and fade (new acoustic song for you)

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and fade (new acoustic song for you)

Postby collide » Tue Oct 12, 2010 4:21 pm

yupz. true story. quite different from my usual.
comments and constructive criticisms welcome.

hope you enjoy.

: )

http://www.myspace.com/stevefudge
So, we need air to live, but we can't hold it in?... We're screwed.

https://www.facebook.com/TheAlleyRehearsals?fref=ts (Jamspace and Recording)
http://www.curbside.bandcamp.com (2 free albums)
http://www.myspace.com/stevefudge (acoustic)
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Postby collide » Wed Oct 13, 2010 4:44 pm

oops. i spotted a big flaw at work when i checked out the tune myself after uploading.
i had a previous take overlayed in the mix that shouldn't have been there.

it has been taken out, and re-upped. sounds a bit better now.

again, comments welcome and appreciated.

thanks for listening. : )
So, we need air to live, but we can't hold it in?... We're screwed.

https://www.facebook.com/TheAlleyRehearsals?fref=ts (Jamspace and Recording)
http://www.curbside.bandcamp.com (2 free albums)
http://www.myspace.com/stevefudge (acoustic)
collide
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Postby Christian LeBlanc » Thu Oct 14, 2010 9:15 am

Once I get my new (to me) computer and sound card issues under control, I'll give this a listen and give you my 2 cents (which is probably what my advice is worth, but hey, I won't let that stop me ;)
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Postby collide » Sun Oct 17, 2010 1:38 am

thanks christian! love to hear it! more than 2, my man. more than 2.
So, we need air to live, but we can't hold it in?... We're screwed.

https://www.facebook.com/TheAlleyRehearsals?fref=ts (Jamspace and Recording)
http://www.curbside.bandcamp.com (2 free albums)
http://www.myspace.com/stevefudge (acoustic)
collide
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Postby giggleycraft » Sun Oct 17, 2010 6:23 pm

I really like the layered vocals. Makes for an interesting tone.
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Postby collide » Sun Oct 17, 2010 11:41 pm

thank you, giggles! :D
So, we need air to live, but we can't hold it in?... We're screwed.

https://www.facebook.com/TheAlleyRehearsals?fref=ts (Jamspace and Recording)
http://www.curbside.bandcamp.com (2 free albums)
http://www.myspace.com/stevefudge (acoustic)
collide
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Location: curbside.bandcamp.com

Postby Christian LeBlanc » Tue Oct 19, 2010 7:54 am

Eh, Steve!

Lyrically, I like that you're going for an audio theme. Helps make it stand out.

I'd pull back on the doubling vocals some, just so that they sound more effective when they do get used (like maybe just on the 2nd half of each line it's used on, or on not so many lines).

As for guitar work, I just hear the same chord over and over, even when it gets fast. I'd either introduce variation, but what might work even nicer is to introduce a lot of atmospheric noises and weird loops into the background. Have what's going on musically better reflect what you're singing about lyrically. Listen to the first 2 and a half minutes of this to get an idea of what I'm talking about.

Also remember that any advice I give won't necessarily make a song better; it'll just sound more like the way I would have done it, that's all. So, take all this for what it's worth ;)
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Postby Malcolm Boyce » Wed Oct 20, 2010 7:19 pm

Satisfy the nerds... How was it recorded?
"Once again, it is NEVER the gear that makes a good record.
It just fills Forum pages..." --compasspnt

middleaudio.com
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Postby collide » Thu Oct 21, 2010 8:30 pm

first, christian: thank you for adding criticisms. i really do appreciate that.
: )
i would normally, and sort of do now, agree with you that i need add more variations. On any other song, i would have. this song in particular was an experiment in not varying, and is in fact, what the song is about.

it is inspired by a comment made by glen phillips on an xm radio show.
"writing a song with only one chord never works. you always add more."
i wanted to see first if i could do it without boring myself to tears, and actually finish a one chord song that wasn't only a minute or two long.
this is where the lyrics fit in. as for the layered vocs, i played with that
a bit.
first, just one vocal. came across too bland, then i tried the echoing.
i didn't like it much.
then i tried the overlaying and liked it more. for me, it drew more attention to the lyrics and away from the monotony of the one chord, plus gives it a more spooky feel.
this is also the reason for switching up the strumming for the quicker part.

i see what you mean from your example as well. i like the way they gradually change the song.
my idea was more in keeping it the same and hoping the lyrics would take the interest more than the guitar.
my example will be this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkBMpngSy3Y
this song, while having more than one chord, is very monotonous on the guitar to some, but for me the lyrics are interesting enough that i am in love with it. for two and a half minutes, no changes. to some, this would be hell. for me though, it was not.

malcolm: fender acoustic/electric (unplugged) into apex 435 condensor mic, into tapco mix100, into compy with reaper as my preferred recording program.
vocals into same mic, but set to different levels.
i panned left and right a bit on the vocs, but no effects were used in this one. pretty raw. i'm planning to redo it, hopefully a bit smoother.
this was the night i wrote it, so i'm sure i can do it better later.

thanks for listening and commenting! : )
So, we need air to live, but we can't hold it in?... We're screwed.

https://www.facebook.com/TheAlleyRehearsals?fref=ts (Jamspace and Recording)
http://www.curbside.bandcamp.com (2 free albums)
http://www.myspace.com/stevefudge (acoustic)
collide
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Postby Christian LeBlanc » Fri Oct 22, 2010 9:18 am

collide wrote:On any other song, i would have. this song in particular was an experiment in not varying, and is in fact, what the song is about.

I totally applaud experimentation and trying to grow. In the back of my mind I figured you were up to something, which is why I gave my caveat. That's actually a really cool challenge, and I'd like to try it sometime. I obviously wasn't listening to the lyrics closely enough (gimme a lyric sheet next time ;)

I was thinking last night that the notes used for the vocals struck me as more adventurous than a normal tune - that is, they had more of a range than vocals for a song with more chords and instrumentation might normally have. Between that and the effects, it shows that the lyrics are meant to take centre stage.
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Postby collide » Mon Nov 01, 2010 10:47 am

no effects were used. i just sang twice.

thanks again christian! it's nice to hear detailed opinions!
: )
if you do take this challenge, i'd love to hear what you come up with.

yeh, this one was all about the words. "it's the hardest thing sometimes not to deviate."

; )
So, we need air to live, but we can't hold it in?... We're screwed.

https://www.facebook.com/TheAlleyRehearsals?fref=ts (Jamspace and Recording)
http://www.curbside.bandcamp.com (2 free albums)
http://www.myspace.com/stevefudge (acoustic)
collide
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Joined: Thu Jul 06, 2006 9:46 pm
Location: curbside.bandcamp.com

Postby Christian LeBlanc » Mon Nov 01, 2010 11:05 am

collide wrote:if you do take this challenge, i'd love to hear what you come up with.


I'll try it sometime, but the vocal bit creates a question, since it really becomes the melody. How much is too much? One vocal line with some doubling? Counter-melodies? Hell, I could play varying guitar chords through my vocoder and completely miss the point of the exercise ;)

(And yes, I'm completely overthinking something just meant to be fun and quick)

I'd like to try a few variations on it; one with just acoustic guitar and vocals, but then one or two that are more atmospheric, but still no real melodies, just noisescapes. For no other reason than I think it'd be fun to try. Thanks for the ideas!
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Postby collide » Tue Nov 02, 2010 5:03 pm

: )
So, we need air to live, but we can't hold it in?... We're screwed.

https://www.facebook.com/TheAlleyRehearsals?fref=ts (Jamspace and Recording)
http://www.curbside.bandcamp.com (2 free albums)
http://www.myspace.com/stevefudge (acoustic)
collide
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Posts: 116
Joined: Thu Jul 06, 2006 9:46 pm
Location: curbside.bandcamp.com


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