A Cowboy's Lament - revised mix!

Marty would've loved this.  I always enjoyed this song coming out of my dad's '54 Chevy pickup when I was a child.  Nice job, Mike!

Thanks to both of you for listening and making comments.
 
Hi rebel, Thanks for the info about the guitar rumble. I do have a low cut, a low shelf and a notch down there, but there is also a bass guitar rumbling along beneath the guitar.
 
I couldn't figure out if I should turn up the bass (which also has a low cut and lo shelf) or if I should try to get it down at a support level. On my big system I can turn it up in the mix a bit and it stands out as unique. On my home entertainment gear it needs to be "too loud" to stand out as unique, so I opted to mix it in low. I'm definitely second guessing myself on that and your comment makes me realize I need to go back and make another attempt.
 
I was starting to do drum overdubs to see if there is any value to adding a drum part.
 
This recording came from a rehearsal/practice exercise and I kinda liked the vocals so I thought I'd see what I can do with some overdubs.
 
I am experimenting with the mics, which are inexpensive, no name brand, Chinese tube mics that I am running in figure 8 patterns. I am working extremely close to them and that results in a huge proximity effect. Maybe I'm just being shy about the low-cut?
 
Thanks again!

Hi Rikkie, Thanks for taking the time to listen.
 
Both you and rebel made the comment about the guitar tone and so today I went in and adjusted the track to have more brightness in the mid range. I was strumming with my fingers on open chords so there isn't a lot of bright hi frequency energy, but I think the adjustments I made did a lot to clarify the muddiness of the guitar. I had liked the fat and low guitar tone but after I made the change you both suggested I heard it with a fresh perspective and it seems to translate a lot better on my home entertainment system. It also gave me more space to let the bass guitar seem to have it's own place.
 
Thanks very much for offering the suggestions.
 
I replaced the original track with the new track at the same link in the OP.
 
best regards,
mike

What guitar are you playing? Just curious.
 
I really like the song. I've never heard this song before.
 
interesting vocal verb and delay(?) on the verb. Could you describe what your verb pick was?
 
The guitar sounds like the body is a little hard. Is that a stupid thing to say? I hear the strings well but the body less well. This is fine. It makes the recording seem a little more intimate. It also adds emphasis to the vocal. The guitar is a nice accompaniment.
 
I like the mix. It's pretty. Multiple mics on the guitar?

I like it.

Hi Mike, this is a definite improvement. I like it. Guitar sounds much nicer and the bass is a very nice addition. Please don't add drums ; )  Good vocals , suits the song.
 
Rik

Wow, thanks to all of you for taking the time.
 
Hi Rebel and Rikkie, the reason I want to experiment with drums is that I've been trying to learn to drums for the past couple of years, so I can appreciate the idea that it seems like I am forcing them upon a song that doesn't need them. :-) I doubt I'll be able to make them seem like helpful addition. :-)
 
Hi Geoff, The effect is just reverb on a "plate" setting in Phoenix. It featured a low cut built in to the effect and I also had a lo-cut on EQ just before the reverb on the reverb bus. The guitar is an inexpensive Simon and Patrick spruce top Dreadnought that I "plink" on. My guess is that the reason it doesn't sound normal is that I had it was extremely close mic'ed with a figure 8 pattern (this has a huge proximity bass bass effect). I change the strings on that guitar once every few years whether it needs it or not so it usually has a muted and boxy tone. I also played with a 3 finger strumming, homeboy on the porch, technique which results a totally different sound than the bright and articulate flat picking most people get good at.
 Jeff Evans mentioned a technique of mic'ing singing guitarists with a pair of figure 8's and I have been experimenting with that since I read it. I have been enjoying the sound of extreme separation that you can get with that technique. You aim the null of each mic at the stuff you don't want to pick up. It's just those two mics and a bass direct line overdub. I think a big part of the tone is from the super cheap tube mics and the fact that the electronic circuit design in them is not a good match for the capsule design so on paper those particular mics produce a lot of harmonic distortion. When I rebuild them with a circuit matched to the capsules they will have far less distortion. I hope I don't miss the character they have now. :-)
 
 
Hi Bapu,
 "Berry berry relaxitive McQ."
considering that my last song posting put you too sleep...  :-)
 
Anyways... thanks again to everyone for taking the time to listen and post comments.
 
best regards,
mike
 

Mike, this is awesome my friend!! Love your voice. Tons of feeling!
 

Thanks Tony,
 I'm glad you liked it and commented on the "feel". I think that's the aspect of this recording that made me want to save it.
 
Hi Jimmy,
 Thanks very much for making a detailed suggestion. I think the sound of the guitar may be regrettable but it's fairly accurate representation of the lazy plinking style I was hitting the strings with. My thoughts were focused on the singing and the guitar was just a rhythm box in this context. I haven't been playing guitar much this past year because I've been spending time learning the trap kit. The idea of using the figure 8 pattern is to get enough separation so that you can replace the guitar or vocal. Maybe I'll take a run at playing the guitar on an overdub. I suspect it will undermine the "feel" but maybe I can pull it off.
 
best regards,
mike
 

I like the intimate feel this song has with just the guitar and the vocal.  Like Jimmy, I thought it had a little bit of a boxy tone to the overall recording and my head wanted to hear it a little warmer.  If you wear to add some percussion, I would experiment very sparsely.  Maybe just tapping lightly a cymbal on the last chorus to add a slight change to the song. I am thinking just barely noticeable.  I don't notice any boominess on my system. 
 
I haven't heard you sing much Mike, but what I have heard I like.

Really clear mix on this, Mike!

Pop by the other day and had a listen but was unsure that there was anything that I could say that would mean much.  Had a second listen today and if my furry ears are not overly furred this sounds much better than the other day.
 
Thanks for sharing Mike I think you did this justice.

Nice work, Mike.  Clean.  Some added chord changes that ****e it up a bit.  Clean, nice vocal.  MR was my Dad's favorite artist, then the Mills Bros and then the Ink Spots.  This brought some good memories.  Thanks!  HMMMM, I WONDER WHY IT'S PUTTING THE ASTERICKS IN SPICE.

I wouldn't add a thing.
 
@

Nice simple arrangement Mike + like the airy sound on the vocals. Good job!
 
best wishes
 
paulo