[floydish] break it down (mp3)

uncloned · October 11, 2009, 13:31:54

The tune is here: http://clones.soonlabel.com/mp3/daily20091010-take-me-away.mp3

The girls went out to shop for a purse. I stayed home and did this instead. Yes.. there is distortion in the vocals - in part intended - but the crackles were not. I'm learning that V-Vocal does not like a signal that is too hot. This is my 2nd tune using native instrument's Guitar Rig 4 - since I got the $99 upgrade (software only) through Cakewalk I gotta admit it is totally worth that price.

This tune came about in the weirdest way - I wanted to play my strat and almost used the amplifier (rare occasion!!) but decided on guitar rig because I was to lazy to use mics. Anyway - I set up session drummer to give me a beat and played the leads first which is very strange. And then I added rhythm guitar, bass, vocals, keys in that order. Since the leads were first I'm surprised it hangs together as well as it does. The leads did end up being sliced and diced in the end.

Year: 2009

Album:
brave new world

Artist's description:
strat copy with lace pickups and NI guitar rig * 2
vocals sliced and diced into 2
Korg MS2000 rhodes
Washburn bass through NI guitar rig
Dimension Pro pad
Session Drummer 3
Sonar 8.5
Didgeridoo

Contributors:
Mooses_AN provided the plastic didgeridoo sample last year.

Sam_Zen · October 11, 2009, 23:33:20

Indeed a link with the Wall. A good, strong piece, Clones !

TheEagle · October 11, 2009, 23:37:43

Well, Mr Uncloned, I'm speechless. I consulted the yahoo & google translation services in the hope to find the right (english) words that could express my thoughts while listen to "Break It Down". But unfortunately these services couldn't help me.
So, the only thing I can say is: THIS is music!

To me (as a Pink Floyd lover) this is definitely one of the greatest songs (maybe the greatest) I ever heard in this forum so far!

Outstanding work, Mr Uncloned, sir...

(10 of 10)

uncloned · October 12, 2009, 01:23:32

Thank you both for liking it.

I think the tools I have acquired at this point will allow me to do more than I have been able to in the past.

Nahkranoth · October 15, 2009, 12:32:42

I'd like to quote TheEagle from the very beginning to the end, Except for the "Pink Floyd lover" part

Man, you're ALPHA!!!111

uncloned · October 15, 2009, 13:07:04

Thank you Nahkranoth for the listen and comment

I really didn't expect it to go over so well. On traxinspace though it was heavily criticized. Didn't like the vocals (amateurish) or the drums (not enough variation)

Nahkranoth · October 15, 2009, 13:17:29

Quote from: "uncloned"On traxinspace though it was heavily criticized. Didn't like the vocals (amateurish) or the drums (not enough variation)

They're just little bitches spoiled with tarnce!

uncloned · October 15, 2009, 13:19:26

good one!

uncloned · October 29, 2009, 15:22:56

Ok, I submitted this piece and The Equation to a music production email list for fun. The following is some information I provided after receiving the remarks.

First, all of the instruments / vocals are my performance with the exception of the drums which are scored.

Technical

Fender Stratocastor copy with Lace pickups going through Native Instruments Guitar Rig 4.

Vocals - AKG mic, run through Roland V-Vocal and Lexicon reverbation. Since the vocals were one take the harmonies were created synthetically via V-Vocal. Roland V-Vocal corrects the pitch so there is one comment I don't understand.

Washburn bass through Guitar Rig 4

The Rhodes is a patch on my Korg MS2000

Drums are a patch from Session 3 drummer.

Dimension Pro software synthesizer is used for the pads and played on the above Korg via midi.

Digeridoo was a sample made by a fellow composer in Oz and given to me to use. Since its tonic was a half step too low I used Roland V-Vocal to bring it into the tonic of the key.

Sonar 8.5 was the DAW used to record, mix, place effects, and master the piece.

Now for the compromises:

This piece is the result of about 8 hours of work.

The very first track recorded were the improvised guitar leads against a generic drum loop at tempo which is 60 BPM. This actually worked out better than I thought. The inspiration was the particular sound I found. The tempo is 60 because I have been playing with slower tempos especially when recording solo, often microtonal, piano work.

The next track was the improvised rhythm guitar, then bass which I think I did two takes. I believe the vocals were next.

Since I work in my living room I had only one shot at the vocals before my family came home, the melody and words were improvised and the improvised lyrics were the genesis of the two names for the piece. I find naming things to be a pain. Anyway the vocals were to my dismay recorded way too hot and had crackles - to cover this up a hefty dose of reverberation was used and at the worst point I used V-Vocal to transform my vocals into an instrument sounding effect.

The keyboard work came last. Don't remember how many takes.

Thanks to editing in Sonar I was able to move / silence some of the leads to make room for the vocals, create the harmonies, etc.