Ho Ho Ho!! Merry Christmas…Just HOW generous are you feeling

[LittleRedChurch]

Thanks Zlane!

I'm going to make a point of listening to some of your stuff.

Richard

Yeah, the song is from the perspective of the perpetrator. It's like a game of acting. A drama exercise. How would you feel if were you..., type thing.

Thank you my friend. As said 10,000 times now, loved that last song of yours. Have a holly jolly christmas!!

Pie!!

Yeah I know they're pitchy… You should have heard em with the first take… But like you said, I think i've heard pitchy songs lately. It's almost an ingredient to those stripped down, heart felt emotional indie things.. lol I'm so articulate!! Thanks!! Merry Christmas to you, your lovely AND NEW YORK!!! (I got that right didn't I??)

Bam

Thanks, man! I'm going to pay attention to the piano there! I missed that

LOVED your latest forward, BTW!!! Merry XXXX

Mr. Dance, I presume.

I hadn't thought of that!!!!! That's something Andy would have picked up on.. Of course if the drums are wet then everything should be wet. I've got to imagine all the instruments coming from the same space… Or is that right? Honestly, is it?? Right now, that piano is dripping!! Would you say I take some verb off it too? I'd kinda like to keep the voice dry. Seems to be a popular thing to do these days.. Thanks for the insight. I'll take that as my FIRST Christmas present from you!! I've said it too many times to YOU now but for good measure, Merry Christmas, Mr. Dance!!!

OH!!!! those drums are Addictive Drums add on kit Jazz with brushes. Cost like $50 bucks. I think I liked them a little too much and put them a tad out front. I'll find a dryer kit, too!!

ANDY!!!

This is why you get the cut, my friend. (Oh I grant you, not much, but this is the stuff I need to hear!!) I'll repost later today. Amazing...

[beesea]

Wow Graham, that is a GREAT song! Very nice work on the vocal delivery as well - love the little hesitations on some lines. I like the arrangement too, but yes I hear what Andy and Richard E. said about the voice getting a bit swallowed by instruments as things build up.
If I can say this without disagreeing with the 2 Richards, Andy, Pie, & Bam (I don't, for the most part...) - don't change too much! You've got some great advice there, but subtle changes are the way to go here IMHO. Because as it sits, if I may quote Ethan,

it's f*&%^^*^$ing awesome!

The song warrants the best mix you can give it of course. But this was one of the rare listens I've had on here where I honestly was so into the song that I actually wasn't really listening with "mix" ears.
Well done my friend!!!

[rdance]

if you want to keep the vocal dry, i would dry up every thing else too. this will help it all be in the same acoustic space, like a band cut it live in a lounge or in a studio. agree with andy, vocal is a tad brittle. warm it up with eq a bit.

just to repeat, awesome songwriting graham!

[LittleRedChurch]

Bob

Words to live by. Subtle changes…boy it's taken me a LONG time to learn that one… Thanks so much!!! I'm off to hear your latest!!! Merry Christmas my friend!!!!

Richard,

Thanks for coming back. I'm back at mixing. Ill give her a whirl!

[LittleRedChurch]

Alright

Very interesting. I tried to look for verb on the kit but just ended up using a different kit. I thought less verby.

I also took some highs out of things, including that electric guit when it doubles on that counter in the last verse. i think that gave the voice it's own space. Now EQ wise. Here's where I'd swear if I could. Curse Curse Curse!! I really don't know. It seems like the more I took out of the mid, the more clearly the "s"'s and T's showed up!! . I tried to take down sound at the 10,000 range… How's the voice??

How's everything???

Thanks
https://soundcloud.com/graham43/one-mor ... th-changes

[funsongs]

Again....it's beautiful and haunting; and love that the piano piece sounds like something from one of the classical piano-masters
from a few centuries ago.

fwiw: just a little techy-nit-picking detail: that little build at 2:23-2:25... hat and piano out-of-sync sounds a tiny bit distracting.

Cheers.
Peter R.

[beesea]

Now EQ wise. Here's where I'd swear if I could. Curse Curse Curse!! I really don't know. It seems like the more I took out of the mid, the more clearly the "s"'s and T's showed up!! . I tried to take down sound at the 10,000 range… How's the voice??

How's everything???

Thanks
https://soundcloud.com/graham43/one-mor ... th-changes

ok, trying to listen with "mixing ears" this time...

Overall, the vocal balance is sitting pretty well for me until the end. Here's what I might try:
at 2:25 - I'd bump the vocal up only for for "when the rain touched the night", but then keep it at it's current level until 3:00, where I'd bring it down a bit for the very end. Also, the word "Just" at 3:07 - pretty strong sibilance on the "J" sound, at a pretty exposed spot. Might be worth an edit where you turn only that consonant down, maybe 6-8db or so? Or if you've got a de-esser you like... There are a couple other spots that I hear a bit of sibilance, but that's the one that stuck out to me.
You may still have room to sneak in a little bit of low eq (or, more likely, reduce the cuts) on your voice on this also.

Reverb - drums are still pretty reverby compared to the voice, but that doesn't bother me too much - maybe a touch less on the drums and a touch more on the voice, just so they sit a little closer together. I kinda like the "out front" voice on this though.

Just a thought - a couple well-placed bass notes in there could up the drama a bit, as there's not much going on in the low end. Just a thought though.

Still loving the song!

[remmet]

I definitely noticed that it was easier to hear the vocal track! So, just a couple of remaining issues:

The volume of the cymbal crash at 1:00 was pretty jarring and out of balance with the track. Could be toned down.

At 2:08, there is a glitch or pop on the word "won't".

In general, I think the hi-hat backbeat (beat 4 if you're in 6/8) could be softer in the mix. A subtle approach might be better for that sound.

And what about a ride cymbal on the final chord instead of the hi hat? It might give the song a stronger sense of conclusion.

Just my 2 cents!

Richard

[RockChild56]

Awesome as usual. I get a sense of Andrew Lloyd Webber and (yes) Pink Floyd (with a Beetoven touch). I'm not saying it sounds like either one but the Vocal presentation is similar to Songs I have heard by both.
I also like the Cymbal sounds but I couldn't tell/hear if it were brushes? on the snare?

Any way Merry Christmas to You and Thank You for the Year of Ear Candy You have provided us all.

God Bless Ya

EJB

[LittleRedChurch]

Fun

Bam said something similar. I'll look into it! Right now fighting with the voice!!

Thanks!

Thanks Bob

All good thoughts. That sibilance is killing me… Working on it. A work in progress

TY

Mr Emmet

you have good ears. Thanks! I don't want to f$%# with the inners of the drum set up, though. The ride is a doable idea though. I thought it WAS a ride! You have ears!! I'm also going to tone down the crash at 1:00. Thanks!!

Rock!!

Man,long long time!! Where've ya been!!

Andrew Lloyd, eh? I can see it. The 'dramatic' influence. Pink Floyd?…. Yeah… as I think about it… Sort of dragging on…dark side of the moon-ish. lol

I was telling EO, I kinda thought Tom Waits while writing it, but once I heard it I was more reminded of Chet Baker. A VERY dumbed down version of Chet Baker, obviously…Chet Baker with a really 'interesting' voice…(I'm trying to be more gentle with my self criticism…)

All the best! Love to hear some stuff of yours!!

G