adore the whole idea and pro sound you have a hit song...how do you get that full sound from using only GB
? any advice will help me in my creations, fab song...

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And thanks for adding the song to your favorites list.
As to the sound I get on this song, here are some general tips that I use when mixing.
First I choose the sounds carefully.
On this song I used a pretty heavy gate on the percussion tracks along with some reverb.
I use use headphones as the primary source when writing and mixing. I have a studio left over from my independent production of commercials with good monitors, but I work a lot in the family room while my wife watches TV and the phones keep me married :). With so many people listening on phones of some sort today , I think using phones to mix makes a lot of sense 'cause I want it to sound good on phones. I later check my mixes on lots of other gear from my studio to the car.
Reverb can add width to the mix as well as depth so I apply it carefully to get the feel that I want. I also like a plug in called detune which will take a single mono source and split it with some delay differences right and left and will take one of the signals down a few cents. It adds a chorus-like effect that is a little cleaner. I do like the chorus on some instruments and I am not afraid to use other effects. Careful EQ helps too.
I also like the multi-band dynamics plug in over the entire mix. I start out by using it while writing. I like the "analog" setting and I tweak the input and output levels to not compress the life out of the track but to try to smooth things out.
On this song I also exported it to Audacity and then tweaked it there by increasing the volume by about 6 dB (telling the program to allow clipping). That clipped the percussion transients (where distortion is hard to hear) and upped the over-all level.
Hope this helps

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You've got some really lush sounds going on there and I can visualize a very slow sensuous tango going on under a starlit latin sky, great sounds, M

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Interesting that you should mention a slow tango because that is sort of the feeling that i get from the song even though the tempo is pretty fast and it is not really a tango. But maybe that means I have achieved my goal of creating a mood without resorting to too many chiches.


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It is so thick...I feel like I'm swimming in jello... this sounds fabulous on my sound sticks... judicious and masterful use of space and EQ...

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The more weight I gain, the fatter and lusher I make my postings here on MJ. ;) I really did try to put the feel of midnight in someplace exotic into this song and maybe I achieved that goal.

Thanks for the visit and for the comments.

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Play that phat bass. Really nice feel. Latin with a little arabian thrown in. Maybe that was just the supper cool melody line transporting me to far off locales. Was that "wow" effect @ the 1/2 mark a guitar? all of its very cool. I think it would also make an excellent soundtrack. The imagery was tremendous.

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that guitar actually runs all the way through the song and I use it right there as a break before the big build.
Thanks for the comments.

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composition and arrangement. Holds the attention throughout and as others have said the production is pro level. Although I do feel that vocals could be the cream on the top. Thanks. Downloaded.

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Vocals by me would be not the cream on the top but the mud in the eye (or ear). Thanks for the comments and for adding the song to your faves list.

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I'm taking a day to indulge in my macjams addiction before I go back to my non-musical endeavors. This is one of the songs that made it worth it.

Bill, you can spin off this AWESOME soundbed to a variety of flavors in different genres. This beat and rhythm is so universally appealing and versatile that I can imagine it being the foundation of a latin, ethnic, pop, RnB, rap/hip-hop, or jazz song and some others. This transcends a specific genre description, and there are very few instrumentals here at Macjams that have that quality! This is one of the best drum and beat pieces I've heard in a long time.

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You make me blush with your kind words. I am glad you liked this piece but your comments make me scared to post another because it may not measure up. ;-).

thanks for visiting.

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beat between the bass and drums, plus a tasteful mix make the music almost take on a slow syncopated swagger with such authority and passion. Thanks for sharing, and for the tips on getting a full sound!
Be well,
Doug

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Thanks for the visit and the comment. If I can help in anyway I' always glad to share knowledge. That's part of what MacJams is all about. Sharing songs and sharing knowledge.

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