Chester v3

First mix of fer-realz recording of one of my songs: Chester. Per my last AskMefi post, please critique it!

I'm cool with any critique - weak points I can see currently are

• Didn't have a pick first time I started recording. Thus opening riff is a little sloppy


• Recording is only 1:45 or something long currently. Most songs are over 2:30... I'm planning a big outro as usual


• First track of vocals is unprocessed, since I just recorded it. I'll probably send it through the amp sim -> reverb line like the second line

Anything else? I have a few more days to work on this, and I'd like at least this one track to get respectable

(Get Flash to see the track player.)
posted by tmcw (3 comments total)

I was going to say something about the vocals but then I noticed what you said about them -- well, I'll go ahead anyway: the vocals from :42 to 1:22ish are kinda ugly -- like uncomfortably close. I don't mind the intakes of breath but the exhales after several of the lines annoys me (it's most obvious after the first "all of this is done"). I think it gets better for the last two lines, starting around 1:27 -- did you back off the mic a little?

I really disliked the delivery of the vox in the second half, but that's not a condemnation of your talent. I can't listen to Bright Eyes when he gets histrionic, and to me you sound like you're coming from a similar place, so apply grains of salt as necessary.

The guitar riff is nice and the piano is a good complement. The opening riff sounds really good to me. I also really like that small squeaky rhythmic bit that starts showing up around 1:20.

Recording is only 1:45 or something long currently. Most songs are over 2:30... I'm planning a big outro as usual

Did this change? 'Cause this song is over 3 minutes. Anyway, I think the answer to the question "how long should a song be?" is the same as the answer to the question "how long should a piece of string be?"
posted by Karlos the Jackal at 1:45 AM on May 11

Thanks, dude! That's great advice, I'll definitely make some of those changes.

About the difference in the vocals: you're right - I recorded one bit with a great condenser mic with a pop filter, and then another bit with a dynamic mic because I had nothing else around. I'll definitely re-record the crappy ones.

Although I'm drenched in Bright Eyes-influence, I fear that the quality of the second set of vocals is just due to my lack of figuring out how to sing that - I'm kind of attached to that vocal hook, but don't know if I can convey it with my voice. Maybe backing vocals? Lessons? A riff behind it?

Again, thanks for the tips!
posted by tmcw at 1:26 PM on May 11

I really liked the beginning to this. I think the vocals are good, but I agree with Karlos about moving a little farther back. And I don't know why, but I think the squeaky beat is really cool. I don't think I like that guitar effect at 1:40 or so, or the one at the end. And I'm not a big fan of that voice effect you have at the end, but that's because I like your voice a lot more without it and I don't think you need it.
posted by Corduroy at 2:39 PM on May 11