PG Music Home Forums General Discussion Off-Topic My First Original using BIAB

Hey folks, I have to say I am very excited about posting my first composition with BIAB and RB. Check it out at www.soundclick.com/rickeg. It's the only one there at the moment. Though recording technique suggestions are always helpful, if you would not mind offering thoughts like how did the song made you feel: happy, fun, ok, don't quit your day job, stuff like that.

Thanks,
RickeG

Vice nice effort, sounds like you are having fun. Here is a little corrective critisms/suggestions based on my ears.

Too much pushed to the one side in the stereo field. At first I had to check my speakers to see if my balance was off. So check your L/R mix.

Simplify the guitar tones. Did I hear 3 different and unique guitar tones? The tune is long at over 5 minutes and with the differenct guitars it tends to breck the continuity.

Dump the harmonica plaer at the end. I don't feel he fits in with the overall vibe.

Just one mans opinion, others will vary . I do look forward to hearing more of your stuff in the future. Thanks for posting.

Hey RIcke, that really sounds like a fun jam. Had my feet going underneath the desk LOL! Nice work.

Overall, I have to agree with Dan, though.

Still a fun tune!

Cheers,
Mike

I liked the lead guitar playing.
I assume the background guitar was not you(?) because it was
the same thing over and over. With your ability as a soloist, I would think that you could
multi-track a more interesting background.
Overall it was nice.

Hi RickeG, Nice first attempt.
If I may give you one little tip I have found useful.

Whilst listening to the song (I listened using soundclick, mp3 player in Firefox)
reduce the volume (I used volume 8 but any level that you can just hear and no more) and listen to see if you can hear that the instruments are blending properly.
You may find that some need their volume raised whilst others need theirs reduced. Remember Less can be more.
Overall, very good 1st attempt, well done.

Best regards
Michee

I liked it. This has a lot of potential. Great chops!

I do agree with Jazzmandan about the guitars. You might choose one or two guitar tones. You might want to cut out the harp player. I liked the guitar leads MUCH better, but then again look at my avitar

Personally I would change the rhythm guitarist’s sound to something a little funkier, but that is just my opinion.

The mix could be a little more cohesive, but again the may be just me. Mixing at low levels is a very good tip.

This is a really good first attempt.

Ricke,

I agree with the advice already given. Other than that the leads were super, was thay you? And of course it made me feel like listening to more.

Later,

Nice lead work, I enjoyed the tune. The stereo field and rhythm guitar comments sound right on to me. Good job.

Kevin

Hey I liked that breezin' rhythm. Nice opus there. I also agree with Jazzmandan. I could hear a song with vocals going on in the back of my mind while it was playing. This song equates to something to do with water to me. Like a nice lake view or oceananic. Could picture lots of cars zipping by and people talking to each other in a lazy sort of way. Great tune.

Well done RIck - for a first attempt this shows is a lot of promise.
I would have stuck with the clean guitar sound throughout - more in tune with the vibe in my view.
Also - and this could be just me - I found it hard to wrap my head round the structure.
Even by the end I was finding it impossible to predict what was coming next.
Maybe a little simplification could be envisaged?

I'd say that is a pretty darn good first attempt. Once you learn more of the programs capabilities, You'll be in for a real treat. Good work, nice lyics.

Thanks folks for your input!

Hi Dan, yeah, I put three different tones. I do that a lot of times with instrumentals because, and this is my A.D.D. at work, I get bored hearing the same tone over the same phrases (verse chorus etc). I try to make my instrumentals almost as if they were being sung by a vocalist. In the case of this song, it is kind of like the Temptations where one verse could be Eddie, another David, and another, Otis. Coming from a background of musicians that were great vocalists, quartets, and duets and not being able to carry a tune with a handle when it comes to my voice, I use my guitar to be the voice; hence the more melodic and less busy Satriani/Vai style which I do touch upon in other songs.

The goal of this song was to be a "toe tapper" as one posted. A Paul McCartney style of instrumental if he were to write one; happy melodies that you find yourself singing or whistling to after you've listened.

I did break my carnal rule as one who has A.D.D. in that of "No Song Shalt Last More Than Three Minutes." I think I just started really digging on these RB tracks and got carried away. Remember, this is the first one I had written using BIAB/RB. Again, thanks to the multiple guitar voicings and harmonica it actually moves along to my ears.

Jazz Sax, Thanks for your thought on the melody. If I can impress a sax player, I am humbled. Yes, the only parts I recorded were the guitar melodies. That is a cool Real Band Track however, isn’t it?

George, Less is definitely more. And I have truly come to appreciate the ears of an expert mastering engineer. I used Cakewalk’s Boost to balance and master the track. I had several different systems I played it on and the only thing I found was that it was slightly lower (overall) than that of a professionally mastered song. On your system, what instruments were lost and which were too forward?

Mario, I would love to funk the rhythm up a little. But, I liked the Real Band’s guitar overall sound that I kept it despite the fact that it does overlook some chords in the progression. Plus, and correct me if I am wrong, the RB tracks cannot be tweaked other than by the chords it plays. (Again, still learning.) If it can, I would love to learn how.

Danny C, Thank you. Again, like a McCartney tune, the melody has a hook. I walked around whistling that for several weeks before posting it. I even questioned the Roto Tube amp on the first verse. When I tried the other sounds that I used on the track, it just did not jump at me as it did with the Roto… my hats off to the guys who blow me away with it in that of John Mayer and Stevie Ray Vaughn.

Kemmrich, Thank you. I am glad it worked well on your PC.

Russel, Awesome visual. Being one who lives at the beach, I guess it has seeped out of my pores and into the guitar! I picture it as a driving by the beach song. You know, the convertible down type stuff. Very visual. You sound like me where when you hear a tune you automatically have a visual track in your mind of images that you equate to the audio.

Mglinert, Like I shared with Russel, sometimes I like to take drives and get lost. The joy of the journey is when you find your way back to the familiar again. I like to do that with my music again because it is instrumental I feel you have to work a litter harder than a lyrical piece to keep the attention of the listener. Often they tune out much quicker because they are not hearing the familiar sound of a voice guiding them through the song and thus anticipating where they are going based upon its lyrical story.

Toucher, my thoughts exactly. I have been having a blast with this toy every spare moment I am afforded to do so in between entertaining my 5 year old! My plan is to delve a little deeper with every composition. That is why I truly appreciate this discussion board. I have learned so much from you all!

Thanks again to all,
RickeG

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George, Less is definitely more. And I have truly come to appreciate the ears of an expert mastering engineer. I used Cakewalk’s Boost to balance and master the track. I had several different systems I played it on and the only thing I found was that it was slightly lower (overall) than that of a professionally mastered song. On your system, what instruments were lost and which were too forward?

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Hi RickeG,
I hear the rhythm guitar just a little too much (not a lot, just a little) and the first guitar I hear (you seem to have that playing outside of the song, I would bring it in to the middle a wee bit)
When I'm mixing my initial songs I always (taking Mac's advice) reduce the main mix volume so that I can hear if one instrument is either too much in your face or vice versa (just remember if an instrument isn't loud enough - reducing other instruments may be of help)
I also listen to the spread and see if the song seems to have the correct distance between instruments (I don't pan much above/below +/-15 (using Realband)
My aim is to try to give the impression that there is an actual band on a small stage.
As to the final mix (here I'm talking about a wav file) I sometimes use a program called T-Racks (the program I have is years old, but it works well) as it can give a huge boost to the output if needed without distortion.

Just have FUN that is the most important thing about music, enjoy it in all its many faceted ways.
Best regards
Michee