Silver Dollar

Bluegrass song about what sometimes happens with sons and dads. (In a bluegrass/country world.)

This is still kinda short, and my voice still sucks, but this is my latest attempt at nailing down some bluegrass. Overall, this is my best try yet, so keep the comments coming and let me know how I can make this better, or where you think I can go from here.

(Get Flash to see the track player.)
posted by snsranch (10 comments total)

I like the vocal arrangement, and I quite like your singing style too, even if it gets a tad pitchy in a spot or two (mostly the "silver dollar" overdub 7 seconds in). But the looseness of the vocal is what I like about it too though -- the word "authentic" comes to mind when hearing it. The banjo sounds great and it's very pleasing how the song ends.

When it comes to the vocal production, I wish it were maybe a little bit less "woolly". By that I think I mean that I'd be curious to hear what it might sound like if you cut some of the mid-frequencies and maybe upped the mid-highs. Basically I want it to sound a little bit "sharper". I suspect I might be in the minority with that preference though.

Cool stuff, thanks for uploading, and as an aside: you have the greatest attitude about your music and the music of other posters. I really appreciate both your own music posts and your contributions to other music threads.
posted by edlundart at 9:43 PM on May 17

Hey edlundart, thank you very much on all points!

It's really interesting thinking about the "woolliness". How am I going to learn to sing if I'm not even properly hearing myself during play back?! That's going to ease a lot of frustration and dissatisfaction! Awesome. I can't wait to try it out.

Man, you've taught me some great stuff here over the past couple or three years and I can't thank you enough.

Yee Hawww!!!
posted by snsranch at 4:35 PM on May 18

sns, this is like a rickety old weathered barn, out in an old, overgrown field, with the wind blowing through the planks and an old door creaking on its hinges. Feels good.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:52 AM on May 19

This has got a really great feel. I love the poking-out banjo. Sounds great, nice work.
posted by uncleozzy at 6:58 AM on May 19

snsranch, this is really great. It makes me want to go home and play some banjo.
posted by umbú at 8:30 AM on May 19

Sounds really nice and old-tymey.
posted by dobie at 8:50 AM on May 19

Beautiful banjo.The banjo harmony plucking at the end was especially so.

How to make it better? There is probably something you could add for the heck of it that might be interesting, but this is already wonderful!
posted by Corduroy at 4:23 PM on May 19

Hey, thanks for listening guys! I forgot to mention, although it's probably obvious, that I FINALLY took micayetoca's and others advice to use a click track! Momma Mia! Much better and easier now.
posted by snsranch at 4:12 PM on May 20

Yeah, click tracks can come in handy! As Bill Laswell* said... CONFORM TO THE RHYTHM!

*remember Material? They were cool.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 4:50 PM on May 20

flapjax, nope, but I'm checking them out now! Gracias.
posted by snsranch at 4:05 PM on May 22