with the vocals but nothing really serious, gave it the "human" element.
For what it's worth, I really enjoyed the song!

Thanks Alison,
I think I've addressed a lot of the timing stuff with the latest mix but I did opt to keep it human.
Almost no tuning in this one.

[vomitHatSteve]

Yeah, timing is sounding better. It's still a little drifty, but maybe not so much so that a casual listener would notice.

The guitar solo could probably come up a few DB. You've got it at about the same relative level that you used to put your vocals.

[Armistice]

Oddly my pitch was better an octave up.

I don't think it's odd at all as the same thing goes for me. I find it much harder to control pitch down at the deep end than up towards the top of my range - I think the muscle memory is more developed up higher as it's more often used via trying to sing songs from the 95% of pop/rock singers who aren't baritones...

Have you ever considered not doing the multiple layered vocals singing the same melody line? To me those slight octave up vocals sounds like an "error" - as they don't match well enough and they're a bit not quite there. I think they work well enough in the chorus parts, but consider cutting them in the verses - you'll get an extra dynamic hit in the chorus. Or perhaps not on every line? Maybe do them every second line for instance, just for variation.

Good song, and your voice is definitely starting to sound more confident - and the melodic turn of the vocal in the end of the chorus is really good.

[rayc]

Yeah, timing is sounding better. It's still a little drifty, but maybe not so much so that a casual listener would notice.

The guitar solo could probably come up a few DB. You've got it at about the same relative level that you used to put your vocals.

Thanks Steve,
Solo up now. It's where it was for the same reason as my usual vocals...it's by me & pitiful.
Thanks.

[rayc]

Oddly my pitch was better an octave up.

I don't think it's odd at all as the same thing goes for me. I find it much harder to control pitch down at the deep end than up towards the top of my range - I think the muscle memory is more developed up higher as it's more often used via trying to sing songs from the 95% of pop/rock singers who aren't baritones...

Have you ever considered not doing the multiple layered vocals singing the same melody line? To me those slight octave up vocals sounds like an "error" - as they don't match well enough and they're a bit not quite there. I think they work well enough in the chorus parts, but consider cutting them in the verses - you'll get an extra dynamic hit in the chorus. Or perhaps not on every line? Maybe do them every second line for instance, just for variation.

Good song, and your voice is definitely starting to sound more confident - and the melodic turn of the vocal in the end of the chorus is really good.

I did harmony lines a couple of songs ago. This time around, to avoid castigation, I've attempted to roll with almost no tuning hence the simplistic approach as I'd need to do a fair chunk of tuning to get harmonies right.
I've dealt with the high verse voice as you've suggested...thank you.

[vomitHatSteve]

Yeah, that level sounds more balanced

[TripleM]

I listened to the last 3 mixes and I like "skinny 2" the best. Great energy to the whole thing.

The bass could use a little warming up - maybe add (back) some low midrange. Like in the 500hz-800hz range. And every time you hit the F# there is a boomy frequency. Try to zone in on that and notch it out.

I think you could pull the bass down a couple of dbs and boost the rhythm guitars a db or so. I wonder if you could brighten up the guitars too - like a gentle boost in the 3Ks.

Like the guitar break in the middle.

[rayc]

@Armistice,
I've tweaked the backing/support vocals to add harmony...it really helps but is an "abomination" I know.
Pretty subtly done I think - well, for me.

[rayc]

I listened to the last 3 mixes and I like "skinny 2" the best. Great energy to the whole thing.

The bass could use a little warming up - maybe add (back) some low midrange. Like in the 500hz-800hz range. And every time you hit the F# there is a boomy frequency. Try to zone in on that and notch it out.

I think you could pull the bass down a couple of dbs and boost the rhythm guitars a db or so. I wonder if you could brighten up the guitars too - like a gentle boost in the 3Ks.

Like the guitar break in the middle.

I'll try those things for the mix after Harm Done.

[Greg_L]

I really like this one Ray. Good energy to the song overall. Your vocals are lacking the same energy though. You're talk-singing and seemingly near the bottom of your range. I feel like you should be shouting this thing. But I know that vocals aren't your thing, so whatever. Mix sounds pretty good. Great bass sound. I think the guitars could come up some.

[rayc]

I really like this one Ray. Good energy to the song overall. Your vocals are lacking the same energy though. You're talk-singing and seemingly near the bottom of your range. I feel like you should be shouting this thing. But I know that vocals aren't your thing, so whatever. Mix sounds pretty good. Great bass sound. I think the guitars could come up some.

Thanks Greg,
I did one track of almost shouting but backed away from the mic too far so it doesn't register as intended.
When I get a little time with the house empty I'll give it another crack as the vocals are a real energy black hole - particularly the verses.
New mix has the guitars raised a bit.

[JD01]

I'm coming in on the final mix.
I think it sounds pretty good, good song, interesting changes. Guitars sound good, bass particularly - you've even developed your "signature" little end of phrase fill on the bass - you use it all the time - its good. I like the solo - basic and suits the song.

Its a pity you can't belt this out an octave higher... oh well, I'm a shite singer too.

[rayc]

NEW VOCAL mix in O.P.

[Manslick]

lush
like the organ
tic like
nice chord changes

all the sonics are solid
very engaging - like a hot girl

[rayc]

Thanks Manslick.
I sat down to do a verse vocal comp but found that I had quite a close one to the one used in the previous mix and one that was wayyyy off so I blended the close one as a double track.