The Rain Song

[ronws]

One of the things I like about this song is that it is jazz, inspite of being classically constructed. Bassist and keyboardist John Paul Jones wrote this on his melotron and also wrote arrangments for orchestra. Jimmy played the guitar fills on his double-neck Gibson on the 12-string neck. One of the few songs that Bonham was not a prominent feature on. During a concert, this would be the cue for him to leave the stage long enough to grab a drink and make it back in time for the bridge in the song.

But there is no solo of a specific instrument here. No easily identifiable refrain or chorus. It is the anti - pop song. The vocal line is challenging as much of it is of different harmony than one finds in tonic-centric standard pop music.

It's also a chance to sing quieter. Much of this is crooning. Even the high part in the bridge is not all that loud. The vocal line is syncopated, a bit rubato, especially live.

So, I took an orchestrated opus for full orchestra and multi-tracked recording and re-arranged it for one 6-string guitar and my one voice. This is one of my live recordings. Singing and playing guitar at the same time. And I came upon a slight chord variation while recording and kept it as it made things easier and flowed much better so, in one sense, I am playing this a little different than I used to play it and I had originally learned it from the original sheet music.

One take. This is one of my campfire songs. That is, I have been camping before and grabbed a guitar, mine or someone else's, and have done this song.

Not sure why the sound quality is the way it is. It could be an audacity issue or it could be that I used the second port on the USB and did not have the output set right.

"The Rain Song" by Led Zeppelin

http://dl2.dropbox.com/u/8750209/RS.mp3

[Keith]

It's really good to hear a song that uses some of your lower range, sounds really good. And your mixing is getting better also-only heard a couple spots that were clipping. Great job meng!

[ronws]

Yeah, there was some weird scratchiness on the quieter parts that I can't figure out what that was. It wasn't me, I don't think. Unless I accidently rubbed the mic cable and it picked up the vibration. I kind of set things up in a hurry, cables here and there.

And I overloaded the mic on the high part, which the condenser mic is apt to do.

I used some compression in audacity, which is often a requirement when recording from an analog device such as a mic into a digital format. And I used a customized eq pre-set I had made some time ago that leaves the middle not so reinforced but boosts the low end and the high end. prominence at about 1 kHz and some at 2.5 to 3 kHz. with roll-offs at each end.

Initially, the thing sounded too wolfy.

Also, the reason I used the condenser mic instead of the dynamic is that I like the way the guitar sounds on the condenser mic.

[ThisIsJewels]

Ron, you know, cause you told me how them campfire songs are. You can just sit and listen :)

[Jugulator]

Unusual sound and an interesting song. I really like it!

[ronws]

Ron, you know, cause you told me how them campfire songs are. You can just sit and listen

?

Is that a polite way of saying, "Please Ron, for the love of humanity, stop singing."?

Occasionally, I do consider the plight of the innocent before me. Then I lay waste to them with a single note. Behold, my power, it increases. The sourness of my note is matched only by the foul stench of my breath.

And that's on a good day.

:D

[ronws]

Unusual sound and an interesting song. I really like it!

Thanks, Igor. Everyone knows "Whole Lotta love" and "Stairway to Heaven." But this little gem was from the album Houses of the Holy and would often get placed in the shadows by "Dyer Maker" and "Kashmir."

Of course, I may be the only old fart that's into Led Zeppelin. That's okay, I'm used to being the odd man out.

[Guest]

Of course, I may be the only old fart that's into Led Zeppelin. That's okay, I'm used to being the odd man out.

Old fart? I've seen Led Zeppelin about about 3 Times at Madison Square Garden NY in the 70's .

P.S.

Sorry I haven't commented on your song (or ThisIsJewels' for that matter) I like them, I just have no technical knowledge with which to comment. At this point (I'm too new and green) all I'd be doing for all the songs I listen to is saying "good job" (or I didn't like it) Not much help critique or advice wise. Kind of repetitive.

Tommy

[ronws]

Thanks, Tommy. And a number of us do showcase, here, somewhat. There's not enough traffic on the main website where our profile pages are. You can see mine. Search for Ron Stone.

You will see that you and I kind of look alike. Actually, more alike than my own brother, Slstone.

And usually, when someone critiques me, they just tell me I'm pitchy, without saying where. Other times, they just don't like it, especially if the music is not their preferred genre. I've had that happen once or twice. Although, my brother will get precise and to the point. That's actually more helpful, to me. Details.

I've posted some songs that never received a comment, good or bad. Not "good job," not even "don't quit your day job." People were busy with their own stuff and a cover of an almost unknown song by the J. Geils Band was not their cup of tea, so to speak. What usually gets attention here is raspy vocals on either platinum selling heavy metal or heavy metal opera from bands I never heard of before coming here.

So, even if a song didn't receive a comment, sometimes, no news is good news? Maybe? Or is that the sound of chirpping crickets? "Stay quiet and maybe he will go away ...." :lol:

[Guest]

Ok, I just went to the main page and looked you up. We look alike? C'mon bro...I'm so much better looking; don't even go there Just kidding.

I'm not much for social networking. No facebook,twitter or any of that. Just not into it. I'm not even into IPhones and pads etc. I still use an old flip phone. Yea, I'm a stubborn bastard.

Tommy

[ronws]

Ok, I just went to the main page and looked you up. We look alike? C'mon bro...I'm so much better looking; don't even go there Just kidding.

I'm not much for social networking. No facebook,twitter or any of that. Just not into it. I'm not even into IPhones and pads etc. I still use an old flip phone. Yea, I'm a stubborn bastard.

Tommy

I have described myself as looking like a Hell's Angel that cleaned up for a court appearance. You should see the before pic.

I don't network much, either. The only reason I signed up for Facebook was to have a chance to win a Kindle Fire. Didn't win.

As for old-fashioned ....

I still have a tascam porta 3 4-track recording machine. I still have the Memphis Les Paul copy that I bought in 1982. A Hondo Flying V copy that I bought from a pawn shop in 1989. And it was used, then. And this ancient acoustic that I bought in 1993? at a flea market in Kleburg, Texas (southeast of Dallas.)

I have an original ceramic pressing of a Bille Holiday album. And a turntable to play it on.

I hold the door for ladies. Women and children, first. I eat with my mouth closed and do not talk at the dinner table. People think I am depressed when I eat. I'm not. I was just raised with my table manners with a couple a swats across the face.

And more to the point, I am better at performing live than recording.