AMPS again

[rayc]

Hello Folks,
I started recording something new so I could try to get my brain back into amps n guitars again.
I also decided to go full tilt and track the bass through an amp as well not having done that in a decade I think.
Problem was I worked out the bass line on a short scale and couldn't really play it well on a full scale so had to track with my Hofner knock off.
It's a weird sounding bass...not just the extra bass of a loose string short but some wobble and phase stuff.
There're also many pings of feedback etc. as I was using a stick with hollow wings.
ANYWAY - I used my Sheraton II for the main rhythm tracks straight into my Marshall and used my ancient Bruno boosted to add some more top end accents.
BIAB provided the drums and organ.
No solos, no melody & no lyrics yet.
Here 'tis:

New 031122.mp3

This one has the bass back with the drums and a little 12 string added here n there...

I replaced the 12 string stuff but had to be careful because the intonation of my Squire is off AGAIN! I also dealt with the ping feedback on the Sheraton.

I've worked on the bass level and fixed up the 2nd half of the choruses, (where the guitars were no longer playing triads), as well as DIing a place holder "solo".

Here's an update with a draft vocal.
I used Melodyne to push some notes where I
THINK the melody should go as opposed to where my voice went - you'll hear those loud & clear.
There's also a BIAB slide guitar solo juts to fill the blanks.

Fiddling with guitar bits...
Saturday 26 11 22

I've almost finished the vocals. As you might hear it's mostly me with the occasional smoothing of a note and tuned harmonies. The bit where I went up from D to G# or something that actually happened so I kept it and repeated it (amusingly for me).

This has the Spec Analyser vocal correction - three different reference vocals for three different parts.

main vocal with Bowie's verse & chorus Major Tom help


and main vocals with Michael Stipe's verse & chorus & Bruce Thomas' help

I very much doubt I'd use the profiler to tweak bass at any time other than when experimenting unless I was doing a tribute cover and I don't do those things.
I've added a Spectrum Match of Tommy Ramon for this mix...

Happy Song 261222ram.mp3

Suggestions?e
LYRICS
She wants
A happy song, please
She wants the sort of one
That isn't creepy
One that's fun
Happy song
A happy song, please
One that won't make her frown
One that doesn't bring her down

1Happiness is
Happiness to you
Happy songs too
Are not the sort of songs I tend to do

What she wants
Is what she wants to get
She wants the sort of thing
She doesn't have yet
Clappy song
A clappy song, please
One that doesn't bring her down
One that won't make her frown

Clappiness is
Clappiness to you
Clappy songs too
Are not the sort of songs I like to do

What we want
Is what we strive to get
We want the sorts of things
We don't have yet
Happy song
And clappy song, please
Ones that don't bring us down
Ones that won't make us frown

Sappiness is
Sappiness to you
Sappy songs too
Are not the sort of songs I care to do

When we smile
Is what we feel and yet
They 're the sorts of things
We should forget
Happy songs
Sappy clappy songs , please
Ones that don't bring us down
Ones that won't make us frown

Clappiness is
Clappiness to you
Clappy songs too
Are not the sort of songs I wish to do
Happiness is
Happiness to you
Happy songs too
Are not the sort of songs I like to do

[CrowsofFritz]

I really like the bass sound. Sounds just like Paul.

[Lt. Bob]

nothing wrong with that bass sound .... like the preliminary tunage

Also ... what amp did you run the bass into?

[vomitHatSteve]

Yeah, I like the bass tone.

It's very forward, so I could see needing to take it down a notch or two (and the drums up), but I think I'd have to hear it with vox to be sure.

[Armistice]

I'm not such a huge fan of the bass tone, but that's just a personal preference thing - nothing wrong with it as such.

I was thinking "Gee, this is a straight forward chord progression for ray".. until you got to the next bit, whatever you want to call it. But it resolves well so I'll be interested to see what you do with vocals - I think you need something that goes across the chord melody, rather than following it, if you follow me.

[rayc]

@@Lt.Bob,
Knock off Hofner through a Marshall Superbass, (modded towards Superlead), bass mostly rolled off, lots of mids and a chunk of treble to a cheap Marshall 4x12 the mic was a 57. I added a little mild distortion ITB.
@CrowsofFritz,
Thems fight'n words.
@VomitHatSteve,
Yes, indeed, up front so you could hear it's oddness - I've not address EQ masking/overlap with the drums yet.
@Armistice,
I decided to study a few "jazz" classics for progressions and resolutions then picked an easy key, used non jazz chords, kept the number of changes and doubled the tempo.

[rayc]

I've worked out why I was having so much trouble with my full scale bas: When working out the part & tracking I frequently slid from F# on the A string down to B. Round wound strings, not having played a lot of bass recently and little finger saw a fair bit of skin give way. When I moved to the full scale with rather rounder strings, (the knock of must have half rounds), I kept stuffing up after that slide - I wasn't paying attention but pain was causing me to lose focus. Oh well. I tried again today but the finger is still sensitive. No hurry and possibly no need.
I was okay with my HB knock off Ricky 12 string though so added some accent with it. HB 12 -> cheap compressor -> Marshall -> 57 spring reverb added in the box.

[CeeBee]

Nice foot tapping tune, I like the bass melody. All you need now are some punky lyrics to top it.

[rayc]

@CeeBee,
ta mate. Yes, needs words n stuff.

[Greg_L]

Sounds good Ray. Musically it reminds me of The Clash a little bit. Finish it.

[TripleM]

I really liked the bass sound. Mix #2 has it set better in the mix.

The crunch guitars could maybe be a little brighter? Tough to tell without vocals in the mix, so it's just a guess. But yeah finish it.

[musicturtle]

Sounding good @rayc

I like the idea of the organ in this one.

[rayc]

Newer mix with some "retracking" in the O.P.

[vomitHatSteve]

Maybe split the difference with the bass volume. It seems perhaps too quiet now

[rayc]

New mix

[vomitHatSteve]

Yeah, that's probably a good level for the bass

[rayc]

New MIX.
My wife told me to write a happy song because the current track has a pleasant sound but unpleasant lyrics.
I had the backing track for this so threw together some lyrics to address her request.

[rayc]

NEW VOCALS

[vomitHatSteve]

It is a little disorienting to hear you being so perky!

[rayc]

It is a little disorienting to hear you being so perky!

Odd isn't it?
Though the lyrics tell a different story...
She wants
A happy song, please
She wants the sort of one
That isn't creepy
One that's fun
Happy song
A happy song, please
One that won't make her frown
One that doesn't bring her down

1Happiness is
Happiness to you
Happy songs too
Are not the sort of songs I tend to do

What she wants
Is what she wants to get
She wants the sort of thing
She doesn't have yet
Clappy song
A clappy song, please
One that doesn't bring her down
One that won't make her frown

Clappiness is
Clappiness to you
Clappy songs too
Are not the sort of songs I like to do

What we want
Is what we strive to get
We want the sorts of things
We don't have yet
Happy song
And clappy song, please
Ones that don't bring us down
Ones that won't make us frown

Sappiness is
Sappiness to you
Sappy songs too
Are not the sort of songs I care to do

When we smile
Is what we feel and yet
They 're the sorts of things
We should forget
Happy songs
Sappy clappy songs , please
Ones that don't bring us down
Ones that won't make us frown

Clappiness is
Clappiness to you
Clappy songs too
Are not the sort of songs I wish to do
Happiness is
Happiness to you
Happy songs too
Are not the sort of songs I like to do