Big White Porch

n-Track Studio music
2

http://www.geocities.com/gmiller112…e_mixdown01.mp3

(File is called Lazy Hearse, but song is called Big White Porch)

Using:

Fostex vf80 recorder
MXL v67 Condenser Mic
ART Tube Pre
Fender bass
Alvarez acoustic
Danolectro electric
Vox Cambridge 30 amp
Yamaha keyboard drum track (I know, I know, but it’s all I have for now)
nTrack for effects and mixing

Recorded in the corner of our computer room, mostly while the baby sleeps.

I’ve been messing around with recording for about a year now. It’s a hobby – keeps me out of trouble.

Anyway, I’m looking for input on the mix, the instrument sounds, the lyrics, the song structure, pretty much anything that you want to comment on.

Thanks,

G

3

First of all, very interesting. I think I like the song enough to listen to it maybe while sipping bear or coke or water on a porch. :)

I would recommend changing the drum patterns a little. I’m not sure if it’s the ride cymbal or the cowbell or whatever. But if you were to switch it to sometimes closed hi-hat or open hi-hat and so on it would give a feel of change. It was getting on my nerves by the end of the song. But interestingly the melody was good enough for me to keep listening. Look at it this way, you’re already a better drummer than Bon Jovi’s drummer. :) This guy plays the same thing over and over. But he can find enough time to spin sticks while playing. Only if he can focus on playing. :)

Is that an acoustic guitar as the rhythm guitar?

I didn’t hear any bass guitar. Maybe it’s just the earphones.

Good singing. Although I could go for a little yelling here and there but with the baby sleeping, like you said, that might not be a good idea.

Sorry for the long post. Overall I like it. Not a lot of us can play, record, and sing also.

By the way, your URL is messed up. It shows in the browser as:
http://www.geocities.com/gmiller112…e_mixdown01.mp3

But I saw your user name here as gmiller1122 and you said the song name was Lazy Hearse, I play with the URL and got it to work. You might wanna fix the URL. :) The following URL is what I used.

http://www.geocities.com/gmiller1122/LazyHearse_mixdown01.mp3

4

haha, dood your voice is cool! you really gotta take that and run with it. something about this song reminded me of the afghan whigs… and thats a really cool thing in my opinion! keep working on your song writing… and post more music here in the future… i wanna hear it!

i agree that the drums are maybe a little simple, but they are very tasteful, i think! i’ve heard more complex drum patterns that just sound cheesy or out of place… yours fit the song really well. only part that bugged me was at the VERY beginning (intro)… “hat hat crash”… i’d start the drums after that… i like the intro pattern, just not the leading cymbals… cymbals by themselves sound too obviously fake.

is there a real tambourine in there? one thing i like to do to add more “real” feel to a programmed drum track is some real tambourine or shaker during the chorus… and just bring down the programmed hat/ride just a little during those parts.

5

Man, I love this song. The only thing that could be better is that triangle sound. I think that the song would be perfect without it. Try adding some reverb to the drum track, and that might soften up the pattern and make it easier to listen to. I wish I had your voice.

Excellent.

6

oh, one more thing. I’d try to make the drums fade in a little more gradually in the very beginning.

7

Thanks, guys. You’re very generous with your comments.

It is a programmed drum track. I’m working on bringing down the ting-ting triangle sound. Gets on my nerves, too!

Thanks again, guys.

G

8

OK, got to hear the thing on the home theater system at home. I was at a customer site earlier in the day listening thru earphones.

I take it back. Leave the ting ting in there. I like it, after all. In the earphones it sounded a little different. Maybe if you wanna change the pattern here and there but mostly you have the right mix of the ting tings.

The only thing I would still say is a little yelling here and there. :) What can I say, I’m a sucker for yelling. :)

And I agree with dimmer, may be remove the hat hat crash in the beginning. I like how the drums start on their own then the music joins in. Also, other than the hat hat crash, the drum pattern by itself sounds very pro to me. Maybe 'coz I’m a noob. But that’s how I think.

I really love the guitar playing and all the FX on it. Both rhythm and lead.

If possible, please post lyrics. I can’t figure out everything by hearing. Of course, I realize this may be a little bit of a ridiculous request. Feel free to ignore. :)

Enjoy.

9

Thanks, fmike. Here are the lyrics…

Big White Porch
--------------------------
I’m riding in a lazy hearse
Snaking my way through the town
From the morgue to the home to the church
And into the ground

I know you,
Impatient at the light
You gotta get on with your life
Well, I’m getting on with mine

CHORUS
I’m going to sit on a big white porch
Playing guitar all afternoon long
Sipping lemonade and whiskey
And I know how to play every song ever sung

I’m on my back
In this velvet-lined bed
I’ve got a hole in my gut
And a song in my head

I’m not really here
We have nothing to fear
I’ve had a glimpse of the other side
And it’s loaded with time

CHORUS
CHORUS

© Glenn E. Miller 2004