EddiePlaysBass Posted January 28, 2019 Share Posted January 28, 2019 Hi everyone, For my current band, I have decided on a new-to-me approach for live recordings. Rather than ask people and venues to listen to full tracks, I generate "teasers" with cross-fades. This allows me to highlight different tracks in what I hope is an enjoyable listening experience. Feel free to comment on the approach in general, and in particular - the tracks called "Live In Eindhoven teaser" and "Durango Sessions" were treated as described above. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted January 28, 2019 Share Posted January 28, 2019 1 hour ago, EddiePlaysBass said: ...Feel free to comment on the approach in general, and in particular... Good morning, Eddie... Best be seated, perhaps, as you're not going to like this; sorry. On a positive note, yes, the concept is good, as you don't want or need to have folks, especially deciders for venues, to listen through whole tracks. The snippets should be much shorter still, I'd say, so that the whole thing compresses down to two minutes, three at a maximum. If they want more, then sell 'em the album..! No, that wasn't the bad news. I'm afraid that, for me, it was far from an 'enjoyable listening experience'. The Teaser, especially, is very badly mixed, with the vocals way too far forward. Durango was better from this point of view. And 'Sorry...', but that's not the bad news, either. The vocalist does his best, I'm sure, but would be helped by a decent dose of treatment, such as a spot of reverb sweetener, maybe a touch of delay, to open up his slightly flat voice. The choice of songs is maybe for something; if one is to present 'Spoonful', it'd better be darned good ('tis really not the case, here...)..! Uninspired drumming, which wavers about, keeping time (just about...) without keeping rhythm. Weak guitar, with a weak sound (not just the mix, it's not 'musical'...). The bass comes out of it the best, but that's not to say that it's good, 'cos it ain't. No, no 'bum' notes that I could hear, but it's certainly not 'locked in' to the drums (Hmm, maybe that's not such a bad thing, considering the drums..?). No drive, energy nor 'push'. For a three-piece (vocals don't count here...), something has to drive the thing forward, and preferably all three. It's the hardest of all combinations to master, and there's a long road ahead of you. I'll be honest and admit that I couldn't listen to both tracks right the way through, so may have missed any hidden gems, but I gave it a go, and would not book the band for a gig, sorry. Keep the concept of short extracts 'segued' together in one 'take', but better treatment, and even better playing would make the most difference. My apologies if this comes across as harsh, and I congratulate you (yes, all of you...) for having put together so much material. Needs work, really, and there's promise there all right. Hope this helps; peace. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EddiePlaysBass Posted January 28, 2019 Author Share Posted January 28, 2019 Hi Dad3353, that is some tough love indeed! But I posted here, looking for feedback, so no complaints. I should have clarified, the Eindhoven teaser is recorded with a Zoom which was positioned in the room - not taken from the board mix. The Durango Session was taken directly from the mixing console, so different end result. As for the actual performances, again thanks for the feedback - I am aware of our shortcomings Will listen back with a more critical ear to my own performance, and see where I can improve 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted January 28, 2019 Share Posted January 28, 2019 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazzbass Posted January 28, 2019 Share Posted January 28, 2019 My mother said if you've got nothing good to say, say nothing... ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stylon Pilson Posted January 28, 2019 Share Posted January 28, 2019 5 hours ago, EddiePlaysBass said: Feel free to comment on the approach in general, and in particular - the tracks called "Live In Eindhoven teaser" and "Durango Sessions" were treated as described above. I listened to a little bit, and I found the cross-fades to feel a bit clumsy, as different tempos clashed and tumbled during the transitions. Unless you're able to beatmatch them perfectly, I'd suggest fading to silence before fading the next song in. S.P. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EddiePlaysBass Posted January 28, 2019 Author Share Posted January 28, 2019 56 minutes ago, bazzbass said: My mother said if you've got nothing good to say, say nothing... Shame she didn't update it to a 2.0 version to include forum posts. At least the others are offering something constructive here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazzbass Posted January 28, 2019 Share Posted January 28, 2019 (edited) OK I was being polite Drummer is all over the shop, singer can't sing, bass can be heard.Band is not tight at all.I would not go out to hear your band. I really didn't wanna hurt your feelings, but you asked., no demanded I thought my original comment was self explanatory but obviously not to you Edited January 28, 2019 by bazzbass 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EddiePlaysBass Posted January 28, 2019 Author Share Posted January 28, 2019 @bazzbass, this is actually more constructive and less insulting (in my view) than your first remark So thanks, I really do appreciate it! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazzbass Posted January 29, 2019 Share Posted January 29, 2019 (edited) sorry mate, I musta been in a bad mood. I apologise. but you really need a better drummer. I know. For years I had a crap drummer and it was only when I joined another band that I realised how bad he was Run, Forest, RUN Edited January 29, 2019 by bazzbass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EddiePlaysBass Posted January 29, 2019 Author Share Posted January 29, 2019 No worries! My initial response was equally ehm, civil I am well aware of this particular drummer - I played with him in a different project for about 7 or 8 years. Like I said, I am aware of everyone's shortcomings, including mine. People who do come out to watch us ( ) all say they are entertained and we should play more / longer. In fact the crew who recorded the Durango Sessions (which was our first live outing) said, and I quote: "With a sound like this, you'll have no trouble getting gigs". They even asked us back for another recording session later in the year But as masochistic as it may appear, I am happy with feedback such as given in this thread - it helps me stay focused on areas to improve, rather than get into a collective-high-five mode that every band inevitably falls into once they start gigging and getting positive feedback (from friends and family ) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stylon Pilson Posted January 29, 2019 Share Posted January 29, 2019 (edited) I like your attitude, Eddie. The thing is, if the crowd are loving it, and you're getting repeat bookings at venues, then you must be doing something right. Sure, there's room for improvement. But don't be disheartened by the harshness of the feedback that other people have given above. It's very easy for someone to write something as absolute as "fire the drummer" or "you should leave your band" when they're (a) on the other side of a computer screen, (b) not in possession of all the context, and (c) having nothing personal at stake. This thread has got me thinking about how difficult it is to get good, constructive feedback as a musician. Feedback will tend to come from the following sources: audience members (many of whom, let's be honest, don't know the difference between a bass and a guitar. Their bar for "great" can often be very low) family and friends (same) your band mates (who may either be afraid to give you the blunt truth for reasons of diplomacy, or, depending upon the type of person they are, will just scream at you with nothing specific you can use) members of basschat (who I know have incredibly high standards, which is why I'm always afraid of posting videos of my bands here) The only solution is to get a tutor. But it needs to be a good tutor, who is both a good player and also good as a teacher. S.P. Edited January 29, 2019 by Stylon Pilson 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SH73 Posted January 29, 2019 Share Posted January 29, 2019 I had a listen and I'm not an expert in recording or playing in a band in any shape or form. But the whole band reminded me of a festival band playing a day gig on a windy day by a beer tent where the sound disappears in the vast opened space. The vocals need backing vocals IMHO. The snare could do a bit reverb and the guitar pehaps a bit less reverb. The bass sounds a bit nasal. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted January 29, 2019 Share Posted January 29, 2019 1 hour ago, Stylon Pilson said: ... thinking about how difficult it is to get good, constructive feedback as a musician... I understand your general point, and tend to agree with most of it, but in the context of this post, 'good, constructive feedback' was what was asked for (politely...), and was what, for my part, I intended giving. It's not always easy to be both truthful and tactful (it's certainly a bit lacking in my particular skill-set...), but there's no point, either, in putting out banalities, which would not serve the OP. I always try to at least finish with something positive, and will always give credit for having had the courage to put stuff out and ask for thoughts. Giving one's honest appraisal precludes the use of insults or derogatory remarks, but if there are negative aspects, someone has to express them (I insist, if that was what was asked for...). There is much that could be improved in my own band, and when we're together rehearsing, we are often critical of our own weaknesses, but always with the intent of 'pushing the envelope'. The easier route would, of course, be to not respond to such requests, or, to go even further, to not even listen to what has been shared. I like to think that, modestly, my tiny input, bolstered by equally sincere input from others, could be for the good, and have a positive effect. Sorry if my redactional efforts are badly perceived; I do my humble best to give the requester my genuine opinion. Sometimes I fail. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stylon Pilson Posted January 29, 2019 Share Posted January 29, 2019 18 minutes ago, Dad3353 said: The easier route would, of course, be to not respond to such requests, or, to go even further, to not even listen to what has been shared. I like to think that, modestly, my tiny input, bolstered by equally sincere input from others, could be for the good, and have a positive effect. Absolutely right. I am not in any way trying to make you feel like you should stop giving people feedback for fear of hurting their feelings. As you say, that does more damage in the long run. I suppose I could just imagine myself in Eddie's situation, getting dogpiled by the full weight of BC feedback, and didn't want him to lose heart. S.P. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted January 29, 2019 Share Posted January 29, 2019 1 hour ago, Stylon Pilson said: ...didn't want him to lose heart... He's a strong lad, is our Eddie; it'd take more than a few keystrokes to bend his will. Tough as old boots, maybe tougher. No flies on him, no sirree. He can take it, can our Eddie; he's no shrinking violet. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EddiePlaysBass Posted January 29, 2019 Author Share Posted January 29, 2019 2 hours ago, Dad3353 said: I understand your general point, and tend to agree with most of it, but in the context of this post, 'good, constructive feedback' was what was asked for (politely...), and was what, for my part, I intended giving.//snip// Sorry if my redactional efforts are badly perceived; I do my humble best to give the requester my genuine opinion. Sometimes I fail. No problem, and while I admit your post gave me food for thought, it WAS what I asked for and it was definitely done in a more than constructive manner 2 hours ago, SH73 said: I had a listen and I'm not an expert in recording or playing in a band in any shape or form. But the whole band reminded me of a festival band playing a day gig on a windy day by a beer tent where the sound disappears in the vast opened space. The vocals need backing vocals IMHO. The snare could do a bit reverb and the guitar pehaps a bit less reverb. The bass sounds a bit nasal. Thanks, we have been thinking of adding backing vocals. I could easily do it - in the mechanical sense that I can sing and play bass at the same time. I'm just not a good singer As for the nasal bass, well it's a fretless and I do quite like this particular bass' tone. Having said that, I will revisit its sound, to hear if I agree or not 1 hour ago, Stylon Pilson said: Absolutely right. I am not in any way trying to make you feel like you should stop giving people feedback for fear of hurting their feelings. As you say, that does more damage in the long run. I suppose I could just imagine myself in Eddie's situation, getting dogpiled by the full weight of BC feedback, and didn't want him to lose heart. S.P. To be fair, I do not feel like there was any dog-piling taking place. I will admit that I would have preferred heaps of praise but in fairness, I have my mom for that This gives me things to ponder, about the band as a whole, myself in particular and my Audacity-editing skills for this sort of intentions. So yeah, I think this thread is working pretty well for me! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EddiePlaysBass Posted May 16, 2019 Author Share Posted May 16, 2019 Right, so we recently played in someone's kitchen (not kidding) and the bloke who owns said kitchen recorded the gig. Keeping in mind the earlier comments, I would once again like (...) some feedback on my latest effort. https://soundcloud.com/drdiddley/dr-diddley-genk-teaser Just like before, be honest but please try to be civil about it 🙂 I am trying to learn from all your feedback. Hope it shows at least a wee bit... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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