Production help--female piano pop

[dual0568]

sound quality is crap (ripped from a demo on YouTube!), but as this is just a demo I'm not concerned with that. I'd love to get some production advice from you guys, though. i have a few ideas, but i'm pretty drained at the moment and would love to get some outside suggestions!


SoundClick artist: Andrew0568 - page with MP3 music downloads

[dafe]

From the beginning, rhythm orientation is a bit weak, unclear. But this is due to recording, distracting coughes and maybe performance issues. Pure and good otherwise.
I'd work this out without additional instrument, solely with solid and unambiguous (downbeat and bar oriented) phrasing of the piano. Several propositions of a good player to choose from + weighing out mix-wise. Vocals is sufficiently freewheelin rhythmically, so don't be afraid to be too blunt, piano-wise, I'd suggest.

ed.: Oh, and why not adding brushed drums/double bass later, f.i. alternating to the piano...

[john caldwell]

Some nice moments here, with good skills in evidence. I'd like to hear a more finished track once you have it.

Could I gently encourage a little less of a show-stopper vocal performance in your last third. I'm aware that female pop calls for a quite a bit of diva-flexing these days, but I'll argue that, in truth, people won't find that very musical for very long. At the end of the day, there is still great art in restraint and elegance in phrasing and intonation.

Best wishes,

John Caldwell

[equallyscrewed]

Depends how "pop" you want it.

I'd have a bass guitar following the left hand of the piano. Just single notes ringing out. Def drums coming in about 0.56 into it and sticking with it. The kind of drums depends on the "pop" factor that you want too.

The Diva bit started to sound great and i didnt understand what the previous poster was talking about...then she went supersonic! You really need to keep that under control. Sounded awful here - and not just because of the clipping.

Id have slight tempo increases in the choruses too. That and poss strings and def backing vox.

Thats just me tho

xcx

[dual0568]

thanks for the advice, keep it coming!

the clip that's up is purely a pre-production demo. recorded in a living room, it went video camcorder->YouTube (which is mono?)->wiretap studio->Pro Tools->mp3 conversion. so it's quite mucked up.

regarding drums, would you all suggest a full kit or light percussive instrumentation? right now i'm toying with shakers, did some droning cello bits & threw in a mellotron, but I'm not sure how much i like it. i really want it to open up in the chorus. most likely i'll rest over the weekend and come back with fresh ears on monday

[john caldwell]

Originally Posted by dual0568

...right now i'm toying with shakers, did some droning cello bits & threw in a mellotron...

Can we hear that? That sounds like a good direction.

John-