bapu
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More Precious Than Rubies - A Mothers Day song.
Paul (Mooch) Anthony asked me to "produce" this original song for him and his friend Kevin. Paul sent me the basic tracks and then I added piano using Toontrack's EZKeys and had my son Jason do some minor edits. I also did the harmony generating via Antares. A friend of mine here in L.A. added the solo guitar. Composers Paul Anthony & Kevin Truell Vocals - Kevin Truell Bass, Electric and Acoustic Rhythm Guitars, Horns - Paul "Mooch" Anthony Drums - Bob Brewer Piano - Ed "Bapu"/Jason Kocol (via EZKeys) Lead Guitar - Bill McGill (on Bapu's JTV-69 Les Paul Model thru Amplitube3's Jet City Amp Sim)
Mixing and Mastering Ed "Bapu" Kocol & AlexTheKook @ StudioQoqol
22 May 2012 Remix link ---> http://soundcloud.com/thebapu/more-precious-than-rubies Ultimately the song will be posted on http://www.southsidepregnancy.org by Kevin for download/sale to help that cause.
post edited by bapu - 2016/05/08 10:45:53
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daryl1968
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Re:More Precious Than Rubies
2012/05/15 14:57:07
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Great production job Bapu.
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foxwolfen
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Re:More Precious Than Rubies
2012/05/15 15:19:52
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Well.... truthfully, I find the song over compressed which renders the dynamics (and thus auditory interest) rather flat. While Kevin is on key, the vibrato really harms the sonority as he is off key when he goes above and below the fundamental (vibrato should be a harmonic component). I suspect if I was producing this song, there might be some hard feelings as I would force take after take to get rid of it. I generally harp on (false) vibrato because it is too often used as a "search" for tone, such as here. I suspect that this is a done deal and you are not too likely to re-record the vox, but I would. This is, however, only one man's opinion.
A scientist knows more & more about less & less till he knows everything about nothing, while a philosopher knows less & less about more & more till he knows nothing about everything. Composers Forum
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Lynn
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Re:More Precious Than Rubies
2012/05/15 15:20:51
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A very fine production and tribute to mothers everywhere.
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Guitarhacker
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Re:More Precious Than Rubies
2012/05/15 15:27:44
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Nice job.... I'm impressed with Mooch... I think this is the first time I have heard his work. Good job on the song to all. Melodyne has the ability to smooth out the vibrato in a note held by a singer. I think the guitar has too much reverb and sounds like it was a 60's psychedelic lead....
post edited by Guitarhacker - 2012/05/15 15:28:47
My website & music: www.herbhartley.com MC4/5/6/X1e.c, on a Custom DAW Focusrite Firewire Saffire Interface BMI/NSAI "Just as the blade chooses the warrior, so too, the song chooses the writer "
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bapu
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Re:More Precious Than Rubies
2012/05/15 15:44:53
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@ Daryl - Thanks for listen
@ Shad - Thanks for the comments
@ Lynn - I too like the message of the song and have to admit after hearing it at least 100 times I still enjoy the song and message.
@ Herb - Thanks for listening. Mooch really is a good musician. Interesting take on the solo (especially since Bill thought it sounded "country"; to each his own, eh?)
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Rimshot
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Re:More Precious Than Rubies
2012/05/15 15:51:14
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Sounds great Bapu! Nice work by all. Lead guitar seems low. I would like a touch more backgrounds vocs too. Fun song and it sounds really solid.
Rimshot
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Mooch4056
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Re:More Precious Than Rubies
2012/05/15 15:53:39
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The production that bapu did on this is so good that my feets can't stop dancing. Even when I am sleeping they dance.
From Now On Call Me Conquistador!
Donate to the cure Bapu Foundation Email: mooch4056@gmail.com for more info
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radio
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Re:More Precious Than Rubies
2012/05/15 17:26:12
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I like it , alot of HAPPY MOMS listening to this one !
Radio
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Tap
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Re:More Precious Than Rubies
2012/05/15 19:28:19
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Very Nice work guys!!!! Fun, jammin tune! The lyrics says it all !!! fine playing and a great mix to boot!
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Scottytunes
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Re:More Precious Than Rubies
2012/05/16 08:39:23
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Has a Styxx vibe to it, especially the vocal track. Nice work!
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Bob Oister
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Re:More Precious Than Rubies
2012/05/17 03:24:15
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Hey, Ed and Mooch, Super job on this great song and production with a nice sentiment for a good cause! Excellent songwriting, terrific performances by everyone involved, Kevin's vocals are dynamite, and Ed did a killer job on the nice clean, high quality mix. Nice work, guys!  Bob
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bapu
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Re:More Precious Than Rubies
2012/05/17 14:39:26
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@Rimshot - Thanks for the listen. Honestly I did not want the guitar to feel out front on purpose. Since the BGVs were software based I was afraid of the artifacts standing out too much. @Mooch - Thanks for the opportunity to actually "produce" and not have to be a musician. Your engineering of all the tracks except the piano and lead guitar made the job a joy. @radio - It's a great message, I agree. @Tap - Thanks for stopping by and having a listen. Much appreciated. @Scotty - Styxx is what I thought too so I gave the song an 80's vibe on the verb (to the best of my ability).  @Bob - Thanks for the kudo my brother. As I said above a significant portion of credit goes to Mooch and his engineering (IMO).
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BenMMusTech
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Re:More Precious Than Rubies
2012/05/18 00:20:58
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I love this, I was expecting this country tune and I get this weird 70's David Bowie glam tune.
I love the unexpected, the vocals are a real stand out for me.
A song about mothers hey??
Nice work Bapu
Neb
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thepogue
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Re:More Precious Than Rubies
2012/05/18 06:40:10
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Nice work all the way round.....kinda quirky...but very cool
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bandontherun19
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Re:More Precious Than Rubies
2012/05/18 13:05:13
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Has a pure prairie league vibe to it, I liked it, but for me the Rush/Meatloaf vox didn't seem to fit well (to me.) And you misspelled Rupees.
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jamesg1213
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Re:More Precious Than Rubies
2012/05/18 14:47:55
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Very nice production Ed, big wall of sound but everything is right there in the pocket. I don't care for the vocals, but that's a personal pref thing.
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evadianepug
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Re:More Precious Than Rubies
2012/05/18 14:53:39
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Not a big fan of the vocal. No offense, I'm not a big fan of mine either. Overall its a good song but Ed, "bass below level" from you? LOL!! In the monitors it seems a bit behind the other levels. You know that could be my ears. Later in the song it seems to come up some so it could be me. I like the song and the singer reminds me of someone but I can't place it. Actually some places he sounds great and some places a little less. All in all, I like it!
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Bub 
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Re:More Precious Than Rubies
2012/05/18 22:38:28
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I liked it. I did pick up on something in the background though. The timing of something doesn't quite right to me. Something in the background, I can't make out what it is. Maybe a bit too much delay on something?
@evadianepug: "... the singer reminds me of someone but I can't place it." He sounds just like the lead singer of Head East.
"I pulled the head off Elvis, filled Fred up to his pelvis, yaba daba do, the King is gone, and so are you."
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bapu
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Re:More Precious Than Rubies
2012/05/18 23:01:16
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Thanks for listening and suggestions everyone. I've remixed the song (and updated the link in the OP too) and took into account a good number of suggestions here as well as some from my good friend (and bandmate) AlexTheKook.
post edited by bapu - 2012/05/22 21:18:04
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evadianepug
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Re:More Precious Than Rubies
2012/05/18 23:07:53
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By golly, Bub, it is Head East.
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Old55
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Re:More Precious Than Rubies
2012/05/19 09:03:15
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Very nice. Cool song. I guess the earlier suggestions have been addressed because I didn't notice any problems now. Kudos.
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mattplaysguitar
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Re:More Precious Than Rubies
2012/05/19 09:08:19
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Bub
I liked it. I did pick up on something in the background though. The timing of something doesn't quite right to me. Something in the background, I can't make out what it is. Maybe a bit too much delay on something?
@evadianepug: "... the singer reminds me of someone but I can't place it." He sounds just like the lead singer of Head East.
Yep, that ride sounds WAY late. It's REALLY distracting and I can't listen to it properly with it like that.... The rest of the drums and the crashes sound generally in time though so I don't know what's going on... It's almost like the drummer played to a click and kept playing early and the click was left in.. It's maybe like a 16th too late even? The drums lose it a little in some of the fills near the end, but nothing terrible or worth really worrying about too much. Just that darn ride... Do you hear this, bapu? What do you think of it?
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Danny Danzi
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Re:More Precious Than Rubies
2012/05/19 09:10:27
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Ed, this is really good man! I like everything about it. Solid mix. A few little crits if I may?
Definitely not diggin' the excessive vibrato on the vocal...there's so much it pushes itself out of key. I echo Herb on the Melodyne comment as that could have helped a bit there. Then the singer may have been upset because it would have definitely altered what he's used to.
Back-ups: We have some congestion there that is keeping them from coming out and hitting the way they should. They need a little more sparkle. Turning them up louder in their present form would mask other elements of the mix. A little 8-12k with a tight cue can add a little air to sparkle them up a bit...play with dropping mids from 600-800Hz add some air, compress them a bit more and they should leap into action.
Horns: We gotta get these babies out more. They sound VERY centered and sort of walk over top of things in the center pan field which gives them less impact when they hit. This is just me, but I would have made them hit pan wise on the outside of the ride and the hats...just outside the drum kit and in between the back up vocals. Eq sounded fine on them...they just were fighting too many centered instruments. You got 200 pan positions plus imaging if need be. Always try to use them to your advantage. Impact instruments need a special place to shine that isn't the same spot as a focal point position or a lead vocal. If these were mono you could have HAAS'd them and used an imager or a Sonitus Phase plug to make them a bit more narrow to control where they would hit.
Bub's timing comment: I hear it too. The drums are a little loose in spots...nothing major, but that's what *I* hear.
And...I hated the sna....sike, I absolutely LOVED this snare drum! Finally one I like! LOL! Nice crack, good body, perfect snare for the tune! Well done Ed, Alex and everyone else! Great tune, great mix! Hopefully some of this stuff helps you for next time. :)
-Danny
My Site Fractal Audio Endorsed Artist & Beta Tester
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ProjectM
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Re:More Precious Than Rubies
2012/05/19 09:20:34
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I thought the song was cool Sounds great!
Vocals a tad low in places, the ride - like someone else have mentioned here as well - dunno what's going on. The Brass Stabs were a little too much to the front.
But the song is good. It was fun to listen too and well played and recorded!
BTW, how's EZKeys to work with? Is it like an automatic piano player?
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chasmcg
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Re:More Precious Than Rubies
2012/05/19 10:23:09
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Great mix. Enjoyed the listen.
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bapu
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Re:More Precious Than Rubies
2012/05/19 12:44:35
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ProjectM
BTW, how's EZKeys to work with? Is it like an automatic piano player?
Marius, No, it's not an automatic piano player but it was helpful as I'm not that good of piano player.
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Mooch4056
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Re:More Precious Than Rubies
2012/05/19 13:45:56
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Marius,
No, it's not an automatic piano player but it was helpful as I'm not that good of piano player.
Well ring the bell and toot the horn. Captain Obvious!
From Now On Call Me Conquistador!
Donate to the cure Bapu Foundation Email: mooch4056@gmail.com for more info
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Jonbouy
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Re:More Precious Than Rubies
2012/05/19 15:28:38
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This is a strange one for sure.
It's kind of retro but from an era I don't think I've been through yet.
Looking at the draught excluder type wave form I think it has probably lost a lot of dynamics through the limiting stage and although it doesn't sound compressed per se there's certainly little in the way of dynamic relief it just sounds to the max from start to finish, I'm pretty sure just relaxing the final level would open it up some and make it less full time full on.
I get the ride thing too, I used to play in a club where a drunken man would always insist on playing the spoons next to me everytime I played there, it reminds me of that. Are you sure one of the stems (OH's?) isn't out of alignment there? Solo it perhaps there is some kind of slap-back thing going on.
But yes a curious piece unlike anything I've heard before yet it evokes another age somehow.
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IK Obi
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Re:More Precious Than Rubies
2012/05/19 19:28:29
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I like! the only thing that stuck out was sometimes the ride would be off, but I liked the song and especially the guitar tone!
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