PreSonus Forums

Got this song demo going ....wondering where to go next...repeats of same parts, solo, break , bridge or something?

Mix comments always welcome!

https://soundcloud.com/spark240/edge-lo ... ve-edit-em

Hey, that's a nice tune you've got there, and well done. Kind of one of those "kumbya" everybody raise your lighters songs. I mean that in a good way.

As for suggestions:

How about a lead guitar part that kind of does answer-backs and fills between the vocals? Then maybe a couple of bar break around @2 minutes (after the chorus) for a mini-solo?

How about a nice simple piano part to add some texture and variation?

It could maybe use a little more dynamics as far as the arrangement. You could drop the chugging guitar part for half a verse and just go with bass/drums. Or wait to bring in the bass until the chorus?

Lots of ways to go with this. It a great start.

Not sure what to tell you on where to take this song, but it's a very good start. You could go in so many different directions. Just follow your own instincts.

miked7 has some good ideas that you could implement pretty easily.

At the end it sounds to me like it's ready for another chorus. After that you could do a guitar solo then back to Chorus or a breakdown with only vocals, bass and drums or only vocals & guitar then end with another chorus. You've got options

Your vocals sound really good. Would you mind sharing how you recorded them and what processing or effects where used?

@Black_Haus - Thanks for the comments...the vocal chain is as follows, Pro EQ ( Male R&B), Rvox stereo ( Default) dbx 160 ( Default) Open Air ( Back wall hall) Scheps Omni ( Air Vocal) DeEsser. I also did a send to a light Mixverb and a Beat Delay, both very very subtle.

Recorded using an SE 2200 Condensor mic with Reflexion filter...nothing special

I also used Izotope Elements on the whole mix,

Hope that helps!

That does help.

Again the vocals sound very good to me. I like how you used the send FX in such a subtle way. You could probably get away with having them more pronounced without being too much.

Listening to your song again it still feels like the chorus is ready to come up again when it fades out. After that seems to be the perfect spot for a short guitar solo. Also the intro could play a bit longer before the vocals come in.

So would recommend the SE 2000 to others looking for a good vocal mic on a budget? The best thing I've got at the moment is the Blue Spark which I've been pretty happy with.

The SE Condensors seem fine , I have 2 different models, but to be honest there are loads of budget mics that will do a good job.

I’m never really 100% happy with vocals, but you gotta stop somewhere !

Nice Tim.
Just listened to edit Em (2).

Only, the end faded out with the verse, so I think you're just working that through and is still in work.
Beautifully done, and words convey the message.
Nice job. Mix sounds good. Keep it up.

Yeah, I could somewhat tell the Izotope elements side of the mix. It's all pretty smooth. Elements seem to deal in broad strokes keeping the general finish of EQ quite flat. Nice level on reverb (open air).
I'm enjoying the Shepps Omni channel as well. Very diverse channel strip.

Cheers.

If it's a general demo that you plan to maybe hand to another vocalist, it's fine, there's plenty of room there for another singer to experiment freely without being distracted by too many musical melodies. If it's a demo for another purpose, like for an A&R person, you need to crank up the energy a good bit and maybe lead it off with the strongest (most musically interesting) chorus. In that last context, you only have a few seconds to grab a persons attention before they move on to the next demo of 100.

Ballads are hard because they more expose the vocals in the verses, and if the vocal performance is not energetic or emotional or doesn't have a really interesting musical melody, it can get uninteresting pretty quickly. That was my specialty, mixing ballads, but not rock like this, more R&B. If you can't get the lyrical energy or emotion up a bit, maybe consider raising the tempo a bit. Slow songs like this also need a really strong bridge, vocally and musically.

I'd not worry so much about the mix. Mixing in the VI/DAW age is easy enough. I'd focus more on the emotion of the song, if it's conveying any, or enough.

Nice song. I like it.

I'm not a songwriter so... grain of proverbial salt on all of the above.

I'm not going to give you any advice .. simply because I can't .. I love this! Please finish it

Well folks...I love this forum !

Its a real boost to get positive feedback, we all keep pushing for better a mix I guess and I know you guys are very competent so advice is more than welcome.

@Lawrence - Im interested in your comments as the same thing had occurred to me regarding energy and tempo, my first thought was to up the tempo slightly but to be honest Im not sure how to do that easily on a full session, maybe its easier in Project ?

Energy...yes...thats a good word isn't it...but how best to achieve it?....I not sure ..any tips there ?

@jpsbuk - Im working on it dude !

Nice production. Very sweet sounding mix.

timmorris wroteEnergy...yes...thats a good word isn't it...but how best to achieve it?....I not sure ..any tips there ?

Dunno,

Intro: What may help there is a "hint" of the lead singer while that's happening, some lower level ad libs to help push that along..

Verses: Needs musical contrast. Steel guitar? Or if you happen to know a string player maybe have him or her ad-lib in the gaps or lyrical spaces, if you do a bunch of takes usually something unexpectedly musically good will happen. For example, the pre-chorus before the first chorus where you say ... "Some will never recognize" … before it resolves into the Chorus. It's begging for something musically interesting to help push that short transition into the chorus.

Choruses: This may more be my R&B background or preference but I'd make the Love is Love chorus part more textured backing vocals, and always sing lead vocal over it. Thicken it up, pull it back a bit, and let the lead vocal carry it over the chorus. I'd record about 8 layers of that and spread them out. If you do that, change the mic position or distance a little bit on every take, that helps the texture.

That's all I got. I couldn't write anything nearly as good as what you've done so again... grain of salt and all that. That's why good music producers get paid so well I suppose, to take a good idea and fill in the gaps and make it a "record".

Beautiful song and well done. Didn't really expect a lot of energy because of the reflective nature of the song. To me the most important thing is the sincerity of the performance and I think you have that.
Like others have said, I thought the song faded out at the wrong place, but maybe that's because it's a work in progress.
I don't quite get the title, Love is Love, but that's okay. Just me.

Bjornfredrickson wrote: Beautiful song and well done. Didn't really expect a lot of energy because of the reflective nature of the song. To me the most important thing is the sincerity of the performance and I think you have that.

Nice "take" (perception) Bjorn.
There are many potential directions here, and even straight up the road is good too.

Sincerity will translate be it some emphasis here or there, or just sitting in the pocket the way the song largely is now.

It's also largely where the originator is taking the piece to, for air play, audition, or self gratification.

It's why I love to think of music as a sculpture. Although visual, there's always a different set of eyes upon it, but the sculpture also speaks and eminates energy on its own. In a museum, in a field, anywhere.

FWIW, before the fade out, you say "c'mon song along". I would end with the Love is Love chorus. 4x - 8x. Perhaps, add a few additional voices in the mix, be it children, or others. Real subtle though.

Many thanks for the feedback folks...we are working on it

Ok...so Im almost finished...need a bit of drum tweaking then Ill probably leave it at that...what you reckon?

https://soundcloud.com/spark240/edge-lo ... -edit-lead

Still loving Love is Love .. really nice composition and production. Your vocals get an extra point as well

If I were to change one thing it would be to open up the top end a little. I'm listening on headphones and it seems to lack just a little bit of sparkle. It's minor though and may just be down to my 'old' ears.

Ok, 2 things, maybe just one more repeat of the 'Love is Love' on the fade and time it to completely fade on the last 'Love'?

Thanks for sharing!

I like what you have added. It fits the rest of the song well.

I hear a little bit of sibllance but that may be because I’m listening on earbuds ATM.

Great song

Black_Haus wroteI like what you have added. It fits the rest of the song well.

I hear a little bit of sibllance but that may be because I’m listening on earbuds ATM.

Great song

Thanks...and you are correct....I use Ozone Elements on the final mix, and TBH Im not sure it needed it, ...might tweak that.

I recently got the free Waves plugin “Sibilance” and it seems to work pretty well . If you double your tracks there is a good preset for the double parts that takes out almost all the beginning of “S” & “T” words.