Current version is always on Soundcloud: This track was inspired by the bassline in Rattlesnake by King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard. I just heard the track for the first time this week in the IMF discord. What I like about it is how a dead simple one note bass line with a slight groove at the end of each phrase can almost single highhandedly carry an entire track. The layers around it can greatly change the vibe and feel of what the bass is doing. The track is intended to kind of morph from something sounds kind of like a rock band into a trance track, using the same groove for both. This track also breaks my standard structure of intro, verse, chorus , chorus outro, . verse 2, chorus, ending.
Final Version is Mix 7:
Im at the point where im not sure if what im doing is helping or hurting anymore. Time to move to the next track. I think this is pretty solid, with some minor quirks that im ok with.
Main quirk is the alignment of ‘if you stay here i think your gonna miss me’ not feeling quite right. I messed with this a bunch and just let it be.
Current is Mix 6:
Brought out the tap tap of the high hats more throughout. I think its important it be heard at all times.
Thickened up the chugging bass a bit , i think at the expense of the vocal. I may tinker them more later but that is all for today.
Mix 5:
Thickened up the vocals in a few spots.
Added light reverb and gating to the distorted bass thing that got adjusted in mix 4 – its got a cooler texture now (i think)
Added a pan automation to the dancy high eq synth thing in the middle of the track
Adjusted compression on the slap bass low hits.
Mix 4:
I doubled up several layers. The most important one being the distorted repeating bass line (one of many basses) but i split it more into the stereo field and used distortion to better sit it in the mix.
The vocals got a lot of reverb removed. Im tightening up the overall sound and am trying to get rid of some things filling spaces. This makes them easier to understand as well.
A high hat got copied in moved into a new spot in the stereo field as well.
The detuned bass fill got brought out more (it only happens once) but it sounds cool, so lets make it louder.
More spice in the synth garnishes : in 2 spots i added layers to just a few notes here and there in key moments.
The drums got worked on – with adjustments to pitch, pan, and eq.
More low end added to outro bass riff
Mix 3:
A lot more eq clean up, I took inventory of what sounds were peaking where, i tried to better give each element a spot in the overall eq.
There are a few parts not quite right but overall I think its much cleaner, the drums come through better now. I also raised a ‘fake real bass’ part that lays under the actual real bass part by an octave and upped its db a tad , its much more noticeable now and the ‘chug’ of the song holds better (i think).
The ‘rap verse’ was brought in a 2nd time in the trance break after the ohhhhh ahhhh thing.
A new bass part was added to the outro – i think its much more interesting now at the end.
A single note from a pair of distorted synths is added to the transition into the ending.
Slight tweaks to the vocal layers and their alignment – better but still feels kinda wrong just barely in a few spots.
I spiced up a few of the garnishes like the synth bass flair in one spot with an extra layer with digital delay on it – its still not spicy enough.
I also brought out a pitched down take of the bass part in one bar, it has an odd sound for the end of phrase lick and I kind of like it and used it for 1 bar.
Moved LANDR export back to medium intensity from high, the drums seem to punch a little better on medium.
Mix 2:
https://www.landr.com/signup?collaborationCode=651ea7fb-3318-4301-8fae-0eb11dc8847c
I fixed some slight issues with vocal alignment, and alignment of the bass parts – The timing still isn’t perfect on all the vocals, and will tinker with that more. . Misc EQ carving and adjustments throughout. More vocal processing and adjustments – they are getting a pretty cool sound / tone but need more brightness i think. Change the LANDR mastering settings from medium to high intensity. Im considering a synth solo in the 2nd break before the last ‘come with me’ chorus.
Mix 1:
https://www.landr.com/signup?collaborationCode=8a26289c-6dd4-4af6-91e3-2736d5ee5d3d
Its still not where i want it but going in the right direction . i thickened up the ‘mono voice’ sections a bit and applied more effects and processing – vocals are still not right and need more work , I also better time aligned the vocals theres a couple spots out of time still (just a hair). The bass solo forward got worked on with more layers, a new lead distorted thing, i brought back the rhodes organ and brought forward the deep pulsing bass. I think it now better holds the drive from the intro but in a new form – a trance track vs a more rock track in the first half. I need to re-take a few vocal sections on the low voice yet. I also want to consider changing the ending and extending the track a bit longer.
Feedback Phase :
https://www.landr.com/signup?collaborationCode=5ecb387a-11e3-4b8a-ad5c-02990ffbeb3c
Main take aways – all vocals needed adjusting -. Some of the drive of the track was being lost in the post bass groove section when the organ gets introduced. It should maybe go longer. There are clashing tones in the 2nd half especially.