Jolene (cover version)

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pushedbutton
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20 Aug 2015

https://www.propellerheads.se/s/LE4Cue2z
Gotta do my best with this one. (No Retakes.) Anything jumping out at you?
The instrumentation was thrown together very quickly, I'd prefer to keep it fsb but if you really want to lay down a real guitar for me I won't say no.
We had a guest singer in, she's not professional but I'd like this to sound as good as possible for her so she's got something to show for her efforts. I'll make the original Reason 8.3 file available on request as long as you keep it to yourself.
cheers.
@pushedbutton on twitter, add me, send me a message, but don't try to sell me stuff cos I'm skint.
Using Reason since version 3 and still never finished a song.

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pushedbutton
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20 Aug 2015

Well here's version 2 anyhow. Any kind of feedback would be appreciated.
https://www.propellerheads.se/s/QIz7pNo3
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Benedict
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20 Aug 2015

Hi Mr Button

You seem to have the ability to find interesting singers. She isn't Dolly but there is something that makes it work still.

Not 100% about the Autotune harmonies - yes they are right but just a bit "canned". You are right that the music is the weak point. But only by a bit. i think either loosen things a bit and work at the note level to get human movement or go a subtle shade of electronic and then the vocal (and autotune) may just fit in perfectly.

:)
Benedict Roff-Marsh
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EnochLight
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20 Aug 2015

Well I have to disagree with Mr. Benedict in that I feel the (presumably) Neptune work on the voice is just fine (version 2). It's just enough touch of synthetic to give it a nice otherworldly feeling. But I will agree that the vocalist is great - she's got a very nice voice... and the music.. well, no offense meant but it just feels like a MIDI-karaoke version of the original.

When I think of covers, they either need to be completely original in that it sounds absolutely nothing like the original, or a very nice complement/heavily imitated such as what Miley Cyrus (UGH.. I know, just.. UGH) did here:



Because yours feels very MIDI-like, it just seems to go in the opposite direction of both of those philosophies. Still - not a bad cover man! I'd just maybe mess with the music backing track a tad. Experiment! Or use a real guitar and backing band.
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eusti
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20 Aug 2015

EnochLight wrote:

How aren't there any handling noises? ;)

D.

pLansford

21 Aug 2015

Benedict wrote:yes they are right but just a bit "canned".
Yes...
EnochLight wrote:(UGH.. I know, just.. UGH) did here:
Yeah it was pretty dope but it wouldn't be so nice without good production. Let's see how well she does when she really meets the street youth of her publicity campaign to do the same performance in an alley. Teamwork makes the dream work.

Edit: Miley Cyrus comment...just to clarify. ^^

I think the composition is great but it sounds forced. I agree with Mr. Light about the MIDI feel. I think one of the greatest struggles for electronic musicians is to make things feel as real as possible and surpass the expectations of the listener.
Last edited by pLansford on 21 Aug 2015, edited 1 time in total.

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pushedbutton
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21 Aug 2015

Cool, thanks for the feedback, I think you already know that I already know the musical is a midi karaoke file. The guitars are troubling me so any tips on a method to get them sounding better without learning the guitar would be good. Would A-list help in this situation?
@pushedbutton on twitter, add me, send me a message, but don't try to sell me stuff cos I'm skint.
Using Reason since version 3 and still never finished a song.

pLansford

21 Aug 2015

pushedbutton wrote:Cool, thanks for the feedback, I think you already know that I already know the musical is a midi karaoke file. The guitars are troubling me so any tips on a method to get them sounding better without learning the guitar would be good. Would A-list help in this situation?
Yes. Learning the guitar would be good. I'm too chicken shit to do any guitar production because there's no way around it IMHO. I tried to record my younger brother playing some guitar fills but he doesn't take music seriously and doesn't know what I'm talking about. The latter is probably my own fault though.

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pushedbutton
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21 Aug 2015

https://www.propellerheads.se/s/Rg1eOCRp
Quick Redo. Better? Worse? Just the same?
@pushedbutton on twitter, add me, send me a message, but don't try to sell me stuff cos I'm skint.
Using Reason since version 3 and still never finished a song.

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eusti
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21 Aug 2015

I like this better.

D.

pLansford

21 Aug 2015

I liked how the instruments were clear and upfront in the previous version. They get kind of lost and smothered in the newest version IMO. Maybe try to find some middle ground between the two.

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pushedbutton
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21 Aug 2015

Awesome, thanks for the feedback. Watch out for version 4 later tonight.
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pushedbutton
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21 Aug 2015

https://www.propellerheads.se/s/nRgINn5Y
I got to doing other stuff so this is more like version 3.5
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Benedict
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21 Aug 2015

Hi Mr Button

I like where this is going. The music no longer sounds canned MIDI. It may be a bit too reverby but only by a touch as the overall swimmy sound suits her voice. Not sure about the applause as it seems out of place in an electronic backing.

Overall reminds me of early 80's Country crossover artists like Sheena Easton and even Sharon O'Neill.

Nice

:)
Benedict Roff-Marsh
Completely burned and gone

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Namahs Amrak
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21 Aug 2015

I never thought I would utter these words but... that Mylie Cyrus song the GREAT

As for the OP's version, the 'guitar' sounds a but clunky and expressionless. I would be stacking instruments, adding delays, LFO's and all other sorts of crap to make it flow a bit nicer.

EDIT: Just heard your most recent mix. Much better than before :thumbs_up:
My Words are my ART

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Jagwah
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21 Aug 2015

That's trippy man I had this song in my head all morning then I just saw this thread. Sounds great so far!

pLansford

22 Aug 2015

pushedbutton wrote:https://www.propellerheads.se/s/nRgINn5Y
I got to doing other stuff so this is more like version 3.5
Yeah nice! Snare sounds better too.

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pushedbutton
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22 Aug 2015

@pushedbutton on twitter, add me, send me a message, but don't try to sell me stuff cos I'm skint.
Using Reason since version 3 and still never finished a song.

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Tincture
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22 Aug 2015

I really like her voice! Loved your synth stuff too and the bass - nice and round and full. The guitar does sound bad but A-list won't help as it;s a picked rather than strummed line. I'd offer to do it but I'd struggle I think, plus I can't record my acoustic. Be nice if someone who can would offer though. Then there's the drums... I think the kick's about ok but the snare could do with a bit more bottom end (wood) and sustain/reverb maybe? Also I'd have the high-hats with less decay or at least so that one stopped the other ringing out... (the old Redrum channel 8 & 9 exclusive button trick). Overall feel... def a winner. Just suggested tweaks :) Her voice would bear being even more present too... 5k boost or take some 5k from the drums/synths?

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pushedbutton
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22 Aug 2015

nice one, that's a job for the morning :) cheers.
@pushedbutton on twitter, add me, send me a message, but don't try to sell me stuff cos I'm skint.
Using Reason since version 3 and still never finished a song.

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Namahs Amrak
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22 Aug 2015

This is getting better on each remix. I thin the guitar is really working when it sits behind the vocals and the bass, but I still have a problem with the intro, when it is solo'd.

Something I think you might consider is the hammer-on between the fifth & sixth note. Personally I would try how it sounds by using pitch automation to 'slide' between those two notes. The transition from one MIDI note to another still feels clunky. Hope that makes sense - I can't help you on this because I'm not running the same version of Reason.

EDIT: Like this: http://s000.tinyupload.com/download.php ... 3075809643
My Words are my ART

pLansford

22 Aug 2015

Well this is turning out to be an interesting journey. Cool stuff man.

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Tincture
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23 Aug 2015

Just an idea... I'd be tempted to replace your midi guitar with a plucked sound from the fsb... Mess with the amp env decay and sustain (and poss release) and see if you can get something nicer sounding? You could always use a-list acoustic then to play the strummed chords in the background to fill it out with guitaryness.

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Namahs Amrak
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23 Aug 2015

Tincture wrote:Just an idea... I'd be tempted to replace your midi guitar with a plucked sound from the fsb... Mess with the amp env decay and sustain (and poss release) and see if you can get something nicer sounding?
+100 for this suggestion.

Make a multi-instrument Combinator for that guitar :thumbs_up:
My Words are my ART

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pushedbutton
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23 Aug 2015

yeah i decided that midi guitar will pretty much always sound a bit crap, so I scrapped it, bumped the tempo, added a break and fucked about with the filters. https://www.propellerheads.se/s/20nKdd2F
@pushedbutton on twitter, add me, send me a message, but don't try to sell me stuff cos I'm skint.
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