• Songs
  • Mama (Genesis Cover featuring Alkie on vocals) Updated Version
2014/09/27 21:58:49
markno999
Here is a cover of the Genesis song, "MAMA" from their 1983 Album, Genesis (sometimes referred to as the Mama Album.)
 
New Updated Version:
http://www.soundclick.com/player/single_player.cfm?songid=12931900&q=hi&newref=1
 
This updated final version includes some minor volume changes in addition to changing out the organ during the Bridge part.   Alkie provided a better sounding organ for this part.   Also cleaned up the Koto a bit.   These updates are in addition to the last update that included a new lead synth sound.   Based on information provided by James, I found a product called The Beast by UVI which is a Synclavier II emulation.   Sounds a lot more like the original Genesis sound.   Also included in this mix is more verb on the lead vocals, and ran the master version through a multi-band compressor.   The old version is still posted below for reference.  Appreciate all the comments and suggestions.....
 
First Version:
http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=12927108

 
This cover was sort of an unplanned event. I got an email from Arturia a few weeks back about an anniversary sale. I wasn't really familiar with Arturia but was interested in the Spark Vintage Drum Machines (a bunch of classic drum machines from 70's and 80's including a few Linn Drum machines, Roland, Yamaha, etc...They had a bundle called the V Collection with 30 classic drum machines and some Synths like the ARP 2600, Jupiter 8, Moog Mini, Oberheim SEM, Wurlitzer.   Was playing around with the Linn Drum Machine beats and stumbled across a Mama'ish beat so I decided to do a cover.

Most of my stuff has been traditional classic rock so I haven't experimented that much with synths, or, drum machines so decided to try a different style for this one. This song is all the Arturia synths except for the repeating 16th note synth which is the Synth Magic Quadra Arp (requires Kontakt 4 or higher) I went with Quadra over the Arturia synth for that track because it offered a unique effect that was not available on the Arturia version. The Synth Magic Quadra emulation has a Mama pre-set. The synth is a virtual version of the Arp Quadra that they used on the Genesis record. The percussive hits that Tony Banks triggered with their Linn Drums are triggered with MIDI notes in this virtual instrument, giving the sound an initial percussive hit and then falling off quickly between 16th notes. 

The intro drums are all from the Spark Vintage Linn Drums wiht varying degrees of effects on them. The main kit that comes in later is EZDrummer 2, 80's Drum Kit. The Verb effects are the newly released UAD AMS RMX16 Reverb emulation which Genesis used on much of their stuff after 1982. I am using the AMS emulation on guitars, drums and vocals, the vocal verb is a preset called Reverse Reverb. The vocals are also running through Sound Toys Microshifter which is an Eventide sort of effect popular in the 80's

Once I got done with the backing track I pinged Alan K. (Alkie on the Forum) to see if he would be interested in singing on the track, I knew from his previous posts that this was something that he might be interested in, and capable of doing. Sent him the backing track and he returned the vox in something like a day;) Most of the time spent since has been tweaking with mix, Alan had a number of suggestions about the mix, and provided his own mix to convey many of the changes that were incorporated into this final version.

Let us know what you think.

Regards
2014/09/28 06:00:35
jamesg1213
Tough one to attempt I would imagine, 'cos it's a very sparse production, slowly building. Very good version though, all the sounds are pretty faithful except perhaps the high synth, which seems a little weak. Throat wrenching vocal!
2014/09/28 12:14:57
Guitarpima
I haven't heard this song in a long time. The mix is really good. IIRC, the vocal had more reverb on the original. I guess that's not a big deal as your version sound very good.
 
Very well done!!!
2014/09/28 20:17:43
sven450
Nice job.  This is a tough song as it has quite a distinctive vibe which in the cover world is the hardest thing of all to replicate, but you did a nice job!
2014/09/29 14:22:06
markno999
jamesg1213
Tough one to attempt I would imagine, 'cos it's a very sparse production, slowly building. Very good version though, all the sounds are pretty faithful except perhaps the high synth, which seems a little weak. Throat wrenching vocal!




James,
 
Appreciate the listen and comment.   Are referring to the lead synth that sounds a little spooky at the intro and continues throughout in the Genesis version?  If so, I agree with you.   After auditioning a couple hundred sounds, the sound included in this cover is the best one I could come up with.  
 
If you, or anyone,  has a suggestion about to get that sound I would be very appreciative.   I think all the other synth sounds, the percussive synth and the low bass tones, organ, et. al., are pretty close, however, the right synth in that slot would really help bring the track to the next level.    Thanks for pointing it out....

Regards
2014/09/29 14:27:15
daryl1968
Brave song to cover but you managed to pull it off - excellent vocal.
2014/09/29 15:01:23
Anonymungus!
Good Job! from a longtime "old Genesis" fan. Vocals are killer! I agree that the synth part kinda lacks. The rest of it was very impressive.
2014/09/29 15:07:54
jamesg1213
markno999
 
James,
 
Appreciate the listen and comment.   Are referring to the lead synth that sounds a little spooky at the intro and continues throughout in the Genesis version?  If so, I agree with you.   After auditioning a couple hundred sounds, the sound included in this cover is the best one I could come up with.  
 
If you, or anyone,  has a suggestion about to get that sound I would be very appreciative.   I think all the other



Apparently it was a Synclavier II preset, don't know if that helps at all;
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohUTUw0t_kI
2014/09/29 19:04:40
dcumpian
Great job! I would think you could find a better synth in Omnisphere or Zeta. The synth you chose doesn't have enough energy and resonance, if memory serves. BUT, you did a great job capturing the feel of the original!
 
Regards,
Dan
 
2014/09/29 19:34:43
markno999
Robert (Guitarpima) Thanks for the listen.  Appreciate the comment.   I may crank the verb on the vocal a bit yet, not sure.   I am not a big reverb fan so usually tend to keep it dryer, however, the 80's stuff including Mama was drenched in verb so I may have to have another look at it.
 
Sven450- Thanks, appreciate it.  Glad you felt the vibe was captured, it was a lot of work to get that drum part in the intro sounding right.   Seems like that should have been the easiest given it was a drum machine;)  Thx.
 
James - appreciate your follow-up.   Based on your link, I have found some interesting options including UVI's The Beast, which is a re-creation of the Synclavier II.  Also a number of other options out there.  The general consensus seems that the current synth isn't cutting it so I am going to have another go at it. 
 
Regards
 
 
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