When that section comes in "I don't understand a fucking thing.... you've got the EQ pulling that down into the low middle area and you don't get the lift off that a section like that is designed to do. See if you can lift the sonics on that so it comes in at frequencies above the mud and has some power.... make it feel like it's own layer..... or use a frequency swell on that for a similar effect.

Thanks DoL!

To clarify, are you suggesting I EQ one of the tracks, like one or both guitar tracks to cut some low mids? Or are you suggesting something on the master bus?

I still like the song a lot!

To me I think it's a big improvement over the first version from last spring, which you deliberately made really wild and woolly, but too distorted for my taste. I felt like it lost its impact in the wash.

On this version, the new drum track kicks it up a couple notches for sure. The drums hold their own through the song much better. I'd like to hear it with the drum overheads jacked up a bit for more of a raw feel and touch more volume, and maybe a little more bite to the guitar(s). I think there's room in the spectrum for a little more energy in the 1k-4k range - if I were shooting for something more raw.

I guess I'm still trying to figure out exactly what you're going for. It's a rebellious punky arrangement, but still has a lot of the typical Todzilla smoothness / slickness (that I have always liked too). The two can coexist, but I feel like you might still be on the fence. When I think of guitar driven, punkish rock, with a slick side, I think of things like '">Urge Overkill's, Sister Havana.

Maybe try creating two different mixes, one really raw balls out punk mix, and the other one with a more polished production form of bombast. See if one comes more natural to you.

Food for thought... maybe? I'm an idiot with no idea what he's talking about... maybe?

Todzilla, post: 455736, member: 11932 wrote: Thanks DoL!

To clarify, are you suggesting I EQ one of the tracks, like one or both guitar tracks to cut some low mids? Or are you suggesting something on the master bus?

Try two things.... Can you put an EQ on just that vocal line and swell towards the highs as that vocal line is executed? Ie - roll up the higher frequencies on a nice curve -- I'd also maybe add another guitar track there with a similar high frequency swell playing maybe whole notes (so it doesn't step on the rhythm) to give the swell more lift? or even a guiatr with an oscillator type repeat that swells..... something like that --- I don't exactly know if I'm describing what my ear wants to hear there but it wants a lift as that line rises --- I want the anticipation of the power chugging that follows the line to really kick open the blast doors there in a panic....

You are definitely straddling a sound between power punk and all out rock ----- Between a band like Sloan and Blink 182 --- You've even got some Dandy Warhol sounds in there. It's a totally cool song.

Dude this is pretty fantastic. Great vintage sound. Are the guitars VST or real mic'd? How are you doing the vocals? Overdubs, compression?

Thanks guys! I'm going for a pop punk vibe, kind of like the Buzzcocks (god, I'm showing my age), tight yet out of control, like my seething rage at the intended target of the song.

DoL, You've given me some good suggestions. A musician friend also had some problems with vocal muddiness there. I wanted to be anthemic, but it may just be anemic. Once I get my MacBook Pro repaired/replaced (PRIMAL SCREAM OF MUSIC HORNINESS!), I will address that.

Thanks DVD, yeah, I'll know what I want when I hear it. I defs don't want it to slick, so I left my inner Steely Dan back in the freezer.

stevie_m, post: 455752, member: 48189 wrote: Dude this is pretty fantastic. Great vintage sound. Are the guitars VST or real mic'd? How are you doing the vocals? Overdubs, compression?

Guitars are my tricked out Hello Kitty Strat (I kid you not) with a retrofitted boutique P-90, into a Demeter preamp's DI, while my playing was monitored through a Mesa Boogie DC-3. Monitoring the playing was important, so I could get good feedback and microphonics going on. Then I put two not-so-identical direct takes through Native Instruments "Guitar Rig," I think into a Vox and Orange simulated semi-dirty amp, then tweaked a bit to taste. I know I should be old school cool and record it off an amp, but damn those amp plugs are so convenient. Plus, that's me on guitar and I'm a hack, so I figured I might get one of my monster chops dudes to redo it.

Bass is a cheap piece of crap Ibanez active PUp unit through its own Guitar Rig sim. Me playing, again.

Vocals are me again, through my Neumann U-89, going through a Seventh Circle Neve clone I built, then through very light compression on a handwired 1176 clone a friend built and I'm hoping he forgot he put it in my studio. I used some VST compression for final vibe (Stillwell Rocket and/or Digital Performer's LA2A clone).

I really like the song and I can hear exactly what you were going for here -- I think you're about 15% away from being perfect on the production side -- by that I mean this could be a legitimate underground UK radio hit right now. Are you in any position to fly this by someone to sell or promote it? I think it's that close.

DogsoverLava, post: 455779, member: 48175 wrote: I really like the song and I can hear exactly what you were going for here -- I think you're about 15% away from being perfect on the production side -- by that I mean this could be a legitimate underground UK radio hit right now. Are you in any position to fly this by someone to sell or promote it? I think it's that close.

Dude, you're too kind. I really don't know how to promote my material in the digital realm. I'm a 60 year old grandfather who loves to make music. Despite some successes in the 1980s (my band, the X-teens had an MTV hit and records in the US, Europe and Japan), I haven't done much to promote my stuff. I don't even know where to begin.

I did this out of disgust for our current American leadership and was shooting for a kind of Arctic Monkeys vibe.

Once my Mac environment is restored, I will focus on a newly honed mix with attention to the "I Don't Understand a Fucking Thing" break. In the meantime, I'm staving off studio horniness with studio infrastructure upfits.

Thanks!

Now all I want is a tricked out Hello Kitty Strat. Dammit!

dvdhawk, post: 455820, member: 36047 wrote: Now all I want a tricked out Hello Kitty Strat. Dammit!

It's pretty cool. I wanted the specific model with the iconic pick guard. Of course, i wanted the pink, not black model. I found one in pristine shape on craigslist, paid $100 for it. It sounded pretty good with the stock humbuckers. Then, I had my guitar tech put a BG Pure90 pickup in and he upgraded the electronics. The goal was to trick it out with minimal visual indication it was now a beast. Still just one knob and the Pure90 fits into a humbucker route quite nicely. It really roars and looks incredibly foolish. I'm 6'2", so when I play it live, it looks wonderfully stupid. Very talented guitar players come into my studio and of course want to play it cause it's such a goof. They end up loving it, cause it plays decently and sounds like a beast.

DogsoverLava, post: 455726, member: 48175 wrote: When that section comes in "I don't understand a ^#$%ing thing.... you've got the EQ pulling that down into the low middle area and you don't get the lift off that a section like that is designed to do. See if you can lift the sonics on that so it comes in at frequencies above the mud and has some power.... make it feel like it's own layer..... or use a frequency swell on that for a similar effect.

I love this song! My two bits on this section on the refrain “I don’t understand a fing.... thing....... I would hang that out longer and don’t fade it off so fast. The next line can / might even overlap it a bit. And like mention unmuddy it a bit.

Great song!