Cover Challenge #15 - brought to you by the letter "B"

What's Hot
24

Comments

  • BezzerBezzer Frets: 581
    Yeah, I’ve noticed some neck issues too. Hopefully the cooler weather will reset most of it!!
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • SpringywheelSpringywheel Frets: 941
    edited July 2021
    Got the bass track done for my chosen song, now just need to find a singer (unless I can pluck up the courage to record my own vocals) and also work up some stamina for the guitar part
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • stratman3142stratman3142 Frets: 2177
    edited July 2021
    I'm going with the proposed track. As a challenge I've decided to work out the track just using keyboards without touching a guitar or bass. It's part of my goal to learn keyboards in the way I learned guitar.

    I'm working through the bassline and chords at the moment. It's a pretty cool bassline and the chords are interesting. 
    It's not a competition.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 1reaction image Wisdom
  • poopotpoopot Frets: 9098
    Just gone into the studio, tool kit in hand to rescue the bass…

    all is well with it!… saves me a job  =)
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • SnapSnap Frets: 6256
    changes in temperature really affect my Ibanez SR bass, but thankfully nothing else. 
    Still procrastinating on the vocals. I did one take and it was proper crap. Sounded rubbish. So, time to have another do.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • SpringywheelSpringywheel Frets: 941
    edited July 2021
    I tried recording vocals today, but I really can’t sing for shit. Am having a friend record them in my studio this week....hope that isn’t considered cheating...
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • poopotpoopot Frets: 9098
    I tried recording vocals today, but I really can’t sing for shit. Am having a friend record them in my studio this week....hope that isn’t considered cheating...
    Nope… not cheating at all!…

    go back and look at some of the previous comps, ive had folk singing, I’ve rapped on others (yes rapped :) ) we’ve had molly sing on a couple from different folk…

    it’s fine dude!…
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • SpringywheelSpringywheel Frets: 941
    edited July 2021
    Great!  I don’t mind singing through vocoders as I can hide behind that robot sound and pretend I’m Georgo Moroder. But on the classic heavy metal song I’m working on that would sound hilarious haha
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • HabaneroHabanero Frets: 248
    I find the hardest thing about vocals is trying to do your own backing. It normally requires a few takes to get the lead vocals done, and then when I try the backing it sounds too similar.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • BezzerBezzer Frets: 581
    Habanero said:
    I find the hardest thing about vocals is trying to do your own backing. It normally requires a few takes to get the lead vocals done, and then when I try the backing it sounds too similar.
    Little alter boy, or similar! I use the formant shifter on that to change the shape of my voice on backing vocals. Doesn’t change what I’ve sung but makes me sound sort of like a different person. 

    Does sound a bit shit on its own but blended with a few others it’s pretty passable. If used delicately.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 1reaction image Wisdom
  • HabaneroHabanero Frets: 248

    Bezzer said:
    Habanero said:
    I find the hardest thing about vocals is trying to do your own backing. It normally requires a few takes to get the lead vocals done, and then when I try the backing it sounds too similar.
    Little alter boy, or similar! I use the formant shifter on that to change the shape of my voice on backing vocals. Doesn’t change what I’ve sung but makes me sound sort of like a different person. 

    Does sound a bit shit on its own but blended with a few others it’s pretty passable. If used delicately.
    I've tried pitch shifting with variable success. I wrote one song called "Tony" which was about Tony Soprano. When a friend heard it he actually liked that the chorus backing sounded like a group of mob wiseguys.

    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • poopotpoopot Frets: 9098
    Habanero said:

    Bezzer said:
    Habanero said:
    I find the hardest thing about vocals is trying to do your own backing. It normally requires a few takes to get the lead vocals done, and then when I try the backing it sounds too similar.
    Little alter boy, or similar! I use the formant shifter on that to change the shape of my voice on backing vocals. Doesn’t change what I’ve sung but makes me sound sort of like a different person. 

    Does sound a bit shit on its own but blended with a few others it’s pretty passable. If used delicately.
    I've tried pitch shifting with variable success. I wrote one song called "Tony" which was about Tony Soprano. When a friend heard it he actually liked that the chorus backing sounded like a group of mob wiseguys.

    An other (and poss more effective) way…

    slow the playback down so it’s a semi tone lower… record your bv’s and then playback at normal speed. 

    Will sound like someone else on the bv’s without being too chipmonk
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 2reaction image Wisdom
  • BezzerBezzer Frets: 581
    Yeah pitch shifting will just lead you into a world of frustration. And never sounds very clean past a tone or so. 
    Formant shifting is different though, it doesn’t change the pitch, it’s adjusts the timbre of the voice so you can make it sound distinct … not like “you again”.
    if it’s the pitch you struggle with I recommend working it out on guitar / piano / harp whatever and recording a harmony to your vocal then using that as a reference when singing. Sometimes it’s a lot easier singing along to a line than trying to remember it.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 1reaction image Wisdom
  • SnapSnap Frets: 6256
    I'll be using little alter boy this time. Taken me a while to get to grips with what it can do. Another effect I like to use is The Mouth, though needs a bit of a light touch as it can sound too weird. Good if mixed in gently. 

    Not only do I struggle with the actual singing, but also with the placement in the mix. Especially if the instrumental track is quite full and complex. Ah, yep, like this track I'm doing!

    Got plenty of time anyway
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • SpringywheelSpringywheel Frets: 941
    edited July 2021
    In addition to LAB, I guess you could also add modulation fx to the backing vocals to change their character - chorus, phaser, filters etc. mix them in low, so they’re not too prominent, but it’s obvious you’ve taken them out when muted. Try a Leslie speaker emulation as well. 
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • IMC1980IMC1980 Frets: 141
    Habanero said:
    I find the hardest thing about vocals is trying to do your own backing. It normally requires a few takes to get the lead vocals done, and then when I try the backing it sounds too similar.
    Little alter boy, or similar! I use the formant shifter on that to change the shape of my voice on backing vocals. Doesn’t change what I’ve sung but makes me sound sort of like a different person. 

    Does sound a bit shit on its own but blended with a few others it’s pretty passable. If used delicately.
    Some pretty aggressive EQing can help; low pass or high pass much further than you normally would or do the telephone band trick. Little Alterboy is also good, delays with different settings to the main vocal can add variety.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 1reaction image Wisdom
  • BezzerBezzer Frets: 581
    Mine has reached the stage where its "call it finished or work on it forever" so ... I've sent it in.

    Bit different for me, there's sod all guitar on it :)  Hope some of you like my version of this "fucking terrible song" :)
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • poopotpoopot Frets: 9098
  • SpringywheelSpringywheel Frets: 941
    edited July 2021
    I actually prefer your cover to the original....sounds better with piano/orchestral sounds vs the cheesy synths.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • BezzerBezzer Frets: 581
    @Springywheel wow, thank you! I wasn’t sure if it was a bit too much but I’m pretty happy with it. 
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
Sign In or Register to comment.