Category: hello.music

Did some significant work last night on this song…added some instruments and remixed it a bit. Still quite a ways off from completion I think but stepping in the right direction. Next up..reworking the vocals. Also thinking of repeating the chorus again before the grand fade out, but that will push the song past the five minute mark. We’ll see if I care to actually do that. ..

Here is version 2b of the song.

UPDATE 6\27: I retracked my vocals last night…not perfect but better than before…I might give them another go tonight if my roommates arent around. I think the mix still needs some tweaking since thinks sound a bit muddy in the mid range but we’ll see. Here is version 3a.

[audio:https://hellocomein.com/soundbox/hellomusic_mike/TNT_v3a.mp3]

Welcome back everyone to Hello Music releases… My absence can only be explained by computer problems, nice weather, and a general malaise of artistic self doubt. As you will here on this track, it is largely unfinished and still pretty rough. The vocals will need to be redone for pitch, the second verse added as well.

In addition there seems to be things lacking sonically; perhaps its in need of a more tonal center that can be aided with some droning synths or organ, some atmospheric depth and perhaps bass. I don’t want to overdo this song and let it get mucked up in too many overdubs so that will be my challenge for myself.

This being cover song month, I decided to not only cover one of Aryn’s songs (coming soon), but record a song by another band (or in this case bands). This song combines elements of Tortoise’s ‘TNT’ and Shout Out Louds’ ‘A Track and a Train’ played in a slower style that hopefully with be something of a dirge like something Sparklehorse would do.

Not sure its there yet but might as well show it off here to get some suggestions and outside opinions.

Here it is, version 1a of my cover of TNT.

Anyway, thoughts?

I exported the song tonight to Live and added the extra space I wanted in between the first chorus and the third verse. Did a bit of primary mixing and panning and some volume editing to add a bit of shape to the song. I also pulled back the twinkly music box guitar until I can retrack it with more clarity.

Here is version 1b of “King Hippo.”

Things I still need to do:

1) retrack vocals to be more clearly defined melodically, the chorus catchier sounding and still in tune while still maintaining the spirit of the cracked grittiness. it would be nice to have a female vocal line here harmonizing.

2) retrack a bit of the music box guitar trying not to overuse. slide guitar also?

3) add some pianos and keyboards and general fullness to the song’s instrumentation

4) perhaps some drums from Greg? some bass from Aryn? perhaps some other instrumentation I am not thinking of here?

5) anything else besides general mixing and mastering of the overall sound? that distorted peak in the middle could use some better orchestrating.

UPDATE 4\24: Made some changes. You will notice that I pulled the vocals out for now since I plan on retracking. Also added some drones of synths and organs here but I might pull those back down in the mix as they seem a bit too hot.

Thoughts on version 2?