Poopot's Cover Challenge #27 - the letter N

thecolourbox

Made a start on a couple of mine today, not as much progress as I'd like as the syncopated drums on one were deceptively tricky to get right. 

However I have a bit of a niche query, regarding body percussion (for want of a better word). One of the ones I'm trying to do, in my head I had the idea of the rhythm being like tapping my leg or stamping my feet, and a clap. The clapping bit is easy enough to record, but the tapping/stamping is tricky. Basically that's fulfilling the bass drum equivalent, but recording it seems hard. I went through all the kits included in cubase but they weren't the sound I was after. But I'm thinking I do need a plug in instead of trying to do it acoustically - does anybody know of a body percussion type plug in? 

Or am I better using some kind of drum sample plugin and finding samples? 

I think I'm going to have to trade off the kind of random variations of doing it "by hand" in return for a better fuller bass sound

flying_pie

thecolourbox said:

However I have a bit of a niche query, regarding body percussion (for want of a better word). One of the ones I'm trying to do, in my head I had the idea of the rhythm being like tapping my leg or stamping my feet, and a clap. The clapping bit is easy enough to record, but the tapping/stamping is tricky. Basically that's fulfilling the bass drum equivalent, but recording it seems hard. I went through all the kits included in cubase but they weren't the sound I was after. But I'm thinking I do need a plug in instead of trying to do it acoustically - does anybody know of a body percussion type plug in? 

I just tried a few body parts and found that using a clenched fist on my chest gave the best kick tone acoustically.

It makes sense that it's a dense area but with the lungs underneath giving resonance. Your leg would give a dark tone but it'll be a very short sound

stickyfiddle

@thecolourbox my instinct would be to find something hollow to stomp on and mic that up. Guitar case would be my first thing to try!

TTony

stickyfiddle said:

@thecolourbox my instinct would be to find something hollow to stomp on and mic that up. Guitar case would be my first thing to try!

I got a stompbox for doing that sort of thing.  Never used it (and not sure whether I've still got it!) but with a bit of EQ'ing to shape the tone, that'd probably work?

Else, maybe a Cajon Box drum thingy?

stickyfiddle

TTony said:

stickyfiddle said:

@thecolourbox my instinct would be to find something hollow to stomp on and mic that up. Guitar case would be my first thing to try!

I got a stompbox for doing that sort of thing.  Never used it (and not sure whether I've still got it!) but with a bit of EQ'ing to shape the tone, that'd probably work?

Else, maybe a Cajon Box drum thingy?

As a part-time, only marginally skilled drummer; there is little I hate more than a Cajon… 

TTony

stickyfiddle said:

As a part-time, only marginally skilled drummer; there is little I hate more than a Cajon… 

As a no-time, completely unskilled, tapper, I've no experience of them whatsoever   

(But they seem like they do a job if you've not got a drum kit and don't fancy hitting a load of pads!)

oeljadi

@flying_pie Love your entry! 

Bezzer

TTony said:

stickyfiddle said:

As a part-time, only marginally skilled drummer; there is little I hate more than a Cajon… 

As a no-time, completely unskilled, tapper, I've no experience of them whatsoever   

(But they seem like they do a job if you've not got a drum kit and don't fancy hitting a load of pads!)

Cheaper solution if you have a mic (and most of us do, surely) is stick it in a suitcase/briefcase and slap that. Was the kick of choice for the solo acoustic pub muso when I started out. 

thecolourbox

Great thanks all for the food for thought. I can't quite say what it is I'm doing it in the style of as it might give it away what I'm doing and the way its going, the element of surprise may be the only good thing about it haha. But we shall see! Cheers for the tips

TTony

I had a little time today and a track that I'd half-prepared for another purpose, the title of which just happens to start with N.

So, that track is now half-finished rather than half-prepared and on its way ...

It's possibly not something that you'll have heard before, so here's a YT version of the original

flying_pie

@TTony in the playlist again

Sporky

From a listen to the entries thus far, I take that interpretation, rather than strict cover, is acceptable?

I'm considering "No! MORE heroes!". 

flying_pie

Sporky said:

From a listen to the entries thus far, I take that interpretation, rather than strict cover, is acceptable?

I'm considering "No! MORE heroes!". 

Strictl covers are fine if you want to do them but creativity is way more fun IMO (says the man who did Dolly Parton's 9-5 in the style of Public Enemy

Sporky

Ta. Also I don't sing, so that widens things a bit... 

mrkb

Sporky said:

Ta. Also I don't sing, so that widens things a bit... 

Everybody that can talk can sing. It’s down to whether you put effort into being able to control it in a manner you find pleasing , and have confidence to let others listen.

thecolourbox

I find strict covers just as fun to do and to listen to as the creative ones. I'm working on one strict cover (and it's probably the most eye rollingly predictable one for me to do) and then a couple of other more creative workings. I can sing but can't play guitar (or work the studio) that well so my arrangements tend to reflect that, so there's no reason that the other way around can't work well for you I think.

Sporky

I cannot sing if people can hear me. Nothing comes out when I try. I'm fine with public speaking, but singing doesn't happen.

Though I'm now considering a Shatner-style spoken-word version. 

idiotwind

The singing is definitely the main hurdle for my entries.  The only one that wasn't 10s of takes and massaging with pitch correction was Jump, as that one was a cornball C&W pastiche, so playing a character.  But I'm getting there, I have another N entry that even involved some proper 2 part harmony.

As for straight covers vs creative, I have settled into a one-of-each at the moment.  Usually I take a silly/cheesy song and mess around with it for fun.  But then I like to do a straight cover of a song I like to use as a learning experience.  I get isolated tracks and transcribe the drum part, the bass and either do things like solos note for note or at least use it as a jumping off point.  It helps me to get out of pentatonic noodle-fests if I actually take the time to study and recreate a more well thought out solo.

TTony

mrkb said:

Sporky said:

Ta. Also I don't sing, so that widens things a bit... 

Everybody that can talk can sing. It’s down to whether you put effort into being able to control it in a manner you find pleasing , and have confidence to let others listen.

I think the confidence aspect was my biggest challenge.

But then I thought "the voice is just an instrument".  And if I'm happy enough to let people hear me playing the various other instruments, why not the voice too.

Of course, your opinion may differ  

mrkb

Sporky said:

I cannot sing if people can hear me. Nothing comes out when I try. I'm fine with public speaking, but singing doesn't happen.

Though I'm now considering a Shatner-style spoken-word version. 

When youre recording a song at home - no one can hear you - its just you and the Mic, so there shouldnt be an issue submitting a song with vocals


And if there is, theres plenty of people on here who would be happy to add vocals to your track if needed.