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

• play
• pause
• min volume
• max volume

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, 2008

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, 2008

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, 2008