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[quote=WaoBand] though I would have mixed the tracks very differently. /quote]
Being that this is a Work In Progress now is the time to elucidate.
I'm interested in how & why as it may help me. Hi Ray, I wasn't criticising the music, just that if I had an Audacity file with all of the tracks on/for it I'd have balanced everything according to my specific style, mostly changing the gains.
Some favourite Waoist Adages:
#1: Play on the Way.
#13: Ask not for whom the flower blooms, it blooms for you.
#58: Bring consciousness to it.
#63: On the road to effortlessness, effort must be made.
#92: Be Love Now, the rest will come on its own.
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[quote=WaoBand] though I would have mixed the tracks very differently. /quote]
Being that this is a Work In Progress now is the time to elucidate.
I'm interested in how & why as it may help me. Hi Ray, I wasn't criticising the music, just that if I had an Audacity file with all of the tracks on/for it I'd have balanced everything according to my specific style, mostly changing the gains. I get that but I would like to know some specifics - it may assist with the final mix. If you've the time that is.
Cheers
rayc
"What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
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This is mesmerizing in the engaging way. Nice performances by you and the Wrecking Crew. Did you DI those solo guitars for that sound of continuity? We tried to understand the technical response you gave to Marty but it quickly went over our heads.  Looking forward to further editions. Enjoyed it! J&B thank you J&B. My guitar parts are through an "amp in a box" pedal - the ACTONE. The BIAB lead is as it is the BIAB with reverb & EQ added. I told Marty I'd stopped using an "amp in a box" pedal for bass and instead tracked through an old compressor.
Cheers
rayc
"What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
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Hi Ray,
Understated mystery with a touch of mystique. That's a very cool sound! You have some of the most original and interesting (interesting in the best of ways) sunds on the forum. I never know what to expect when click onto a new one from you, but I always know it's gonna be a good listen
The opening laid the groundwork for the rest of the song and transitioned nicely into it.
Besty to ya, mate.
Alan Thanks Alan, This sat in a folder for months until I realized it needed a constant distorted rhythm guitar to give it meat...that guitar was added, though quite low in the mix.
Cheers
rayc
"What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
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Shades and shadows of Pink Floyd in this. Quite epic in places.
I personally think it's a bit long but my opinion has not been a hot topic amongst many of the top folks in this biz. Yeah, it's long, I agree. From my perspective it's as long as it took to get to the end & I don't expect folk to get there. I tried to shorten it but I couldn't find a satisfying edit point.
Cheers
rayc
"What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
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Meander away! I love the total sound--all the musical elements. You buried the vocal, didn't you? Buried into a whisper beneath my consciousness.
I looking forward to the next iteration. Thanks Scott, My vocal so def. BURIED. I hope to have another voice in this sooner rather than later. I actually tried to track a whisper for this but the sibilance of those things drive me crazy.
Cheers
rayc
"What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
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[quote=WaoBand] though I would have mixed the tracks very differently. /quote]
Being that this is a Work In Progress now is the time to elucidate.
I'm interested in how & why as it may help me. I've listened to the whole song again - I don't think it's too long as I like listening to musical journeys - but while it would be easier to demonstrate than to explain, if I was mixing it I'd firstly have the vocals loud enough to be able to hear the words. It seems pointless to write lyrics that can't be heard and as it is the vocals could be replaced by vocables and it wouldn't matter. I'd also mostly be increasing the gains on the lead guitars and some other instruments, but varying the gains in various places. I'd have to listen to it all quite a few more times to be specific. But like so much it really comes down to personal taste and preferences.
Some favourite Waoist Adages:
#1: Play on the Way.
#13: Ask not for whom the flower blooms, it blooms for you.
#58: Bring consciousness to it.
#63: On the road to effortlessness, effort must be made.
#92: Be Love Now, the rest will come on its own.
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This is mesmerizing in the engaging way.
Did you DI those solo guitars for that sound of continuity?
J&B My mistake Bud, I've just checked. there're two different real tracks in play for the lead. They were similar but different and as I jumped from one to the other I needed some commonality in the tone. I put a Tube Screamer VST on both, added a JS Fuzz, ran that into a Fender Delux modeller rolled off some top, (fizz from the fuzz), then pushed it through a compressor sustainer, (fast attack compressor with a LONG release and a highish ratio). Doing that made, with some tweaking, them both close enough to imagine them being the same guitar.
Cheers
rayc
"What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
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very nice - I like the soft vocals. Did you change the leslie speed on the organ while playing? Thanks Randy. The Leslie was printed into the Real Track so I didn't change it. I've tried that before and it can go very wrong. When there's no Leslie present a VST can do a convincing job ramping up & down.
Cheers
rayc
"What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
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Prog is always good, and I enjoyed every second of it.
The best part (you're probably surprised by this statement) are your vocals, your voice is _perfect_ for this kind of music.
Keep them!
The weakest part are the drums, they could sometimes have a bit more variation and generally sound a bit thin.
Nothing that cannot be easily fixed. Thanks B.D., The drums are in the land of undecided as yet. I can't work out whether i want a period correct tone or a modern one.
Cheers
rayc
"What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
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Ray...very cool intro...an ethereal soundscape and wash of instruments...interesting and mystic...love your guitar work and the piano cuts through beautifully...I enjoyed the complexity of your work here...a lot going on and sown together very well...I enjoyed the ride! Thank you. It's a big project in Reaper and wasn't going well until I added EVEN MORE guitars.
Cheers
rayc
"What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
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Ray, this is not a work in progress, it is a finished masterpiece!
It doesn't need another singer, you did this justice.
Outstanding mix. Thanks Mario, I've updated it but can't edit the O.P. so it'll come back when mastered.
Cheers
rayc
"What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
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The intro was great and left me expecting a completely different vocal. It left me with a very nice surprise.
Brad Thanks Brad, I always enjoy defying expectations.
Cheers
rayc
"What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
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[quote=WaoBand] though I would have mixed the tracks very differently. /quote]
Being that this is a Work In Progress now is the time to elucidate.
I'm interested in how & why as it may help me. if I was mixing it I'd firstly have the vocals loud enough to be able to hear the words. It seems pointless to write lyrics that can't be heard and as it is the vocals could be replaced by vocables and it wouldn't matter. I'd also mostly be increasing the gains on the lead guitars and some other instruments, . Thanks, yes vocals. Historically you'll find I bury my vocals - simply because they aren't really good enough. Secondly the era & style of music is one that has many examples of pointlessly writing lyrics to be buried and later discovered by a listener who wants to find them - or to imagine them. GAIN is a difficult discussion as few have a common understanding of it. If you mean the relative volume/level of instruments then I can understand that & if you mean gain/drive I can understand that as well. Yes taste, experience, preference and hearing ability all come into the equation.
Cheers
rayc
"What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
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[quote=WaoBand] though I would have mixed the tracks very differently. /quote]
Being that this is a Work In Progress now is the time to elucidate.
I'm interested in how & why as it may help me. if I was mixing it I'd firstly have the vocals loud enough to be able to hear the words. It seems pointless to write lyrics that can't be heard and as it is the vocals could be replaced by vocables and it wouldn't matter. I'd also mostly be increasing the gains on the lead guitars and some other instruments, . Thanks, yes vocals. Historically you'll find I bury my vocals - simply because they aren't really good enough. Secondly the era & style of music is one that has many examples of pointlessly writing lyrics to be buried and later discovered by a listener who wants to find them - or to imagine them. GAIN is a difficult discussion as few have a common understanding of it. If you mean the relative volume/level of instruments then I can understand that & if you mean gain/drive I can understand that as well. Yes taste, experience, preference and hearing ability all come into the equation. Yes, I did mean the relative volume/level of instruments.
Some favourite Waoist Adages:
#1: Play on the Way.
#13: Ask not for whom the flower blooms, it blooms for you.
#58: Bring consciousness to it.
#63: On the road to effortlessness, effort must be made.
#92: Be Love Now, the rest will come on its own.
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rayc,
A great psychedelic, progressive rock song!
All your tastes are packed into this song.
It's like floating in an ocean of sounds.
The atmosphere of the song changes greatly depending on the singer, so I'd like to listen to the version by a different singer.
Enjoyed my listen a lot.
Best regards.
Shigeki Adachi
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