Paranoid Android
July 15, 2012 5:02 PM
My attempt at the Bohemian Rhapsody of my generation.
Created this weekend with help (and patience) from my awesome wife - who appears on flute and accordion.
When I was first assigned the song, I tried to think of ways to put my stamp on it and changing it to a waltz seemed fun. I tried to make a bunch of 2 and 4 over 3 rhythms to ape the rhythmic complexity of the original.
As an additional challenge to myself, this is quite possibly the first song I've recorded (not counting a cappella stuff) that does use any synthesized instruments. Everything went through the 1 mic, except for the bass which was DI. The sample sounding bit at 1:50 is the record that was sitting on the platter of our ancient wind-up phonograph.
I'm not satisfied with the mix, but I'm not sure how to fix it. I think I could seriously spend the rest of the year tweaking and re-recording bits, but I've decided to call it done for now.
Created this weekend with help (and patience) from my awesome wife - who appears on flute and accordion.
When I was first assigned the song, I tried to think of ways to put my stamp on it and changing it to a waltz seemed fun. I tried to make a bunch of 2 and 4 over 3 rhythms to ape the rhythmic complexity of the original.
As an additional challenge to myself, this is quite possibly the first song I've recorded (not counting a cappella stuff) that does use any synthesized instruments. Everything went through the 1 mic, except for the bass which was DI. The sample sounding bit at 1:50 is the record that was sitting on the platter of our ancient wind-up phonograph.
I'm not satisfied with the mix, but I'm not sure how to fix it. I think I could seriously spend the rest of the year tweaking and re-recording bits, but I've decided to call it done for now.
posted by onehalfjunco (15 comments total) 13 users marked this as a favorite
That was fun. The harmonies and the waltziness are delightful.
posted by man vs sun at 8:22 PM on July 15, 2012
posted by man vs sun at 8:22 PM on July 15, 2012
Delightful! I've long been a proponent of getting more flute in pop music!
posted by TwoWordReview at 11:29 PM on July 15, 2012
posted by TwoWordReview at 11:29 PM on July 15, 2012
this works really well in waltz-time, excellent stuff. the record-scratch fits quite nicely.
posted by dubold at 1:18 AM on July 16, 2012
posted by dubold at 1:18 AM on July 16, 2012
Yeah, this works really, really well. So much texture to the arrangement. I am digging this hard.
posted by uncleozzy at 3:45 AM on July 16, 2012
posted by uncleozzy at 3:45 AM on July 16, 2012
Love how this normalizes the 7/8 breaks in the second act into just a pair of waltz bars without seeming conspicuous at all. And then there's that conspicuous move to four, and then back, in the Rain Down segment! Of which, the waltz feet on the counterpoint in the last cycle is really great.
posted by cortex at 10:48 AM on July 16, 2012
posted by cortex at 10:48 AM on July 16, 2012
This is totally brilliant - the waltzing piano and dinky flute are genius.
posted by freya_lamb at 2:07 PM on July 16, 2012
posted by freya_lamb at 2:07 PM on July 16, 2012
yeah, what cortex and freya_lamb said. amazing stuff. well done to both of you!
posted by marienbad at 5:00 PM on July 19, 2012
posted by marienbad at 5:00 PM on July 19, 2012
Kinda turns it into an Eliot Smith song. I like.
posted by nebulawindphone at 5:58 PM on July 27, 2012
posted by nebulawindphone at 5:58 PM on July 27, 2012
This gave me a huge slightly-crazy grin. It's a great mix!
posted by that girl at 10:21 AM on September 3, 2012
posted by that girl at 10:21 AM on September 3, 2012
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posted by hanoixan at 6:42 PM on July 15, 2012