NEW VOX - NEW MIX, is it film/tv quality now

[billg]

Hi Dean, I listened to the new mix & it's better BUT. I still think the vocal doesn't sound "close" enough. I know this is probably driving you crazy. Part of it may be that the guitar sounds very intimate & close, but that's cool. It could be mic placement or the room. If I were recording her I would place a pop filter about 2-3 inches from the mic, and with the mic even with her mouth have her sing right on top of that sucker! Adjust the mic gain & a little compression accordingly. She'll have to be careful with her "P's". Of course it just might not be the right choice of mic for her or you may have to invest ( it always comes down to spending mo' money doesn't it!) in one of those mic baffles. There are two on the market; one called The Mic Thing and one called The Reflexion Filter (or something like that). When I listen to the song, and after the guitar intro, I'm just wanting to hear her voice really up close & in my face. I hate to keep using the same term but, you know, that "intimate" sound. . . but it's just not there yet.

[deantaylor]

Bill,Thanks for the re-listen and further detailed feedback. Really appreciated. I know what you mean about the guit sounding very intimate. I love that. It would be cool to have Julia sound just as intimate.Dean

[billg]

You'll get it Dean. Just try a take with her basically eating that daggone mic! That's the first step. A lot of people won't do this but I've recorded people when their lips were almost touching the mic . As far as I'm concerned there aren't any rules, you just gotta do what you gotta do to get the right "vibe".

[squids]

Hey Dean. Jes took a listen.....she still sounds....I don't know, tense. Not much but it's enough. Perhaps you can get her to play with the phrasing a little bit.....come in a milisecond late here, a little teeny bit early over there, that sort of thing.I don't hear room noise but there's something in the mix.....maybe bill's right and she needs to eat the mic. It would lend itself to more intimacy but it might make her more tense. (I hate singing with my nose pressed to a popscreen myownse'f so I can really relate.) On the other hand, it might force her into alternating, maybe be more wispy in spots, just to break it up a little. Considering the song and how laid back it is, perhaps having her sing flat on her back on a couch or something? If she's standing, perhaps sitting? It's not like she needs big air for this or anything and the different perspective might throw her off enough to relax her.My vote is more her voice than the mix.

[billg]

Yo Squids, everytime I have girls over to do vocals & suggest they do them flat on their back laying on the couch my wife gets pissed. would you talk to her for me?

[squids]

Yo Bill,Not a chance in.... But thanks for asking!

[geo]

Wow, you guys have great ears, I just heard a good song with a good singer, very nice.... GeoP.S. Second version is better.

[rlcmusic]

Hi Dean,I think the mix is better than before. I can hear a section approx 1:16 - 1:47 where the vocals seem late. The guitar seems to be leading the song rather than the vocal - this repeated section of the song is much more in synch later on. I agree with the posts above how the singer sounds a little tense. I can imagine this song needs to be sung with a big smile on your face and nice and relaxed/free. I still think it would give the song an extra lift with a bass part and maybe light drums.... I do think it is an improvement on the first version and good luck with the song Best wishes,Rachel

[deantaylor]

Thanks Everyone. It's funny, but I agree with everyone so far.Geo, I too hear a good song well sung, but ...Like Rachel, I hear the vox being a bit late on the 2nd prechor/chorus section. We could however, fix that with a bit of cut and paste, I think. Good ear Rachel, wasn't sure others would notice that. You guys are too good to slip anything by you!!! lolI have heard Julia evolve into this song over 5 drafts (she's done more, but that's what I've heard) and this is her best performance, yet. She is more relaxed than before and is 'popping' more than ever, but she does seem to have more to give, like Rachel and Squids, I would love to hear her find some way to have a little more fun with it, let loose a little here and there and PERFORM the song even more .. now that she knows it so well. Squids, its funny, but I had ideas of telling Julia to perform the song in some sort of 'outfit', long flowing white summer dress, barefoot ... or maybe scantilly clad (hey, it's her husband Shane that's recording her, so .... Bill's wife would approve) ... whatever she thought she'd be comfortable with .. but inspired by. Of course, lying on the couch would be easier. lolBut I do like the way in verse 2 and verse 3 she seems to be so right on the guitar timing-wise, it seems to build such nice momentum that I am not sure how I would like it, if she came in late here and then early there ... but Squids probably knows better than me. lolAnd Bill, I do hear what you are talking about, I hear it most right at the start, when her vox first cuts in .. in v1 .. her voice does not sound as 'intimate' as the guitar, like you say. I always thought, like Squids, that it was just a performance thing .. not being a sound engineer myself, I never considered mic placement ..Julia and Shane have said this would be their last take/mix .. burn out .. but we'll see .. she is so close and has put in so much work, maybe she'll try one more ... relaxed and eating the mic. lol I'll let you hear if she does.Thanks Again,Dean

[hummingbird]

Quote:Hey Everyone,Based on your comments, VShane worked on his recording studio to eliminate 'room' noise, Julia did several more takes to get this one and VShane remixed. Here is the new mix with the new vox:http://www.mp3unsigned.com/showmp3.asp?mp3id=51859 [new mix as of Feb 6, 2008]Is this a film/tv quality record (song, performance, sound quality, mix .. everything)?Did Shane get rid of some or all of the 'room' noise? How do you like Julia's vocal performance?We are thinking of adding harmonies to lift the prechorus/chorus sections. Good idea? If you know a vocalist who would be right for the job, please tell me who. Thanks,Dean, Julia, Shane, DavidHi Dean. First time I've heard the song. I like the lyrics - lovely imagery. I like the melodic ideas, there is a sense that more could happen... I'm hearing strings and warm harmonies. I can hear that the singer is working diligently to express the song. I have some comments on the song itself, as I feel that these little nits are making her job that much harder.It feels to me as though the melody doesn't always support the words and/or the prosody of the lyric doesn't really allow for good phrasing.For example, Verse one starts:"I'd like to find a place to go"& verse three starts:"Where I can dance free atop purple mountains"that's a vast difference in syllable count & makes the singer's job very tough.I also find this to be an awkward line:"And reality can't sever now from forever" - it's very poetic & doesn't feel like a smooth finish to the chorus.In terms of the music, I really like the prechorus - it's got a lovely lift & then the chorus drops down & pretty much stays down musically. I'd like to see the chorus soar a little more. And the verses could be a little smoother in phrasing... here and there the lyrics could be more 'singable'.For recording, I'm not sure what mic Julia is using but her vocal sounds a little dry. I've had this problem in the past too. The mic is not really picking up the nuances in her voice, so the sound is slightly 'brittle' & that's why people are saying she sounds tired. So I recommend a better mic, a good pop screen. As to diction, here and there in song it sounds little country. Julia should watch the width of her vowels in some of those words - if we sing with shapes that are too wide and too flat, then our palate in the wrong place and we constrict the voice. I think that anytime you are recording a vocal, you should try for 2 or 3 takes, and if it isn't happening, try again another day. The guitar in the mix is very bright, and with a female singer, that means there is a lot of high frequency. The guitar is covering Julia a little bit. I don't know if it's possible to get a warmer sounding acoustic on the recording, but if not then you have to work with EQ and stuff to make sure there is room for Julia right down the middle. Some bass might help to balance things up a bit as well.I think that this song has potential, but the form of the song in words & music needs some tweaking to support the singer and to allow the music to breathe effectively.I appreciate how hard you've worked on 'Where Imagination is Real'. Don't be discouraged! Of course, this is just my opinion, and feel free to keep or sweep.hugsHummin'bird