Old 02-01-2019, 03:42 PM   #1
sammydix
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Default A touch of 80s

Got to playing with the U-he free synths, mainly Zebralette, and came up with this. Everything's me screwing around except for one short guitar loop near the end.
Couldn't stand not having monitor, so I got a pair of cheap Mackies (CR3s)to tide me over until I can do better.
Forgot to mention the Drums were AD2 "Reel Drums."

https://www.dropbox.com/s/78brkhamdh...rverM.wav?dl=0

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Old 02-01-2019, 08:30 PM   #2
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Originally Posted by sammydix View Post
Got to playing with the U-he free synths, mainly Zebralette, and came up with this. Everything's me screwing around except for one short guitar loop near the end.
Couldn't stand not having monitor, so I got a pair of cheap Mackies (CR3s)to tide me over until I can do better.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/78brkhamdh...rverM.wav?dl=0
That's pretty cool
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Old 02-01-2019, 09:36 PM   #3
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I was expecting to see MJ walking on some light up blocks when that opening synth bassline started. That's bad ass Sammy but it would slam hard with some Nile Rodgers style funkiness thrown in for good measure.

Last edited by azimuth; 02-02-2019 at 05:41 AM.
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Old 02-02-2019, 03:55 AM   #4
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This is really cool, Sammy! I had a bit of a Mr. Roboto flashback, but I got over it. This is very unique and fun. Great sound and textures! I'm thinking you might want to do something a little stranger with the background vocals. Flanger? Vocoder? A modulated reverb?
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Old 02-02-2019, 07:03 AM   #5
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Originally Posted by Cranky Emu View Post
That's pretty cool
Thanks man.

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Originally Posted by azimuth View Post
I was expecting to see MJ walking on some light up blocks when that opening synth bassline started. That's bad ass Sammy but it would slam hard with some Nile Rodgers style funkiness thrown in for good measure.
Homage. The strings on my guitar were a cruddy while recording this, thus the 99% synths and the guitar loop. I've ordered a "3-pack" set from Amazon, so I suspect my next song to be the complete opposite of this one so I can break in the new strings.

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This is really cool, Sammy! I had a bit of a Mr. Roboto flashback, but I got over it. This is very unique and fun. Great sound and textures! I'm thinking you might want to do something a little stranger with the background vocals. Flanger? Vocoder? A modulated reverb?
Sorry about Roboto! Actually I have a flanger, phaser, and short delays on them. I just used them too lightly. I've never done the exaggerated modulation on reverb, gonna experiment with that, then you'll be sorry to see what you started, mwhahaha.
Thanks guy.
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Old 02-02-2019, 07:17 AM   #6
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Not what I was expecting from you, but yeah, that was pretty cool!
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Old 02-02-2019, 07:50 AM   #7
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This is really well done. Finished track. Playful, creative arrangement and production. Original song?

Regarding monitors -- I picked up a pair of Audio Technica phones for less than 60 bucks and they totally smoked my 20 years old AKGs. Had to make changes on the material I've been working on lately, mainly taming excessive high end. These new ones are tight with very good separation. Your track sounds great.
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Old 02-02-2019, 08:39 AM   #8
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Mackies (CR3s)
Just on the Mackies what do you think of them.
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Old 02-02-2019, 09:56 AM   #9
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Originally Posted by Barksy View Post
Not what I was expecting from you, but yeah, that was pretty cool!
Gotta try something different now and then. Thanks Barksy

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Originally Posted by Jorgen View Post
This is really well done. Finished track. Playful, creative arrangement and production. Original song?

Regarding monitors -- I picked up a pair of Audio Technica phones for less than 60 bucks and they totally smoked my 20 years old AKGs. Had to make changes on the material I've been working on lately, mainly taming excessive high end. These new ones are tight with very good separation. Your track sounds great.
Yes, original. I was messing around with the bass midi, then started singing melodies around it. Then just filled in the rest.
Those TEchnicas prob have a decent range. I'm just glad to be able to bounce back and forth again.

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Just on the Mackies what do you think of them.
hah!
They're decent. Definitely not "flat" but they're extremely clean and clear, surprisingly so. But stress: definitely not flat. Also, they're 50watts, so they can get pretty damned loud. You most def need a sub, though.
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Old 02-02-2019, 05:26 PM   #10
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Fine singing. The layering of the vocal parts gives a very expressive effect. Good mix balance.


Looping it, I enjoyed playing guitar lines along with this. E minor is a beautiful thing when it's done well, like here.
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Old 02-02-2019, 06:56 PM   #11
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Originally Posted by Timothy Lawler View Post
Fine singing. The layering of the vocal parts gives a very expressive effect. Good mix balance.


Looping it, I enjoyed playing guitar lines along with this. E minor is a beautiful thing when it's done well, like here.
Send me those lines and I'll put 'em in.
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Old 02-03-2019, 03:19 AM   #12
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Nice one! This is pretty cool. Peter Gabriel meets Kraftwerk.
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Old 02-03-2019, 04:07 AM   #13
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Nice!
Great work on the harmonies! Love it!
~2:50 there was a guitar? (funky picking), I would used more of.
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Old 02-03-2019, 07:39 AM   #14
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Nice one! This is pretty cool. Peter Gabriel meets Kraftwerk.
I pulled from all over the place on this one, and Kraftwerk was definitely in mind with the drums. But I didn't think of Gabriel...until now, and I hear him in some of the melodies, esp the chorus with "Videos, press, and clubs where you make the rounds...". Thanks RDave.

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Old 02-03-2019, 07:51 AM   #15
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Nice!
Great work on the harmonies! Love it!
~2:50 there was a guitar? (funky picking), I would used more of.
Yeah, definitely guitar light on this one. I think I'll have to make up for it.
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Old 02-04-2019, 06:48 PM   #16
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It's got a creepy vibe to it, you rock Sammy...very different than your past outings. I would have liked some other instruments but still liked it.
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Old 02-05-2019, 07:26 PM   #17
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It's got a creepy vibe to it, you rock Sammy...very different than your past outings. I would have liked some other instruments but still liked it.
What else might you have added?
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Old 02-06-2019, 12:26 PM   #18
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What else might you have added?


How about a kazoo and a triangle? ---- Just kidding.

Nice mix and arrangement Sammy. Love the vocal harmonies.

I hear all the work you've done ---- respect.
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Old 02-06-2019, 01:39 PM   #19
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It does kind of has a Peter Gabriel/David Bowie vibe to it. I'm waiting for the Robert Fripp atonal solo to kick in, kind of like in Bowie's "Scary Monsters". I'm loving the synths, so I'll have to check out U-he VSTs.

This style seems to be making it's way back, and I like it. So now you have to do the clay-mation video to go with it and post it on the YouTube!
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Old 02-07-2019, 09:48 PM   #20
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How about a kazoo and a triangle? ---- Just kidding.

Nice mix and arrangement Sammy. Love the vocal harmonies.

I hear all the work you've done ---- respect.
Don't give me any ideas...

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It does kind of has a Peter Gabriel/David Bowie vibe to it. I'm waiting for the Robert Fripp atonal solo to kick in, kind of like in Bowie's "Scary Monsters". I'm loving the synths, so I'll have to check out U-he VSTs.

This style seems to be making it's way back, and I like it. So now you have to do the clay-mation video to go with it and post it on the YouTube!
Scary Monsters is prob my top favorite Bowie CD, so that was really cool to hear.
The U-he's I have are Tyrell, Zebralette, Triple Cheese, and Ace--the only paid one, but I tend to use Zebralette more. I like the sounds and they're simple enough for me to use. Other synths sort of overwhelm me. The only "sound designing" I do is with a base preset with all their fx turned off, then I use my own instead (chor, verb, saturation, delay, etc).
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