For a first recorded post, I think you've done pretty well - especially through the iMac mic - in fact it's a real surprise you could do this with the built-in. This is a little outside my normal listening genres, but I think you've done a good job on this. The playing seems generally good (although some iffy notes towards the end), mixed well, vox generally good too (as you say, a few odd notes may need a look at).
I hope some of the metal-heads have a listen to this - I think you'll get a lot of encouragement from them. Isn't GB a blast!
Neil

[ Reply to This ]

For a first-run demo I'm satisfied with this performance. When I buy a microphone I'll re-record everything and figure out how to mix it better. I re-recorded the vocals at the last minute because I had two or three friends tell me it sounded like I was holding back and told me to push it more. So when I re-recorded it I got a lot more intensity at the expense of some accuracy.

For the guitar solos I was just desperate to get the song finished for my own peace of mind in knowing that I actually completed something and so other people could hear it. All of the wah guitar during the verses and choruses I pieced together doing take after take to get it right, but all of the guitar solos were one take each, mistakes and all. The end of the song has three solos playing at the same time. I was influenced to do that by Skynyrd's "Freebird". Turns out I'm a better lead guitarist than I thought. I hadn't actually heard myself play in years.

Thanks for the positive feedback.

[ Reply to This ]

... for a first pass recoeding. it's pretty good.
try running a cable directly into the mac. you can get a 1/4" mono to 1/8" stereo converter at radio shack. it will give a bit more control of the mix. or there is a device you can get that you can run the guitar right into the mac. that's what i do, at least. i cannot remember the name. it a black wire you plug into, it converts the size, and it has modelling stuff built into it. i wish i could think of the name!!!!
i think the beginning run is a bit choppy, but, you still shred better than i do. I am a rhythm/fill player. solos and certainly shredding ae not in my aresenal quite yet.
i likle the vocals,a and the overall feel of the song. it is a driving rocker!
Welcome to MacJams. i can't wait to hear more!

[ Reply to This ]

... guitar center.com and queried "audio interface" that brought up a plethora of items you might find useful. hope that helps.

---
Learn, Love, Grow... that's all one can do.

[ Reply to This ]

...to hook up the guitar directly to the computer unsuccessfully. After days of trying I finally figured out that my 1/8 inch adapter is bad. Tomorrow is pay day, so that's one more thing I need to buy. I'll get an interface and condenser mic over the next month or so, but this payday I'm focusing on buying some of the GB JamPacks. My biggest weakness right now is drums.

As for the "choppy" intro, I always liked the tapping intro riff, but it is rather idiosyncratic. It's at a different tempo or something. I had to play the intro drum part on the keyboard (this was before I bought my USB piano keyboard controller), and I had to multitrack all of the different drums in that section because I wasn't good enough to do it all together. I had a tough time getting the guitar transition to work smoothly because of the different tempos, so I ended up patching some other track onto it to make it sound less choppy. That was the first time I ever tried recording something specific, and I was figuring out GarageBand as I went. Now I know some of the tricks and have a better idea of the arrangemnt of the song, so when I re-record this song I expect it to be much better.

Thanks for the feedback and support, Faelin. I especially appreciate the fact that you are positive about the vocals. I'm not really confident in my voice, and I'm quite aware of every little bad note on the lead vocal track. Of course everyone is his own worst critic.

[ Reply to This ]

Good tune. What audio software did you use. I really like the lryics. Nice job on this song.

[ Reply to This ]

It was just GarageBand. No JamPacks or anything. And the computer's built-in microphone.

Thanks for the support. I'm glad you took the time to read the lyrics and enjoyed them. My lyrics tend to be somewhat dark, but they are also philosophically deep. I suspect that the majority of my song lyrics may not appeal to a wide variety of people, but they are all very personal to me.

[ Reply to This ]

For a first recording, using an imac mike, this is pretty awesome. The only thing that really suffers is the vocal, which sounds really dry and doesn't sit well on the mix, but ... jeez, what guitar playing.

This rocks!!!

Steve

[ Reply to This ]

You're right, I had a really hard time mixing the vocal. It's either too loud or too quiet depending on how I set it.

I appreciate your commenting on the guitar playing. I always considered myself a rhythm player. I don't have a lot of experience playing with other people, even just jamming, so I haven't had many opportunities to solo over a rhythm section. I'm aware of my limitations, but having been able to record and listen to myself lately I've discovered that I'm a better guitarist than I thought.

[ Reply to This ]

...you got this good of a sound via the built-in mic...I'm IMPRESSED! Good vox for this genre Aaron. And the tuneage is well arranged and played (apart from them few "sour notes" you mentioned). I look forward to hearing more of your stuff, especially once you're better set up.

Be well friend!

GOOD NITE CHIEF SEATTLE:
http://www.macjams.com/song/31819

[ Reply to This ]

Thank you, my friend. I'm currently working on my next song (another one I wrote years ago) and am hoping to have it posted on Thursday.

[ Reply to This ]

this sounds great! Excellent playing writing - singing. Your energy is really contagious. Great post. Lookimg forward to more in the future. Killer guitar.

BTW - how's it going with your LIOLI piece?

[ Reply to This ]

I haven't touched the LIOLI thing yet. I'm too busy working on one of my serious songs called "New Life Grows". The parts of it I wrote years ago (acoustic guitar and vocals) are coming along fine, but the drums are a mess and I can't figure out a decent electric guitar part. This project was only supposed to take a couple of days, but it's looking more like a couple of weeks. I'm getting really frustrated.

[ Reply to This ]

Actually not that bad, and I'm sure you've noticed yourself where there's room for improvement.

The thing I'd work on first is getting the vocals better integrated in the mix. They stand apart a bit much.

Nice work otherwise.

[ Reply to This ]

I appreciate any constructive criticism about the mix. Basically I know what needs to be done but don't have the experience to know how to do it. But what's important to me is that people think that the song and performance are good, especially the song. You said the material is solid. That's the most important thing to my right now. Thanks for listening and commenting.

[ Reply to This ]

... the mix issues sound like there was a band in the middle of the room and then there was a computer in the corner recording the song as it was being played live in real time. I'm not the best person to offer any advice on how to mix as this is an arena I am weak in myself ... but there are some really great people here who know ALL about this stuff who are always willing to help ... just pop into the chat room when it's crowded and start a convo ...

[ Reply to This ]

The mix sounds like a live band? While that comment I'm sure was not meant as a compliment, I'll take it as such. As for the problems with the mix, that was mainly the result of only having the pinhole mic of my computer. I've partially resolved that problem now by running my guitar amp's line out into the back of the computer. I'll try to get a microphone next payday, and hopefully that will allow me to record better vocals too.

Thanks for listening.

[ Reply to This ]

I dig the tune man ! Before you go buy a bunch of expensive equipment it is VITAL that you look at this first ! Vital! I tell you : ) I would have made different purchases if id looked at this first . I have a Groove tube condenser , Krk monitors , firewire solo , m audio keystation 88 , ibook g4 ,logic ex(one of the best purchases). So take a look it is a very usefull site for begainer gearheads word !

Here is the site http://www.tweakheadz.com/guide.htm

---
Word to the mothaship!

[ Reply to This ]

I put Tweak's Guide in my bookmarks, and I will definitely be coming back to it this weekend.

Here's an update for anyone who is interested. For three weeks I've been working on a song called "New Life Grows". It spent the last three years as an unaccompanied acoustic neo-classical folk song. That was fine until I tried recording it and adding instruments, but then it dragged horribly. I just couldn't make it work. Then yesterday a friend heard it and told me to make it rock. I've spent the day redoing the song from scratch complete with distorted guitars and bombastic double-bass heavy metal drumming. Meanwhile I'm also experimenting with different ways to record the guitar direct without using the pinhole mic. Hopefully that song will be ready to post in the next several days.

[ Reply to This ]

I am impressed with how well it sounds using the built in mike.

As I was listening I was thinking this song might be even better as a softer acoustic effort and then the end came and there was an acoustic guitar. That may be heresy to a headbanger, but just a thought.

[ Reply to This ]

The arpeggiated figure in the middle of the verses (which is the same as the outro) always sounds really good on an acoustic. In fact all of the verse riffs sound good on acoustic. The chorus is do-able on an acoustic. but you have to have light strings for the bends and hammers and have to play the 7th string part on the A string. I used to have a video of me playing that song acoustically; unfortunately that video no longer exists. But whenever I've played it acoustically I've always made it rock. It never occurred to me to try to make it a ballad. That's a good experiment for next time I'm screwing around with my acoustic, but I've got so many other projects to work on now that take priority.

Thanks for listening and commenting. My new song "New Life Grows" is getting closer. After weeks of being stuck it's finally coming together. Expect it before next weekend.

[ Reply to This ]

Overall, the music is pretty good (for a genre I'm not up on), and the guitar playing seems quite good for the genre (except the guitar solo near the end, which had a bunch of bad notes). But you definitely need better recording of the guitar (it sounds very muffled) and possibly more reverb/chorus on the vox... but at least you can sing, I don't dare :-)

ttfn,
Drakonis

[ Reply to This ]

Obviously I had two major problems with this song (other than not knowing what the hell I was doing): recording everything with my iMac's built in mic and leaving a few bad notes in the solos and vocals uncorrected. The mic is a problem I have since fixed. As for the solos - that was the first song I ever recorded, and I just wanted to get it done. There are a total of four guitar solos in that song (not including the wah fills). Every solo was improvised in one take with the bad notes left in. I just wanted to get it done so I'd have something for people to hear. Now for my new song I feel like I have a little less to prove (and less of a deadline) so I can take the time to fix anything that sounds obviously wrong to my ears - and there is a lot of stuff in Desert that sounds wrong to my ears. Anyway, thanks for the primarily positive response. As for my vocals - I sing to my strengths. What you hear me singing in my songs is what I'm capable of singing. Any other style I probably can't do very well.

[ Reply to This ]

power drill?

[ Reply to This ]

Completely unconstructive comment?

[ Reply to This ]

just letting you know it sounded like a power drill on the lead part and it was excellently good

[ Reply to This ]

My bad, dude. I thought you were saying my song was just a noisy piece of crap. See what happens when you ASSume? Well thanks for listening. Glad you liked it.

[ Reply to This ]

This is really good for your first submission. As others have commented, I amazed how can get such a clear sound out of the 'pin hole' mic. I only have access to the same type of mic, & there's no way I can get as clear a sound as you have.

As far as this sounding 'like a band in a room', I'd say that's a compliment- at least I'd take it that way! :) Aaron, this being your first recording (and given limitations of your recording gear) bears testament to the fact that I suspect you'll pick up on good recording techniques in no time at all.

Well done, I look forward to hearing more of your work.

Cheers,
Alf




[ Reply to This ]

I'm glad you liked the song. I originally impressed myself with the production since it was my first serious effort, but I immediately started thinking of ways to make it sound better. I just bought a cheap microphone which has improved my sound threefold. I'm hoping to have my new song posted this weekend - knock on wood. Thanks for the encouragement.

[ Reply to This ]

(production pitfalls aside) this is pretty damn good. love the guitars.

[ Reply to This ]

I consider myself a guitarist above all else, although I am very aware of my own weaknesses. I wanted to produce this song as an unashamed guitar tour-de-force. Regardless of my skill level I just wanted it to rock. It means a lot that someone thinks it's good - especially someone who can play the Comfortably Numb solo.

[ Reply to This ]

I can't believe you got that good of a sound recording using that mic! Great 1st post! I like your vox. Very powerful. Also the guitar sounds amazing considering the way you recorded it. I can't wait to hear your guitar on a "direct" recording. ROCK ON!

Great Job! Thanks for sharing.

[ Reply to This ]

Glad you liked it. New song hopefully coming soon.

[ Reply to This ]

all thats holding you back is better equipment...awesome guitar and vocals...You Kick Ass Metal Man!

[ Reply to This ]

Better equipment has been purchased. More music coming whenever I get the time - eventually.

[ Reply to This ]

woh...this has POWER in it so glad to hear this(again)! Back for seconds ! You have a grand voice donno if You realize that , its deep & full of strength...! The lyrics I really like alot(i've been young too , it's for some the hardest time in Life..but you get through it even in the darkest moments. You have some Great playing as well wow(!)I enjoyed this alot . Heard your collab w Kenta(Skean) You KICK ASS for sure:) on this I justlove the switch twds the ending its awesome. see You got alot of dl: ) tx for making it dl I thought I'd commented but I know they've rearranged things around here(as new I exaggerated my comments because I thought this place was a bit sleepy & needed to'wakeup'haha -so many talented People here& awesome Music..its unbelievable. I remember;) Hope You're doing well, have You gotten out of the army(marin)yet? Bless You Aaron, take care & KEEPON with that awesome kickass Music You got : ) Lena

[ Reply to This ]