I like the design. As far as the video / song, I think it is excellent even though this is not a style of music I listen to.
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Lead guitar does not like my tee shirt design.
- Thread starter njones89
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Typical lack of objectivity, paying for the vid is a poor excuse. Your guitar player and I would be having some real problems.
I agree with a few others. I kind of like the design. I would not buy a white shirt. That would look just fine if the black becomes another color. I think it would look really cool as a dark or medium gray on a black shirt.
Quite enjoyed that tho I could have done without the death metal vocals. Singers got a good enough voice to properly showcase all the way through.
Ha! If you want to really annoy your guitarist tell him that he might have a fancy schmancy 8 string Ibanez but he needs to practice more to a metronome and think a lot more about his note placement in the solo intro section where a number of the figures and overdubs step on top of each other. Oh, and point out that he slightly mistimes some fills around the 1:00 to 1:20 mark. That'll bug him.
Apart from that sounds great. Rhythm section's super tight!
I agree, and the guitarist would also probably agree with you. Instead of using the Kemper like me, he had to mic his mini rectifier with cab, and because everything has to be cranked, and because he has to use an 8 string guitar and have xtra distortion, it sounds weak and flat. I think afterward he realized that being stubborn was an issue. "Poor micing placement" was blamed for the problems. Then again, I would really like to redo the chorus bassline because I came up with something better since. It's like, dammit! Why didn't I do that before
ah well. Just having to move forward. The quick parts were really tough for me to record because it was at the limit of my ability at the time... I actually think it's kinda slow now.
Ha ha ha! Most of the best heavily distorted sounds are actually a lot less distorted than you think when you actually analyse them!
Then again, I would really like to redo the chorus bassline because I came up with something better since. It's like, dammit! Why didn't I do that before
Nah, just save the varied line for the live album!!!
Also agree with your comments. It is hard to follow in a live performance; I have to watch his head bobbing to get it right because the note placement does throw me off. I think this was intentional because he likes to write difficult parts. I can't say whether this is executed well or not, but he was very frustrated when he was tracking his parts lol. There was a show where his delay time was set too high and that was not a good performance LOL. I am not sure if it is intentional or if he doesn't have the best sense of rhythm. I think it would be fine without the harsh vocals. But my bandmates want and try so hard for this stuff to be metal. I don't really think it fits that genre, especially the other stuff. I have suggested before to just BE ORIGINAL, and that is what I guess is being expressed through the idea of a black print on white shirt... to further this point, we usually get told at metal gigs that we need more screaming and more brootal, I think we need to dial it back and try to get a larger audience by playing other kinds of shows. I'm the only one though. Some of the bandmates are uncomfortable with the non-metal shows and feel like we can't play these kinds of songs.
I mean, I'm a big believer in mic'ing up cabs.I agree, and the guitarist would also probably agree with you. Instead of using the Kemper like me, he had to mic his mini rectifier with cab, and because everything has to be cranked, and because he has to use an 8 string guitar and have xtra distortion, it sounds weak and flat. I think afterward he realized that being stubborn was an issue. "Poor micing placement" was blamed for the problems. Then again, I would really like to redo the chorus bassline because I came up with something better since. It's like, dammit! Why didn't I do that before
For Catapult's new album that we're about to release, this was the setup for the bass cab (the amp was in the other room, with a long speaker cable going through the cat door):
For guitar, it was similar:
Yes, everything should be cranked up, but a general rule I've discovered when recording is that guitar needs less distortion than you would expect, and bass needs more. This is partly because generally guitar is going to be double tracked, while bass isn't.
Of course, part of it is also that generally 8 string guitars don't sound very good, in my experience. At least not across all the strings, especially the lower ones.
I know what you mean about wishing you could re-do stuff. There's stuff on the new album that, because I recorded it quite a while ago now, I play differently now, and/or use different effects for. But oh well. All music is ultimately a work in progress.
Thanks for your input Sartori. I just got my first amp/head rig not too long ago, and it's a cheapy newer Acoustic 410 with a 200w head. It doesn't sound that great, but it has the volume that my 15" combo doesn't have in the lows. Being as this was my first recording, I was impressed with what the Kemper could do, but knowing that my dream rig is a GK RB, I'd probably mic it if I had it. I think the problem with his tracks is that yes there was too much distortion. He got into it with the engineer about that at the time, too... I think if he would have just taken the suggestions and had an open mind, it probably would sound better...
He did at one point mention getting a 9 string... to that I suggested that he consider something like a Legator with the soapbar config and larger scale length... or those dynamic pickups (forget what they're called exactly). He didn't say anything... I know he uses lighter gauge strings on that thing. I suggested also dialing down the bass eq on the amp, but "bass eq is essential to the heavy tone". I think he realizes he would not be able to play the parts as well with a longer scale length and thicker strings... he didn't seem to understand how scale length affects my ability to play some fast parts in unison with him, but perhaps that example helped him to realize, lol.
He did at one point mention getting a 9 string... to that I suggested that he consider something like a Legator with the soapbar config and larger scale length... or those dynamic pickups (forget what they're called exactly). He didn't say anything... I know he uses lighter gauge strings on that thing. I suggested also dialing down the bass eq on the amp, but "bass eq is essential to the heavy tone". I think he realizes he would not be able to play the parts as well with a longer scale length and thicker strings... he didn't seem to understand how scale length affects my ability to play some fast parts in unison with him, but perhaps that example helped him to realize, lol.
Get them to listen to my mates' band Threshold and maybe they'll see that prog can still be plenty metal! PS The amount of Dan Swano you get as a novelty addition on Slipstream (first track) is about as much DM Vox as I'd want on any album, lol!
Sorry, no white, white does not exist in a blacksmith's shop. Charcoal, yes greys, yes, reds, yellows orange, maybe.
Black anvil on a grey or charcoal wife-beater maybe. anvil on Dickee t-shirt colors, or even carhartt colors.
Look up some color coding for metal, lettering in lumber marker colors,
Black anvil on a grey or charcoal wife-beater maybe. anvil on Dickee t-shirt colors, or even carhartt colors.
Look up some color coding for metal, lettering in lumber marker colors,
Another thing is that on good guitar amps, you don't have to use extreme EQ to get good sounds.
On my Sunn Model T (reissue), I've usually left the EQ section pretty near center. Slight boost to treble and presence with an even smaller boost to bass.
A lot of guitarists don't realize this and end up getting bad sounds from good amps. Does he use active pickups? Cause it kinda sounds like he does.
Also I generally try to avoid playing too much in unison with the guitarists.
As for bass rigs... look used. GK RB amps can be found used for very cheap. Same with big old Mesa and Ampeg cabs.
I am not sure what pickups are on it now. It's one of those Ibanez Legacies. He probably swapped the pickups on it, for all I know..
I used a Precision bass for this recording... my old workhorse lol. I just bought a 4-string Helio Legator and it's active. I love it. Output is a little lower than anticipated, though.
Just another belly button in the crowd, but...
I'm no fan or self-appointed expert in this genre, I listen when it happens to cross my path, but I do have a decent ear and subscribe to the maxim "There are only two kinds of music: Good music and bad music."
I think, in this genre, you guys have something really good going on. That is a well-written and produced track. Very authentic, great performances individually and as a band. This should appeal to fans of this genre in your area and you should be able to build a following if you can maintain that standard. Quality is quality, plain and simple.
I don't want to over-think things like tone, which is subjective and I could get really lost in the weeds, but in terms of execution, you guys have it going on.
It's definitely interesting to hear everybody's input. I am not satisfied with the final mix. I think there should be more bass, the guitar tracks are off (and I don't like some of the tucked parts, which I did not hear before the session), and some parts sound off to me. Some of the drumming could have been EQ'd better, but our drummer has a weak snare I guess. Without the experience and technical knowledge of recording, I can't really say what the specific problems are. The guitarist wanted to add keys to the mix, but I think there is a need for more dynamics. Music is the silence between the notes...
I tune down to B in both my metal bands. I just use regular old passive basses. Rickenbacker and Epiphone, mostly.
Anyway, sorry, didn't mean to hijack the thread.
I don't think anyone's ever satisfied with a final mix. Not completely anyway. I agree with you that there should be more bass though, naturally.
