Up for some hillbilly music?
 

In case anyone was wondering, since I was let go by Nokia I've been:

- looking for a job (naturally)

- working on my first self-produced amateur music album

The latter is a labor of love and keeps me in project mode, something I desperately need. Anyway I thought I'd share one song I've been working on, a blue grass number. My voice isn't what it used to be and I need to fix some spots but just for fun, here you go:

http://www.cynicalsigns.com/projects...0to%20Home.mp3

The album is mainly progressive country/country rock with a few traditional numbers. I hope to have it done by December.

yeehaw! :p

EDIT: more songs added later in this thread.

Re: Up for some hillbilly music?
 

Dude. Nice. :)

Tim

Re: Up for some hillbilly music?
 

Thanks! Just wait 'til you hear the rest. :D

Re: Up for some hillbilly music?
 

Watch out, Walden Dahl, blue grass will never be the same!

Re: Up for some hillbilly music?
 

Not sure how to take that one. :p

Re: Up for some hillbilly music?
 

A compliment, for sure. Walden is one of my favorite blue grass performers. We hug out together in the 60's.

Re: Up for some hillbilly music?
 

Ah, cool. And I was joking anyway.

I may change part of the lyrics, and I definitely need to touch up the vocals on this one, but it's almost done.

Re: Up for some hillbilly music?
 

Music was great. I don't listen to bluegrass music, but the vocals sounded like there was way too much echo or reverb. But really good music! Did you play all the instruments? Do you (guys) have a web page?

(I play "Progressive" Rock, so I am no expert)

Re: Up for some hillbilly music?
 

Thanks. I agree, I need to turn the 'verb down a hair. Still playing around with vocals.

All instruments on this come from a Band in a Box project (my composition) using their RealTracks and audio later mixed in Cakewalk Sonar. Vocals were added using a Peavey PVM22 dynamic mike running through an Art Tube MP preamp.

I'm still working on the web part. Basically it's me (as songwriter) and various vocalists (wait until you hear the young lady who will be singing on at least one number) and possibly some authentic original instrumentals if I can get my guitar-playing buddy off his butt. :D

Re: Up for some hillbilly music?
 

Nice! Will you post the final version?

Bruce

Re: Up for some hillbilly music?
 

now that was nice.... first thing in the morning on the day my alarm clock died so i had no radio: the voice of mr. rat himself on my N810. it's raining and we have lots of troubles at the office, but i tell you: i love this day! ;)

thank you!

(i'll just have to get used to this kind of music somehow.... being the abba- and andrew-lloyd-webber type of guy... *LOL*)

Re: Up for some hillbilly music?
 

And from my laptop Texrat's music was aired in the Viennese raining day for the second time, today ;)

Re: Up for some hillbilly music?
 

Of course I'll post updates. Eventually the whole project will be available online.

Re: Up for some hillbilly music?
 

I would like to see a YouTube video!

Re: Up for some hillbilly music?
 

nice work, texrat! I don't normally listen to this genre, but it's well done - I'll keep an eye/ear/feed on your music.

Re: Up for some hillbilly music?
 

It's settled then. Nokia can hire Texrat and Tim to provide live music on whatever stage can be rigged up for one evening of the summit. This will further encourage Texrat to work on his album and Tim to finish the two songs he's had in progress for years. The two performers can work out between themselves who opens for who.

Re: Up for some hillbilly music?
 

Ha ha ha ha! But, shoot, I'd do it. ;)

Tim

Re: Up for some hillbilly music?
 

No no no no NO. Tim can have allllll the stage glory.

I'll be in the back, rigging up the lights.

Re: Up for some hillbilly music?
 

Aw, man... Then forget it. :p

Tim

Re: Up for some hillbilly music?
 

I suffer performance anxiety.

Wait-- maybe there's a better term...

Re: Up for some hillbilly music?
 

i'd rather have it on blip.tv - they allow you to upload any kind of video, incl. OGG Theora.

Oh, Textrat: I hope you'll publish your work in FLAC and OGG Vorbis as well. ;)

Re: Up for some hillbilly music?
 

I'll export to any format I can.

Re: Up for some hillbilly music?
 

Awesome, any dead covers I can download, I want to hear a good mexicali blues

Or "me and my uncle" would be a good one...

Re: Up for some hillbilly music?
 

eh, I'm only doing originals

Re: Up for some hillbilly music?
 

If you look at how "Me and my uncle" came about, you may be able to claim it as yours.. :D:D:D

I was just projecting your voice, they both seem like good tunes for you.

Either way, keep up the rockabilly...

Re: Up for some hillbilly music?
 

Mix updated, but some vocal parts still need redoing (I go flat on certain sounds, a bad habit):

http://www.cynicalsigns.com/projects...0to%20Home.mp3

More in the works...

Re: Up for some hillbilly music?
 

Way to go, Texrat! I'm kinda on a Radiohead phase right now, and this was cool enough that I'm playing it again right now (1.30a.m. in Brazil, hope it wakes up the neighbor, annoying bastard).

(repeat: RADIOHEAD is what I'm usually listening to these days)

No mean feat for a song to get in the middle of that and tune me in! =)

Re: Up for some hillbilly music?
 

But...But...But.... How will you make the money? :D

Interesting choice of snare drum, its very open. This version is really good!

But the output for the end user is still flash, so there is no difference right?

Re: Up for some hillbilly music?
 

Very nice! You've now been played up here in what you would call the Pacific Northwest, too!

I never knew rats could sing. Must be that Texas sunshine.

EDIT: That poor guy in the song might have Alzheimers, if he forgot where his girlfriend lives ;)

Re: Up for some hillbilly music?
 

Thanks guys!

Allergies have kept me from cleaning up the bad vocal spots but I hope to get past that soon. Darn ragweed...

The goal of this project is first to see some of my songs come to life, which is cool enough. Secondary is to see if I can interest any pros in cutting one or more of the songs in their own way, and collecting a bit of mad money in the process.

Re: Up for some hillbilly music?
 

Great work!

Tim

Re: Up for some hillbilly music?
 

Nice music, Texrat. I PMed you (as you saw) and thought I'd carry on here (as you suggested).

I'm thinking there are a few things that you should iron out along the way. Please don't take any of these as anything but possibilities - I don't want to mess up anyone's playground, but I've been working with audio for about 2 decades and thought I might be able to share a few thoughts:

Placing different sources around the stereo mix will greatly improve the balance. As you probably know, vocals, kick drum, bass usually go straight down the middle, then spread the others out. The things placed down the middle can be differentiated by frequency (kick drum & voice don't tend to overlap), or you can push certain elements further away in the mix with a bit of reverb (use with moderation). Keep anything that merits attention in the foreground, meaning little/no reverb. Unless you want to buck the trend...

Vocals tend to be presented dry & close these days, with very little ambience (except for the overall mix, which is added later). This also makes them MUCH easier to edit as you build the mix. I'd definitely avoid using the "ducker", which causes the instruments to pump up/down in volume depending on whether the voice is present or not. Duckers are great for adding dialogue over background music (think radio DJ speaking over the intro), because they create two streams of sound, voice & music. I suspect you want a single stream here.

If you want to add a bit of character to the voice without the "smearing" of reverb, you can 1) add some pre-delay to the reverb (keeps the attacks nice and clean), or 2) use a different effect, like distortion. It doesn't have to be prominent, just a little hint to add some sparkle.

With any of the effects, think of them as layers of polish. Add just a bit at a time instead of using lots all at once. The final result should be more cohesive that way.

Cakewalk's vocal tools are good, but a bit limiting. I'm using Celemony Melodyne Studio plus a few plugins that might help (mostly Audioease Speakerphone and some Bias Peak Pro XT stuff). If you send me the clean vocal track (and maybe an instrumental mix as a guide) I'd be happy to adjust the timing, pitch, vibrato, phrasing, etc.

I'm painting the living room/dining room/hall this week, and would love to have an excuse for a break. Don't worry, it's low VOC paint, so I should still be thinking clearly. :)

Re: Up for some hillbilly music?
 

Thanks for the advice. Actually 90% of what you're suggesting is in the mix, but maybe there's an issue in the mastering. I also did add a hint of distortion to the vox but the pre-delay idea is new to me; I'll try it.

I'm not side-chaining (ducking) the vocals although I am using a Send for the effects, down to the master. Makes it easier to manage. But I'm still learning in that area and so far this song is the closest I've got to being happy with my own vocals...lol. My voice is nowhere near what it used to be, thanks to an old pneumonia attack and constant allergies.

Once I recut the few parts I'm unhappy with I'll gladly shoot you a mix down of clean vocals. Being unemployed for several months I can't justify buyijng melodyne although I'd love to.

Anyway, thanks! I'll gladly credit you on the album. :) And if you do any singing or playing yourself, I'm still looking for collaborators!

Re: Up for some hillbilly music?
 

not quite. they'll use flash as the primary format for those who browse blipt.tv, but each version of the video remains accessible to the end user via a little drop down menu right below the playback area.

so i can choose to watch mp4 or theora rather than flash. also as an author i can embed/link any of the available files and simply ignore the flash version.


back on topic:

it's incredible to read through your posts here. is this still english? i don't understand a word ;)

Re: Up for some hillbilly music?
 

Damn, you sound more... southern and manly? than previously imagined ;)

Nice work, Tex! Suprisingly, I really like the song

As a musician, though, I hate that freakin' Band in a Box generated music :p

Re: Up for some hillbilly music?
 

I would prefer real musicians myself, but it's just not an option, sadly.

Anyway, thanks!

Re: Up for some hillbilly music?
 

Well... you mentioned Shreveport... Where might you be located right now, my friend? Real musicians might be an option if you're up for dealing with their egos :D

Re: Up for some hillbilly music?
 

I'm close to Dallas. I do know some real musicians but getting things together has been a chore. So I start with BiaB and if possible will gladly replace canned licks with the real thing.

The Shreveport ref was an actual incident although I changed it a bit (and will alter one word when I recut). I bet on an exacta, and the horse I liked had 1/20 odds. The other had 4/1 odds he was so heavily favored.

Well, all the way around the track the #2 horse led by several lengths. I was screaming I was so delirious-- it was gonna be a $2000 plus payout.

Then in the last few sceconds that damn #1 horse shot ahead by a nose. It was like he did it just to spite me.

I did pick up some winnings, but a mere fraction of what it could have been... :rolleyes:

The Dallas ref is sorta true. Years ago I went out with this one rich girl from there (I lived in Fort Worth) and then lost her contact info. Ah well... we married men can't sweat that old stuff!

Re: Up for some hillbilly music?
 

Well, I'm sorry to hear that #2 didn't quite pull through, that would've been a nice story :D

And, I'll write that down as a life lesson: never lose a rich woman's number...

And, I can't tell you how nice it is to see another southerner around here! There's just something about these damed yankees and Europeans... :p

Re: Up for some hillbilly music?
 

I'm actually from San Diego (although my ancestors settled Texas). Still southern! :D

People constantly question my accent. I had a Texas mother, Canadian father, born in CA, raised in Texas... hell even I don't know who or what I am!