Genesis - The Lamb completely recreated using SONAR

I posted a new version of Lilywhite Lilith up on The Lamb Laid Down on MIDI site.  I spent about a year re-tooling my DAW and getting more tools needed to recreate this track.

For those not familiar, my little ambitious project is to recreate The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway completely with MIDI tracks, triggering sample libraries and mixing the tracks completely "in the box" using software PLUG-INs for the processing.

The site is:

www.lldom.blogspot.com

I also updated to SOUNDCLOUD as my music distribution system which allows downloading of the audio tracks.  If you get some time and want to be entertained, check out the TRACKS page for Lilywhite Lilith where I include a TRACK SHEET for the entire mix and where you can see what software tools were used for each track (pretty interesting).

Thanks and I hope you get a chance to check out the new song.

Jim

Dave,

I couldn't agree with you more about The Lamb being the greatest PROG ROCK album ever. Sorry you don't see or understand "The Labor of Love" that this is.  I wanted to try and recreate these songs using nothing but SONAR and software tools and it amazes me how we can now create music that just 30 years ago took hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of hardware to create.  The fact that you think Lilywhite sounds like the original version is a real complement and thanks. The hardest part of creating this songs isn't the performances rather the mixing of Johnnie Burns (learning all the parts isn't that easy but easier than getting the mix to sound right).

I should take Slipperman off the play list because I only put that up there as a SOUND CLOUD test and it isn't anywhere near ready for public listening.

Thanks for the feedback and question.

Jim

Paul,

Thanks a ton for your kind words... are you wanting the MIDI files themselves or audio tracks?  If you want the MIDI files, I am looking for a spot that can host them so I can provide a link for interested folks to download (does anyone know of any?).

Thanks again, I really do appreciate the feedback.

Jim

Dave,

You sir would be correct on creativity. Think of this as a tribute to Genesis. My goal is to learn the magic that was The Lamb and to share the experience with others on how the recreation was done and not as a "knockoff", trying to misrepresent Genesis.

Jim

Hi Jim,
I have a different take on such projects. If there is something you love, and want to know how it works, you pretty much have to recreate it. It's not like there are perfect scores out there that you can reference. Anyway I compliment you on the effort, and recognize the effort that goes into it.
 
Good luck,
Paul

Folks, please make sure you remember that all of these songs are copyrighted. You can't use them without permission from the copyright owners.

And yes, I will be sure to ask permission from the appropriate copywriter if I decide to perform these songs for profit. I often perform for friends and family where such permission is unecessary and that is what I had in mind. Sorry if I gave the impression that it is okay to use copyrighted material in live performance for pay without permission.
 
Paul

jungfriend


And yes, I will be sure to ask permission from the appropriate copywriter if I decide to perform these songs for profit. I often perform for friends and family where such permission is unecessary and that is what I had in mind. Sorry if I gave the impression that it is okay to use copyrighted material in live performance for pay without permission.
 
Paul

Performers don't have to pay royalties ... the venue/bar does. 
 
As a performer you would only have to worry about royalties if you were going to record and release the live show.

Check out Kevin Gilbert perform Lamb.

Paul,

Concerning the MIDI files, a couple of footnotes to keep in mind.

1) The Drum Tracks use iMAP on not GMIDI.  Squids did a great job in creating this map to allow more articulations to be laid out for drumming. You can find a copy of this keyboard mapping on the eSOUNDZ site.

2) The Guitar tracks are done in something I call gMAP, which coincides with sampling a guitar using all the frets on all the strings wherein each string has its own MIDI channel (which corresponds to the Midi Channel that a midi guitar transmits). Squids iMAP gave me the idea for the gMAP and I sampled all the guitars (Micro Frets Bass, 57 Les Paul and a RICK 12 string) so I could lay them out for gMAP.

Please PM me and I will find a way to send you the MIDI file from this track.

Jim

PS - thanks John

PSS - Hash, if you are writing software to recreate vintage hardware, that is way beyond the scope of my comprehension and it is very impressive.

Great job on this song! 

I like to do covers of songs as close to the original as possible as an exercise for learning mixing techniques.  A couple months ago I did Firth of Fifth as it's one of my favorite Genesis songs.  Doing the drum parts was a very long process!

I mix up doing covers with my originals.  Usually I do the covers to learn how to use new equipment so when I work on the originals, I don't have to think about recording technique.

Jim

jkleban


Dr. Hash,

Many of the sounds (instruments) used on the project, were sounds I needed to design to make the song sound more realistic. I also make these "homegrown" sounds FREE to DOWNLOAD for those you might want or need some pretty good sounds for their own use. I guess I could sell them instead but they are only really any good if you want those classic GENESIS sounds.

I would be very interested to hear your Strawberry... I have a version that Andy Partridge did years ago where he tried to recreate the Beatles song precisely using the technology he had at his proposal back then,

Jim

 
No sweat Jim, I'm doing Because as well to test out arpeggiator and or step sequencer and of course variphrase.
The copyright issues are cool, i think that you can release it as long as you pay royalties.  I did a whole semester on this at uni and will have to check my notes.  I was going to try and contact Yoko anyway.  I believe John would wholeheartedly agree with my principles and proposal because he had to beg and wear silly suits to be able to make strawberry fields.  I just have to a few grand and a ton of knowledge.  And i mean a ton of knowledge.  These songs deserves nothing but the best attempt that i can achieve.  I have said for the last week i have become more humble because of these songs and the mastery that was put into them.  from johns writing, the Beatles (Ringo's) playing and George Martin and Geoff Emerick.  And i am not sucking up, i have the knowledge and the authority to say this, it is impossible in to do this in any other DAW.
 
Peace and Love Ben B.CT (Bachelor Of Creative Technology)
http://www.myspace.com/audiomystics

 

Thanks Mike. I appreciate that.

Very nice job - I seem to recall visiting your site a while back and I was impressed them.

Although you are using software for the amps/guitars, I assume you are tracking actual guitars (and not midi tracks)?

I have seen Dream Theater do the complete cover version of Dark Side of the Moon - note for note - they didn't seem to have a creative-issue with their project.  And the fact that you have been at this all these years, you should be commended on your commitment.

Please keep us updated as you progress - and especially the midi files - these would be very helpful from a learning prospective for many of us.

Thanks again for sharing.

jkleban


I get questioned often on why I do these covers and people don't see my motive (with which I am cool).  I do this for the true love of this music and the desire to actually decode the magic. The music is the relatively easy part, the mixing is the real challenge.

But, I do appreciate all the pleasant comments about the project and am happy that others can enjoy the music as well.  

Keeping the "Lamb" alive,

Jim

Yea I'm with you Jim i want to know how this stuff is/was done.  I'm also interested in doing this because i don't think producers/engineers and artists know **** about music making today.  I'm sure there is great stuff that i have not heard out there though.  With the technology today and this is speculation imagine what The Beatles could have done with it, as i said speculation.
We have technology that should, with the right people absolutely blow The Beatles and their songs out of the water.  Of course there is a problem with this and that is music is further down the pecking order in terms of importance and importance as an entertainment.  this i think is holding us back.  I now know i was in kindergarten with my music. 
After doing this as my main projeckt for my thesis, that is putting together two Beatles songs in a daw.  I now have the keys to the kingdom.  I wish everybody who wanted to be a producer/engineer or artist went through what i am going through.
I have learnt so much, its not about the sound or the technology.  It's about the song and the experimentation and above all it's about being an artist and pushing the limits of technology.
Imagine the music that would be being made if this was taught at audio school rather than Pro-Tools or you must mike a drum kit this way.
 
Viva la revoloution Ben B.CT (Bachelor Of Creative Technology)
http://www.myspace.com/audiomystics