So, I get the house to myself...

Ummmmmm... completed song to create a bass track guide?

You know, I've figured out why I'm hung up on this: I don't like the drums. I picked up a few more BFD kits and some snares this week and I'm going to find a kit that works for it and keep rolling on...

I admit I thought that too.

Hi,
 
I was thinking that we should show up over there and have the party ... forget the floozies ... they tease too much, anyway!

craigb

smallstonefan
...bing-watching season 5 of Grimm ...

That show is filmed here, I might try to get a part as an extra sometime.  My friend is the black detective who doesn't talk (not the co-star).  He's in pretty much every episode and he's had two speaking parts, but if he has one more then he's required to join a Union!

That would be a lot of fun! DO IT and report back! :)

Mesh

Moshkito
Hi,
 
I was thinking that we should show up over there and have the party ... forget the floozies ... they tease too much, anyway!

OMG my first thought too. And I think that was the look on my face as well. :)

Sit around in your underpants and scratch your arse.  You can throw in the odd belch, but don't overtax yourself.

It's worked very well for me for over 50 years now.

Omaha Steaks?

smallstonefan

Mesh
Omaha Steaks?

Nope, actually from a small meat shop that sources the meat locally and ages it themselves. Super excited to try it! You can actually buy a live pig from a local farmer and this place will kill/butcher it with/for you. That's fresh...
 
Omaha steaks is good, but we have so much better locally. Omaha steaks is what we send to others as gifts because of convenience! :)

Very nice!! A local butcher is where it's at. Although I've never had Omaha steaks, I've heard good things about them. BTW, rib eye's are my favourite steaks as well.
 
Enjoy your weekend......with some good scotch too!!

My wife has been house sitting for her Aunt and Uncle in Michigan (we live in NYC) from Mid December through Mid February for the last 3 years as they travel to see the family. Needless to say, there are mic and instrument cables throughout the apartment during this time!

Randy P
It's been a few years since my kids lived with us, but I remember the time my wife and kids went out of state for a week. I had all these plans of going out and hanging with old band mates and going to a couple of clubs to see and hear bands and just generally tearing it up.
 
The first night, I went to a club and was so bored and uncomfortable by myself that I left after about an hour and just went home. The next night, I went to an old bandmates house to hang out. His wife and kids were there and it just made me miss my own family so bad, I left after less than an hour.
 
The rest of the week, I pretty much just laid around the house watching TV, eating like a teenage slob and wandering through the house looking at my kids stuff and missing them terribly. 
 
The only upside of the week, is that ever since then, whenever I pull into the KFC drive thru they always ask how long the wife is out of town this time and is everything going okay?
 
 

Raff Out Roud

Listening now, sounds great!  Interestingly, during the first part of the intro, I kept waiting for a Madonna-like sample (a laugh, a "yeah!" or similar) in the background.  Loved the echoed arpeggios into the bold guitar chord! Then your female vocalist starts.  So, maybe adding something from her is a suggestion?
 
When you have the Stephen Hawking sample (hey, doesn't Pink Floyd own all of those?  ), I'm wondering if you might want a drone note in the background (or even a phased whoosh pulled way back - something like that) so it isn't quite as drastic of a change.  But that's just my opinion!
 
Not sure what effect you were aiming at with the vocoder, but the current setting definitely isn't cutting it (as you noted)! 
 
Ok, first impression out of the way.  On to listen again...
 
Missed the "oooo's" in the middle by your vocalist on the first listening.  Maybe a taste of those in the beginning?  Ok, even more about her voice.  I like it a lot and think you need more of it.  At the end of both verses, maybe extend her last syllable into the next section a little.  Then, towards the end (and before the vocoder), perhaps have her adding some "Do you believe?'s" in the background?  I still think that some of the quietest sections could use a little background sonic texturing.
 
------------------------------
 
On a separate note, if I had your vocalist available, I'd want to create another song with a catchy chorus 'cause it would be hard to not want to listen over and over. 

Craig,
 
Thank you so much for listening so thoroughly and providing all of this great feedback!
 
I do believe you are on to some good ideas. Vocals are a new thing to me and I have been wanting to "fill in" a lot of spaces with vocal flourishes but still a little stumped. I've got a few other clips from Grace that I'll play with and move around. Lots of opportunities with toys such as Eventide.
 
Oh, the singer is Grace Geibler (https://gracemusiclive.com/music). Hard to believe but Grace just turned 15. :) She is the singer in my son's band, and they were so good they just back from playing a blues festival in Memphis. It's sort of an "all star" music program and now that my son aged out of the program he's not in the band. But Grace is pursuing him to play drums for her original stuff and I really hope he does it; she is amazing. She is also super nice and humble and just a great kid. For now at least, I think I can get her to come over and record just about anything, so plan on hearing her again! Someday I will probably lose that privilege. I was croaking out my horrible vocals and I then was like "wait a minute, I know the most talented female singer in town..." It was a good moment. :)
 
So glad you caught the Pink Floyd reference (my favorite band)! I went for the stark contrast of breaking it down to just his voice, but here get what you're saying and I'll experiment with some background/ambient noise. If it works, awesome, if not, I'm sure it'll spark some other idea so thanks!
 
The vocoder is a place holder - as you can tell! I can't believe how challenging it is to do a good vocoder. I'd like to do something like Daft Punk but I'm far far far away. I may have to go into a different direction. That little vocal line but be good elsewhere.
 
Not sure what you mean by "extend her last syllable into the next section" and would love to get clarity on that.
 
It's ironic that your feeling is something missing. I feel it too, but the irony is I've spent the last week removing bits and pieces to make it less cluttered. I think your right it needs more of Grace, and I may have her back to do some flourishes...
 
Thanks again Craig - you made my night when I saw this last night but didn't have time to properly respond.