Show Me Your Covers

[PelliX]

Alright, another Stones track for a change...

Some Connemara Irish whiskey as well as a fair amount of strong coffee went into this one. The album version just fades out, and I worked out a length that would allow the right time for that fade, so the bassline ends there together with the drums. The singer kept on going, so I did for those parts, too. The call/response at end really adds something, I think. As it happens, I'll be sitting down with the drummer to work out how to end it exactly and I'm thinking we keep the full 'extra tail' with the rhythm and lead guitars and vocals. Perhaps just a hi-hat keeping time until the end, not sure yet. Very much work in progress, but this thread went a bit silent and that's a shame!

Well, we got the drums recorded. We went with a pretty "free" take for the drums and I'm happy with it. I might fade out the drums at the end until the final snare frill.

The Last Time (proper drums)

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[PelliX]

So here's a bit of a lame one, but there's method to the madness. I'm trying to recruit a steady bass player for the band - currently that's mostly me for recordings. I have my eyes set on a guy who's really not half bad - but he was initially dismissive due to it taking too much time and so on. I know he plays this song up and down in his sleep and he really digs it, so I figured we'd just do the song and pretty much say "well, here it is - your call". It's not exactly one of my favorites, but the keyboard riff is kind of fun and I dig the lead guitar towards the end.

Summer of '69 (with me on bass, intentionally sounding a little lame...):

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[ReWind James]

Cool thread! Here's a bunch of my covers.

Mostly 1960s chrome, but the three on the left column are nickel PAF covers.

 

[thesunship]

Joined a Cars tribute band so I'm learning Elliott Easton's parts as closely as possible. Nice stuff, not typical guitar parts, really cool solos, hard backing vocals (not heard here) . Keeps me busy. Hope you like it.

 

[Whizzercone]

http://sndup.net/spd24

Just for the funz.

 

[PelliX]

http://sndup.net/spd24

Just for the funz.

There's some sweet guitar going on in there, mate. Dig it! Also, again, the drummer is putting some feel in. I'd love to hear that in a slightly clearer mix.

On the note of something a little more lo-fi, the singer came along and suggested this little number yesterday. It's another one with a funny twist. The song was written by Chip Taylor, though I have no idea what he had in mind as far as the solo goes, or whether he even envisioned one. The Troggs obviously brought the song into the spotlight with their timeless rendition using an ocarina - though, legend has it that the concept of the solo was created by one of the producers simply whistling into his hands. Our singer played the ocarina on this, and nailed it with the "off pitch" touch et al.

Wild Thing

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[Whizzercone]

There's some sweet guitar going on in there, mate. Dig it! Also, again, the drummer is putting some feel in. I'd love to hear that in a slightly clearer mix.

On the note of something a little more lo-fi, the singer came along and suggested this little number yesterday. It's another one with a funny twist. The song was written by Chip Taylor, though I have no idea what he had in mind as far as the solo goes, or whether he even envisioned one. The Troggs obviously brought the song into the spotlight with their timeless rendition using an ocarina - though, legend has it that the concept of the solo was created by one of the producers simply whistling into his hands. Our singer played the ocarina on this, and nailed it with the "off pitch" touch et al.

Wild Thing

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It's from phone video unfortunately. Guitar is a TT Yamaha > JVM410H OD2 > 1960 AX.

 

[PelliX]

Well, the other day our singer suggested covering Janis Joplin's rendition of Bobby McGee (which is actually about Barbara McKee - fun trivia fact). I was a bit reluctant because it's a stretch for anyone to sing unless you're Janis and the keyboard parts are a bit beyond my level. However, later that day, alone, I started working out the chords and the melody etc, but I like to go back to the roots, so I heard the original by none other than Kris Kristofferson. I like Kris, but I'm not a big fan of his music, honestly. I can appreciate a bit of country, though. So I saw that the Man In Black had covered it, too. Well, Mr Cash, RIP, didn't exactly take it to the cleaners either, but there was something there. Something about the slower country pace really stuck in my head, it's as if the melody has room to come to life that way. Well, intoxicated and shameless as ever I proceeded to put down a basic chord strumming guitar track and worked a bit on the piano which is fairly absent from most renditions. Then I played probably the simplest bass line I've ever done (maybe not counting Pink Floyd's One Of These Days), but I think it matches the original. Finally, due to heightened levels of beer and Jack Daniels, I scrapped the guitar track and sat down with two mics on the Hummingbird and a 58 plonked in front of my face. We *are* going to see where we get with Janis' version, but here's a load of drunk fun with the tune and a megatonne of bad vocals ( @StingRay85 , fire me!)

Bobby McGee

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I'll honestly admit that everything after the last shared verse that Janis sings, too is an improv. I was strumming and singing and realized I had run out of lyrics - but hey, don't stop the music as they say. I double tracked the vocals for the chorus' but skipped the outro as I still hadn't recalled the proper text. At least I didn't lose count to get the chord changes ...

 

[tubes]

So here's a bit of a lame one, but there's method to the madness. I'm trying to recruit a steady bass player for the band - currently that's mostly me for recordings. I have my eyes set on a guy who's really not half bad - but he was initially dismissive due to it taking too much time and so on. I know he plays this song up and down in his sleep and he really digs it, so I figured we'd just do the song and pretty much say "well, here it is - your call". It's not exactly one of my favorites, but the keyboard riff is kind of fun and I dig the lead guitar towards the end.

Summer of '69 (with me on bass, intentionally sounding a little lame...):

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I thought that link was very suspicious, so, naturally, I clicked on it with great enthusiasm.

In my uneducated opinion the vocals let you down here.
You could get away with this if it was folk music with a Bob Dylan tone.
But the rest of the mix is aiming at a fullness, so you need a vocalist with a more 'full' voice.
To put it another way: the mix was good but the vocals were thin and reedy in comparison.
I should probably listen to it three more times.

 

[PelliX]

I thought that link was very suspicious, so, naturally, I clicked on it with great enthusiasm.

Well, that's your problem, right there!

In my uneducated opinion the vocals let you down here.

I doubt your educated opinion would work in my favor, haha.

You could get away with this if it was folk music with a Bob Dylan tone.
But the rest of the mix is aiming at a fullness, so you need a vocalist with a more 'full' voice.
To put it another way: the mix was good but the vocals were thin and reedy in comparison.

Yeah, I'd agree. I just felt a bit ambitious and tipsy I'll add, and got carried away. I might re-visit it at some later date, but it's not really on the list.

I should probably listen to it three more times.

Nah, just skip the ones where I "sing"!

 

[PelliX]

In my uneducated opinion the vocals let you down here.
You could get away with this if it was folk music with a Bob Dylan tone.
But the rest of the mix is aiming at a fullness, so you need a vocalist with a more 'full' voice.
To put it another way: the mix was good but the vocals were thin and reedy in comparison.
I should probably listen to it three more times.

Still work in progress, but here's a shot at Janis' rendition of Bobby McGee - with our singer, not me at the mic! That song sets the bar pretty high to me, vocally. I guess you just can't clone her performance, you have to give it your own twist.

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I'll apologize up front for the bass line, it's not exactly my forte. I took the liberty to improv a bit there...

 

[SkyMonkey]

Nah, just skip the ones where I "sing"!

Hey, at least you DO sing.

That was the hardest part of anything I recorded, and I only managed a vocal once.
Keep going @PelliX.

I 'Click' for singers!

 

[tubes]

Well, that's your problem, right there!



I doubt your educated opinion would work in my favor, haha.



Yeah, I'd agree. I just felt a bit ambitious and tipsy I'll add, and got carried away. I might re-visit it at some later date, but it's not really on the list.



Nah, just skip the ones where I "sing"!

You're a trooper P.
The vocals in Bobby McGee have a nice low end.

 

[tubes]

Still work in progress, but here's a shot at Janis' rendition of Bobby McGee - with our singer, not me at the mic! That song sets the bar pretty high to me, vocally. I guess you just can't clone her performance, you have to give it your own twist.

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I'll apologize up front for the bass line, it's not exactly my forte. I took the liberty to improv a bit there...

Enjoyable.
>> That song sets the bar pretty high to me, vocally.
Well, yeah: I don't expect you're ever going to sound like a girl.
I like the bass.

 

[PelliX]

The vocals in Bobby McGee have a nice low end.

Thanks on behalf of our singer. See, I have a low end naturally but it gets a bit muddy (well, all of my voice) so my approach for myself is a 58 and a little low end roll off. If I need that really low stuff (like on These Boots Are Made For Walking) I just use the proximity effect of the mic. On something like Janis' Bobby McGee (as opposed to Kris's original) where there's a lot of dynamic range I dual mic her with a 58 and a RODE LDC which seems to suit her quite well and the two blend well most of the time.

Hey, at least you DO sing.

Well, perhaps like Yoko, I "vocalize", seldom have I been accused of singing... My vocal abilities were a big limitation for the selection of music, but when our singer joined we could finally do stuff like Zep and so on.

That was the hardest part of anything I recorded, and I only managed a vocal once.

Pick your battles. You won't see (hear) me doing Ian Gillan, Janis Joplin, Freddie Mercury, etc, etc, etc. Even Rick Parfitt is mostly out of my league. Somewhere here in the thread there's an old recording of me doing the Beatles' Slow Down, that was the first time I managed to get any vocals recorded halfways decently. In retrospect it was crap, but the delivery was there and by the final verse I was inching in the right direction.

You're a trooper P.

Thanks! I just have fun and sometimes things work, sometimes they don't, you know.

Enjoyable.

Cool, glad you enjoyed it

Well, yeah: I don't expect you're ever going to sound like a girl.

Not without a serious testicular injury in any case!

I like the bass.

Yeah, you think? It certainly needs proper EQ'in/mixing. Some bits are OK, I guess. While I enjoy playing relatively easy bass lines I only do it because we currently don't have a bass player.

 

[tubes]

Thanks on behalf of our singer. See, I have a low end naturally but it gets a bit muddy (well, all of my voice) so my approach for myself is a 58 and a little low end roll off. If I need that really low stuff (like on These Boots Are Made For Walking) I just use the proximity effect of the mic. On something like Janis' Bobby McGee (as opposed to Kris's original) where there's a lot of dynamic range I dual mic her with a 58 and a RODE LDC which seems to suit her quite well and the two blend well most of the time.



Well, perhaps like Yoko, I "vocalize", seldom have I been accused of singing... My vocal abilities were a big limitation for the selection of music, but when our singer joined we could finally do stuff like Zep and so on.



Pick your battles. You won't see (hear) me doing Ian Gillan, Janis Joplin, Freddie Mercury, etc, etc, etc. Even Rick Parfitt is mostly out of my league. Somewhere here in the thread there's an old recording of me doing the Beatles' Slow Down, that was the first time I managed to get any vocals recorded halfways decently. In retrospect it was crap, but the delivery was there and by the final verse I was inching in the right direction.



Thanks! I just have fun and sometimes things work, sometimes they don't, you know.



Cool, glad you enjoyed it



Not without a serious testicular injury in any case!



Yeah, you think? It certainly needs proper EQ'in/mixing. Some bits are OK, I guess. While I enjoy playing relatively easy bass lines I only do it because we currently don't have a bass player.

The Bass:
There are so many angles to everything.
I wasn't thinking about the equalization at all.

(But one day I'll be trying to mix a bass and I'll have to come back to you for advice about that.)

I liked the bass for 'groove' reasons. It sounded like it was sticking to the country sensibility but had a little modern flavour added now and then.

 

[PelliX]

I wasn't thinking about the equalization at all.

Some notes stick out like a sore thumb, but I'll get around to that.

I liked the bass for 'groove' reasons. It sounded like it was sticking to the country sensibility but had a little modern flavour added now and then.

Thanks again. See, the original (country) bass line is a doddle - I like it, that's what you heard on the 'country style' rendition with me on vocals. The Holding Company really have a very intricate bass line with lots of stuff going on there. Out of my league, honestly. So after running through the original and playing roughly what I was hearing as far as I could (I only have a 4-string bass and I'm sure he had more) I decided to aim for that, but with an emphasis on 'feel' rather than note-for-note accuracy. It was as close as I could get to the original without bending over backwards and still sounding decent-ish.

(But one day I'll be trying to mix a bass and I'll have to come back to you for advice about that.)

Anytime. I don't do the 'secret sauce' stuff, anyone is welcome to pluck my brain.

 

[PelliX]

So here's something else that was not exactly my choosing, but alright. This is very much a WIP while I've done some mastersing to Bobby McGee and agreed on a new vocal take. Anyhow, Billy Idol's Rebel Yell (prototype).

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[Ramo]

 

[Ramo]