Owls. This may chnage your life. Read.

[Messiah]

...or maybe it won't.
But now you're here;



First person to guess where the dialogue sample is from wins Jules' PT HD Rig (..subject to Jules' approval).

This is a track from an album of my own that I'm working on in between working for others.

I'd just really like some feedback and opinions as I've never let this material 'out'.

Be kind...

(Jules, PM me about the contest!

[Jules]

After long debate we have decided that Carl's whole studio is to be the prize.

[Ruphus]

Hi Carl,

Really like what you have brewed there. If I was seeking for an AE you would have a new customer now.

The piece seems very moody and not copying any other image at all.
The sounds selected fit to each other really neatly, the balance and separation couldn´t be better I think.
Also the positioning of the instruments in depth are great with the guitars upfront and the vocals, drums and bass set back.
The drums sound impresses me especially, not so close miked, very smooth yet heavy and present. The kick sound marrying the bass perfectly.
The distance in miking in general is very well chosen and makes the whole thing three dimensional.

And "smooth" being the main attribute for the mix, very soft, very pleasent. -Yet on some of the synth notes which appeared distorted at times ( like at 3:03 ).

A very tasteful job in my ears.

There are a couple of clicks ( from start to around 1:20 ).

Respectfully,

Ruphus

PS: Jules don´t worry, now that I won I don´t ask for the HD, only for your outboard.

[blaugruen7]

peace. home. long slow car travels. houses, people, lakes, trees passing by.

the vocals is a original recording of abraham lincoln reading flower power poems.

i will take the pt rig and the studio.
thanks.

[Messiah]

Ok, Jules, I'll offer an hour with my beloved Tascam 414 portastudio to the winner (they provide the cassette)...

Ruphus, thanks for the kind words.
This is actual the first public airing that I've ever given to any of my music, so it's a bit daunting, a feeling of exposure, you know.
I'm well used to exposing other peoples' music that I have worked on/produced, but not this.

My recording room (these are home recordings) is pretty ambient, wooden floor and ceiling, and I get a good sound when I face the kit into the corner, which is what I did on this track, plus it's my 1962 Rogers kit that is great to record anyway! (Unfortunately, I've since sold it to The Coral (UK band))

I think the clicks have come about from the digi transfer I did from DAT to Mac for this mp3, either that or it may be the acoustic which is pretty 'spiky' (re:slowish attack on the comp).

Thanks again for the comments.

blaugruen7, you're wrong! NO Tascam hour for you sir.

[dingo]

Twin Peaks, 2nd season opener. I'm not paying shipping. Sounded good on cheap computer speakers. I'll have a proper listening when I get some time.

[nategizow]

Really kick ass tune man... totally enjoyed it... mellow and convincing.

nice.

[Ruphus]

Yep, nothing to be shy about, rather to be proud of the skills involved.

Carl, I hope for you that you got a heap of cash for the kit, because it really does sound awfully good.

I´m not specialized on drums, but the kits sound popped out right away to me for its outstanding characteristic. Especially that bass drum ( not to say that the snare and plate weren´t very pleasing as well ).

Ruphus

[Messiah]

Originally posted by dingo
Twin Peaks, 2nd season opener. I'm not paying shipping. Sounded good on cheap computer speakers. I'll have a proper listening when I get some time.

Bingo, Dingo!!
If you ever get to Liverpool there's an hour on a 4 track waiting for you.

nategizow, thanks for the positivity.

[Jose Mrochek]

Dude, on a very serious note. You have a little gem right there. take the talking voice out, I was humming a little "sung melody" between your riffy parts, I think you have a little hit record right there. Some structure changes, a nice singing vocal and you are there. Ofcourse all this coming from a radio oriented person. bring a singer in. do it do it. send a check later.

[dingo]

Damn tune stuck in my head all day long.

Just had a proper listen and I'm still diggin it. Only thing I'd change (and it's a very minor point) is whenever the dialogue samples kick in, I sometimes hear a distracting ~16K? squeal. And the hiss at the very beginning of the piece is a little odd, but doesn't bother me.. I could see leaving it in. Wouldn't change anything else.

I'll be by with a cassette in the morning.

[Renie]

Carl

This track is really nice.

It puts me in mind of Lemon Jelly/Blue States. Would sell to 'that' market. And that market does well out of TV.

Except the drums on those records tend to sound more upfront, processed and toppy-crunchy. That might be an issue.

Your track manages to get the playfulness in while being, in some ways, more musically satisfying to my ears. There are some lovely lilting and sweet sections. It sounds less cut and paste and more of a journey.

Is this a final version?

Nice job.

[Messiah]

Thanks again for all the kind words, it's encouraging for me to hear. It is making me start to plan ahead and arrange time for myself to continue with the project, so thank you.

Is this the final version?
Maybe, probably, I don't know. It does everything it needs to do and I've lived with it long enough for it to have become the definitive mix in my mind. 'If it ain't broke'.

Although Owls is not exactly lo-fi I purposely didn't want it being too clean, and worked on it accordingly.
I really enjoyed recording it for this reason and there was a lot of spontaneity involved that stopped it being tedious. Hence the bits of weirdness to do with the dialogue samples here and there (they were actually recorded from the headphone socket of a portable tv, not exactly audiophile!).

Another interesting thing for me is that I recorded the track from start to finish on a 16 track and my little 16 channel Allen & Heath desk. I am pretty sure had I worked on my DAW setup that I would have ended up with around 32 tracks to mix and I don't think it would have turned out as cool.

Does anyone else love not looking at a computer screen when tracking and mixing?

[mdbeh]

Just now catching up with mp3's posted on GS...

I'm really enjoying this track, and it's completely stuck in my head. I like the spoken word sample, too. Usually dialogue tracks bug me, but I think it works perfectly in this context.

If the album comes out, I'll definitely pick it up.

Very nice job, Carl.

[column17]

sounds really cool, has kind of a JackDragg meets Pinback vibe. i really dig it keep us posted on the album's progress i'd like to check it out.

[BillyJack]

Originally posted by dingo
Damn tune stuck in my head all day long.

It's not my style but good is good and great is hard to shake off. Ba Da Bum Ba all day long. ACES!

[Messiah]

Originally posted by column17
sounds really cool, has kind of a JackDragg meets Pinback vibe. i really dig it keep us posted on the album's progress i'd like to check it out.

Thanks, and I will keep y'all posted.
I'd never heard of Pinback so checked them out after reading this, dowloaded a couple of tracks and really liked them.
I'm now on the lookout for more.
Any recommendations?

Incidentally, looking at their website, they seem to have the same untidy approach to their studio as I have too! It looked a very familiar scenario!

mdbeh, it's funny reading your dialogue comments, because I'm with you, I usually dislike dialogue on tracks too. I tried to keep it as understated as possible so as not to dominate the music.

Again, thanks for all the thumbs up (I didn't understand a word of Billy Jack's comments but thanks anyway!). It's really encouraging to see it is being enjoyed, which is something I didn't really account for in my posting paranoia/nervousness. I was just preparing for technical comments.

The fact people are enjoying my music is the coolest thing for me at present.

[Jammer]

Originally posted by Messiah
...or maybe it won't.
But now you're here;



First person to guess where the dialogue sample is from wins Jules' PT HD Rig (..subject to Jules' approval).

This is a track from an album of my own that I'm working on in between working for others.

I'd just really like some feedback and opinions as I've never let this material 'out'.

Be kind...

(Jules, PM me about the contest!

really great track. feels confident and balanced all the way through. really fits the mood i'm in at the moment as well.

i can remember playing my first tracks to people, my heart was in my mouth. its a tough cookie that one, but a satisfying one.

really good work!! wish you all the best with it.

[column17]

Originally posted by Messiah
Thanks, and I will keep y'all posted.
I'd never heard of Pinback so checked them out after reading this, dowloaded a couple of tracks and really liked them.
I'm now on the lookout for more.
Any recommendations?

I personally love their first self titled cd and also the one called "blue screen life" the two guys have been in a bunch of other really cool san diego area bands. i'm pretty sure if you do an allmusic search you'd find info on those bands too. three mile pilot comes to mind as one that impressed me.

[jajjguy]

Originally posted by dingo
Only thing I'd change (and it's a very minor point) is whenever the dialogue samples kick in, I sometimes hear a distracting ~16K? squeal.

Yes, it's quite loud actually. I'm sure it'd be easy enough to notch out. On the other hand, you may choose to leave it in, as it has that "pay attention to me" effect like a TV on in the room.