Is your music or drumming any good?

[sidereal]

Ah... what the heck, I'm tired of being anonymous:

 

http://www.viennateng.com/high/music/download.html

 

This was one of those situations where it was a one-take deal in the studio and then it was on to the next tune, so it's not the most inspired performance in the world. Just a simple groove with a couple blemishes that make me cringe. I wish I could have had another go at it. Unfortunately I don't web links of better stuff I've done, so this is all I have online.

 

The singer is my girlfriend. ...not that that matters or anything.

[Steve LeBlanc]

Cool Jim, nice stuff I explored the MP3c page too...I enjoyed it.

 

I wonder if you guys are doing a little bit too much of the loop based stuff...it's a nice effect but IMO can be overdone.

 

Main impression I got from "The Tower" was that you might have been a bit tentative...maybe it's the sequencer making you nervous but there were moments where I got the feeling you weren't comfortable. It was just moments though, you're doing a good job overall of playing the song the groove when on is good.

 

OH and your girl is hot.

 

If anyone wants to comment on my brother's drumming it would be appreciated by both of us. Keep in mind the Rhodes and Drum tracks were improvised live, everything else added by me later. It's busy on purpose :

 

"Situation" (9mb)

http://www.artistlaunch.com/jamfree

[sidereal]

Hey... thanks for the feedback Steve!

 

Yeah, the session *was* uncomfortable. I didn't know the tune in advance. They wanted me to come up with an arrangement on the spot. I intentionally played a really laid back feel and I thought I'd get a couple shots at it. But after the first take, the engineer said "okay, cool, let's go to the next tune." All the perforances on that CD are first takes. So that's why there's little uncertain moments. Percussion was tracked later. I was surprised by how much delay was added to the drums, but that was out of my hand.

 

Wish I could post some better stuff outside that CD. We're doing a side project, sort of Radiohead meets Bjork meets halucinogenic torch singer cocktail jazz. It's much different... a strange combination of wide open drums with lots of ride cymbal work and improv, and/or weird structured looping stuff (ala Kid A, Homogenic). I'm engineering and mixing this, so I'm a bit more proud of it. I'll post some if I ever get it up on the web.

 

Your song's really cool. I definitely capture the live feel. It's a bit meandering in that Phishy kind of way, but I'm sure that's what you were going for. The drumming was very cool and creative. I'm not too crazy about the sort of plain sounding snare (to my ears), but again, it works for the tune. Your singer reminded me a bit of the guy from The Blue Nile, a somewhat obscure english band. Good stuff.

[Rader Ranch]

Originally posted by sidereal:

after the first take, the engineer said "okay, cool, let's go to the next tune.

 

drag of a way to record for sure...other than those few 'blemishes' (mainly during the violin solo.??..nice pregnant pause ...the bass player clams worse i think ) the playing sounds fine to me. however, i'm completely distracted by the mix....it's horrible. someone completely missed the boat on that one. the song itself is a litle static in structure for me, but a good mix could make this a really nice mood piece, and create some more ebb and flow to it. imho this mix is way too plain jane for the tune. were the mix sesh's as much a rush as the tracking?

 

btw, nice, clean, pro job on the website!

 

Originally posted by sidereal:

We're doing a side project, sort of Radiohead meets Bjork meets halucinogenic torch singer cocktail jazz.

um....that would be portishead, right?

look foward to checking out the more experimental stuff...hmmm, i just noticed something. this is your girl, but you didn't know the song? how does that work?

 

[ 12-11-2001: Message edited by: Rader Ranch ]

[sidereal]

Originally posted by Rader Ranch:

um....that would be portishead, right?

 

Sorta. But more free-form... with a lot more guitars, occasional digeridoo, and no strings. call it ambient-pop.

 

Yeah, the pregnant pause in the violin solo gets me everytime. dammit.

[rlhubley]

Man Jim, that's some nice drumming. I'm not a huge fan of the delay, but that's not your fault either. The tune has a nice groove, but I would like to hear more of the bass drum(this may just be the mix, or my computer speakers). I really like your choice of fills, they're musical and directional. I also dig the flams. Good job on this. The only other thing that bothers me may or may not be under your control. I don't really dig the sound of the drums(although the cymbals are quite nice). This may be from the engineer, producer, or this may be how you like the drums to sound(in which case you can rightfully tell me to **** off). To my ear, the toms lack resonance, the snare lacks depth. I can't really hear the kick, so I won't comment on it.

 

I dug your playing, keep it up and continue posting more!!

[Rader Ranch]

doh! i knew i shoulda edited that post faster!

 

dude, it's ok...wait 'til you hear my playing with edits...yikes..

[Rader Ranch]

shit...now i'm on page 2 and this makes no sense...

 

Originally posted by sidereal:

...with a lot more guitars, occasional digeridoo, and no strings.call it ambient-pop.

Suzanne Vega? PJ Harvey?

sorry, i'll shut up now...

 

checked out a few more tunes...it's good stuff to be sure. think Drought's my fav. so far...

[sidereal]

Originally posted by Rader Ranch:

hmmm, i just noticed something. this is your girl, but you didn't know the song? how does that work?

 

[ 12-11-2001: Message edited by: Rader Ranch ]

 

Yeah, the day I went to the studio was the first day I met her. That was like a year and a half ago. We just started dating about three months ago.

 

I'm not going to comment too much on the mixing/engineering because the guy who did that is her ex and I've already caused him enough grief. I will say that I think he did a brilliant job on her vocals and on the piano, which are really the two most important aspects of the song. Yes, I would have engineered and mixed the drums and bass differently, but I have nothing but respect for the guy.

 

I think I'm sharing too much on this thread all of a sudden. Please, someone else post an mp3 or something.

[felix stein]

Very impressive band you have going there Side. I fully enjoy your minimalistic approach.

 

Not my cup of tea but...sounds like you could make some money with the gig- maybe big money.

 

Stevie, your brother is a fine player as well...I could get into some more bass guitar in the mix...could be my speakers.

 

8th note triplets and sextuplets have to be displaced a little more creatively to really get my attention though. Quads are ok...I don't care for them in this style of music though. But they are in time just fine. I keep hearing more doubles that aren't there. The way he crashes on the "and" of one all the time is, well, strange but I don't hate it. He's pretty good.

 

By the way I really enjoy listening to all your music guys and Lee.

[Scream187]

if my music is any good? nop sorry, we suck.

 

neeeeeeeexxxxxxxt

 

hehe

[Steve LeBlanc]

Yeah I hear what you're saying Felix and can't say I disagree...I don't think my brother will either. We're both experimenting with what we can play over this stuff...Tom is influenced by a lot of different drummers...Peart was, of course one of the first. He's figuring it out on the fly and sometimes it becomes predictable but we're having fun regardless. I think in the end it's all pretty musical.

 

I could get into some more bass guitar in

the mix...could be my speakers.

 

Yeah, a friend is mastering all this stuff right now...he's really been able to bring out the bass. He's almost done with it, from what I've heard so far the Bass is going to cut through good. We should have tracked it better but I think it will be good enough.

 

Thanks for the comments, they are very appreciated.

[ackthbtbthotmail.com]

For fans of So Far Over The Top It's Down The Other Side, check this out:

 

MP3.com

 

D'l the tune Being Eaten To Death.

 

And yes, it was on purpose.

[Steve LeBlanc]

Wow Mike, that's the shit. I love the Bass especially but everything is great...I wish there were more people making this kind of music.

 

How old are you?

 

[ 12-16-2001: Message edited by: Steve LeBlanc ]

[haloboy]

Reading through the threads, thought I would be vulnerable for a bit and get some constructive criticism. Check it out if you're bored or would like to comment. It,s all me and no MIDI

 

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/halo_music.htm

 

JP

[Steve LeBlanc]

haloboy,

 

I listened to Envy a couple of times...I really enjoyed it...my only criticism would be directed at the mix and I can't comment on that without listening through better speakers than I have here at work.

 

I'll check it out tonight when I get home and see if there's anything constructive I can say.

[ackthbtbthotmail.com]

Steve LeBlanc wrote:

 

"Wow Mike, that's the shit. I love the Bass especially but everything is great...I wish there were more people making this kind of music. How old are you?"

 

25 now, but I was 18 in those days. The Three of Us were in the studio for only our second time. A 16 track 2 inch place that was state of the art 30 years ago. Anyhow, we had no idea what we were doing, which is why we did so well.

 

And it was done on a fifty dollar drumkit. hehe

[Rader Ranch]

haloboy...if you got Tom Lord-Alge to autotune and mix this, you'd have a hit! ...actually, i mean good and bad things by this. the good is that you can do the multiple instrument thing fine and have a good sense of rock song structure. to me though, it's a bit like everything else out there right now. originality is about a cherished an attribute as i can imagine, and since i certainly don't possess it myself as a writer (i can't, so don't, write), hellifiknow how to get there...other than keep doing it, of course...which you should. but watch your pitch, 'cause you tend to sing sharp...and if you're doing the mixing, A/B it with stuff you like while you're doing it. you can learn a ton that way.

 

ackthbtbt....Bill the cat? i'm honored! you've really come a long way since "You Stink But I Love You". are the boingers still your band? sorry...well, i'd love to hear where you guys are at now, as opposed to how you noodled 7 years ago. $50 drumkit...sweet!!....progressive hasn't had a decent shot in the ass since early Primus, and nobody jumped on that bandwagon...or have i been missing something??

[Dwarf]

Holoboy - I'm listening to "Envy". This ain't bad! I can imagine this on the radio pretty easily.

 

Now I'm on to "Cold" - wow, dominant bass.

 

Really aggressive sounding stuff here, but I like it. I agree with Radar - Tom Lorg-Alge would kill on mixes of this.

 

--

Rob

[ackthbtbthotmail.com]

Rader..

 

Thanks for the comments. That band never happened. The bassist married a blond with big tits... now he works for a living.

 

In any event, where I'M at now, as opposed to then, is more along the lines of Bad Jazz 5 and 6, and Oban Strikes Again.

(all can be found on my mp3.com site referenced above)

Avant-Improv, mostly.

 

Doc

[Mr Darling]

Well guys, after the help I got here recording some live perc I feel I most share the result with you all :

http://www.DarlingNikkie.com/sounds/new/inthecity.mp3

 

I'm sorry to say that this mp3 will be removed the end of this year (sorry but it goes to a movie so I can't live it forever)

 

Any comments are wellcome

 

Thanks for your time

Danny