konalavadome

"Helicopter Head" [kinda The Police, Alice In Chains, U2]

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ABeautifulVirus

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« Reply #15 on: August 11, 2012, 02:28:25 AM »
As for repeating the verse, maybe throw in the odd line that is different rather than write a whole different one to keep the familiarity there but to change it a little.

I hear ya; actually the original version had two separate choruses, but I concatenated them into one to try to leave a more indelible impression on the psyche due to the somewhat obscure lyrics.  This song is kinda about metaphysical enlightenment eg being able to see in all directions at all times etc...


The vocal processing works for that genre but I find such layering to be exhausting, and modern rock demands a more human sound, so again this is dated for it.
A great and thoroughly interesting first track, and great work getting stuck into the forum, we love a bit of give and take here :)
JN

cool. understanding your angle on this.  However I wanted to point out that there is no vocal processing here; I mean no digital processing of tracks or harmonies.  I explained in my reply to Mihkay in this thread the technique I used in recording them; well I guess one could then call it 'a process' lol, and a lengthy one at that {the verses are tracked one at a time, each tripled with me standing at 3 different distances from mic , repeated for the 1st, 3rd, and 5th harmony, so you are hearing 9 vocal tracks mixed as 1 for each verse}. The goal was to produce a lush, larger than life vocal presence, to contrast with the more compacted chorus vocals.


great stuff , i enjoyed listening , a good old lead solo would of been nice about 2/3rds the way through
but thats just me , and i know nothing ,
good song chaps .

lol i used to be called 'solo-obsessed' so over time I tried to learn a more minimalist approach in terms of guitar soloing, opting to use guitar more as shades and texture. Also, this is one of the few songs I am not using a Marshall or Mesa Boogie Dual Recto head, opting for a Roland JC120 Jazz Chorus (a la Andy Summers), which has a usually useless and insipid overdrive channel, but I thought it apropos for this alt/rock feel application.  Then I am also using the Roland clean channel, with no chorusing, for the U2-ish delay guitar and vamps you hear on the right (which in headphones you can hear slightly pan-delayed Right-to-Left)



Boydie

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« Reply #16 on: August 11, 2012, 11:23:12 PM »
This is really great stuff and I enjoyed it very much

I am not overly familiar with AIC so I didn't really get the references so I am just judging on what I heard, which was a great track with a superb vocal

The guitar sound is also spot on - rough but not too "rip yer face off"

However, I found everything a little "soft" and lacking a bit of energy

It is my guess that you "let rip" with this song when you play it live but have tried to do it "properly" in the studio??

I can really see this going down well live and I bet a live recording would have bags of energy!!!!!

Overall the track was great and has definitely whetted my appetite to hear more...
To check out my music please visit:

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Florida Mike

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« Reply #17 on: August 12, 2012, 01:04:52 AM »
I liked it overall a lot, however MIX wise the high end guitar to me gives it a very brittle and constant linear feel ( like U2 which I hate where the "EDGE", the "Side", "Angle" or whatever he happens to be calling himself these days always has an overiding constant ongoing timbre over the track)--- and the vocals I would have liked more to the front of the mix. The vocals are GOOD, and would like to hear more of them, and maybe even copy and paste one, and pan it a bit. I have Not listened in headphones yet to the track so maybe that is why I am getting a very Linear, Middle stage Image.

Having said that it's some great lyrics, has balls, moves along like an 80's Vibe...a Nice bit of songwriting, congratulations!

I would love to hear it with a more natural vocal more up front, more natural drums and bass, and less of the reeling over the top guitar.
Be fun to hear some more mixes. This song is the kind of song you can make go in so many different directions on what you leave out in the first verse, what fader you bring up in the second verse, etc etc...you have a lot of fun tracks to experiment with...have fun.
Cheers!
From the Hudson Valley of New York State USA.
Cheers! 8)

ABeautifulVirus

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« Reply #18 on: August 12, 2012, 07:42:39 PM »
This is really great stuff and I enjoyed it very much

I am not overly familiar with AIC so I didn't really get the references so I am just judging on what I heard, which was a great track with a superb vocal

The guitar sound is also spot on - rough but not too "rip yer face off"

However, I found everything a little "soft" and lacking a bit of energy

It is my guess that you "let rip" with this song when you play it live but have tried to do it "properly" in the studio??

I can really see this going down well live and I bet a live recording would have bags of energy!!!!!

Overall the track was great and has definitely whetted my appetite to hear more...

thanks Boydie.  i also hear ya on how the sound was somewhat 'mitigated' in the studio, maybe too much polish etc... also since i'm using a Roland Jazz Chorus here as opposed to one of my crunchier heads, the distortion is anything but ferocious. when we play this live it has an entirely different feel, more high energy and since i'm the only lead singer i have to compensate for the harmonies. Dan (bass) sings, but his voice does not really emulate mine, and the verses are actually a triple harmony so we simply have to adjust for live setting etc...

ABeautifulVirus

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« Reply #19 on: August 12, 2012, 07:47:18 PM »
I liked it overall a lot, however MIX wise the high end guitar to me gives it a very brittle and constant linear feel ( like U2 which I hate where the "EDGE", the "Side", "Angle" or whatever he happens to be calling himself these days always has an overiding constant ongoing timbre over the track)--- and the vocals I would have liked more to the front of the mix. The vocals are GOOD, and would like to hear more of them, and maybe even copy and paste one, and pan it a bit. I have Not listened in headphones yet to the track so maybe that is why I am getting a very Linear, Middle stage Image.

Having said that it's some great lyrics, has balls, moves along like an 80's Vibe...a Nice bit of songwriting, congratulations!

I would love to hear it with a more natural vocal more up front, more natural drums and bass, and less of the reeling over the top guitar.
Be fun to hear some more mixes. This song is the kind of song you can make go in so many different directions on what you leave out in the first verse, what fader you bring up in the second verse, etc etc...you have a lot of fun tracks to experiment with...have fun.
Cheers!
From the Hudson Valley of New York State USA.
Cheers! 8)

i can very much understand the linear 'U2' guitar not pleasing anyone. U2 is one of those bands that people either love or despise; i happen to be of the former, but i can see how it may 'ouch' some listeners. & yeah there were several iterations of this in the studio; this one was recently remixed and remastered so it sounds consistent across an array of systems and listening environments. there were a lot of tracks to control; the verses are 9 tracks of my vocals; a lot going on etc... thanks dude :) 

Dutchbeat

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« Reply #20 on: August 13, 2012, 04:07:04 PM »
sorry, it took me ages to get to listen to this...

it is smashing

very catchy and contagious, beautifulvirus  ;D

ABeautifulVirus

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« Reply #21 on: August 14, 2012, 12:30:26 AM »
neat! thanks Dutch.