[carol m]

This is an experiment that was born in the Songwriting forum. It's my first effort at multi-tracking, and it was a steep learning curve. You can hear some of the edits and word flubs/slurs, but it was surprisingly difficult to get all the words out and keep in time. I believe there is a 5 beat bar as well! The phony American accent will make you laugh, but it helped me get into the style...you'll hear what I mean The last line wasn't a serious ending originally, and then I got to like it, and left it in anyway.....

[allthumbs]

Good one Carol. You can sing with that voice, girl. You should go for it.

[carol m]

Thanks everyone, you really give a person confidence! I have to admit the fitting of the music to the lyrics was a nightmare, but good practice. A bit of luck and some hit or miss. In the end the cutting and pasting for the backing was the major challenge. That and getting the right effects happening.

Ian: I've heard of Laurie Anderson but haven't heard her as far as I know, I'll track her down tomorrow. Thanks for the kind words.

Chris: thanks for the kind words, I'm still trying to cope with 'brilliant' and 'Carol' in the same post! It's amazing how a sudden idea in a thread can turn into something. Of course that was only one of my personalities, but I can't compete with Kenny in that department.

Knight: timbre? not sure....in tune for singing? not yet!!!

Allthumbs: thanks. I spotted your mini lesson for singing today and I'll give that a try. Can you learn to sing in tune? (a serious question).

[knight46]

Carol,
The voice is an instrument and as such can be controlled with practice. When I said your voice had timbre, I meant that it has a pleasing sound and as such would lend itself to vocals. To sing in key it is a matter of sounding a note and practicing until your voice matches the note. I hope that this helps.

[johnnydoxx]

Carol - that was absolutely fantastic. All the praise above is well deserved. Just incredible.

As far as singing on key - if you can hear that it sounds off-key then you can practice to get it on key, as Knight46 said. I think it's another case of the so-called 'muscle memory' - your brain will tell your singing apparatus what to do, after you get it OK and do it enough times.
If you are someone who can't hear that it's off-key then that would be more difficult.
As far as singing, I think your voice can do well, it is real pleasant and 'round' (maybe that's timbre).

I'm really impressed with the whole thing. You go girl!

[Doug]

That was great Carol. You are a very creative person.

[carol m]

Knight: Thanks for the encouragement about singing. I've recorded myself a couple of times and it wasn't really in tune enough for public listening. I noticed that it tended to be worse at the end of a long line so I found allthumb's mini singing lesson useful as it mentioned that. Also big jumps in notes was more than a bit painful - sliding around and then not really finding the note very well at all I can understand that practicing would help a bit because I haven't sung since I was at school really.

Doug: again, thanks for the kind words. I think I'll have another go at it and maybe slow it a fraction to fit some of the words in better. I also 'over-affected' the fight voices until you couldn't hear what they were saying. And a few other bits and pieces/snips and tidy-ups (shortening the interlude/pause in the middle, and correcting the two five beat bars!) And maybe using Personality 3a - Okker (slang for Aussie).
In your other thread you mentioned breath noises as a problem. I found that if you go through and select the noise and then 'fade in' a few times on it, then 'fade-out' a few times on the same bit it disappears without changing flow/rhythm of the track like a 'cut' would.

johnnydoxx: thankyou again - you mention muscle memory so now I'm picturing me down at the gym......10 sit-ups and then a rousing chorus......possibly good for breath control too

[X4StringDrive]

[quote=carol m;205087] Of course that was only one of my personalities, but I can't compete with Kenny in that department.
[quote]

[tomg123]

Hey carol i checked out that free sound site it looks interesting although all a bit legalistic. I will have to look more to get the gist of it....thanks

[fly135]

Carol, that was really cool. I'd put it in the "Downtempo" genre, which is one of my favorites. Thanks for the link to the Freesound project. Looks like a wealth of good stuff. I guessing that you used it in this song. Very impressive work putting this together.

Downtempo - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Europa]

Originally Posted by carol m

Ok Jessica, you'll have to tell me - RG? Reg Gaznier is all I can think of and I'm sure its not that!

A model of Ibanez guitars.

[Jomi]

Carol, you spend so much time running down your ability, I don't think any of us could've expected this, you did a great job.
You are a very talented lyricist, the story is emotive, stark and real and your backing track is superb (cut and paste 'joints' aside) I loved the faint echo and like Starsailor I thought the pounding heartbeat was a terrific touch.
I'm not a fan of rap, that's just a personal thing but all the same I think you'd be a great singer... at least give it a go!
Great job, well done.

[carol m]

Originally Posted by Jomi

you spend so much time running down your ability,

It takes one to know one Jomi Thanks for the comments though, the main difference between me and you is that you have genuine talent (you're not going to beat me at that game!)

Thanks Fly - I used the freesound project for the heartbeat and I think the fighting voices. The rest I collected all over the place and I don't really know which places anymore.

Thanks Europa for the info - I assumed it was something to do with a heavy metal guitar or player, but I don't know much about that type of music.

[cshude]

Nice job, esp. for first time multi-tracking.
You did a good job of building a mood- and telling a horrible story that is true far too often for far too many girls.

[SlickCat]

Nice job.....sounded like a cross between New Wave...and Rap

[Aunt Doty]

Wow Carol, I'm impressed with your technical skill!!! You did a great job on lyrics, recording and the recitation! I've never been a fan of rap......but I really liked this. YOU GO GIRL!!!!