Good, bad, or ugly? (Music)

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
With Garageband I made my version of Flake, by Jack Johnson.



Check this out, flame me if you want to, tell me its good, bad or just plain ugly.



I think it falls into the "interesting" category.



I am expecting some Simonesque responses to this, haha! We should have an AI vocal contest, I would definitely lose but it would be neat to see if anyone here (other than Amorph) has any vocal talent.



Flake, by Jack Johnson

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 15
    messiahtoshmessiahtosh Posts: 1,754member
    This may be yet another one of those topics I post, then regret having done so. 21 views and no replies, ouch. Must suck, haha.
  • Reply 2 of 15
    wrong robotwrong robot Posts: 3,907member
    bring the vocals down considerably.
  • Reply 3 of 15
    messiahtoshmessiahtosh Posts: 1,754member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Wrong Robot

    bring the vocals down considerably.



    Ok, probably a good call.
  • Reply 4 of 15
    crusadercrusader Posts: 1,129member
    Eh, so-so.



    (As if I actualy listened to it )
  • Reply 5 of 15
    messiahtoshmessiahtosh Posts: 1,754member
    Someone told me it sounded like a cross between the Beatles and Green Day...interesting but probably not the best combination. 8)
  • Reply 6 of 15
    ganondorfganondorf Posts: 573member
  • Reply 7 of 15
  • Reply 8 of 15
    messiahtoshmessiahtosh Posts: 1,754member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by \\/\\/ickes





    Gotcha!
  • Reply 9 of 15
    johnqjohnq Posts: 2,763member
    That was terrible, I mean just awful. You have to have a talent to progress it. I don't believe you have a singing talent. You're completely wasting you time and money. Sorry.



    My advice would be if you want to pursue a career in the music business, don't.



    Did you really believe you could at all sing, play guitar, compose or record? Well, then, you're deaf.



    The above are Simon Cowell quotes slightly altered to fit the context.



    But really, my opinion is this:



    I am at a loss to understand how a digital production, no matter how novice or low budget, could have sound qualities equal to or worse than a flame-warped 45 being played underwater.



    The poor quality compression bizarrely effected the tempo somehow (perhasp you did that on purpose?). The tinny, off-key, ice-pick-in-the-brain nasal singing droned on and on. Even the projected attitude of the vocals is "timid hesitance" as if you were singing just quietly enough so as to not be heard from outside your room - hardly a singing style worth documenting in digital form.



    Passionless, self-indulgence that seemingly is only a bored, forced, self-justification of having spent money on equipment and Garageband.



    "I bought it, so I guess I should use it, huh?" should never be a reason to record ANYTHING.



    An Apple Store receipt does not make one creative.



    --



    (Am I worse than Simon or what?)



    No offense!
  • Reply 10 of 15
    ast3r3xast3r3x Posts: 5,012member
    *cough*



    A robot is singing huh?
  • Reply 11 of 15
    johnqjohnq Posts: 2,763member
    Of course, now it's stuck in my head



    DAMMIT
  • Reply 12 of 15
    johnqjohnq Posts: 2,763member
    Actually, it isn't hopeless.



    Fix these:



    1. Don't sing one way throughout the song. It totally lacks dynamics, meaning there are no peaks or valleys in intensity.



    2. Ditch the flange or chorus on the entire track. At least it sounds like the whole mix is flanged/chorused. Just the guitar should have that and way more subtly.



    3. Pick notes and sing them. Figure out what notes are to be sung and when. You hesitantly slide into notes and it is dreadful. You aren't a trombone or jazz bass. Hit notes dead on or don't sing. Only rarely can you slide around to find a note and have it work. Rarely meaning one line in one song every other album. Don't do it.



    4. Mix it more sensibly. All things being equal but voice maybe 5% louder than everything else (of course mixes should be more dynamic that just that), not the 80% or so you used.



    5. Speed it up a tad? Maybe I'm too into Motörhead but it was lagging a bit and interminable considering the above faults.
  • Reply 13 of 15
    messiahtoshmessiahtosh Posts: 1,754member
    Very admirable, to respond like that. I am not persuing a career in singing, lol, dont worry. Just testing out the GB. I dont think its thaaaat bad, hha.
  • Reply 14 of 15
    johnqjohnq Posts: 2,763member
    Ok, having listened to and bought that track (and album - good stuff!)...



    I can see that half the problem was that you had only recorded the first 2/3rds, so it picks up at the end in the real version.



    He does things that are subtle and effective that make his singing style really work, namely the way he stresses words and makes slight pauses to stretch out silence or make the timing of the words less see-sawish.



    While you superficially sang similarly there is a lot of subtlety totally missing and it is day and night.
  • Reply 15 of 15
    dmzdmz Posts: 5,775member
    Maybe brighten up the background and pot the vocals down a bit.
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