The "Child In Time" Challenge by Deep Purple

[Robert Lunte]

I thought it was time I stepped up... This was recorded on my live system that has a lot to be desired in regards to pre-amps and compression, but thought it was decent. One live take... crank up with headphones and a lot of bass.

https://thevocaliststudio.box.com/s/ebf8ef7460f93ccbeca8

[Keith]

I think you captured the essence of this song perfectly . Thanks for sharing!

[Dr.Evil]

:cool: gotta have big balls to do this song. Saying honestly, you showed all you got there, but i think this song doesn't realy fit your voice, which, as i hear is more like baritone-type and such voice is hard to lift at that hight, where this song goes, not even an average tenor can reach to there. You can get those crazy high notes, but thay don't sound the same for me. Just my humble opinion.

[VideoHere]

your humble opinion didn't sound to humble doc. this doesn't "have" to sound like ian gillan.

[Keith]

I liked the fact that he had the feeling of Gillian with the voice of Lunte!

[Robert Lunte]

Im not trying to sound like Gillan. I think the screams are pretty good, the versus could benefit from being in a better studio and mic as this was just using a handheld dynamic Sennheiser e935. But its ok... I like the Gillan'esque screams at the end. Ya, the screams are pretty good, the verse is ok.

[Dr.Evil]

your humble opinion didn't sound to humble doc.

Well, there has to be someone "evil" in each community:D. If noone will dislike there will be no reason to improve. All i said is not something i made up, i may not be able to sing as good but my ears don't fail me realy often and i didn't mean that i want to hear Ian Gillan. There are things that would sound far better with Robert's voice, may be something from Dio, Metallica, Whitesnake...

[napoleonboot]

Singing some DP is a nice way of remembering the great Jon Lord who passed away on Monday. I've had DP going round the iPod since.

Robert I enjoyed this a lot. But.. you semed to put on a slightly odd David Bowie'esque type voice on the the less extreme sections, which isn't as good as your more normal approach that I've heard elsewhere. It distracted a bit form how excellent your delivery was otherwise.

Kudos for the screams, which are spot on, and for tackling a classic. It's right up there with Gethsemane as songs I'd love to be able to sing, but don't have the balls or chops to.

[Robert Lunte]

Well, there has to be someone "evil" in each community:D. If noone will dislike there will be no reason to improve. All i said is not something i made up, i may not be able to sing as good but my ears don't fail me realy often and i didn't mean that i want to hear Ian Gillan. There are things that would sound far better with Robert's voice, may be something from Dio, Metallica, Whitesnake...

Sure "Doc" there are songs that sound better with my voice, especially my own songs that are written for my voice with my melodies and lyrics. But I think that is probably just a given with anyone that does a cover. Thanks for sharing what you DIDN'T like. I have to say, I would probably do a much better Gillan then a Dio any day. Metallica, that is easy, I wouldn't even try it because I think it would not challenge me so much... whitesnake would be bit like Geoff Tate singing Whitesnake which would be fine too... But Dio? I don't do a very good Dio... I don't have a voice that distorts like that.

Ya, there probably is a bit of a "theatery"/Bowie/Peter Murphy kind of vibe in the low stuff... I like singing like that. Nice to see you appreciate the effort... I think a big part of the story here was not missed by 'guitargeorge's" point, I wanted to do this song because it WAS hard and iconic... that is kind of the point of sharing it with you guys, not critique my chesty croons per se... but thats fine. Glad you enjoyed the effort.

Its just one, live take off the cuff... it didn't have a bunch of production or expectations put into it.

[Robert Lunte]

Hey why don't we make this the "Child in Time" Challenge post... let's hear some other efforts?!

[Keith]

Hey why don't we make this the "Child in Time" Challenge post... let's hear some other efforts?!

Holy crap I WISH I could sing that song! Last song I posted was an easy Metallica song lol. Someday....

[Dr.Evil]

Hey why don't we make this the "Child in Time" Challenge post... let's hear some other efforts?!

Hey, that's cool idea, though i dont think there will be a lot of contenders . May be i will take part if someone tell me where to get the backing track, because i don't have one and have never seen it over the web... It could be realy funny version of this song with russian-style word spelling , i'm joking ofcourse, my word spelling is not as funny, may be a bit worse than Jugulator's . I could seriously give it a try and i know Jugulator did this song long ago with bad equipment and he might do it again for us. Well, if i'll get the backing track count me in, and may be after that i will reconsider my opinion about your version:).

[ronws]

Yeah, I'd like to hear doc sing something, not even necessarily this song. Just anything. Even "happy birthday," but so far, nothing.

The only person who is going to sound like Ian Gillan is Ian Gillan, something I have been saying for a long time.

And actually, Robert sang like he did. For Ian is a baritone that could sing some high notes, especially in his younger days. Not so much, as of late.

I'd like to know why doc thinks this song would be hard for tenors. It's one thing to say something, it's another thing to explain it. For I am a tenor. And actually, I was singing along with Robert on this. Of course, I sound different, for a number of reasons. And I didn't have a "problem." Then, again, I'm probably just a fluke.

This is totally your style, Robert. I could see and hear you acting. And you got all those vocal "shivers" just like Ian likes to do. You sang it like he did, without sounding like a carbon copy.

Then, again, I wasn't looking to hear a carbon copy. So, I really don't have any criticism. Criticism should be, i think for technical points like, "off pitch here," "sounding weak there." Rather than trying to make you sound like a carbon copy of Ian Gillan.

And again, that's just me.

Bravo, maestro. I liked it.

[Dr.Evil]

Oh, i just registered here, so it's no surprise, that i didn't post some song yet, thouh i posted a link to my old record in me greating topic, but it didn't work, so i posted another, but noone loked there after it, so, Ron, if you wish, you could go there and follow the second link and you will hear my about month old record acapella singing russian metal song, i'm not singing it well, but as a sample it will do for now. Soon i will do new recording, my first serious song covering in a duet with my friend, and once it will be ready i will post a link for everyone to hear it without a dobt.

[ronws]

Ah, well, a majority of us don't spend time in the introduction section. You would have probably had better response posting in this section. So, go ahead and start a thread in the section. This is where we post our singing examples.

[napoleonboot]

Dr Evil, I think that you need to put up your own material if you comment on others it's only fair! Ron, Keith and I all do that regularly. Mind you, I hardly ever post covers, which gives me the advantage of not having someone else's version for listeners to compare me against. Mostly the comments people give are supportive, and sometimes they are constructive, interesting, and useful, and just occasionally they are just negative (and hurtful). That's how it goes. If we were all perfect we would be called Ian Gillan

Robert - I will take up the challenge of Child In Time. I'll scout around for a backing track, I thought the one you used sounded a bit too 'midi', but it was also the first one I found when I looked. I hope that others may then join the challenge :)

[Guest]

I never understand the comparisons to the original.

No one ever complained that Joe Cocker didn't sound like the Beatles in his covers or that Jimi Hendrix sounded nothing like Bob Dylan. For them it was OK to not sound like the original, and why would they want to anyway. It's "their rendition." It shows artistry. The original has been done already, you want the original go listen to it.

Take a look at shows like American Idol. They hammer you for sounding too much like the original...they don't like that. They call that "karaoke." They want you to show your artistry and what you can do with a song without killing the melody.

It seems that in places like this where you have amateurs judging amateurs (in most instances) they want to hear an impersonation of the original singer. "More points for how close you can sound to _____"

And less points for originality.

That is sad.

[DJDeth]

Hey Rob, very nice idea for the tribute and a great performance.

The challenge is of course accepted:) I've already done this song a year ago I think, but here's my new version:

https://www.box.com/s/bf559b398f7e712803f0

[Robert Lunte]

I never understand the comparisons to the original.

No one ever complained that Joe Cocker didn't sound like the Beatles in his covers or that Jimi Hendrix sounded nothing like Bob Dylan. For them it was OK to not sound like the original, and why would they want to anyway. It's "their rendition." It shows artistry. The original has been done already, you want the original go listen to it.

Take a look at shows like American Idol. They hammer you for sounding too much like the original...they don't like that. They call that "karaoke." They want you to show your artistry and what you can do with a song without killing the melody.

It seems that in places like this where you have amateurs judging amateurs (in most instances) they want to hear an impersonation of the original singer. "More points for how close you can sound to _____"

And less points for originality.

That is sad.

Thanks Tommy, I have to agree. When i sing this or any other song, I consider it a "Tribute" not a "cover". I don't want to sing it like the original artist necessarily, I just want to sing it. In any case, I just threw this together for you guys... its not some big production where I had the luxury of doing multiple takes and comping, etc...

[Robert Lunte]

DJDeth... shoot me a link for your bed track, it think it sounds better... I may redo mine too...

[Robert Lunte]

Hey Rob, very nice idea for the tribute and a great performance.

The challenge is of course accepted:) I've already done this song a year ago I think, but here's my new version:

https://www.box.com/s/bf559b398f7e712803f0

Cool, good start... but it seemed to end after about 3:00 minutes?

[DJDeth]

Rob, check your email.

I used this backing track, everyone can convert it through any online 'youtube to mp3' converter.

[DJDeth]

Cool, good start... but it seemed to end after about 3:00 minutes?

I had only so much time for recording today... But the crucial parts are all there:)

[Robert Lunte]

Hmm? Where's Formica and Jens, I thought they would be all over this? Im liking my interpretation better today than yesterday, I guess it needs to grow on you a bit... it sounds kinda thin on computer speakers, but in boomy headphones or a PA system, its pretty bad ass... goes to show you how important good mastering and real recordings can be... ya, I think its pretty decent.

For those of you that are interested, here is the PA head Im using. These guys are my sponsor and they sent me this neat head that has an SD card recorder in it. You can't mix anything really, and you don't do multiple tracks... it just records what you do live into the PA, levels, efx and all. So its only good for demos, but if you balance all the levels on the gear, you can make a decent demo.

http://www.vocopro.com/products/product_info.php?ID=665

The system has built in DSP effects in it as well. Its great for jamming, practicing and small gigs. The best feature is the SD card recorder module... that enables you to make instant recordings that are decent without all the hassle or expense of real studios or setting up software and interfaces at home.

I also used some TC-Helicon Voice Singles pedals, the compression pedal, a touch of thickening and some reverb.

[Adolph Namlik]

Great job, Robert !!!

I'd love to take a "crack" at "Child in Time" myself, but like you, I don't have the bed track.

Also, it's going to be awhile before I'm able to sing again. As you know, I broke my ribs and won't be able to sing for quite sometime. :mad:

I was stubborn and refused to get some X-Rays, but I finally broke down and had them done.... I just found out today that two ribs are broken in SEVERAL places.....