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Old 01-27-2022, 03:10 AM   #1
fHumble fHingaz
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Default Anything Less (Than the Best) - A bit of a Rock Journey

Hi everyone, it's been a while since I posted something here.

This one took some time to get together and it was a really complicated mix. (150+ tracks). Reaper and my MacBook Pro M1 handled it without breaking a sweat, though!

So far, I'm pretty happy with how it came out, but I may tweak the mix a little more before I'm done. I'm always interested in getting some feedback. Thanks!

*Edit*: I made some changes - Mainly to the arrangement, but also a few small mix tweaks.

Here is the new mix:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1N4X...ew?usp=sharing

Here is the original mix of the song: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1F0N...ew?usp=sharing
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Last edited by fHumble fHingaz; 08-16-2022 at 04:10 AM.
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Old 01-27-2022, 11:57 AM   #2
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That's an excellent mix and performance. Drama and variety. Singer's got a bit of a Steven Tyler vibe.

The string section intro hits me as too long.
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Old 01-28-2022, 03:51 AM   #3
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Thanks Timothy!

The intro is actually a string trio interpretation of the bridge. They can actually be super-imposed over each other. I think if I released this as a single I would probably leave out the intro pretty much completely… I think of it more as a suite than a single song, if that makes any sense…

In any case, thanks for listening and commenting -much appreciated!
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Old 01-28-2022, 08:56 AM   #4
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Excellent sense of space and depth. Very well done. Bass is not coming across much in small speakers. That's about the only mix nit I can hear. Beautifully done. Nice performance from the band as well.
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Old 01-29-2022, 06:55 AM   #5
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Hey kindafishy, thanks for taking a listen and sharing your thoughts. Thanks for the kind compliments…

Following your comments, I auditioned the mix on my built in MacBook Pro speakers, and it seemed to work ok.

Maybe I’ll check out the bass on some even smaller speakers. Perhaps a phone?

I did the bass a little simpler on this mix than I usually do, I usually use a lot more saturation on the bass, and it always cuts through really well, but for some reason, this time I decided against it.

Thanks for bringing that to my attention.
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Old 01-29-2022, 11:39 AM   #6
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On my studio speakers, I had no issue at all. It was a very cheap pair of logitech headphones that are designed for business that I noticed the bass. These crappy little things are the final test for me. If I can make everything out on these, I know that everything has some sort of representation in the 400 - 6000 range. All decent commercial mixes translate well in these garbage cans. Everybody need a pair or bottom feeding headphones .

Cheers man, I always really appreciate your mixes.
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Old 01-29-2022, 02:22 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kindafishy View Post
On my studio speakers, I had no issue at all. It was a very cheap pair of logitech headphones that are designed for business that I noticed the bass. These crappy little things are the final test for me. If I can make everything out on these, I know that everything has some sort of representation in the 400 - 6000 range. All decent commercial mixes translate well in these garbage cans. Everybody need a pair or bottom feeding headphones .

Cheers man, I always really appreciate your mixes.
Thanks for the explanation. I know what you mean…Crappy speakers often show up anomalies that higher end units don’t expose….And it’s not that they have any technical merit whatsoever, it’s just that we know how stuff is supposed to sound on them because we know them so well!…

There is a ”came with the computer” 2.1 Logitech speaker set I have hooked up to my computer at work. I’ve been listening to it for probably close to 20 years now, and I know it so well. It exposes harsh high mids and sibilance ruthlessly, and it is really useful for gauging if there is enough low mid warmth… but it is totally useless below around 150hz haha

Thanks again!
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Old 01-29-2022, 04:52 PM   #8
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Now this is how I get myself into trouble...but since you offered such a nice compliment on my first release I'm going to reveal exactly what I was thinking when I listened. I'm sure plenty of people will dig the song just the way it is, so please don't take this too seriously.

If I was in a hard rock band (and I was a long time ago), I would re-arrange the song based on two things:

1. It takes quite a lot of time before the listener gets to the chorus, "How you gonna live your life with....etc." --Almost 2 minutes. The arrangement of that chorus with the backing vocal is golden. That's the best hook in the song. So why wait so long before the listener hears it?

2. In terms of musical creativity the string instrument intro is fabulous, but I'm left wondering within the context of the rest of the song, what's the point? This is hard rock, yes?

So, to get myself into even more trouble here...but to give you an example of what I mean, I would remove that intro (maybe use it as the foundation or intro for some other sweet song) and do an acapella version of the chorus, or maybe just one line of it, or even harmonize just the line, "Anything less than the best" and then the song comes in either with the percussion alone or with that Joe Perry sounding guitar riff.

I'll say it again: I'm sure plenty of people will dig the song just the way it is. Rock solid recording quality too.
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Old 01-30-2022, 07:05 AM   #9
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Originally Posted by Peterk312 View Post
Now this is how I get myself into trouble...but since you offered such a nice compliment on my first release I'm going to reveal exactly what I was thinking when I listened. I'm sure plenty of people will dig the song just the way it is, so please don't take this too seriously.

If I was in a hard rock band (and I was a long time ago), I would re-arrange the song based on two things:

1. It takes quite a lot of time before the listener gets to the chorus, "How you gonna live your life with....etc." --Almost 2 minutes. The arrangement of that chorus with the backing vocal is golden. That's the best hook in the song. So why wait so long before the listener hears it?

2. In terms of musical creativity the string instrument intro is fabulous, but I'm left wondering within the context of the rest of the song, what's the point? This is hard rock, yes?

So, to get myself into even more trouble here...but to give you an example of what I mean, I would remove that intro (maybe use it as the foundation or intro for some other sweet song) and do an acapella version of the chorus, or maybe just one line of it, or even harmonize just the line, "Anything less than the best" and then the song comes in either with the percussion alone or with that Joe Perry sounding guitar riff.

I'll say it again: I'm sure plenty of people will dig the song just the way it is. Rock solid recording quality too.
Hey Peter, thanks for taking a listen and taking the time and effort to share your thoughts…

This captures probably the heavier end of what I do, but I’m definitely not a hard rock artist, so I’m not looking to fit into any particular category. I like to try to make music that grooves, is melodic, broadly blues-based, and (hopefully) soulful. While the album will be guitar-based, it covers a reasonably wide range of styles and moods within that remit.

I completely understand what you’re getting at with the length of time it takes to get to the chorus...

As I said above, I think of this as kind of a suite rather than a single song. I could easily edit it so that it starts when the drums come in… but I’m not going for the immediacy a pop-song structure here. I’m thinking in terms of an album track that starts with something surprising and unexpected, and then continues to change and reveal new surprises. It’s important to me that the two pieces go together. Overall, the juxtaposition of the two styles tells a story in parallel with the lyrics.

Is that asking a lot of the listener? I guess so… but I think that people who crave something a little surprising and different may be ok with it.

BTW, you ask about the connection of the string part to the song that follows? The string intro is actually an orchestration of the bridge section of the song - One can be super-imposed over the other - chords and melody.

I can do a 3 minute pop song with a catchy and immediate chorus - the last album had quite a few of them (see the Spotify link below)… But I’m actually trying to deliberately subvert that traditional paradigm, and stretch things out a bit…. a catchy pop hook that slips through in disguise as bluesy riff rock and takes you by surprise, if you will…

I hope that makes sense.

In any case, thanks again for taking the time to listen and comment - much appreciated!
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Old 08-16-2022, 04:12 AM   #10
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Thanks for the input so far - much appreciated!...

I finally got around to making some changes on this one - Mainly to the arrangement, but also a few small mix tweaks.

Here is the new mix:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1N4X...ew?usp=sharing

Let me know what you think - thanks!
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Old 08-17-2022, 08:45 AM   #11
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Hey- listening now..live feedback!
So- for me..the 1st 40 secs is a seperate piece..totally in love with that=smart.
After 40secs we get the "song" - which is fantastic btw..its just not my genre of choice..tbch, always felt rock,pop and some other styles a little too mememe..which is fine of course..common for performers that want a massive spotlight.

You certainly do not lack talent,clarity or creative skills..the production side is also quite brilliant.. #IF this is home studio recordings,mixing or mastering,then it proves anyone can get excellent results with some homework done.
Thanks4sharing!
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Old 08-18-2022, 05:52 AM   #12
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Hey- listening now..live feedback!
So- for me..the 1st 40 secs is a seperate piece..totally in love with that=smart.
After 40secs we get the "song" - which is fantastic btw..its just not my genre of choice..
Thanks for your kind words... as I've said above, the first piece of the song is an orchestral arrangement of the bridge. In fact, in the latest version, I have brought in the first orchestral bit to underpin the bridge more explicitly, so as to make the connection more obvious.

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tbch, always felt rock,pop and some other styles a little too mememe..which is fine of course..common for performers that want a massive spotlight.
I don't think I quite understand the meaning of "mememe"... do you mean "self centred" or perhaps "egocentric"?... or is that a reference to a "meme"?... I'm a bit confused... anyhow - each to his/her own, I guess!

Personally, I don't really care too much about about music labels and genre definitions - they are mostly just convenient media handles used to put people in boxes anyway. To me, music is just music, and it covers a wide swathe of noises.

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#IF this is home studio recordings,mixing or mastering,then it proves anyone can get excellent results with some homework done.
It is indeed completely comprised of material recorded in home studios. Same with the mixing and mastering. My studio is very modest, consisting of a MacBook Pro M1, an Apollo Twin X Quad interface, old Yamaha HS50M monitors, and a HS10 sub - All set up in my lounge room.

Thanks for listening and commenting - much appreciated!
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Old 08-18-2022, 06:58 AM   #13
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To me, music is just music, and it covers a wide swathe of noises.
Yes,same goes here.
Music (4me) has no genre or gender as far am concerned-- it is a language..a global language.
+ yes..mememe is a bit mememe,myself,and i... but as there is only 1 i..that is all there is,ever was,can or will be.

So,this is not an all solo production chain?
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Old 08-18-2022, 02:07 PM   #14
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Yes,same goes here.
Music (4me) has no genre or gender as far am concerned-- it is a language..a global language.
+ yes..mememe is a bit mememe,myself,and i... but as there is only 1 i..that is all there is,ever was,can or will be.
Ha, it's really strange you should think that. The very thing that drew me to playing band music was that a band is a unit - a group of people who played together resulting in the whole being greater than the sum of the parts. Having been in many bands over the years, I never saw it all about me me me... it was all about the band band band IMO... like a team, you each carry your weight and step up, or you let the whole side down. Playing in a band is very much about listening to others and playing for the greater good, rather than any focus on self.

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So,this is not an all solo production chain?
The drums were played and recorded by a guy in Canada, the strings were played and recorded by a lady in Indonesia; the horns were played and recorded by a guy in New York. I played, sang and recorded all the rest, as well as mixing and faux-mastering it.
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Old 08-18-2022, 02:19 PM   #15
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The very thing that drew me to playing band music was that a band is a unit - a group of people who played together resulting in the whole being greater than the sum of the parts.
Oh yes 100% - forgive my wording..what i actually meant more was much of life,& especially entertainment industry is very much theatre and some like to dress up quite differently & play the roles to all kinds of ways/standards..not saying this piece here,highlights that in any way.

Will do a quick abc to see what is going on..waveform wise.
Thanks!
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Old 08-19-2022, 03:29 AM   #16
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This was great. In all aspects.
I agree on the (missing) relation with intro and the song, but famous bands has done that before.
Maybe the second (doubling) voice on the chorus could be higher, maybe?
Impressed.
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Old 08-19-2022, 05:47 PM   #17
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Oh yes 100% - forgive my wording..what i actually meant more was much of life,& especially entertainment industry is very much theatre and some like to dress up quite differently & play the roles to all kinds of ways/standards..not saying this piece here,highlights that in any way.
No worries... I agree that modern "rock"'s current image is desperately superficial... but that just about goes for every form of music these days... a reflection of popular culture, I guess.

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Will do a quick abc to see what is going on..waveform wise.
I don't quite understand... What do you mean by that?

Quote:
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This was great. In all aspects.
I agree on the (missing) relation with intro and the song, but famous bands has done that before.
Maybe the second (doubling) voice on the chorus could be higher, maybe?
Impressed.
Thanks msundh!
With this version of the mix, I underlaid the intro strings under the bridge. If you compare the bridge of the song at 3:35 with the intro string section, you'll hear that they are identical in melody and chordal construction - That is the connection.

I might actually have some additional vocals from another vocalist in the chorus soon. Once I get them in, if it all sounds good, I'll repost.

Thanks so much for listening and commenting - much appreciated!
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Old 08-20-2022, 01:56 AM   #18
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What do you mean by that?
Yo- so waveforms can be very revealing- any waveform can tell a lot about creative processes.
Nulls will also reveal "differences" that can be quantified.
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Old 08-20-2022, 08:55 PM   #19
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Yo- so waveforms can be very revealing- any waveform can tell a lot about creative processes.
Nulls will also reveal "differences" that can be quantified.
I agree that reversing polarity, or "nulling" is a good way to quantify differences, but TBH I much prefer listening to waveforms over looking at them... I personally think too much music is judged by looking at it - rather than just listening to it - these days.

I may be old-fashioned, but what comes out of the speakers is really what matters to me the most.
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Old 08-22-2022, 03:34 AM   #20
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I may be old-fashioned, but what comes out of the speakers is really what matters to me the most.
Guess i am old fashioned too- that IS the best bit.
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Old 08-23-2022, 11:56 PM   #21
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This one took some time to get together and it was a really complicated mix. (150+ tracks). Reaper and my MacBook Pro M1 handled it without breaking a sweat, though!
150+ tracks, I don't doubt it. What a pleasant surprise.

This is not my type of music, but I was mesmerized with all the change ups, they sound good and all fit together very nicely.

Well performed fHumble fHingaz, great mix, and even though it's not my kind of thing, I liked it very much.
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Old 08-24-2022, 06:00 AM   #22
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150+ tracks, I don't doubt it. What a pleasant surprise.

This is not my type of music, but I was mesmerized with all the change ups, they sound good and all fit together very nicely.

Well performed fHumble fHingaz, great mix, and even though it's not my kind of thing, I liked it very much.
Thanks for giving it a listen and commenting, Tod - much appreciated!
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