Satellite Down - Chemistry

[digidog]

Hi All,Brand new here. i'm just about to grab that template and start reviewing. Thought I'd post one of my songs as a starter.We have been working in my home studio for the last 3 years and this is one of the first finalized songs. As some of you may know, the first song on the CD isn't the hook song, but I am going to post it anyhow.I'm really looking forwards to comments on the production more than anything. This is more of a fun live song than a radio song, but I would still appreciate comments.http://www.dallasnetworks.net/media/sd/ ... Stoplights, always when I'm running late.But it feels like no-one's here.No-one's taking advantage of the streets where no-one goes.I think I am stuck, it's always my luck. I swear everyone is out to get me.I realize that I'm behind.And I think I've lost my own originality.Living through split personalities.A small part about me loves this high-school chemistry.Woah-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh.I think you found another way.I took a break and you took your chances.Wait for some other day.At the moment I seem to be busy losing all my senses, I don't get thestupid simplest, messages through my brain.And I think I've lost my own originality.Living through split personalities.A small part about me loves this high-school chemistry.Woah-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh.I'd love for you to read my mind -(like a secret telepathic two way design).I'd love if I could read your signs -(instead of drawing my own lines).And I think I've lost my own originality.Living through split personalities.A small part about me loves this high-school chemistry.How did I miss this naked sensuality?Sealed it with a kiss as a penalty.I'm kickin' myself as you walk away with my sanity.Woah-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh.

[matthoggard]

Hey Dog!Welcome and thanks for posting.Good sound. I like the guitar sound you have hear. Mix sounds pretty good. All aspects are represented well and I could hear all the instuments.I hear some masking in the low end. The kick and bass are competing somewhere. eq to get some separation. I didnt feel alot of spatial separation. The stereo field didnt seem wide enough. It also sounds like the upper freq's of the guitars are competing slightly with the vocals. Realy very few nits for me. I think a good eq on all the sections and spreading the field some will really make this shine. Great groove and the guitar sound is nice and thick. Find where you want the vocals to sit in the spectrum and notch out some freq's in the other instruments so the vocals will float above the mix a little more.Cool song and good production effort. I wish I could get guitars to sound that big. WHat was your recording technique on them. POD? AMP/MIC? AMP MODEL?M~

[billg]

hey digidog, this is a very cool/commercial sounding song to me. This is really not my genre so take what I say within that context-The kick drum does some things that are strange to me, like accenting with the vocals in the first verse. It just seems to be a bit random. IMO in almost any genre of music I can think of it's important for the kick drum to have a constant (incessant?) pattern . . . I've always looked at it as the "heartbeat" of a song and it's the one thing you don't want it to be irregular or unpredictable.Other than that, like I said, this song sounds very commercial and radio friendly to me and in the big picture the way I feel about the kick drum doesn't mean squat if you like it-

[carlosgomez]

So how did you get Geddy Lee to sing and Alex Lifeson to play on this tune? Neil Pert like starter drums and perhaps lyrics if there were lyrics to view. Any ironys?Good production and stereo field. My meters were blazing so I would expect that mastering has been performed on this cut?

[rld]

Yeah...very nice.If you did this entirely in your home studio, then you should be very pleased.This is one of the best "sounds like it came off a major release" mp3's I've heard..on this forum or any other.Please give some details...specifically: guitars and amps, drums, mic/pre, daw platform.Thanks, and great job!

[stephen1977]

Great sound as always. Your production almost always rivals the majors. I'm not really too into the style like I've told you before, but I can't deny you have mastered a sound. You have an excellent ear.

[digidog]

Jan 31, 2009, 7:44am, rld wrote:Yeah...very nice.If you did this entirely in your home studio, then you should be very pleased.This is one of the best "sounds like it came off a major release" mp3's I've heard..on this forum or any other.Please give some details...specifically: guitars and amps, drums, mic/pre, daw platform.Thanks, and great job!I don't think I've notated what I use in a long time, so here it goes:I have a fairly elaborate setup but i've learned over the years a couple of things:1. Use select equipment for the sake of the song, not for the sake of technology. In this song I probably only used 20% of the modules, amps, and whatnot.2. Mix and master yourself to get an idea of how it's going to turn out, but never do these things yourself for the final product.The rhythm guitar is a corona strat running through a Roland VGA-7 (Sans GK-2) which is then fed into an Avalon Ultra-5 preamp and then direct into the console. 11 gauge d'addarios.The lead is the same thing, but the guitar is a PRS, instead of the strat.Bass is a fender precision (US) running into a (yikes) Crate BX 440-H. It's the only Crate I've ever heard that actually sounds good. Ever. From there is goes into a mark bass studio pre and then into console.Vocals were recorded with a combination of a Neumann TLM 49 and a Groove Tubes Mic. Can't remember the model number, GK something I think (and it's way on the other side of the room). They were recorded into a Mackie Onyx 1620 (I like the built in preamps the Onyx series has for vocals without going crazy class A sell your house).The drums are nothing more than an Alesis DM-Pro with me programming the parts. In final mixdown the snare was retriggered into something, not sure what, maybe BFD.The synths are a combination of my Yamaha Motif ES, Korg Triton, and some VSTi's including Stylus RMX, Sylenth, Nexus, and Kore2.All of these things that are external hardware go as direct as possible into my Tascam DM-24 digital console.From here we have three TDIF connections into an MOTU 2408 MKIII. Cranky bastard it is, but the sonic quality can't be beat.The DAW is Cubase SX3 and I record most everything at 32 bit floating 96khz.The EQ's and compressors for vocals and guitars is mostly the SSLEQ VST and Voxformer VST.After mix is complete ill pop it into sound forge for mastering using Har-Bal and some crazy combinations of Izotope Ozone.However, being this is a final version, the mixing and mastering was done by a great guy here in Dallas by the name of Derek Taylor. He runs milostudios mix and master house and is great. You can find him here: www.miloevents.comGlad everyone enjoyed, looking forward to posting more stuff and doing some reviews!

[billg]

It's cool to hear that you use Voxformer. I really like Soniformer and Elephant and I've been wondering about this plug. Actually I don't really know why I haven't purchased it, just kind of forgot about it until you mentioned it . . . so thanks!

[matthoggard]

Impressive setup. I like the Tascam unit. So you didnt mike any cabinets or amps? Thats really impressive!Killer sounds. Ill chalk up my earlier comments to my monitors. Maybe my F*%(ed up ears, who knows.I like the digital consoles. You dont have to hog the computer with inputs. I was wondering how the 24bit was. Matt