Lou Reed - Crazy Feeling Cover

[KillerKu]

So my bass should get fixed soon and I want to start recording one man band cover songs so I can get more experience with mixing before putting together my album. 

 

I threw this together today in a couple hours.  Pretty much everything was first take and I haven't drummed in maybe half a year.

 

Bass isn't in there yet, but if anyone has any advice, I'm curious. It's Lou Reed so how does the pitch sound?

 

Edit Weird: track wasn't here

 

https://soundcloud.com/killerku/lou-reed-crazy-feeling-cover-beginnings

 

Here's bonus Clash

 

[KillerKu]

Hmm, the bass is missing, but so is the treble    There's no link dude.

 

Ha. they should be functioning now. I think you were writing while I was editing. Let me know if they don't work. I'm getting pretty excited about this approach. I'm a slow songwriter and am not productive enough, so when it comes time to record my songs I suck at the technical stuff. Covering stuff should allow continual work on other areas while also being fun.

[KillerKu]

Killer

 

Don't know the original, so can't compare it re pitchiness or anything like that, but it sounds good man! I can hear your voice getting stronger too.

 

Yeah I had a medication change which has let me train a lot harder and use my full voice every day.

 

As for pitchiness I can hear at least two significantly flat notes, which I debate whether to keep, cause I like the loose rock n roll. but I definitely reinterpeted the original:

 

 

I'll be looking to add some of the backing harmonies and hooks into the complete version.

 

What abut you. It's been a long time since you posted anything. I might have to make us a project to get you singing.

[ronws]

Of the two, I have a preference for the Clash. I also think you sang better on it. The Lou Reed, you can get away with pitchiness because so did Lou. That might be part of that performance style, IDK. I've heard you with good pitch on other stuff, so I just assume it was part of the performance. Just like when people want to mimick Yoko Ono, they concentrate on being flat and whiny.

 

I like the sound of your drums and it wasn't bad. The guitar on the Lou Reed song sounded out of synch, which would be a track alignment thing, I think.

[KillerKu]

Of the two, I have a preference for the Clash. I also think you sang better on it. The Lou Reed, you can get away with pitchiness because so did Lou. That might be part of that performance style, IDK. I've heard you with good pitch on other stuff, so I just assume it was part of the performance. Just like when people want to mimick Yoko Ono, they concentrate on being flat and whiny.

 

I like the sound of your drums and it wasn't bad. The guitar on the Lou Reed song sounded out of synch, which would be a track alignment thing, I think.

 

Yes, the track alignment thing is a pretty huge problem, not just for the guitar, but for everything. I had to slide every single track which I never used to have to do. There have been serious latency issues on my recording computer and I might need to upgrade to a new sound card and new setup completely.

 

As for the pitch, it's the composition of the song. I like the way Lou composed this song. I transposed a few melodies higher than the original to give it a new spin, but it wouldn't be the same composition if the pitches weren't similar. It's like Mary Had a Little Lamb needs some of the same pitches to function as a composition.

 

It's microtonal composition:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microtonal_music

[ronws]

Yes, the track alignment thing is a pretty huge problem, not just for the guitar, but for everything. I had to slide every single track which I never used to have to do. There have been serious latency issues on my recording computer and I might need to upgrade to a new sound card and new setup completely.

 

As for the pitch, it's the composition of the song. I like the way Lou composed this song. I transposed a few melodies higher than the original to give it a new spin, but it wouldn't be the same composition if the pitches weren't similar. It's like Mary Had a Little Lamb needs some of the same pitches to function as a composition.

 

It's microtonal composition:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microtonal_music

Yeah, I wasn't complaining and it was part of the Lou Reed thing.

[MDEW]

   I like the song, It kind of gets too you after awhile. Lou started screwing up towards the end and started singing on pitch(almost).

I new someone who wrote songs like that. I never new if he was actually tone deaf or if he did it on purpose as part of his "Art". I would get kind of sea sick listening to him. He definitely got an emotional response from me. Maybe not what he was after. Then again maybe that was what he wanted.

[KillerKu]

Take everything I say with a grain of salt. I am no expert in this stuff.

 

But - I don't think a new sound card will help you much with latency. If you do not have one, I think you should get a dedicated interface like the Digi MBox or the Focusrite Scarlett. When I was using Audacity direct into my computer I had a lot of latency issues. But if you get an interface that allows you to monitor directly from the interface (as opposed to running the signal through the computer, which is what slows everything down), the latency issue is 100% gone. At least that is my experience with the Scarlett. You can get a 2 input interface for $150. 

 

However, as you are a drummer you might want to look at getting something with a few more inputs if you ever want to record the drums with multiple mics. I got the 2 input Scarlett and am regretting it now cause I definitely want to be recording the drums (when I get better at playing them, that is).

 

 

You're right about that. My sound card is this old internal M audio audio interface combination. It started making weird hissing noises when combined with my video card, and I started getting huge sync issues.

 

http://www.amazon.com/M-Audio-Delta-1010-LT-Digital-System/dp/B000085ZKX/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

 

If I can't fix the thing and get it running like it used to (might swap video card) I'm definitely going to go with an external solution. Right now I have E drums, but if I move to a place where live drums are feasible I'd definitely want more inputs.

 

   I like the song, It kind of gets too you after awhile. Lou started screwing up towards the end and started singing on pitch(almost).

I new someone who wrote songs like that. I never new if he was actually tone deaf or if he did it on purpose as part of his "Art". I would get kind of sea sick listening to him. He definitely got an emotional response from me. Maybe not what he was after. Then again maybe that was what he wanted.

 

Yeah, I know what you mean. When I first heard Lou Reed I wasn't much of a fan. But there is something infectious and interesting about the way he uses pitch. I don't know how much is intentional and how much isn't, but sometimes it just gels for me perfectly.

 

It is phrased very melodically, yet frequently off key in a way that is rebellious, endearing, and very independent. About 60 percent of his work I can't get that into because he was willing to do anything he set his mind to and would conform to no one's expectations, but there is maybe a 40 percent margin that has the perfect blend of charm, and idiosyncratic, and musicality, that I can just fall in love with.

 

There's something intentional about the way he places notes. If you kind of 'talk' into music and really emphasize different syllables it can kind of come out. I'm interested in mastering this skill. I've heard Bowie adopt it a few times.

 

Listening back to my cover, I unintentionally got more in tune in quite a few places where I meant to mimic his pitching. So in a way, I didn't stay maybe as true to the composition as I could have. Subconsciously I often convert things back to the closest pitch. Being able to mimmick Lou's pitching would actually be a pretty tough nut to crack requiring a lot of study and precision. Cause you would have to learn each shade and couldn't just go to the nearest note that is in key.