Comment

Comment by neanderpaul on November 27, 2016 at 5:00pm

Sweet. Thanks, Derek!

Comment by Derek Rose on November 27, 2016 at 4:38pm

This is great! Does have a 70's vibe, Lobo, Raspberries. Excellent!

Comment by neanderpaul on November 24, 2016 at 3:14am

I was asked on Facebook about my recording process. It has evolved and gotten cleaner. One friend said it has a sheen to it now. I shared my process on Facebook. I figured I would share it here too.

Frank, I can't read music. I don't know music. I just *know music. I'm self-taught on singing, playing, producing.

I was however raised in the church of Christ where a cappella music is the norm. That handed me my ability to harmonize. I also record 6 part harmony 12 track a capella hymns where I double each part and fully pan.

On this song I sang a high harmony throughout and a low harmony on the chorus.

I am using a condenser mic. I am recording with a Fostex VF160EX. It's a standalone CD burner based multitrack recorder. About 15 year old technology.

It was designed to record and mix on. Then you record the mixed down song onto a cd and you're done.

What I do instead is record all the parts I want. Then I record each instrument or vocal onto a single track onto a CDRW. Then I put the CDRW in the computer and open the tracks with audacity, the free multitrack recording program.

It's designed to record, edit, and mix. But unless you have a quality interface latency is a real obstacle.

My Fostex gives me the ability to record 8 simultaneous inputs with great quality and no latency.

So I record on the unit and edit and mix on audacity.

My recording process is this.

I use my phone to make a click track. I record each instrument and try to do it well but not perfect. Then I lay scratch vocals.

Then I go back and replace each instrument one at a time aiming for perfection.

Little nuances tighten up the recording in an organic way similar to a band practicing a song.

Then I rerecord my lead vocal. I pan that to to the left and duplicate the lead vocal panned to the right aiming for perfection.

If a vocal bend isn't the same it sounds bad. If timing and phrasing aren't identical it sounds clumsy. I usually have in mind the precise way that I want to sing and phrase everything. But doubling the lead vocal only works if you are willing to truly duplicate all of the nuances.

I have never used any pitch correction software. Autotune, melodyne, or anything else.

On this song I added a single high harmony and panned it about 20%. Then I added the single low harmony and panned it to the other side about 20%.

Sometimes I double my harmony parts.

I use the Fostex onboard reverb at a Setting of 34/100. And I crank my treble up to positive seven.

There is no adjusting of the reverb at that point once I have committed to a finished vocal track. But 34 is my sweet spot on the reverb.

I know that was probably more information than you were looking for. What can I say? I am thorough. I really enjoy the whole process.

Comment by neanderpaul on November 24, 2016 at 3:13am

Hey thanks, turtlehead! It sure does feel good like the beach doesn't it? :)

Comment by turtlehead on November 23, 2016 at 5:39pm

Beautiful, perfect, the kind of thing I (we) need right now.

Comment by neanderpaul on November 23, 2016 at 5:24pm

Thanks, John! This was a super fun song to record.

Comment by Uncle John on November 23, 2016 at 3:41pm

That water is so turquoise.    Super nice song.   Sounds like a hit out of the late 60s.   Nice all around.