13 replies to this topic

[eddiez152]

GFB&B Category Song-writing.
Lyrics by Kenny C (x4string) Living Life Like Hollywood
Great write

Instrumental done on a Genesys S Key Board.
Music arranged and played by me.
Vocals done on Genesys with
Crown model LM20 Supercardioid mic.
Still need some recording time on this one to get it right with, reverb, room selection, etc.

Daw software: Mac desktop with Garage Band for all mixing.
Track 1: Instrumental
Track 2: Vocal
Track 3 2nd Low vocal - kinda sucks but left it in there.
Track 4 John Bullard Lead guitar...... Super Job John
Not sure about how John has his setup.
Bring him into mix from file sent by him.

And that was how that tune was done.

[X4StringDrive]

Just listened to your remix over in members recording...You really got it sounding great Eddie...Kudos to you all around!

[knight46]

Nice Eddie, that Crown mic has a nice sound.

[carol m]

Great info Eddie. What 'voices' do you like to use in Garage Band for guitar and vocals? I found that with my mic recorded nylon string Yamaha, the best sound I could get was using a Voice setting - female basic or something - not a guitar 'voice' at all. That was on the Campanella I posted yesterday.

[eddiez152]

Some things to think about when recording.

When I first did the tune I played and sang it all at the same time.
Not the best thing to do unless you want to do a simple instrument and vocal take.
As in like just a guitar and vocal or Piano and vocal.

Instrumentals with drums, keys,guitars etc., should have the vocals in its own separate track as not to compete in the mix later.

I tried to add a separate vocal track later which gave it a chorus type effect. I could not do anything to get rid of it later.

Tried to add a low harmony track which I think was a failure. Just added more events in the recording.

The final track was the original track along with John adding his guitar work. Again a mistake. John's playing was great but it would have been better to have his original file to use for the mix.
Important: Recording speed can effect the final outcome if all files are not in sink.

Well that was back in Jan of 08. And a virgin to this whole thing on recording as many of us are. We all keep learning.

[carol m]

When you are mixing in Garage Band, do you go with a 'Basic Track' with 'No Effects', or do you use one of their custom 'settings' in the track info panel to the right, or do your own manual settings of chorus, reverb etc.?

[eddiez152]

Kenny,
It deserves a remake, the groove of the lyrics and tune work well.

Knight,
I probably should have left it alone with just the LM 20 because it is a great mic.
The remake with the Sterling ST condenser mic added created too much of the chorus effect.

Carol m
Generally a basic track with manual settings on echo and reverb for effects. Some compression on each track though. Then go to the equalizer
for some additional help.
If I am doing a midi track. I like to use various voices for the music. You know I love cello and strings.
Experiments!!!!!!!!!!!! ha!

[carol m]

I have to explore the instrument loops more - I made a start with that backing track in E I made last week. Is it possible to use cello and strings with a melody line you put in yourself??? That would keep me happy for weeks!

[eddiez152]

Carol,
I am gonna try that right now and see how well it works.

[carol m]

If you don't do your strings that way, what way do you use? Maybe from your keyboard?

[eddiez152]

Nope.
You can get different guitar sounds and amps. But not cello or strings
because the choice does not come up in real instruments.
Only in midi.
You know, I need to check out how it does handle loops within Garage band.

[carol m]

I was thinking of what Garage Band can do with their 'Working with Software instruments' - is that what you mean by 'Midi'? I had an idea that you could use a 'Notation' view in the synth loop section to move notes up/down/around to make harmony tracks. I haven't checked that out yet, but it would be good, although it would probably mean I wouldn't do anything else for a week or two!

[eddiez152]

Carol,
You can take any apple loop and pull it into the software instrument track and it will create a midi file for you. At the bottom left you can change the midi dashes into notation along with moving the pitch slide
up and down for key changes. Of course you can also add effects. Only the green colored files.

I do all strings on my keyboards. They have live sounds. Sometimes I may want to just use my mAudio 49 key and the present Apple sounds.

[carol m]

Hey Eddie, i went exploring in Garage Band - I got a software instrument track and do you think I could get anything to play on it? I even got to choose between the notation or the levels but no sound recorded Then I remembered that pesky piano keyboard that I always have to get rid of.........hee hee, sound!! It was quite hectic - had to think of what the chords were I had used on the guitar track, what were the chord tones, and then mouse click fast enough on the keyboard (I don't play piano.... yet )

That was soo cooool! I may not recover......I had the orchestral strings, a bit of woodwind, even a bit of brass - yeah it sounded like a dog's breakfast, but great fun. Everyone should get a Mac and use Garage Band!