Anyone can learn to play a song with very little practice--it just won't turn out particularly well. The fact that you say you're not proud of your cover makes it pretty clear that you think you could do better too.
Skirting practice isn't a virtue. Instead of trying to take shortcuts, why not focus your efforts on preparing the best performance that you can? It'll do you worlds more good in the long run
The fact that you did not even bother to cut off the noisy silence in the beginning shows that this is a joke rather than a serious request for comment.
A 1st class howler!
The canid sees it's own reflection when it takes a drink from the puddle.
ps appreciation for your worx The Great Divide and The Carnival - Conscious Grooves
Thank for the double: appreciation and negative. I do not mind the positive and negative.
Listen, I can work wonders if I take care of all the details. I made a mistake at trying to put out a song RAW. I don't know what I was thinking... Was a bad call. I thought it would be useful, for artistic purposes, to record myself RAW, without any studio arrangements. You know? Someone playing guitar by the fire pit in the forest? Singing this song of Elton John RAW takes courage!!! Boy was I wrong. I got slammed for not being PERFECT. Heck, I was not trysting to be perfect. It was an exercise in humility.
I dare anyone to try to sing Yellow Brick Road with only a guitar, RAW with no arrangements (eg. voice pitch, and dubs).
Yeah try that! LOL
I failed and pulled the plug. All deleted, but saved a copy on my PC. I was proud to put this RAW version out, not so proud to pull it off... Gosh, I wonder? Has music become so sterilized? What is going on: we enjoy someone howling by the fire pit, but we destroy someone recording that person...
Glad you like The Great Divide! I will let you into a secret. Just between you and me. I wrote and produced this song as the "small brother of Stairway to Heaven". Yep, it was an experiment and took 6 months to complete. I urge you to listen to Stairway to Heaven, then listen to my song The Great Divide. Heck, I imported Stairway To Heaven into REAPER and made a personalized click track - just because the song is all over the place. I then broke the sections out into chord arrangements, and used these arrangements to create my own different structure. The purpose of all this tremendous work, was to learn how to arrange a song, from the best song possibly created. I wanted to understand and try to replicate what makes a great song. I also decided that this song needed a spiritual story. So, I created the story of a person going through a spiritual crisis of awakening. Seemed like a good fit with the original son
And so the song is about a woman going through a crisis. She is waking up. She sees how her live is meaningless. How she has become a slave working person. She is waking up - she is going through the "waking up" pain and tribulations.
This song is about you and me, in a deep spiritual way. The journey towards consciousness...
Sorry I triggered so many purists by putting out a raw version.
Will not do that again...
Hey, by the way, this song is actually a "healing process". It goes from a crisis to the resolution - emotional turmoil to chanting vowels as a form of healing vocal expression.
Many layers of consciousness are hidden in this song...
The Great Divide - this is a very well constructed song and a fine recording (as far as I can tell) ,video is also very well done.Interesting to learn of this songs origins.It could be demoralizing to see only viewed 44 times in just over 10 months (and not a single viewer hit the like flag).
You have great powers and I like your voice so keep going.
I made a mistake at trying to put out a song RAW. I don't know what I was thinking... Was a bad call. I thought it would be useful, for artistic purposes, to record myself RAW, without any studio arrangements. You know? Someone playing guitar by the fire pit in the forest? Singing this song of Elton John RAW takes courage!!! Boy was I wrong. I got slammed for not being PERFECT. Heck, I was not trysting to be perfect. It was an exercise in humility.
It's not that a raw recording is a bad thing but it needs to be performed well. For example look up Mike Masse on YouTube. His recordings are live recordings but he is extremely well rehearsed with a great voice.
This results in songs that people want to listen to over and over again even in their raw state. People generally don't want to listen to something poorly performed. Raw is not the problem, it's the performance.
Well hey, there's no shame in trying so kudos on that at least. That said, the fact is, hearing musicians playing music unplugged is nothing new to anybody who lives in a city. Buskers perform on a daily basis with only a guitar and their voice, and some manage to do an insanely good job of it. And there's no shortage of YouTube musicians who do the same thing either. If you're going to do a raw performance, there's no two ways about it—these are the kinds of people you'll be compared to.
I didn't hear the original either, but I wouldn't sweat it. We've all released material that could have probably spent a few extra days up on the lift.
In the end, if you were happy with it - that's all that really matters.
I should, but then again this forum is a place where people are trying to use software and hardware to produce good sounding songs. I think my error was to send a RAW song into this excellent forum. Was my mistake, me bad.
You know what they say: "Scalded cats fear even cold water."
This cat is burnt to a crisp. hehehe
I will not subject anyone else to my painful raw version of Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.
I should, but then again this forum is a place where people are trying to use software and hardware to produce good sounding songs. I think my error was to send a RAW song into this excellent forum. Was my mistake, me bad.
You know what they say: "Scalded cats fear even cold water."
This cat is burnt to a crisp. hehehe
I will not subject anyone else to my painful raw version of Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.
Get out of my head! I was just thinking about that last night. I think I will. If I do it will still be minimalist; just guitar and vocal. I really don't feel like programming drums, piano, and all the other instruments.
Seems like lots of rain is coming my way this weekend. Maybe this will pass the time. hehehe
I like to compare my work to others. I'm usually shooting for a style like Shania Twain, Steely Dan or AC/DC. Depends on the songs. With my friend on piano, he is doing more funk/reggae styles so I listen to mixes by Bob Marley and Michael Jackson & Heatwave. They give me lots of ideas to sound more professional in simply arrangement, mixing and performance.
Here's a Mike Masse/Elton John cover. Check it out and see what you can take from it. Hardly anyone can sing in his range but you can still dig his performance and pacing.
Let me know what you think. Try to move forward on every song you do, adding something better.
I like to compare my work to others. I'm usually shooting for a style like Shania Twain, Steely Dan or AC/DC. Depends on the songs. With my friend on piano, he is doing more funk/reggae styles so I listen to mixes by Bob Marley and Michael Jackson & Heatwave. They give me lots of ideas to sound more professional in simply arrangement, mixing and performance.
Here's a Mike Masse/Elton John cover. Check it out and see what you can take from it. Hardly anyone can sing in his range but you can still dig his performance and pacing.
Let me know what you think. Try to move forward on every song you do, adding something better.
The Elton John cover is very good. Polished as heck! It almost seems like the song was recorded separately, and then played as lip-syncing to give the illusion of a "live cover". One thing is for sure, if this is really a live vocal version the singer is total control of everything. There is definitely a second guitar dubbed on top, I can hear that. Very well done. My song will NOT be that polished?!
Sailing: LOVE that song!!! Well done, you nailed down the "feeling" of the song: the little special thing that hugs your soul and make you float away in warmth with a hint of nostalgia. You have a nice voice and the harmonies are well done.
I'm definitely going to put harmonies in my song, mostly because I can't nail down the higher pitches in the chorus; as proven in my "howling" raw version
The Elton John cover is very good. Polished as heck! It almost seems like the song was recorded separately, and then played as lip-syncing to give the illusion of a "live cover". One thing is for sure, if this is really a live vocal version the singer is total control of everything. There is definitely a second guitar dubbed on top, I can hear that. Very well done. My song will NOT be that polished?!
Sailing: LOVE that song!!! Well done, you nailed down the "feeling" of the song: the little special thing that hugs your soul and make you float away in warmth with a hint of nostalgia. You have a nice voice and the harmonies are well done.
I'm definitely going to put harmonies in my song, mostly because I can't nail down the higher pitches in the chorus; as proven in my "howling" raw version
Just to be clear, I have at least 1gb of takes for my Elton cover. I also comped all the vocal takes.
I didn't hear your singing, so I can't be too helpful. However, that "head tone" requires practice. You have to start with the right breath support, then direct the sound into your hard palate.
Elton even did it wrong. You can hear it on the record and in live concerts from that era. He's ripping his throat out. That's part of the reason he can't sing like that anymore.
Don't feel bad. I've been singing my entire life and I'm still shocked/disgusted when I hear my singing. Keep at it.
__________________
"I've never trusted Klingons and I never will. I can never forgive them for the death of my boy."
I don't think coachz meant it to be otherwise but I agree that it's a representation of a good studio version of a cover but kind of unrelated to a live performance if that's the case. Live however, especially somewhat off the cuff is just a different and much more challenging animal - will bring a fella to his knees compared to being able to edit/punch/take/massage/slice and dice. I'm still a bit burnt on the whole studio manufacturing thing, I'll be back eventually but much home studio stuff I hear just sounds super sterile to me.
I don't think coachz meant it to be otherwise but I agree that it's a representation of a good studio version of a cover but kind of unrelated to a live performance if that's the case. Live however, especially somewhat off the cuff is just a different and much more challenging animal - will bring a fella to his knees compared to being able to edit/punch/take/massage/slice and dice. I'm still a bit burnt on the whole studio manufacturing thing, I'll be back eventually but much home studio stuff I hear just sounds super sterile to me.
I don't think the Mike Masse covers are redone in the studio but I could be wrong. There might be something added but I think/thought the original bass/guitar and both vocals were original.
Maybe it's live but the vocal dynamics seem way too perfectly smooth to be moving one's head and singing into a mic like that with a guitar there at the same time - that and some of the guitar chords mute when strummed and I can't seem to see in the video why it should sound muted - either way, that's an audio geek thing not to take away from the talent.
This is live AFIAK other than the harmony overdub and some reverb.
It and the guitar are obviously compressed but that doesn't account for what I noticed. It could be live but when he moves his head that vocal is too perfect for my eyes/ears - Even if live, I'd prefer to have heard it follow the movement as not doing so gets us back into that sterile too perfect almost boring territory. That's my subjective taste, just dead sick of stuff that sounds like studio perfection instead of performance YMMV.
These are raw performances which I far prefer because there is so little to hide behind:
very much feeling this talk on raw live performance capture -
was what my recent release was focused on - wanted to do it live to-tape style - guitar & voice simultaneously, in the studio - nowhere to hide unplugged type stuff - tricky, but thought worth it as learnt a captured performance is often worth a whole lot more than a super polished piece-meal construction.
which basically meant weeks of massive frustration and duff takes!
wasn't a natural 'sing n play at the same time' sort of musician, more electronic based - reliant on tech etc.
but worked at it for years , so just to record something imo decent thats one contiguous take not screwed up was satisfying due to how hard it was, how impossible i once thought it was, plus my current expectations.
so i'd say to well, everyone, & whatever the level of the now deleted OP material - it doesn't matter, trajectory, improvement and keeping on ploughing away is the important thing and soon the 'impossible' can be yours. because if i can do it...
if i may link to my little ep - first track 'errors' is the most unplugged & relevant here.
I probably have a little different perspective than some people. When I hear live recordings I like them to sound like a studio recording.
I can't stand most live recordings as there a sually noisy and lack balance. So for me the more a live recording sounds like a studio recording the more I'm to listen to it again
not trying to hijack but am now very curious if my live-studio effort mentioned above landed in a desirable 'Karbo-Coachz sweetspot' - and if not - sorry couldn't do any better at the time
For most of my life I loved and chased pristine studio recordings. I don't know what happened but unless they are really special, I kind of hate them right now - it kind of depends really, on what it is but there is this "I made it in a studio sound" that kind of drives me nuts, it's gets mundane. I can do it, I just got tired of it probably a decade ago ish.
I'm fairly sure I'm mostly that way because digital editing went super mainstream, all that fixing, tuning, gridding, perfect dynamics and fking carving everything like a thanksgiving turkey sounds like a Photoshopped model on a magazine cover looks - it's fantastic short term but get's boring very quickly because perfect is so predictable to the ear and eyes. YMMV.
not trying to hijack but am now very curious if my live-studio effort mentioned above landed in a desirable 'Karbo-Coachz sweetspot' - and if not - sorry couldn't do any better at the time
I'm sorry, just haven't had a chance to log into one of those services and listen due to all my blabbing, I will though.
not trying to hijack but am now very curious if my live-studio effort mentioned above landed in a desirable 'Karbo-Coachz sweetspot' - and if not - sorry couldn't do any better at the time
Post an MP3 somewhere. All I see is links to a bunch of different apps which I don't use.
For most of my life I loved and chased pristine studio recordings. I don't know what happened but unless they are really special, I kind of hate them right now - it kind of depends really, on what it is but there is this "I made it in a studio sound" that kind of drives me nuts, it's gets mundane. I can do it, I just got tired of it probably a decade ago ish.
I'm fairly sure I'm mostly that way because digital editing went super mainstream, all that fixing, tuning, gridding, perfect dynamics and fking carving everything like a thanksgiving turkey sounds like a Photoshopped model on a magazine cover looks - it's fantastic short term but get's boring very quickly because perfect is so predictable to the ear and eyes. YMMV.
It helps to crank up a marshall amp with a Les Paul and play along too good Studio recordings. But hell everything's better with a marshall.
one example i have is i had an objectively bad ipod recording of me rehearsing a guitar song in my parents kitchen - that was my favourite version of that song for years as i happened to perform it ok. that was what mattered.
tried many times to 'studiofy' it - as soon as i set a tempo or a click or a guide beat and started to layer things together all the life got sucked out of it and it was lousy.
hence the attraction now with a new space and some new bits to recording some acoustic material as live as possible, no clicks, grid aligning or any of that guff.
as an electronica and trumpet kid that kind of thing always held an unatainable mystique - "ah wish i could write a song or be some use during a power cut "
Quote:
Originally Posted by karbomusic
For most of my life I loved and chased pristine studio recordings. I don't know what happened but unless they are really special, I kind of hate them right now - it kind of depends really, on what it is but there is this "I made it in a studio sound" that kind of drives me nuts, it's gets mundane. I can do it, I just got tired of it probably a decade ago ish.
I'm fairly sure I'm mostly that way because digital editing went super mainstream, all that fixing, tuning, gridding, perfect dynamics and fking carving everything like a thanksgiving turkey sounds like a Photoshopped model on a magazine cover looks - it's fantastic short term but get's boring very quickly because perfect is so predictable to the ear and eyes. YMMV.
For most of my life I loved and chased pristine studio recordings. I don't know what happened but unless they are really special, I kind of hate them right now - it kind of depends really, on what it is but there is this "I made it in a studio sound" that kind of drives me nuts, it's gets mundane. I can do it, I just got tired of it probably a decade ago ish.
I'm fairly sure I'm mostly that way because digital editing went super mainstream, all that fixing, tuning, gridding, perfect dynamics and fking carving everything like a thanksgiving turkey sounds like a Photoshopped model on a magazine cover looks - it's fantastic short term but get's boring very quickly because perfect is so predictable to the ear and eyes. YMMV.
Thanks. Nice acoustic song with a cool phasey vibe.
cheers for your time
like your sailing tune btw - steely dan in there for sure. silky.
only comment mix-wise would be the sidestick, they are buggers - i have done this - sort of gives away the not-real drums a little, i think they like a fair amount of early reflections / short verb to help them sit.
i did a little album for a client years ago and i play it back now - all i hear is the damn programmed sidestick that pokes out sounding unrealistic - kills me.
edit: ah its also on youtube now - proof! ( there is verb on it just low level and not roomy enough.) https://youtu.be/aZExPCuejCY?t=111
That was then, kind of the point... has been done to death by now. It's like a band trying to sound like AC/DC when we already have an AC/DC. I'll cycle back around eventually but not completely I don't think.
That's nice man. That strumming pattern isn't the easiest to keep flowing and smooth and I really like the finger picking at the end, which proves I got to the end... so there. I like the folkiness of it too.
Can I sing an Elton John song with only my guitar?
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