Skol303

[quote name='fumps' timestamp='1359371398' post='1953554']What wrong with having conversations with my Captain Winky ?He's my best mate[/quote] ... because one day, 'he' might start talking back

BUMP

I'm guessing there's a correlation between folks who name inanimate objects and those who also like to name certain parts of their anatomy (inanimate or otherwise). I can't say I've ever felt the urge to do so myself. But if it floats your boat then by all means... Just be sure to draw a line at talking to such objects. Especially the anatomical ones.

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1359308004' post='1952833']I think its a vanity thing.[/quote] But doesn't [i]all[/i] performance have a hint of vanity about it? To varying degrees, of course. But isn't performance ultimately about wanting to be appreciated by other people - be it on YouTube or on a stage? Online videos are just another way of getting 'out' of the bedroom without...err... actually doing so (sounds like quantum physics, or something ). Personally I have no issues whatsoever about people posting clips of their playing on YouTube - be it original numbers or covers. "Do what thou wilt," etc, etc. Some of them suck (mine surely would), some of them are hugely inspirational (I'm thinking Andy Saxton, Mike Flynn et al). What's the big deal?

[quote name='51m0n' timestamp='1359107042' post='1949867']...still waiting to read Skols in depth how to for his mix, will learn a lot from it I'm sure!), if anyone cant follow the terminology of an explanation then it is up to us to help them.[/quote] Sorry for the delay! I've been up in Scotland over the weekend and haven't been near my 'puter. I'll make an effort to scribble down some notes tonight and post them up. PS: some great advice (above) coming out of this already

[quote name='51m0n' timestamp='1359067379' post='1949541'][b]Skol303: [url="http://soundcloud.com/skol-mixes/second-chance-by-tacsi"]http://soundcloud.co...chance-by-tacsi[/url] [/b] OK now this is very very 'clean' sounding, considering the effort thats gone in to saturate everything, pretty sure the gates are in use in full on this to achieve that kind of clean but super processed sound. The downside may be that it is almost sounding like a selection of samples put together in a DAW rather than a live performance? Really nice hammond, some compression on there somewhere to get it to 'pop' like that I would think, maybe a re-amping as well? Huge reberb length on the vocal, really well done, good bit of filtering to keep it under control Not at all sure about the eq on that hi hat though, I know its a really tough and nasty sounding hi hat in the first place, but I think more needed to be done to get this under control The re-amping of the guitiars and subsequent filtering is very very clever, but maybe too much for the song? Great re-arrangement to add more interest with the big drop in the midddle though. Very very well done (re)mix, if this were more conservative (ie a little more Tacsi, a little less Skol) I think this could have beaten mine hands down....[/quote] ^ Wow! Very kind of you, Si. You've clearly given the track a very thorough critical listen which I really appreciate (and you've picked up on some details that show you have a fine pair of ears!). You're bang on with your comments and especially the line about it bordering on being a remix - something I'm going to bear in mind for the next one. I'll address your other comments when I post up a summary of how I went about it. Thanks again mate. Paul PS: cheers for the detailed notes on yours - very useful indeed. I'll get back to you with comments and questions once I've had chance to try out some of your methods - lots of new things to experiment with from reading that!

Ok, here are my notes on the various mixes. A couple of quick caveats: firstly, please don't be offended by any of my comments! Really. My intention is purely to be constructive and I think it's going to help us all progress if we just have confidence in our camaraderie as fellow BC'ers and "tell it how it sounds", with no punches pulled… that's certainly how I want people to respond to my effort. Secondly, I mix and listen solely on headphones. Well, I do test-drive my mixes in the car and on the lounge hifi, but by using 'cans I'm likely to pick up on stuff that might not be such an issue when listening more 'naturally' thru speakers. So here goes... [url="https://soundcloud.com/redstriper-mix-stems/no-2nd-chance-un-mastered-mix"]Redstriper:[/url] I particularly like how you've cleaned up the snare. Good idea having the Hammond quite loud and proud in the mix - it works. Vocal seems slightly quiet. The mix overall sounds 'muddy' - perhaps too much panned down the centre, or a case of needing to be more brutal with the EQ'ing. Guitars also felt a wee bit lifeless - but on the flipside it leave plenty of room for the Hammond. [url="https://soundcloud.com/butlerk02/2nd-chance"]Butler:[/url] Punchy from the off, which is good. Not sure about the vocal - seems a little thin and in a slightly different 'space' to the rest of the mix (reverb-wise). Kick drum a little pillowy and perhaps fighting with the bass. Djembe fits in well. Nice sparkly hats. Has plenty of 'oomph' overall. [url="https://soundcloud.com/51m0n-1/no-2nd-chance/s-6Tbvx"]51m0n:[/url] Nicely balanced! Clever use of reverb that works well with the overall feel of the track (particularly on the vocal). Lovely and wide with good use of panning. Everything has it place - very clean and sounds good at different volumes. Dislikes: kick a little too clicky perhaps, but it does cut through well. Not sure about the distortion on the bass - again it cuts nicely but not so keen on the tone is creates (but minor grumbles). Overall you've nailed a really strong vibe for the track as a whole / it sounds 'complete'. [url="https://soundcloud.com/lucy-hastings/bc-mix-final"]OldG:[/url] Snare too loose and lacking 'snap'. Like the bass. Kick perhaps needs a bit more 'kick'! I'm getting a slightly weird pumping effect on headphones - maybe too much compression? Some crazy ping-pong panning on the guitars too - but it's weirdly likable! Vocals are nice and clear - I can hear every word. Overall the mix sounds a little light and lacking 'oomph'. [url="https://soundcloud.com/robslusarmusic/no-2nd-chance"]RockfordStone:[/url] Gutsy low end, which I like. Not so keen on the doubled-up (or delayed?) lead vocal, lacks clarity but nice idea. Could do with much wider panning to open up it up. The guitars seem a little 'isolated' on the edges; too much panned down the centre. Kick could be louder - the snare seems to be dominating the drums. Has a nice warm feel overall but perhaps bordering on being 'muddy'. Easily fixed with more brutal EQ'ing, maybe. [url="https://soundcloud.com/lurksalot/no-second-chance-again"]Lurksalot:[/url] Crazy! But strangely creative!! Way too much delay and reverb 'muffling' the mix - it sounds like I'm listening to it in another room or under water. There are however some odd moments that I really like. The heavy kick/open hat sound during the verse in particular - sounds almost mechanical/industrial. I know you're new to this mixing malarkey so don't be dispirited by these comments or others! Best place to start doing some homework would be EQ'ing and panning. And a sincere doff of my cap for having the cajones to get stuck in. Good on you. [url="https://soundcloud.com/thebrokensky/no-second-chance-bc-mix-comp"]Charic:[/url] Hi hat needs cleaning up to remove the clatter. I like the guitars, nice and clean. Not so keen on the vocal - too high in the mix and way too much reverb. Kick and bass seem to be fighting for the low end, could do with some EQ to fix. Snare getting lost, too loose and diffuse - needs some snap to cut through. Djembe sounds good being prominent. Not sure about fading the vocal at the end - makes the track fizzle out rather than crescendo. ---------- Ok, still friends? I'll scribble down some notes on how I approached the mix over the weekend and post them up shortly. Cheers all.

[quote name='charic' timestamp='1358950950' post='1947496']Jedward inlays [/quote] [quote name='Stephen Houghton' timestamp='1358962532' post='1947761']...my little pony body... and maybe telly tubby special pickups, thats if your going the whole hog, I suggest a pink furry gig bag? Dream bass or what![/quote] Can you imagine?? It would certainly be... err... [i]distinctive![/i] [quote name='lettsguitars' timestamp='1358964729' post='1947809']It's all good Skolster. Tonewoods? Of course tonewoods. Any material will have an impact on the resonant frequency of any instrument. Mahogany is a great place to start. It is also very nice to work with and offers just the right amount of flexibility for neck relief adjustments. The only downside is it can be quite easy to ding, but having said that it is very very easy to fix dings in a natural finish. I agree that weight/balance/playability are top priority, although looks are just as important unless you are a blind man/woman.[/quote] Cheers Letts! The choice of materials seems to have got a good amount of support from everyone - I appreciate your feedback on this mate. Mahogany was my first choice as I've been really impressed with it as material on basses I've played (in shops and owned by friends, etc). I know there's a lot more to the tone than just the material, but it seems like a good choice for this build. And like I said, I think it looks great! Which as you mention is always a factor. Anyway, cheers again for the input

Well done Si!! A very deserving result. Thanks for your kind words about my own effort... I think you're spot on about my 'skanky' hats and the fact I'd messed with the track perhaps a little too much. This is my first straight-up mix of someone else's material - I'm much more familiar with remix projects, where the brief is always to stamp your own personality on something. So I must admit I found it very difficult to refrain from messing with the mix even more than I ended up doing... definitely something I'll be more mindful of in future! Anyway, I'm at work at the moment but I'll write up something about my own mix and also some comments on everyone else's either tonight or over the weekend. I think it'd be great if everyone can do the same, as that's where we're really going to learn stuff. Also, just to say that I think this has been a great success! I've really enjoyed it and am keen to get involved in others, so let's keep it rollin'... Cheers

Yup, it's the [i]Dirty (half) Dozen[/i] this month... (I'm speaking for myself here, as I'm sure the rest of you are upstanding and perfectly preened citizens ). Go listen and vote! Cheers. PS: Bilbo, that is the stuff of nightmares

[quote name='Stephen Houghton' timestamp='1358956073' post='1947604']Very cool track I would buy this Skol, great vocal and lyrics and great vibe. Stunning track! [/quote] Thanks Steve that's praise indeed! Very kind mate. Glad you dig it :-)

[quote name='Bobby K' timestamp='1358935155' post='1947163']Stunning production once again paul. It's like Bristol trip hop meets The Beloved! The news clips at the end are just superb and fitting too, a nice icing on a tremendous cake![/quote] [quote name='silddx' timestamp='1358939620' post='1947260']Excellent mate! You seem to have developed a style too. It's got a really nice feel and I like the news clips at the end. Great stuff![/quote] Thanks for the kind words fellas! The news clip is from Al Jazeera TV - they have a library of news videos that are available under Creative Commons license. It actually took me a while to find a news report that wasn't under commercial copyright (but I was sufficiently nerdy to keep looking!). Link here in case you ever have a burning desire for something similar: http://cc.aljazeera.net/ [quote name='charic' timestamp='1358943693' post='1947341']Here's mine so far just so you all know I wasn't COMPLETELY slacking [url="https://soundcloud.com/thebrokensky/life-in-the-shadows"]https://soundcloud.c...-in-the-shadows[/url][/quote] Nice one Charic! I'm at work so can't check it out till later, but well done for getting it together. I think that puts you on track for your new year's resolution, doesn't it?

Just finished mine for this month… https://soundcloud.com/skollob/make-it-right I've been listening to a lot of old Bristolian trip hop recently - Massive Attack and Portishead in particular - which I think has leaked into my musical subconscious Was hoping to persuade Mrs Skol to sing the vocal on it, but she's crazy busy with work (stressed teacher) hence I ended up doing it myself this evening. A few bum notes but heh, who's counting. Cheers all! And thanks to Bob for picking a cracking picture - it's sparked a lot of different ideas by the sound of things.

Holy moly Si, that it [i]a lot[/i] of OC-2 pedals you have there! OC-2 or OCD?? I've got one Japanese OC-2 myself... and no, you aren't having it!! 'Tis a great pedal.

[quote name='Mornats' timestamp='1358809473' post='1945601'] Wow, only just saw your build thread mate. Really like the very non-conformist shape you've gone for too and that ebony for the fretboard looks gorgeous. Now, just to make sure I like it when it gets built and then I'll try and rejig the votes and make it look like I won the comp after all muarh har har! Can't wait to see pics! [/quote] Cheers Paul! I'm really happy with the shape and materials. Will definitely be posting pics here as the build progresses... so watch this space. PS: your plan is dastardly. I might just have it painted with My Little Ponies (or something) to thwart you!

[quote name='lowdown' timestamp='1358785485' post='1944944'] Hey Paul - I know you like your remix comps, this might interest you [and maybe others]............................... [url="http://www.puremix.net/zelab/"]http://www.puremix.net/zelab/[/url] Garry [/quote] Cheers Garry! I haven't done one of these for a while - been too busy with everything happening on BC! - but this one looks interesting. Nice track that'd be fun to play with. Not a bad little prize either. I'll keep you posted if I go for it. Thanks again mate.

[quote name='William Shakespeare' timestamp='1358779275' post='1944816'] It gives me amazement great as my content To behold these wonderous mixes. O my soul's joy! If after every tempest come such calms, May the winds blow till they have waken'd death! My vote is cast, but detracteth not this from the valiant talents of the entirety of these noble creatures [/quote] I like your style! And welcome to Basschat.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1358773418' post='1944673']In the majority of rock/pop bands (the ones that aren't Joy Division, Level 42 or Japan) the bass wants to be underpinning the whole band sound, giving it some "heft" and gluing the melody and the rhythm together. You want to be able to hear the notes, but they don't want to cut through. I would call this "sitting nicely in the mix". If it's right it will sound fantastic out in the audience.[/quote] ^ Spot on. A bass doesn't always need to cut through a mix. More often than not it just needs to sit comfortably [i]within[/i] the mix... but of course it's all totally dependent on the genre and song in question, etc. When mixing, if I want the bass to cut through I normally try one or all of the following: - Add a little distortion (which creates higher frequency harmonics). - Add a boost around 1khz frequency. - Scoop out the mids (anywhere from 200-500Hz) to remove some of the 'mud' and create space for competing instruments. - Use a pick rather than fingers (if I'm recording it myself). ... or just turn it up!

“Art is never finished, only abandoned", Leonardo da Vinci

Hi Dave. I might be able to help... happy to try anyway! Can you upload the track somewhere - maybe SoundCloud or Dropbox, etc? - and I'll have a look at it. It'd help to know the rough bpm at it stands and how fast you'd like the end result to be. PS: no payment needed unkess it proves to be a huge headache - in which I'll just give up on it (also gratis! ). Paul

[quote name='BottomE' timestamp='1358645431' post='1942876']Can't say i ever do that. Nah. Rarely drink any booze during gigs just water. I did it once a long time ago and Norris McWhirter was in the audience.[/quote] Sure that was booze and not acid?

Just finished catching up with the entries so far... [quote name='urb' timestamp='1358200486' post='1934881']Well soundcloud seems to have crashed while I was uploading a new version of my track - so when it returns it should be here... (I've deleted the old one sorry) https://soundcloud.c...beneath-new-mix[/quote] I like this version even more Mike! Makes me think of Lamb, Aphex Twin, Venetian Snares… but it's also very definitely [i]you[/i]. Brilliant track. Love it. [quote name='silddx' timestamp='1358297435' post='1936778']Here's mine. Swallow And The Kite. It starts off polite then turns on the sh*te. https://soundcloud.c...ow-and-the-kite[/quote] This is is wicked Nige! Fantastic baseline from you as always mate. I got a strong Chris Squire / Yes vibe from this track straight away. Great guitar work too. All sounds very polished and tightly played. [quote name='lowdown' timestamp='1358345958' post='1937387']My link to the take on the picture for this month.http://soundcloud.co...sultans-mystery[/quote] Sounds amazing!! Really nice production, Garry. Lots of great sounds, all perfectly balanced and mixed. Has a very strong soundtrack feel to it. I like how you've taken the picture in a very different direction - not one I'd thought of but it fits the image very well. Good work! [quote name='Stephen Houghton' timestamp='1358348374' post='1937465']Not been on much this month as I have had some other commitments, but wanted to put something down and had a couple of hours to spare (speed recording ) so here it is, had a listen to whats been done so far and like them all in their own ways. http://soundcloud.co...llusion-of-fear[/quote] Amazing work for just a couple of hours! Nice production - I particularly like the beat and that synth/vocal line you have going on. The strings sound lush too (been playing with strings myself this month). All works together very well indeed mate. Like the lyrics and delivery too - quite hypnotic in a good way. [quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1358626511' post='1942559']Wasn't gonna but I did....https://soundcloud.c...arching-finding[/quote] This on really grew on me, Bilbo. It definitely has a Mike Oldfield feel to it (that Tubular Bells-ish arpeggio in particular), which I like a lot. I was just thinking that it'd be good to try something in a time signature other than 4:4 and you beat me to it! Sounds great in this instance. I was imagining the piano line being played on an upright - hint, hint

It's a typographic error. They've actually been crowned "Britain's Hardest W@nking Band". Explains how they stay in shape. I guess they must switch arms every few weeks or something to maintain symmetry.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1358440814' post='1939240']In the composition competitions the variety of interpretations of the picture have been massive. If you didn't like what one entrant had created, it didn't matter because the next one would be completely different. Somewhere in among all the entries would be at least one piece that you liked. With the mix piece, if you aren't particularly enamoured of the basic song then the idea of listening to multiple times with slight variations isn't going to be particularly appealing.[/quote] I've yet to listen to all the mixes in one sitting myself (doing so this w'end) - and even as a participant it does seem a little daunting. But that's the nature of the beast I guess. And a very different listening exercise to the composition compo. But it's a good point you make. Personally, I think (hope) the mixing challenge has a slightly different purpose to the composition challenge, in that it holds potential to become a great learning resource for those involved. Not that we can't all learn things from the composition challenge - but I personally view the latter as an opportunity to enjoy music for music's sake, whereas the mix-off (for me at least) is a chance to hone technical skills in the company of others. I doubt the mix-off will gain the same level of interest - that's just the nature of it, as many folks won't stomach listening to different treatments of the same track unless they have an interest in mixing. But I could be wrong! Regardless... I think it's another great addition to the Recording forum. And exactly the sort of thing the forum should be used for (less talk, more action! ).

[quote name='dood' timestamp='1358472862' post='1940052']Actually, on the box for the Mic it is written 'sEX1' - i dont think it was an accident! I have visions of a SEX Shock Mount being some kind of private sporting pursuit manoeuvre![/quote] The mind boggles...