A song I played for years in bands yet never having heard the original until the other day...this would be the version I've always played...Enjoy!
 
 
https://soundcloud.com/mark-casta/friend-of-the-devil-cover
 

LOL... Just been racking my brain for a few minutes there, cos I was thinking, I've heard a cover of this track in the last week or so...
 
I found it on page 2 by the Dead Covers Project.
 
Anyway, having just listened to your version Mark, I thought I'd better familiarise myself with the original. I've not heard much Grateful Dead stuff to be honest.
 
I think your cover is cleaner and better polished than the original.
 
 
cheers
 
andy

Uber clean. Having heard your mixes before I'm not surprised, you are really talented putting it all together and having such great separation between instruments.
 
I would love to know anything you would care to share about your vocal chain. Your background vocals in particular are processed to perfection, I'd say. Sounds like you are doubling your lead vocal but you've got some magic happening on those. 
 
Summing it up, it all sounds just great! Thanks for the share, that was a treat to listen to!
 
-Tom

emeraldsoul
Thanks for the compliments, they are much appreciated!
 
This is a really small mix...since I played the song for a long time I actually knew all the parts so it went quickly.
 
The drums (which aren't anything like the original) just a simple train beat with a few fills. NY Compression Boosted high and lows EQ through a hard LA2A plugin by T-Racks. I blend the original drum track with the Comp track. I use Superior Drummer and there is some room reverb but it is just for light coloring.
 
Scarbee Bass compressed a bit wit the low end rolled off a bit.
 
I used Indiginus Acoustic Guitar as the main guitar (the one you hear in the intro) I used the stock reverb.
I panned hard left and right two instances of Real Guitar (each a different sounding mono acoustic)
all that bouncing is programmed in with velocity.
 
The lead acoustic is another instance of Indiginus...I threw a little delay on it....
 
The Vocals were sung very tight with a slight bit of BlueVerb and BT Oilcan Echo 
I double tracked the vocal (I usually don't) One was perfectly centered and the other panned 2 o'clock and reduced volume until it sounded ok...
 
I always double track the back up vocals...I pan the lower harmonies in tight like 10 and 2 o'clock and the high harmonies I pad wider but no wider than 8 and 4 o'clock. This fans out the vocals nice and wide but not enough to fight with the guitars.
 
I EQ the vocals with a patch that works with my voice and I put compression on as well.
 
The key is I use Waves Vox Rennaisance to level all the takes...that makes all the vocals sound even. I also try really hard to sing as evenly as possible.
 
I will tighten up some vocals with Melodyne. Lifeless harmonies can be reborn with a little pitch fixing. I also use it to match the lengths of the harmonies if I didn't hold a note long enough or I went too long.
 
You asked about separation...panning obviously has a lot to do with it but also a lot of instruments like acoustic guitars and pianos will fight with the vocals. Also low frequencies will accumulate. I'm not much for EQing but rolling off some low end on a lot of instruments creates a lot of space and breathing room...I also shy away from too much reverb and muddy delay lines...rolling off the low end of a reverb will also clear up a mix....rolling off the high end on a digital delay will clear up some sibilance as well.
 
Well I hope that helps. I forgot to mention that I also try to keep certain element s mono like the bass and the lead vocal. All my vocals are recorded on mono tracks but I send the panned backing vocals to a stereo Sub channel. Mono tightens up a lot of tracks....
 
Hope this helps,
Thanks again!
Mark
 
  
 

synkotron
I recorded this about 4 days ago and when I posted it on Soundcloud a few people I don't know immediately shared it. You may have heard it there. I had to fix a problem with that mix and Soundcloud wouldn't let me just relace the new mix so that link won't work.
What you heard tonight is the fixed mix.
 
The original Dead version is totally funky in the beats and I don't think there are any harmonies. It is a strange recording and the singer's vocal has a weird effect on it. I like their version, but I love harmonies and a steadier groove... 
 
My Dead Head friends tell me that they played so many different versions live.
Thanks for listening!
 
Mark

I think it's really neat the way you choose songs to cover.  You're keeping alive some of the most iconic songs of our past that may not be familiar to younger viewers.  You've taken this song and made it your own while not destroying the original's flavor.  Your mixes are consistently great and a template for everyone else.  I sure appreciate the suggestions you've given me, lately, and plan on using them very soon.  Carry on, brother!

Sounds great. Vocals are excellent. You've done the Dead proud...I can't imagine anyone not liking this version.

nice, super clean! like vocals too and overall.. soundcloud seems to make mid-high higher

 
 

synkrotron
LOL... Just been racking my brain for a few minutes there, cos I was thinking, I've heard a cover of this track in the last week or so...
 
I found it on page 2 by the Dead Covers Project.
 
Anyway, having just listened to your version Mark, I thought I'd better familiarise myself with the original. I've not heard much Grateful Dead stuff to be honest.
 
I think your cover is cleaner and better polished than the original.
 
 
cheers
 
andy

Totally agree with this! Man, your voice is so perfect in this...
 
Regards,
Dan
 
 

Thanks everybody...I played in a cover band in San Diego for years and this was one of most popular songs. We would do it for unplugged acoustic shows. I have to give credit for this particular arrangement to my other two band mates. They sang all the harmonies. Since we never taped our shows I had to try and remember what parts they played and sang. They're still gigging regularly but they've changed the arrangement over the years. It is a really fun song to perform live.
 
I'm glad that I'm getting good vibes from the Dead Heads.
 
Dan & Lynn...I really like the tracks you guys have done recently. I know we all like to talk about mixes and plugins but the music you guys are making is really special....the music is what's most important! Keep them coming!!!
 
Cheers!