markno999
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Beautiful Girls (Van Halen Cover)
Enclosed is the backing track I recorded of Van Halen's Beautiful Girls from VH II. Experimenting with a few different things here that I would like some opinions on if you are so inclined. 1) Reverbs and Spaces - Trying to get the classic VH sound on guitar including the Sunset Chamber sound which is basically the heavy reverb sound in the right speaker. 2) Drums and Bass locked together. This is the first song I have posted playing bass (not really a bass player but gave it a go) Are the drums and bass performing together and balanced? 3) is the overall balance OK? 4) Other. Appreciate the listen. http://www.soundclick.com/player/single_player.cfm?songid=12747125&q=hi Robby had posted his mix of this song last week, however, the backing track has gone through some significant mixing updates since then. Once I am happy with the overall backing track I will add the Vox back in and re-post. Thx. Regards
post edited by markno999 - 2014/04/08 12:10:17
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evadianepug
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Re: Beautiful Girls Backing Track (Van Halen Cover)
2014/04/07 15:15:11
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It doesn't play anything, Mark. Cursor goes up a few notches and starts overe but no sound. Could it just be me?
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markno999
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Re: Beautiful Girls Backing Track (Van Halen Cover)
2014/04/07 15:23:33
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evadianepug
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Re: Beautiful Girls Backing Track (Van Halen Cover)
2014/04/07 15:45:16
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I'm using Chrome so I'll try the new link. Thanks!
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evadianepug
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Re: Beautiful Girls Backing Track (Van Halen Cover)
2014/04/07 15:50:04
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Well, my Soundclick page isn't playing either. Wierd. I'll try later.
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evadianepug
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Re: Beautiful Girls Backing Track (Van Halen Cover)
2014/04/07 16:12:19
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My interface (Line6 UX2) has Podfarm in it and that has to be active for audio to work. Don't know why. ANYWAY, I heard the track and I think it's phenomenal. Your bass playing is great. I might add just a touch of low freq cause at times (up the neck) it loses a bit of punch but that is a minor crit and could just be me. That is very close to the sound I use on many songs. You did an exceptionally fine job here, Mark. What are you using for drums?
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markno999
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Re: Beautiful Girls Backing Track (Van Halen Cover)
2014/04/07 16:39:59
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Thanks for listening Warren, glad my bass playing was Ok, I have recently picked up a Schecter Stilleto bass and have been playing around with it. Didn't want to spend too much money on something I wasn't sure I would use long term. It is a fun instrument as you well know;) so I think I will keep it.
The drums are actually Additive Drums, 70's kit. I was very surprised that it was so close to what I was looking for out-of-the-box. The song is beat mapped to the original so there are a large number of tempo fluctuations that I think gives it more realism.
Not sure if the bass loss is SoundClick or the render down to 128 for posting on SoundClick. I could give it a little boost if needed. Thanks for listening and commenting. Where would you boost the bass to keep the punch when going up the neck?
Regards
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evadianepug
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Re: Beautiful Girls Backing Track (Van Halen Cover)
2014/04/07 17:12:24
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Very carefully I'd try to boost maybe the 50-100 range a tad. It's very close, Mark and it's possible you could lose the sound you have down lower. I'd try it though. I'm listening to it right now and I'm not sure I'd change anything but you might try it by boosting the really low end just a tad. I set my eq flat and work with the knobs on the bass so I'm not good at giving freq #s. Mark actually eqs my bass when he mixes. I've done it that way for years. Love the guitar riffs!
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The Band19 
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Re: Beautiful Girls Backing Track (Van Halen Cover)
2014/04/07 19:35:21
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I'm right here? I am a bass player? Marsha Marsha Marsha!
Sittin downtown in a railway station one toke over the line.
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markno999
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Re: Beautiful Girls Backing Track (Van Halen Cover)
2014/04/08 12:23:11
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Thanks for the suggestion Warren, I bumped the bass just a little bit. Other information about this track, the guitar was recorded through my Line6 HD500. The guitar used was my 1977 Les Paul Standard. The bass was a Schecter Stilleto I picked up on ebay, also recorded through by Line6 HD500. The main guitar reverb used is a Samplicity Bricasti M7 Impulse Resonse Library using their Sunset Chamber sample available here: http://www.samplicity.com/bricasti-m7-impulse-responses/ I am running that reverb through LiquidSonics Reveberate64 and it is panned far right. Have a little Spring verb panned far left and slight delay on the left side. The Bricasti Impulses are free although you need a host to use them. They do request a donation which I think is reasonable given the quantity and professional quality of these downloads. The drums are straight up Addictive Drums 70's kit with very minor EQ and compression added along with a bit of reverb on the snare. Pretty simple track overall from a mixing perspective. Regards
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Lynn
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Re: Beautiful Girls Backing Track (Van Halen Cover)
2014/04/08 14:13:05
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Mark, this is hot! It sounds very authentic to me. After you put Robbie's vocals back in, you two may have to start a tribute band!
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Rikkie
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Re: Beautiful Girls Backing Track (Van Halen Cover)
2014/04/08 15:14:35
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Hi mark, that's some mighty fine guitar playing ; ) Why not make this a showcase for your talent and add a lead
guitar to the other side ? I would like that ; )
Rik
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daryl1968
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Re: Beautiful Girls Backing Track (Van Halen Cover)
2014/04/08 16:27:26
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Sounds great Mark - listening on crappy computer speakers but the mix maybe a bit left heavy?
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dcumpian
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Re: Beautiful Girls Backing Track (Van Halen Cover)
2014/04/08 20:01:55
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Sounds really good. Well done on that bass part, it sounds very much like what I remember. Drums sound pretty good, though the snare doesn't "pop" as much as in the original.
Regards,
Dan
Mixing is all about control. My music: http://dancumpian.bandcamp.com/ or https://soundcloud.com/dcumpian Studiocat Advanced Studio DAW (Intel i5 3550 @ 3.7GHz, Z77 motherboard, 16GB Ram, lots of HDDs), Sonar Plat, Mackie 1604, PreSonus Audiobox 44VSL, ESI 4x4 Midi Interface, Ibanez Bass, Custom Fender Mexi-Strat, NI S88, Roland JV-2080 & MDB-1, Komplete, Omnisphere, Lots o' plugins.
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bapu
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Re: Beautiful Girls Backing Track (Van Halen Cover)
2014/04/08 20:21:36
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If you are going for an exact replica, then....
Guitar (compared to the original) is too thin and not enough reverb.
Bass is too distorted on the higher notes.
Warren covered the low end issue on the bass.
The balance between the guitar and bass is off. Too much bass not enough guitar.
Maybe you could load the song in your project as a ref?
==================
Performances are spot on.
If you're going for a modern take on a classic, then what you have works for the most part.
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bapu
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Re: Beautiful Girls Backing Track (Van Halen Cover)
2014/04/08 20:22:03
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Of course that's just my 2 scents.
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markno999
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Re: Beautiful Girls Backing Track (Van Halen Cover)
2014/04/09 12:13:14
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Lynn,
Thanks for the comment, not sure about starting a tribute band though. Getting a bit too old to consider that life;) Glad you think it sounds authentic, was really going for that late 70's VH sound on this one.
Rik,
Thanks for listening. Interesting idea to make an instrumental version. I may do that. Have several road trips planned over the coming weeks, starting tomorrow, so it may take me a while but it would certainly be a fun project.
Daryl,
Thanks. It will be a little left heavy until I put the VOX back in. All the early VH stuff had the guitar panned hard left with only a bit of reverb wash swirling around on the right side. That was a common guitar mixing technique in the 70's and one used by Ted Templeman (VH producer at the time) This technique drove Eddie crazy but I think he never sounded better than on the early records. The only downside is that if your left speaker was broken, the whole thing fell apart;)
Regards
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Scottytunes
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Re: Beautiful Girls Backing Track (Van Halen Cover)
2014/04/09 14:07:29
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Great playing and great mix!
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markno999
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Re: Beautiful Girls Backing Track (Van Halen Cover)
2014/04/09 18:03:26
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Dan,
Thanks for the listen. I will pop up the snare a bit after the vox go back in.
Ed,
Appreciate the listen and comment. I was going for maybe not an exact replica, but a replica nonetheless. Regarding the "thinness" maybe the Waves Kramer Tape would add some substance? I don't want to EQ anymore until the Vox are added and I have a reference. I hear what you mean though.
Not a fan of a lot of verb so I wasn't as liberal with applying it. The Sunset Chamber verb was about all I could take;)
I will have to re-listen for distortion on the bass. I may have cranked the bass a bit too loud listening for problems. I like that bass part maybe too much;) It is a pretty cool bass line, have always liked it. Appreciate your feedback.
Scott,
Thanks for the listen. How are you feeling? Hope all is going well with you.
Regards
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The Band19
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Re: Beautiful Girls Backing Track (Van Halen Cover)
2014/04/09 20:15:11
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I'll get you the vox this weekend, sorry for the delay, but pre-disposed as you know ;-)
Sittin downtown in a railway station one toke over the line.
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