Forever Together

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CaliaMoko

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« Reply #15 on: January 20, 2017, 03:27:33 PM »
After reading through the comments again, I'm beginning to get ideas for different words for this tune! Another verse or a whole different song??? We will see! I hadn't thought about it being suitable for a lullaby, so now I'm thinking "lullaby" words. ;) Hm.......

I wasn't overly concerned with production, as I know so little about it or how to do it, but the comments regarding production have actually inspired me to want to see if I can't make it a little better. So I plan to work on that, even though I hadn't really intended to do so.

It looks like the general consensus is that the harmonies I've worked out are okay, and that was one of my biggest questions. I was afraid they sounded too artificial, for lack of a better word.

So, thanks again, to everyone who has taken the time to listen and comment. It is so helpful, and I appreciate it a lot!

CaliaMoko

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« Reply #16 on: January 20, 2017, 10:04:40 PM »
One person mentioned my voice sounded heavily compressed. I don't understand compression at all, and I simply applied the compression effect and selected a preset identified as suitable for vocals. This is what it says:



Any suggestions for tweaks to that? And why? And should I post this question in a different forum??

Maybe if I just move that slider above the word "Threshold" up higher?

pompeyjazz

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« Reply #17 on: January 20, 2017, 10:22:19 PM »
If you think its a problem Vicki then just remove it. If not then just leave it in. If you're using the default settings in Reaper then it might give you a particular sound. My umble advice would be to just go with what sounds right for you. You can always tweak compressed vocals with eq anyway and that's an answer from an Amateur production guy

CaliaMoko

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« Reply #18 on: January 20, 2017, 10:57:20 PM »
If you think its a problem Vicki then just remove it. If not then just leave it in. If you're using the default settings in Reaper then it might give you a particular sound. My umble advice would be to just go with what sounds right for you. You can always tweak compressed vocals with eq anyway and that's an answer from an Amateur production guy
Thanks, John. I vacillate between wanting to learn how to do all that DAW stuff and wanting to use the time to do something else while I give that part of it to someone else (like Boydie).

It would be nice to understand it all, but...there's only so much time and so much I want to do.

pompeyjazz

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« Reply #19 on: January 20, 2017, 11:43:32 PM »
Hey Vicki. Personally I would say concentrate on your brilliant songs and leave the rest cos you have so much happening.  :)

Mono Stone

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« Reply #20 on: January 21, 2017, 02:26:23 AM »
Typing as I listen... I think this is really great. It's unusual, and I don't know whether you intend it to sound unusual or it's just how it comes out...but it works for me.

I think if you turned the acoustic up in the mix it would sound fuller, it's a bit too far away... Or even better, record a second acoustic and pan it to the opposite side.

For my taste, a tiny bit more reverb on your lead vocal would be good.

I can imagine all sorts of little touches, it makes me want to tinker with it, but as it stands I think you have a really cool sounding recording...really nice song, lovely voice, and again something unusual...something kind of hipster about it too.

montydog

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« Reply #21 on: January 23, 2017, 03:45:04 PM »
Hi

I agree with Tinam - turn the guitar up in the mix and replace the flute type thing with an accordion and you have a "chanson" in the Piaf tradition. Very lovely melody (as usual) and I also enjoyed the vocal. I love sparse instrumentation/production so that was not a problem for me.

Very lovely indeed

M

Neil C

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« Reply #22 on: January 23, 2017, 08:51:38 PM »
vicki,
I'm hearing an old folk song but could hear the french thing too. You have a very unique style with the words a melody which keeps interest whilst your warm clear vocals do the rest!
Thoughts: I think I'd drop the instrumental intro and get to your vocals. I'd also consider waiting to bring in the repeated vocals until a bit later so it builds.
Anyway i'm not going to over analyse it, just play it again.
 :)
Neil 
songwriter of no repute..

CaliaMoko

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« Reply #23 on: January 23, 2017, 11:23:42 PM »
Mono Stone: Unusual is good. I hadn't thought about it specifically, but I was going for different than usual, which is, I guess, a definition of unusual. Thanks for the tips.

MontyDog: I have played with the recording some, turned up the guitar and don't remember what else I did. I haven't managed to post the update so far, though. Thanks for the ideas.

Neil C: You're a sweet talker! I'll have to think about your tips. I especially like the idea of building more before coming back in with the repeated vocals.

Thanks to everyone who took time to comment. And thanks to all who listened!

Steng

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« Reply #24 on: January 25, 2017, 07:56:15 PM »
Your voice is amazing. I like the song as it is, it has a charm. It seems sort of dreamy. I'm getting the French feel and also imagining this being sung at the court of one of our "great" monarchs - Big Enery VIII maybe.

TimCurtis

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« Reply #25 on: January 27, 2017, 08:15:11 AM »
Just a guess, but your screenshot says the setting is called "aggressive vocal", which to me sounds like heavy compression.  Is there a setting called "soft vocal" or something similar? 

If not, try turning the ratio down - it's currently on 4.4 to 1.  1 to 1 is no compression at all, so make it somewhere in between, like 2 to 1? 

The threshold sets the sound level above which the effect is applied.  Try making this higher so only the loudest bits of your voice are compressed, but not so high that nothing gets effected.

Also it looks like there are wet and dry levels, with the dry level set to 0.  This is basically the level of the sound with the effect applied (wet) and the level with no effect applied (dry).  Try turning the dry up to get some of your uneffected vocals through.  This is not usually done with compression, but if the control is there, try it out and see how it sounds.

Compression is one of those effects that can be hard got get your head around as to what it actually does.  Took me ages to get what it was doing and couldn't really hear it to start with (not like, say, reverb where it's obvious what it's doing).  But basically, imagine someone with their finger on a volume control turning it down every time there's a loud bit and back up again when it gets quiet.  They do this really, really quickly, often many, many times per second.  This squashes - or compresses - the sound volume down so it can be turned up to sound louder in the overall mix as the loud bits are no longer so loud.  It often gives things a fuller sound but can make your ears tired when there's too much compression.  It's why TV adverts are often louder than the main programme as they've been compressed to death to make them stand out.

Anyway, I guess it's a case of just moving a few sliders and hearing what happens (which can often be subtle), but easier when you understand what the sliders actually do. 

Hope this helps and please keep us posted with how it goes.  :)

pompeyjazz

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« Reply #26 on: January 27, 2017, 08:32:00 AM »
Hi Vicki - Yes, going back to the Reacomp VST in Reaper. I would change the ration to 2 - 2.5 and then play the vocal solo while at the same time moving the slider on the left hand side up and down. The further down you bring it the more compression you will get. The volume will go down as well but you can compensate for that by raising the level

Skub

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« Reply #27 on: January 27, 2017, 09:49:06 AM »
Excellent post, Tim.

TimCurtis

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« Reply #28 on: January 27, 2017, 11:00:34 AM »
Thanks Skub. :)

digger72

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« Reply #29 on: January 28, 2017, 01:28:30 PM »
Hi Vicki

The lack of rhyme has no negative impact for me. Sounds perfectly good. For me this is all about the mood it creates.
The musical interludes weave well with the haunting vocal. Not sure if I'm getting a Celtic vibe though - perhaps in the vocal - some kind of children of the forest thing, but the music makes me think of something more French maybe.

Works well for me.

Digger