This track is excellent all around and the singing is some of the best I've heard on MJ's.

The recording and mixing is first class.

This is the lofty heights of achievement, in all ways.

Quite simply brilliant.

(Shhh....A fan).

[ Reply to This ]

I feel so fortunate to have the collaborative opportunies I do here in MJs.

Michael's track was such a pleasure to sing to, and Bryn's vocals and haunting mix were the perfect complement.


[ Reply to This ]

Cat, this is the 1st time for me to hear your vocals as a main in the song, always what i hear is the background and i'm really impressed by your vocal abilities !
The music here sounds great and well arranged with the backing vocals ! Indeed one of the best MacJams songs, KUDOS !

Thanks for sharing !

[ Reply to This ]

It was nice to have such a great track to create lyrics and main vox for, and I'm glad you like the result!

Thank you for taking the time to comment.

[ Reply to This ]

ahh Cat ... so sweet and moody ,B voca work
excellent and heartfelt in the back ..Micheal
this is your master peice by all mean . just
one of the best Colabs I heard here Kudos Friends !!

[ Reply to This ]

I appreciate the kudos and the comments! :)
I'm glad you enjoyed this collaboration, too!

[ Reply to This ]

Perfect job on this one... And you are amazing with your singing Mysti.
I am impress. Bravo.

Take care
---
Kenta

[ Reply to This ]

This is beautifully produced. Great sounds, and your vocal just shines on this. It carries me away in an enormously hopeful way (not sure if that was the intent :-). The backing male vocals are the perfect accompainment.

[ Reply to This ]

You came up with a great melody, Cat... and your vocals are sweet and pure. Very lovely.

There are some timing issues in this piece... I suspect the tempo may be just a few BPMs too slow, but that's just a guess.

And this is one of the rare times I get to point out that the vocals are a bit TOO prominent in the mix, nearly overwhelming the instruments. They deserve to be heard, too. lol

Still, I enjoyed hearing your lovely singing featured so prominently for a change. ;)

--- Joe

[ Reply to This ]

I am not quite sure what you mean about the BPM being too slow and timing issues. There is a fairly extreme echo on my vocal which I decided to leave on because I thought it was effective in setting the mood of the peice and it contributes to the overall sound. Interestingly the original track was 85bpm and the echo is running at 120bpm - maybe that is what you are hearing as 'timing issues'. I actually tried matching the BPM of the echo to the BPM of the track and it didn't work as well to my ears. So to me, the BPM is perfect and there are actually no timing issues at all. (Ask Cat what the first thing I normally do with almost every file I work in terms of BPM - I certainly didn't what I normally do with Michael's track on this occasion)


In regards to the vocals overwhelming the track, again I don't quite get that. Agreed, I placed Cat's vocals more forward in the mix but I certainly don't think they overwhelm the instruments...

I am glad you enjoyed hearing Cat's lovely singing but again I am puzzled by your comment about the vocals being featured so prominently 'for a change'. Whenever I work with Cat, her voice is often the centrepiece in one guise or another. Take a listen to EVP#2 for example. Perhaps you mean her singing so lyrically for a change?

Thanks for the listen Joe (and the comments) although I have to say I am bit bewildered by them.

b

[ Reply to This ]

what do you usually do to the BPMs when you recieve a file? i just notice the juicing up you do. you left this one pretty much the same, surprised me. although I love it, it's like Donovan and Vashti Bunyan run through the psych blender. awesome.

[ Reply to This ]

Thank you for the lovely music here.

I might try another mix at some point with less of a 'BPM problem'.

In answer to your question here is an example

Listen to this first

http://www.macjams.com/song/35113 (this was the original file pretty much before I messed with the BPM)

and then listen to this

http://www.macjams.com/song/35094 (this is after I messed with the BPM)

Another example, the original = http://www.icompositions.com/music/song.php?sid=72977

After BPM messed with = http://www.macjams.com/song/35811

I usually do this with everything before I start to proceed with a mix, however on this occasion I didn't. My original intention was just to sing on it and send the vocals to you and Cat. However, I really do like this and I am happy that Cat asked me to do a bit more in terms of mixing on it. As I have said elsewhere, I made a conscious decision not to tamper with your original backing track too much - because I liked the vibe. I don't hear the artists you mention, I get a Bill Callahan/SMOG feel from it....Lovely.



Bryn

[ Reply to This ]

Hi, I was listening on my studio headphones the first time. The mix sounds a bit better on studio monitors, but I still believe it would help to bring some of the instrumentation up in the mix.

The timing issues are due to the cadence problems with the lyrics at times. I get the feeling that they might have benefitted from a slight increase in the BPM.

Part of the problem may be the repetitive drum track... which IS prominent in the mix. It makes the awkward moments stick out (to my ears). Some subtle drum transitions might help smooth some of those moments.

Pls understand, I'm not trying to be hypercritical here. It's a lovely piece. ;)

--- Joe

[ Reply to This ]

Still don't quite get what you are on about, 'cadence problems' in relation to the bpm??? I don't hear any cadence problems at all, I don't hear any timing problems at all, but then maybe I am listening with a different set of ears (ie musical reference points) to you.

If I was going to mess about with levels, I think I would actually reduce some things rather than bringing up instrumentation in the mix. I think that subtraction and reduction is usually better than addition in these cases

In regards to the drum track, it is a repetetive loop. To me, that is part of the charm of the song. The foundation based in repetition. I made a conscious decision NOT to mess too much with Michael2's track...for now at least. However, I may at somepoint deconstruct things further in order to rebuild it differently.

Then again, maybe I won't.

Please understand that I am trying not to be hyperdefensive here. It is a lovely piece.

;-)


Bryn

[ Reply to This ]

to hear your voice so clearly. Michael 2's backdrop is beautiful and the addition of your vocals takes this to another level. Great backing vocals too. An excellent piece from you all.

Peter

[ Reply to This ]

I really loved everything about this, especially the mystery. I don't know if I would change anything about it because that might ruin the mystery. However having a bit of engineer in me..... I would simplify this in some ways and complicate it in others. The simplification would be to the poetry; less is always more. The complication would be to the chord structure. I think you could use a huge transition for dramatic effect and statement. But how this would all be done I have no clue. Anyway thanks for posting; I really really enjoyed it.

[ Reply to This ]

A wonderful collab. Mysti, as one of your fans I must say, I love your voice in this... so inviting and warm. I love your tight harmonies. I would suggest (which I rarely do) that your vocals be pulled back a little in this production. They seem just a bit too up front. This is a wonderful song that should be tweaked as necessary... because it is that good.

I can hear this as a song in a movie. Or a lead song on an album... sorry, I guess that is "a CD" these days.

And yes... MacJams is an amazing community of musicians. I have been here over three years and am still scratching the surface of the talent here.

Kudos all!

[ Reply to This ]

I think I had better abandon the acapella version...

;-)



[ Reply to This ]

i was really thinking you should ditch the electronics, and be like a modern day Bobby McFerrin: "if i can't do it with my voice, then it doesn't need to be done."

[ Reply to This ]

I might just do that!

[ Reply to This ]

Another wonderful take on Michael'2's gorgeous tune. An INSPIRED one at that. Multiple bravos!

Be well!


Kamikaze Ballerina: http://www.macjams.com/song/35895

[ Reply to This ]

.. this is just fabulous .... I pondered "tinkering" with this one myself when it was posted by Michael ... but never got around to it .... NOW I just couldnt mess with it after hearing such a GREAT mix ! I agree ... its NICE to hear Mysti's full voice versus the usual whisperings of ambient haunting vocals (those are great too by the way) !!!! And Bryn already knows that I think he is a Master at his Craft ! Michael ... as usual lays down a superb soundbed just ready for anyone lucky enough to jump on it!

[ Reply to This ]

know, there is still time. I am working on my own version of this song. The more the merrier.

[ Reply to This ]

it was great that he gave a sound track for everyone to jump in to.

And man oh man your really heard the vocals in it and pulled them out. Superb and fitting. (like a glove)

[ Reply to This ]

Great tunes

Thanks for checking this version out

b

[ Reply to This ]

...wonderful chorus...absolutely beautiful song...

[ Reply to This ]

Nice vocal doubling and harmonies. A haunting, misty mountain climb. Reflective curtains. Analysis of fate and blind ambition. Great words. Excellent job, Cat, Michael and BibaNova!

[ Reply to This ]

This was great track from M2... I'm speechless - this is just stunning. Great work.

steve

[ Reply to This ]

Thanks for checking it out

b

[ Reply to This ]

this is a great thing....mysti, is that YOU?....great production here.

nice vibe throughout....I could hear some guitar in this......


Deep bows to all involved

z

[ Reply to This ]

to get into this. I think I had a few problems with the Brynian(?) noises here and there on the equipment and volume I listened on it with. But then I found myself humming on it for myself, and I thought it must be pretty good ;-) So now it is fav'd and downloaded - and commented on! Sad and haunting lyrics beautifully sung! Kudos to all of you!

/Henke

[ Reply to This ]

On my page and here on Mystified's page

Let me know if they work any better

b

[ Reply to This ]

and listened, and I can't really figure out what it is. At times it sounds like you've got mice in the studio, small little noises here and there that makes you wonder - is it in the song or on my equipment? I get a bit nervous by it and it takes concentration from the beautiful song/singing. Especially listen carefully directly after the word "ambition" - in all versions. I guess it COULD be that I have the QT-problem they were speaking about in the forum recently with pops, crackle and stuff. Did you use Matrix Reverb btw? It seems it is "good" at inflicting these problems :-(

For partly the same reasons I think I would have the instrumental and the vox come a little bit closer in the mix. The singing get very loud if you actually want to hear what is going on in the sound bed too, and when played more quiet also some of the sounds I understand ARE part of the song sounds a bit irritating (e.g. the drum rim hits). Like, you just want to relax but are forced to concentrate on these rather irrelevant noises. Sorry, but this is how I work at least...

Still, I keep singing it by myself now and then, so all in all these are just minors :-)

Take care!

/Henke

[ Reply to This ]