Take a listen - Carol of the Bells - March Hare

[Splat88]

Happy Holidays folks! Here's a version of Carol of the Bells March Hare did back in 1996. All four members are actually playing on this one, but Emjay75 and I redid the guitars. Bass and drums are original from the ADAT recording. This was always one of our favorites to play around Christmas time when we actually played live.

I just got done mixing and was excited to post it, but I have not listened on a lot of systems. I hope the mix is okay but I think it may be a little muddy.

I hope you enjoy!


http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=404561

http://www.myspace.com/marchharelv

 

[Kazrog]

Your band is truly awesome. Put out a CD soon!

 

[Rex Rocker]

AMAZING!

Sending ya an add from my band's MySpace!

 

[iamandy]

that seriously was grim as shit! hahah, love it as always!

 

[skuller]

Definitely one of the only xmas songs I like, and at pressing myself to think of others I do like... its the only one I like.

Props on teh br00tz version.

 

[Element77]

First question, what are you using for guitar re-tracking?
Second question, can you send me everything you have? Computer, guitars, equipment, anything else used in your recordings? Thanks.....

 

[xmidihcx]

 

[Noumenon]

Now that's how drums should sound! Except I find the overheads a bit high
COOL version

 

[KeithTidd]

very heavy sounding. I love the drums, they sound really punchy.

 

[Zack Uidl]

very cool bro. nicely done

 

[Morgan C]

Jeez.. those drums were recorded 12 years ago? Or am I missing something? That's incredible...

Are the guitars Pod? Mind sharing the patch (or is it the same one from Wake Darker Skies?)

 

[Splat88]

Thanks for the comments and I'm glad you liked it!

First question, what are you using for guitar re-tracking?
Second question, can you send me everything you have? Computer, guitars, equipment, anything else used in your recordings? Thanks.....

I used an Ibanez S with PODFarm for the guitar re-tracking, and all I packed up all my gear and its on the way to your house......or maybe not!

Jeez.. those drums were recorded 12 years ago? Or am I missing something? That's incredible...

Yes, the session was recorded in December 1996, 12 years ago. Hard to believe its been that long. We rented a bunch of tube preamps and compressors for the drums, but I can't remember what they were. We tracked the drums in my friend's kitchen of all places and we used 2 different sets of ambient mics in addition to the overheads. I can't remember what the mics were but I do remember it being high quality stuff.

The drums were tracked very well, BUT, there is considerable augmentation going on with the drums in this version thanks to Papa Slate. Specifically Kick 10Z1, Snare 7Z1, Snare 7Z4 ambient, and a hint of the tonedef snare. Kick is 100% replaced although the room kick is shining through very well. The combined Slate snares are mixed about 50% with the original snare, which was a homemade job that Matt the drummer made and I now own. It sounds awesome but loses tension very quickly.

Are the guitars Pod? Mind sharing the patch (or is it the same one from Wake Darker Skies?)

Yes its the same patch as the one I used in Wake Darker Skies.

 

[Splat88]

BUMP

A shameless bump, just in time for Christmas!

 

[STINNETT]

Nice one, man.

 

[Keregioz]

Well, since we brought it up again...
I was never familiar with the original song until I heard this and I must say that it (the original) has a surprising dark feel/mood to its melody for a christmas song... Parts of it could almost be a haunting melody from a scary movie's soundtrack... or maybe I'm just crazy .

Anyway, excellent choice for a heavy metal cover.

 

[Morgan C]

Can we get a download link?

 

[Splat88]

Can we get a download link?

Its now downloadable through soundclick if you login.

 

[[UEAK]Clowd]

The drums were tracked very well, BUT, there is considerable augmentation going on with the drums in this version thanks to Papa Slate. Specifically Kick 10Z1, Snare 7Z1, Snare 7Z4 ambient, and a hint of the tonedef snare. Kick is 100% replaced although the room kick is shining through very well. The combined Slate snares are mixed about 50% with the original snare, which was a homemade job that Matt the drummer made and I now own. It sounds awesome but loses tension very quickly.

What strategy do you use for blending samples? I'm trying to blend two kicks together (it's even harder for snares) for this one project I'm working on, and it is always unimpressive sounding.

 

[Splat88]

What strategy do you use for blending samples? I'm trying to blend two kicks together (it's even harder for snares) for this one project I'm working on, and it is always unimpressive sounding.

For this song, blending the Slate kick with the natural kick in the overheads was not a problem because there were no phase issues. The sounds just blended well together. There's actually not even a high pass filter on any of the overheads during the mellow parts of the song with the clean guitars. I did engage the high pass on the overheads for the distorted parts and then brought the kick sample up in the mix.

When I do blend 2 kick samples together with Drumagog or similar, I always render the triggered kick so I can actually see the wave forms and manually time align the 2 kicks together and reverse the phase if needed. I've never had any luck blending prominent kick samples together unless I do this.

When I blend a natural snare with and sampled snare, I keep the natural snare high enough to capture any ghost notes, and trigger the snare to hit on only the hardest of hits.

 

[More Than Ever]

As always... INCREDIBLE!!!