The Wall - another Kansas tune

[gno]

This is one of my all time favorite songs. This one took a while to orchestrate. Once all the backing tracks were done I added the Lead Guitar parts, and then finally the voice. I've been recording the voice for the last three nights. Each night re-recording and getting a little better. I practiced it a few days before that, but I don't hear all the issues until I really start recording and listening.

http://soundclick.com/share?songid=9429511

Thanks to the people on this forum I'm able to sing these types of songs. I'm learning a lot from the people here.

Please feel free to make suggestions and recommendations.

[ronws]

Well done.

[analog]

Just incredible man!

[VideoHere]

i love that tune as well g

....nicely done as always my freind.

bob

[akarawd]

Sounds amazing, this is pro work man - flawless.

[Steven Fraser]

Guitartrek: This was fun to listen to. First, the backing and guitar are outstanding work. Very professional, with very few issues.

Vocally, its very effective as well. Its working into your voice nicely, and with some attention to very fine details, will make an awesome recording.

Here are the picky things that I hear can be tweaked to add further polish:

1) Diction. As a general comment, some initial, mid-word and final consonants need about 10% additional energy to balance with the vowels in the same words, so that the intelligibility is always there. The way it is now is ok, but you can turn Ok to fab with just a bit of attention. A picky-thing... at 1:37 is one place where you replaced an R consonant with a W in the middle of 'spirit'. That stuck out, and something similar happened in the following word 'erase'.

2) Mix presence & balance. Overall, this mix is set just a bit back in the sound stage, reducing the thrust and edge of this performance. I think it would be more effective if brought forward just a little, but put in a larger space, as if the recording were made up closer, but in a bigger room. From time to time, there are balance issues where the voice is lost under the accompanyment. I'd like to hear a bit more of the voice in the mix in those places. As an example, the middle interlude guitar solo, when the voice enters at the end of the instrumental part, the instrumental covers up the text clarity of the entrance of the voice. Tweak the pots down on the accompanyment so that the voice rises clearly from the end of the instrumental.

3) Up-top openness. The top is strong, but the vowel colors are a little on the thin side right now, perhaps not as resonant as they will be eventually. I think this will get better as the piece settles into your voice over the next weeks, so don't make a change at this point. In a month, do another recording and compare. Even small changes in pronunciation on some of the most exposed notes will make a big difference.

Thats all for now. IMO, people would pay to hear you sing this in a concert. Time to get discovered. :-)

[gno]

ronws - thanks a lot

analog - thanks I appreciate it

Videohere - thank you

akaward - thanks.

Steven - Thanks for that fantastic analysis. Geez - great advice. The high parts of my range are getting better and more resonant, but it is a slow process, and I have a way to go. Thanks for the advice - I'll keep on singing it over the next month and see how it comes. Funny that I'm singing the "r" like a "w" like how my 4 year old prononces! I tried something different on this recording and that is to set the EQ totally flat on the voice. Previously I would crank the highs, which is standard procedure in most studios. My previous projects had a little too much presence (I thought) so I dialed it down, and the thought of flat EQ on the voice appealed to my "purist" ideals. But with the flat EQ I'm definitely loosing the edge a little. If you listen to Dust In the wind and Carry On my Waward Son, I've remixed the vocals with a Flat EQ. It would be interesting to hear what you think of those new mixes.

Thanks for your expert analysis and suggestions!

[gno]

Steven - reading through your post again - I have a better understanding of what you meant. I don't have to tweak the EQ on the voice to acheive what you are saying - but reduce the Reverb on the voice a little to bring it forward on the soundstage, and then make the reverb even more spacious to make the room even bigger. I will give that a try.

[Steven Fraser]

Steven - reading through your post again - I have a better understanding of what you meant. I don't have to tweak the EQ on the voice to acheive what you are saying - but reduce the Reverb on the voice a little to bring it forward on the soundstage, and then make the reverb even more spacious to make the room even bigger. I will give that a try.

guitartrek: Yes, that would be one way to do it. I look forward to hearing what that sounds like :)

[chele1000]

Great feedback Steven Fraser! I agree that he's ready to be discovered as well.

cheers!

[mvrasseli]

Great song, good interpretation :)

[Olem]

Great effort, Geno! I especially liked that you put your emotions into this song. Flawless, only one with a very trained ear like Steven could hear any flaws i guess :/

[Snax]

Very professional sounding dude! I can feel your passion on this song. LOVE your guitar tone by the way as well as vibrato. This song would be really tough for most mortals to sing I think but you made it ROCK!!! :cool:

[gno]

Michele - Thank you - From your comments on Dust in the Wind I really tried to put more emotion into this one.

mvrasseli - thanks!

Olem - Thanks a lot! Yeah - Steven Fraser is like the coach who expects the best out of us!

Snax - thank you! (Guitar tone courtesy of my Les Paul Standard and Pod Farm)