Old 09-17-2018, 06:16 PM   #1
karbomusic
Human being with feelings
 
karbomusic's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 29,260
Default Another Live Video Cover...

Another 100% live recording w/two mics of a tune from 1977... I could sing it 10 times better if I weren't playing (too pitchy, too much breath and not enough throat) - mostly because there is so much I need to pay attention to. I could also play it much better if I weren't singing at the same time - but working on what I can already do isn't the point of this overall project since that isn't helping me now is it.

So, I'm posting anyway because I spent the time on the damn thing; and as a form of self-punishment to hopefully come back in the future with a better rendition to replace it with. The short lo-fi intro exemplifies my frustration.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3tyRVmqU9k



FYI: Now that I have a decent video card, Davinci Resolve kicks ass - much of what you 'see' is my learning its ropes over the weekend.
__________________
Music is what feelings sound like.

Last edited by karbomusic; 09-17-2018 at 06:34 PM.
karbomusic is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-18-2018, 07:09 AM   #2
zeekat
Human being with feelings
 
zeekat's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Polandia
Posts: 3,578
Default

I'm vigorously indifferent towards acoustic-solo singer stuff and covers, but it's impressively well performed and produced. Sort of TV ready, with fancy camera angles and editing.

Is accoustic stuff recorded that far from the microphone normally? Stacked microphone setup looks funny too.
__________________
AM bient, rund funk and heavy meteo
my bandcamp+youtubings
zeekat is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-18-2018, 08:03 AM   #3
karbomusic
Human being with feelings
 
karbomusic's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 29,260
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by zeekat View Post
Is accoustic stuff recorded that far from the microphone normally? Stacked microphone setup looks funny too.
It's using Mid/Side so yes that is a relatively normal distance for that config, if not a tad close IMHO - just turning my head moves the vocal in the field a little but I used M/S because it allows me to get a better balance for the vocal vs say X/Y (because the guitar is sonically wider than my head).

If any closer, there is the risk of weirdness in the stereo image from being to close. FYI that the mic distance is only 24 inches (.6 meters) away which is a nice sounding distance provided the room itself doesn't have problems. Thanks for the comments.

Quote:
I'm vigorously indifferent towards acoustic-solo singer stuff and covers
I am too, who needs another farking acoustic cover, but it's more of a personal development exercise and a short break from overdubbing, editing, and lots of tracks which I'm terribly burned out on right now.
__________________
Music is what feelings sound like.

Last edited by karbomusic; 09-18-2018 at 08:10 AM.
karbomusic is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-18-2018, 08:40 AM   #4
Paul99
Human being with feelings
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Netherlands
Posts: 882
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by karbomusic View Post
.. I could sing it 10 times better if I weren't playing (too pitchy, too much breath and not enough throat) - mostly because there is so much I need to pay attention to. I could also play it much better if I weren't singing at the same time - but working on what I can already do isn't the point of this overall project since that isn't helping me now is it.
Ehhmmm...what is the problem? I think the combination of singing and playing makes it much more live and vivid. I understand that you probably will sing better without playing guitar at the same time. But sometimes it is not perfection that makes a song great. It's the feeling. And you captures that very well.
The only thing I personally would like to add is some background vocals. I can hear the second voice over yours in certain parts making it even more beautiful. But as you say, that's just part of the chosen concept.

Quote:
Originally Posted by karbomusic View Post
..The short lo-fi intro exemplifies my frustration.
Hehe, and I thought I was the only one getting frustrated. It's very brave to leave this "blooper" in your video. FWIW: The genuineness of your expressed frustration makes you even more sympathetic.
Paul99 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-18-2018, 09:02 AM   #5
karbomusic
Human being with feelings
 
karbomusic's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 29,260
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Paul99 View Post
The only thing I personally would like to add is some background vocals. I can hear the second voice over yours in certain parts making it even more beautiful. But as you say, that's just part of the chosen concept.
The original recording by Dave Mason has a backing harmony for most of the song and is part of what makes the song tbh, and I'm not opposed to overdubbing that, which I had originally planned to do, but got myself into the weeds trying to get the basic guitar/vocal recorded - I may add it later but it is a fairly hard harmony for me to sing range wise so I decided to wait for now.

Quote:
Hehe, and I thought I was the only one getting frustrated. It's very brave to leave this "blooper" in your video. FWIW: The genuineness of your expressed frustration makes you even more sympathetic.
Hehe, nope, not just you and is one of the reasons I posted. You should see all the other video attempts full of expletives. I came close to just doing a montage of those.
__________________
Music is what feelings sound like.
karbomusic is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-18-2018, 09:33 AM   #6
zeekat
Human being with feelings
 
zeekat's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Polandia
Posts: 3,578
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by karbomusic View Post
It's using Mid/Side so yes that is a relatively normal distance for that config, if not a tad close IMHO - just turning my head moves the vocal in the field a little but I used M/S because it allows me to get a better balance for the vocal vs say X/Y (because the guitar is sonically wider than my head).
Oh yeah, one of those things I can't quite wrap my head around. Like, why there's an ambience if the microphones don't really record directions. Arcane stuff. Good I don't use microphones and don't need it
__________________
AM bient, rund funk and heavy meteo
my bandcamp+youtubings
zeekat is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-18-2018, 10:19 AM   #7
karbomusic
Human being with feelings
 
karbomusic's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 29,260
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by zeekat View Post
Oh yeah, one of those things I can't quite wrap my head around. Like, why there's an ambience if the microphones don't really record directions. Arcane stuff. Good I don't use microphones and don't need it
For technical giggles, that config gives me a slight amount of control over the vocal volume even though both guitar and vocals are on the same stereo track. It's not easy to see in the video but the top mic (mid) is also angled up just a tad which also gives me a slight amount more vocal in the middle of the field while deemphasizing the guitar in the middle a little - it's no night and day difference and it isn't perfect but works pretty well for the need.
__________________
Music is what feelings sound like.
karbomusic is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-27-2018, 10:38 AM   #8
RDBOIS
Banned
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: It changes
Posts: 1,425
Default

Love the intro - very fun addition

The acoustic guitar sounds great! Wonderful.

I just can't believe the vocals comes out so nice not having a microphone near the mouth. I can't get away with such clarity and tone unless I'm no farther than 1 foot.
RDBOIS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-27-2018, 10:45 AM   #9
karbomusic
Human being with feelings
 
karbomusic's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 29,260
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by RDBOIS View Post

The acoustic guitar sounds great! Wonderful.

I just can't believe the vocals comes out so nice not having a microphone near the mouth. I can't get away with such clarity and tone unless I'm no farther than 1 foot.
Hello my friend. The room is decently treated and a little bit dead sounding which makes life easier, and the rest is much about practicing 'balance and tone' to see if I can get it to work with a single source mic like that - that's another reason I've even doing this - I post them because knowing I may post it makes me approach it differently, work harder with less chance of getting lazy which will happen if I assume I'm the only person who will ever hear it to be honest. I'm not a lead singer by trade at all, so it's also about playing catchup and trying to improve.

I did complete another video a couple days ago, I'm just on the fence as to whether to post it or not...

A) there are a few pitchy vocal spots which is my challenge and very uncomfortable to let others hear, where playing can cause me to lose focus on the notes I'm singing, and I will go sharp.

B) it's a far, far overdone cover and annoying as a cover at this point I'm sure - though my reason for doing it was because many of the vocal notes are not in the actual chord aka extensions like 6ths or 9s which makes it more of a challenge to sing. The last minute (of the song I haven't posted yet) is pretty good though I think.
__________________
Music is what feelings sound like.

Last edited by karbomusic; 09-27-2018 at 10:57 AM.
karbomusic is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-27-2018, 11:37 AM   #10
RDBOIS
Banned
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: It changes
Posts: 1,425
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by karbomusic View Post
Hello my friend. The room is decently treated and a little bit dead sounding which makes life easier, and the rest is much about practicing 'balance and tone' to see if I can get it to work with a single source mic like that - that's another reason I've even doing this - I post them because knowing I may post it makes me approach it differently, work harder with less chance of getting lazy which will happen if I assume I'm the only person who will ever hear it to be honest. I'm not a lead singer by trade at all, so it's also about playing catchup and trying to improve.

I did complete another video a couple days ago, I'm just on the fence as to whether to post it or not...

A) there are a few pitchy vocal spots which is my challenge and very uncomfortable to let others hear, where playing can cause me to lose focus on the notes I'm singing, and I will go sharp.

B) it's a far, far overdone cover and annoying as a cover at this point I'm sure - though my reason for doing it was because many of the vocal notes are not in the actual chord aka extensions like 6ths or 9s which makes it more of a challenge to sing. The last minute (of the song I haven't posted yet) is pretty good though I think.
Got ch'ya.

I admire the courage. Seems like a good learning experience. I would do more live songs if I had the room and gear. Although, I'm still not nearly done learning the basics of recording and getting the DAW to do what needs doing, efficiently.

Live songs is my strength - hmmmmm - by the camp fire at least, but not in a studio (that's another beast on it's own). One small mistake gets blown up and sticks out like. Mega challenge.

Can't wait to hear your next production.
RDBOIS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-27-2018, 11:42 AM   #11
karbomusic
Human being with feelings
 
karbomusic's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 29,260
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by RDBOIS View Post
least, but not in a studio (that's another beast on it's own). One small mistake gets blown up and sticks out like. Mega challenge.
You got it, that sounds EXACTLY like my early recording experiences. I still remember playing my acoustic into my first digital setup (Yamaha MD8) and thinking, OMG I had no idea I sucked that much - I still think that, but the smallest amount of progress usually inspires a little.
__________________
Music is what feelings sound like.
karbomusic is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-29-2018, 12:12 PM   #12
Jeffsounds
Human being with feelings
 
Jeffsounds's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Northeast Michigan
Posts: 3,460
Default

Wow... very nice! Great performance of a great tune. The guitar sounds great! Love the specs. Can you really see in the dark or dimly lit space? How do the WA87's match up to the Neumann U87? I would expect a "close but no cigar" type answer.

Good job! Listened to the other one as well. Both sound great!
__________________
"TV has become nothing more than a Petri dish where this country grows its idiots." -Dr. John Becker
My First CD On Spotify - Side O' The Highway
Jeffsounds is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-29-2018, 05:13 PM   #13
karbomusic
Human being with feelings
 
karbomusic's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 29,260
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeffsounds View Post
Can you really see in the dark or dimly lit space?
Yes, it's bright as hell with the lights, I just lowered the exposure on the video cameras to make it look darker.

Quote:
How do the WA87's match up to the Neumann U87? I would expect a "close but no cigar" type answer.
I have no idea. Of all the LDCs I own, only one of them doesn't have that small 10k or so bump in the high frequencies, and I needed a couple more that were mostly flat like that. The ones with the high end bump are handy too, but sometimes I want flat. These were some of the only ones I found at the time with that flat response in the high end. Due to that, they sound less hyped/flattering and more natural.

Quote:
Good job! Listened to the other one as well. Both sound great!
Thanks!
__________________
Music is what feelings sound like.
karbomusic is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-01-2018, 03:33 PM   #14
Tod
Human being with feelings
 
Tod's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Kalispell
Posts: 14,745
Default

Hey karbo, I just found this and it's not just very good, it's great.

The acoustic is superlative, sounds supper on my floating studio speakers. The vocal is sitting there just perfect in the mix, not buried like it is so often today.

I know you know where my ears are karbo, but I think this is very pro sounding.

It did seem the vocal was a little more left and guitar a little right. but it still had a good stereo mix to it, the balance was very good.

The video was cool too. Well done my friend.
Tod is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-02-2018, 06:40 AM   #15
karbomusic
Human being with feelings
 
karbomusic's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 29,260
Default

Thanks Tod, good to hear from you.

You are right about the panning, or rather the result of the mid/side and stereo field. The sound hole of the guitar is a little to one side and if I move my head when I sing (such as turning it to look at the guitar) it moves to the other side little. The mic is 24 inches back, I tried 30" and 36" which solves improves it but then it sounds just a little to far away from the mics so I decided too just keep it as-is and not mess with it too much.

Take care!
__________________
Music is what feelings sound like.
karbomusic is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 05:36 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.