Nerd Regrets - a RatF acoustic ballad

[vomitHatSteve]

Hi folks! So I have less time this month to get a song done, so I'm trying to be a little quicker about things by doing a simple acoustic song.

Just vocals, an acoustic, Regdar's usual glitchiness, a drum machine, a SID clone of that drum machine, a toy piano, a bicycle bell turned sampled into another instrument, more vocals, and a bunch of other bicycle noises as percussion... Oh, and a sudden switch to Mixolydian mode for no discernible reason.

Ok this one got a little away from me, but I think it's mostly holding together. Please let me know if you hear anything that needs fixing!

Mix 2

NerdRegrets2.mp3

Mix 1

NerdRegrets 1.mp3

lyrics:

I haven't played D&D in two editions
I haven't played Warcraft 3 or World Of
My elf vocabulary has some ommissions
I've lapsed my lexicon, I've lapsed my love

I've got nerd regrets, focused too much on guitar
I traded my cred trying too hard to be a star
They say They can smell a sellout from afar
And I'm scared because I know that's what we are

I never beat Doom even on normal
I never joined the My Nintendo Club
All my Linux machines are virtual
All my animes are English dubs

I've got nerd regrets, focused too much on guitar
I traded my cred trying too hard to be a star
They say They can smell a sellout from afar
And I'm scared because I know that's what we are

I was never cool in high school, so I'm faking it as a geek
Some kind of poser hipster, always gonna be a freak
Gonna play until my fingers bleed
it's the only thing I know I need to play

When I heard the dance dance revolution won't be televised
That is when I let the dance dance revolution die

[Greg_L]

The main vocals are too small in the mix. They need to be thicker and louder to compete with all the craziness going on this is "acoustic" mix.

[vomitHatSteve]

Yeah, I could see that. Thank you.

[JD01]

Steve, just got around to listen to this - I agree with Greg.
This is a good song though... not what I'd normally think of as an acoustic mix.

[TripleM]

Great song.

Yeah the lead vocal is back in the mix. Harmonies sound cool. Great parts.

I wouldn't say the mix is narrow. But it's "center heavy." Maybe it's the busy drums in the center that are doing it?

[rayc]

When I heard the dance dance revolution won't be televised

What they said about the vocal otherwise it's pretty sorted - I wonder what you warm ME would do with it.
The quoted line - fabulous riffing.

[Alison]

Dang, I think you are a nerd, lol! How you come up with these lyrics, I'll never know but I sure love them!! As for "acoustic ballad". . .nah!! I do agree about the vocals, they seem small compared to the rest of it.
Cool song!

[paulman]

I listened to this on my AirPods right when you posted it, but I wanted to listen on my monitors before commenting. Took me over a week to do that apparently, but I'm glad I did because I can hear things more clearly with fuller bass.

I love what you did here. It reminds me, though your track is more extreme, of back when Radiohead was still a rock band but they would throw a synth or some weird sound in with a solo acoustic guitar. Different styles to be sure, but it strikes me in a similar way creatively. I love merging digital/synth type stuff with organic instruments.

The vocal is a little low, and I feel like the whole mix needs more sparkle, more open space. Just some subtle adjustments and I think it's where it needs to be.

[Lt. Bob]

The main vocals are too small in the mix. They need to be thicker and louder to compete with all the craziness going on this is "acoustic" mix.

^^^^^^^^^^^ this ^^^^^^^^^^

like it though

[WhiskeyJack]

The main vocals need some gravy thicken'r bud.

The rest of the mix is actually really tidy. If i had to go digging for a nit for something i might do, i would reign in a bit of the pick attack on the acoustic strings. I know thats where some of the clarity is but it's kind of like my ear is three inches from the sound hole and your hand strumming. Any sense of room and space isn't reallt there.

By no means does that mean change it, because you captured your acoustic really well to create that vibe. Just digging for a nit is all.

[vomitHatSteve]

Thanks for the feedback folks.

New mix is in the OP. Pretty substantial boost to the lead vox as well as the duplicates of same for a fuller sound. Plus way more 'verb; I kinda had it quiet. (Also, the bussing is correct and the verb is now on the drum machine instead of the toy piano)

When I heard the dance dance revolution won't be televised

What they said about the vocal otherwise it's pretty sorted - I wonder what you warm ME would do with it.
The quoted line - fabulous riffing.

I appreciate that! I really like that lyric too.

[TripleM]

Vocal level is good.