Piano based alt/pop rock

Wake me up before you go go :-)

That piano sounds "off..." I'm not sure what I don't like about it, but it's like the verb, and lots of other things.

And there is too much verb, and that's coming from someone who is nortious for liking it too wet? So it's really too wet? Pull it back some.

And the EQ needs love.

But with all of that said? I enjoyed the song. It's mornful... And I like mournful music. You may want to try to vary the vox a bit on the verse to add some flavor, and less herion.

I like it.
BTW, your avatar is my guitar. cool.

I believe there's a gem of a song inside this mix with a few tweaks.  You're getting good advice from above, and it would be easy to nail this.  However, sometimes songs can work well drenched in reverb (think Radiohead) if done properly.  You have good material to work with.

Hey thanks for the comments.  Less heroin, that's hilarious Robby.  Yeah, Tim love those casinos- I have three, but one with a broken neck--don't drop it. 
 
Ok, now so I'm dialing down the verb on the piano, a little on the vox and pushing up the vox and bass a bit.  Part of my problem with this one was me trying too much- I actually had three reverb sends on the vocal- one an emt plate emulation, one called pancake, and valhalla frequency echo, with the emt predominant.  All instruments share a bit of the emt. 
 
Oh, Lynn, actually if you listen to Radiohead's last few albums everything is completely dry, except the vox, which is verrry wet.  Drums are bone dry, maybe a bit of verb on the guitars, but it's mostly delay,  and just some room from their multiple keys.
 
Anyway I'll post up the new mix sometime this weekend.
 
thanks again for all your input
Robert Anthony
 
edit- on I forgot, part of the piano issue is a have a bit of a rhodes kind of ghosting the piano notes, so I'll have to think that over. thanks again

Robert, I like this remix very much.  The reverb supports the mood quite well, now.  Your piano track is very catchy and carries the tune well.  I like it that this song is somewhat outside the box and not predictable.  In regard to the Radiohead comment, you're right about that.  I just refreshed my memory by listening to their last CD, and the wetness of the vocals create an psychoacoustic effect that makes other elements of the mix sound wet when they are actually dry.  This is a technique that a lot of people are unaware of, but could help in many cases.  You've done a fine job of elevating this mix to another level.

Thanks for the replies.  Yes, Mike I agree the bass seems to come and go, I'll have to check it out.  I still think the vox are too loud, I like them to sit a bit more in the mix but that's probably an eq thing.

Thanks for the comments, Lynn.

Thanks again
Robert Anthony

Paulo, thanks for pointing that out.   I didn't even hear it.  Forest and trees thingy,  I guess.  Sometimes I think I should record these things and mix a week later.  After some trouble uploading with soundclick yesterday I put up a new version today with piano about 4 db lower.

Thanks again
Robert Anthony

Nice tune and I do get the effect with the vocal. I'm not sure where the "piano is too wet" is coming from. I'm not saying it isn't the case, but what verb plug did you use?

I'm another who likes reverb, too, but as I improved using it, it's subtle. If anything had definite verb it was the vocal, but given the effect you were going for, although, I would have liked some more dry and a little less wet there.

Total agreement with the bass. Was this part played or written in? Either way, it does need to come up. Same with the drums. The kick was non-existent. I do realize the genre, but say for instance in "Brush Jazz" (I made that up), the kick is audible, despite how softly the drummer is playing.

So, the most obvious thing to me is volume.

I would also recommended doing A/B comparisons for the Wet/Dry knobs.

Other than that, I do enjoy the song with its mood and character. Odd how this is called "Wake Me Up, Please", but it's goal is seemingly to put one to sleep (I do mean this in the nicest way possible).

Reminds me of Mary Poppins who sang, "Stay Awake" and guess what the children did? (What irony!)

Lots of songs benefit from contradicting themselves. It's a very popular technique.

Thanks for the inuput, everyone.  I'll have to listen in a few days, I thought the drums and bass were about at a suitable volume, although I did turn both down a bit on the last mix.  I'm still up in the air reverb wise- I'm using  the standard Calkwalk FX reverb kinda tweaked to sound like an emt plate, Rus. 
 
Jayhill, I'll have to try your ideas, thanks.
 
And yes, the bass works a bit around the melody, I kinda did it on purpose but I'm not sure it works.
 
Rus, the title is meant as a double entendre.  Many (most) of my songs somehow come out a little down and often even as I'm writing them I'm pretty aware of it and will make up joke lyrics, almost just to suss out the melody.  Well I knew this one was dreary and just sang "wake me up please" and realized immediately it was the title-the song essentially being social commentary and the "wake me up please" part meaning "wake me up, all this must be a nightmare."  Of course in real life I'm  not usually that negative but I guess it sort of comes out in the songs.

Thanks again
Robert Anthony

blueoneblue


Thanks for the inuput, everyone.  I'll have to listen in a few days, I thought the drums and bass were about at a suitable volume, although I did turn both down a bit on the last mix.  I'm still up in the air reverb wise- I'm using  the standard Calkwalk FX reverb kinda tweaked to sound like an emt plate, Rus. 
 
Jayhill, I'll have to try your ideas, thanks.
 
And yes, the bass works a bit around the melody, I kinda did it on purpose but I'm not sure it works.
 
Rus, the title is meant as a double entendre.  Many (most) of my songs somehow come out a little down and often even as I'm writing them I'm pretty aware of it and will make up joke lyrics, almost just to suss out the melody.  Well I knew this one was dreary and just sang "wake me up please" and realized immediately it was the title-the song essentially being social commentary and the "wake me up please" part meaning "wake me up, all this must be a nightmare."  Of course in real life I'm  not usually that negative but I guess it sort of comes out in the songs.

Thanks again
Robert Anthony

I see. Well, ease up on "spinning it" (wink, wink). I got the DE - that's why I mention the contradiction. You don't seem "frightened" at all as evident by singing unless the dreamy effect used is to signify lucidity, which is more frightening when you think about it. Whenever the mood strike. Whatever mood strikes. And you're welcome! :)