A new song with vox

[Splat88]

Jake just finished some vocal ideas for one of the songs I posted here quite a while back. I have not had a chance to mix the vocals or anything yet, so its quite raw, just with the mixing and effects that Jake did himself. So don't rate the mix please, just if you like the vocal stuff he's doing. I'll record the entire mix and polish the vox once all the ideas are set in stone.

I think Jake does some really cool stuff on this one and it seems to be a different direction from his other performances. To me it seems like he's channeling Nightingale in parts. Thoughts?

Sorrowfall
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_songInfo.cfm?bandID=404561&songID=6710007




Here's another new song with vocals. This one is quite a different approach altogether so I'm not too sure how its going to work. I really like Jake's vocals in the beginning and end, but I don't really care for what he does in the middle parts of the song. He's kind of struggled with this one because the song changes keys a bunch a times and meanders all over the place.

Again, I have not mixed the vox yet, its just what Jake sent back to me. What do you guys think?

Escaping Avalon
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_songInfo.cfm?bandID=404561&songID=6713593

 

[grywolf627]

Sounds great Splat! I really like the direction he took the vocals. Waiting to hear the finished mix!

 

[rvs0002]

Quality stuff as always, dig everything about it. Carry on.

 

[More Than Ever]

That sounds great already Splat. I love your stuff!

I can't wait to hear the final.

 

[spioraid]

Normally I would say the mix needs a lot more definition to bring out the articulation in the singer's voice, but with what you said before hand I got nuthin'

Nuthin' but praise that is. Excellent work yet again man. Keep it coming!

 

[Manicompression]

ridiculously awesome, I quite like the vocal stretches on the bridge, hell I just like the bridge alot. The really subtle delay on the verse is cool, It seems like a little more umph delivery wise on the chorus would send it over the top, more Quicksand less new age deftones if your feelin me. If this is your idea of a not good mix....you make me want to quit trying, same shit as always ?? pod, gearbox, jb, ibanez, slate, paperclips, a piece of rope ???? Do you have an interface outside of the pod ? if so, what. What DAW do you use ?? sorry, Im done now.

 

[26]

my criticism (because i really like the music) would be of compositorical nature.
there is only this one part at 01.30 that sticks out (harmonically) and give the singer the chance to free the song of its "one dimensionality". Nothing could be more subjective, i know, but i think more alternation could make this song even better.

but i ´ll buy the album anyway

EDIT

In this context, i would like to add something that Marco (Minnemann) recently said in an interview.

"It’s interesting: If I’d play you one of the final mixes and tell you that it is a demo and ask for your opinion, it would give you automatic access to find parts you can judge. If I play you that SAME mix...ready on CD in a digi-pack, you have to take it for what it is, and maybe even go: Yeah..sounds good"

 

[Djabthrash]

Good stuff.

 

[Splat88]

Thanks to everyone for the responses! As far as the questions go, yes, I used the same Gearbox setup I've used for a while now on this, but I used my ESP for this one with Dimarzio Super Distortion PUs, not my Ibanez. I did not use any other interface except the PODxt. I do have a Delta1010 but i did not use it for this song. And lastly, I use Cubase SX3.

 

[Splat88]

I also posted this info to the top of the thread......

Here's another new song with vocals. This one is quite a different approach altogether so I'm not too sure how its going to work. I really like Jake's vocals in the beginning and end, but I don't really care for what he does in the middle parts of the song. He's kind of struggled with this one because the song changes keys a bunch a times and meanders all over the place.

Again, I have not mixed the vox yet, its just what Jake sent back to me. What do you guys think?

Escaping Avalon
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_songInfo.cfm?bandID=404561&songID=6713593

 

[Keregioz]

I like the vocals on shadowfall better....except for the part at 1:30-2:00.
The other song was not as good, it sounds like his improvising his vocals through the whole song, the vocal melody it needs ti be a little more focused. Also I would suggest to leave some parts of the song without vocals. I mean he doesn't have to sing over every single riff.

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

Really kickass stuff as always.

 

[melvee]

please, more details about sorrowfall:
drums(is it vsti-plug? superior2.0??), and what reverb plugins did you use for guitars and drums?
and what amp and cab in podxt?
sounds really god, no doubt))

 

[Splat88]

I like the vocals on shadowfall better....except for the part at 1:30-2:00.
The other song was not as good, it sounds like his improvising his vocals through the whole song, the vocal melody it needs ti be a little more focused. Also I would suggest to leave some parts of the song without vocals. I mean he doesn't have to sing over every single riff.

The more I listen, the more I dislike Escaping Avalon altogether. Its too random and wandering, and yes, there's no need for vox to be over every single riff. We'll probably just scrap this one.

 

[Splat88]

please, more details about sorrowfall:
drums(is it vsti-plug? superior2.0??), and what reverb plugins did you use for guitars and drums?
and what amp and cab in podxt?
sounds really god, no doubt))

Thanks! For drums I used DFHS and replaced the kick and snare with Slate's samples. Kick 11 and Snare 7. I blended in about 10-20% of their respective Z4 ambience samples too for the reverb sound. There's no VST reverb at all.

For guitars, I used the Diamondplate model with the Tread cab and 67 mic. Post processing EQ with Curve EQ. I've posted the patch and EQ curve a few times in the past so I think you could probably search for it if you wanted it. I quadtracked and I think 2 of the 4 guitars had a hint of the Gearbox hall reverb and some tape delay.

 

[Jaymz]

Sounds killer dude, as all your stuff does! Kick 11 and snare 7, do you use those on all your songs? Namely Metis (the kick/snare on that is outstanding)

 

[Splat88]

Sounds killer dude, as all your stuff does! Kick 11 and snare 7, do you use those on all your songs? Namely Metis (the kick/snare on that is outstanding)

Thanks! For Metis I used snare 7Z2 and Kick 5Z1 with no ambient samples. I high passed a ton of low end from the kick too. A lot of the Slate kick samples have way too much sub bass!

 

[Jaymz]

Thanks! For Metis I used snare 7Z2 and Kick 5Z1 with no ambient samples. I high passed a ton of low end from the kick too. A lot of the Slate kick samples have way too much sub bass!

Wow no ambience? I would swear that it sounds very "within" the mix (in a good way) via ambience or something! Haha yeah, dont you use kick 11 a lot? Isnt that billed as a "augment kick with lots of sub bass"?

What song of yours is it from the Slate website btw? I must hear more of it! With the stereo ride's 16th notes. Killer stuff

 

[Manicompression]

The more I listen, the more I dislike Escaping Avalon altogether. Its too random and wandering, and yes, there's no need for vox to be over every single riff. We'll probably just scrap this one.

Some of the parts are really cool and unique in the context of what March Hare does, I would just eliminate some of the parts that dont work, I really like the part at the 4 min mark, and the double kick thing is cool too, the verses seem allright, but the chorus just falls a bit flat, and the intro allthough cool, seems kind of disconnected from the rest of it. Thanks for the info as well.

 

[Splat88]

more Quicksand less new age deftones if your feelin me.

I forgot to comment on this earlier. Thanks man! I am a HUGE Quicksand fan. I saw them live during my junior year of high school in 1993 and then bought their album "Slip". That single album shaped so much of my music over the years. There is something so eerie about the guitar sound and sustained chords on that album (especially in the context of 1993). When I saw them live the second time, I was in the front row right in front of a full stack JCM800. There is something awe inspiring and about hearing a fully cranked Marshall in the flesh. I have yet to hear a live tone so jarring, even though more modern amps have a more evil and dense sound. Perhaps its just nostalgia, but there is something magical about Marshall tone in a live setting.

Lastly, with a name like Manic Compression, I assume you are a big Quicksand fan yourself, no?