# BR600 - 2nd attempt/new tune



## allthumbs56 (Jul 24, 2006)

Well, as per suggestion, I upped the bit rate - made a huge difference in quality (as well as size - will have to work out a happy medium).

Anyway, took a stab at an old favourite of mine - Further on up the Road. Couple of mistakes and the drums are pretty simple, but I think it sounds pretty good:

http://download.yousendit.com/54E1B4636D21C950

And redid Ocean Pearl:

http://download.yousendit.com/F915C70B69B930C5

Would really appreciate any critiquing - recording, mixing, playing, singing, etc that you'd care to offer.

Thanks,
Chris


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## allthumbs56 (Jul 24, 2006)

Paul said:


> Here's my thinking.....I've already heard Clapton play it (somewhat) like that. I am FAR more interested in hearing what YOU have to add to the song. There are some licks/riffs/fills we're going to expect to hear because we've got a familiarity with the tune, but like I said, I'd rather hear what you can do with the tune, as opposed to what you can do with what Clapton did with the tune. Give me more of you.
> 
> Vocal phrasing is good, but not great. I think you need to be a bit more laid back. That's tough to do against a robot drum machine. A human drummer with a good shuffle or 3 can give you a pocket so deep you can't help but fall into it and sing from there.
> 
> The pitching is good, I wish I could sing as in tune. The tone doesn't suit the song, there needs to be more anger, more hate or even vengeance in your voice. Tell the story like it happened to you, and you'll be far more convincing.


Thanks for the feedback Paul. 

It may sound funny but I have maybe heard Clapton do that tune at most twice. The band I used to be in wanted to do it and the drummer found a live version done by Doucette and we worked with that. If it's "Claptonish" then it's by accident (or Doucette's version was "Claptonish too").

I may retry the vocal and try to put a bit more edge on it - it was just one take and more to learn the process. It is kinda odd singing by yourself in the basement. It still may not get much better though - unfortunately, when vocal chords were being handed out I got the thin-sounding single coil instead of the fat humbucker. Perhaps I'll just have to focus on Barry Manilow tunes instead:smile:


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## suttree (Aug 17, 2007)

i like it. good laid back groove.

i'd lay off the treble on the drum machine, it's a bit too much. i'd tighten the bass up (more high-mid for a "ponk" on the note, and a low frequency roll-off (nothing crazy). i'd definitely mix the main vocal higher in the mix (and the bg vox, too for that matter). the guitar tone is really nice warm yet defined.. what's the rig there?  i like it (but i like simple tones, lol)


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## allthumbs56 (Jul 24, 2006)

suttree said:


> i like it. good laid back groove.
> 
> i'd lay off the treble on the drum machine, it's a bit too much. i'd tighten the bass up (more high-mid for a "ponk" on the note, and a low frequency roll-off (nothing crazy). i'd definitely mix the main vocal higher in the mix (and the bg vox, too for that matter). the guitar tone is really nice warm yet defined.. what's the rig there? i like it (but i like simple tones, lol)


Thanks. I was just using the internal presets for everything. I think learning to get the drums and bass right will be my biggest challenge - they sound so different from one listening medium to another.

The bass was my my trusty old $50 Kay (complete with original strings and "wow" in the neck). I used a pick to try and get a bit of life out of it and, again, just used one of the model presets (I'd replace the strings but that'd double the investment :smile: ).

I really thank you guys for your feedback. The last time I recorded anything was 10-15 years ago into an old cassette Fostex. This little box is a huge improvement over that. But I still get too close to the effort to be objective about the results. Add my recording/production naiveness (?) to that and I can use all the help I can get.

I'll be starting some of my own material soon and I'd certainly like to get that as good as possible so ..... keep it commin' :food-smiley-004:


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## Spikezone (Feb 2, 2006)

allthumbs56 said:


> Thanks for the feedback Paul.
> 
> It may sound funny but I have maybe heard Clapton do that tune at most twice. The band I used to be in wanted to do it and the drummer found a live version done by Doucette and we worked with that. If it's "Claptonish" then it's by accident (or Doucette's version was "Claptonish too").


Yeah, when I think of that song, I think of Doucette's as the definitive version. You have done a good job of it, though. I think the groove has a little more laid-back feel to it than the Douce's, and I like that. Nice playing!
-Mikey


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## allthumbs56 (Jul 24, 2006)

Spikezone said:


> Yeah, when I think of that song, I think of Doucette's as the definitive version. You have done a good job of it, though. I think the groove has a little more laid-back feel to it than the Douce's, and I like that. Nice playing!
> -Mikey


Thanks for the compliment Spike. 

I spent some time looking around the web for a copy of Doucette's version but it seems to not hve been popular enough to have been uploaded by anyone. I found the album in my basement but no longer have a functioning turntable to spin it on.

I also found an old recording of my ex-band doing it live and it does seem that it was a lot more "lively" than what I recorded on my own - perhaps it the result of solo basement recording versus being up on a stage with the rest of the band and a responsive audience (and a couple beers :food-smiley-004.

I'll have to work on injecting some more life in to future attempts.


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