Back to the Pod-Theme for Young Lovers

[macnik]

Hope you all had a relaxing Christmas.

I've changed back from my tonelab to my PodPro, to record TFYL giving it a rounder tone. This is my own slant on one of the favourites. Just hope you like it. Any constructive responses will be appreciated.

As always Charlie's EFTP is the special ingredient

Hope you like it

Regards
Ian

www.4shared.com/audio/fIM1HyIb/01_Theme_for_Young_Lovers_2.html

[dakwah]

lovely mellow tone, better than from my pod xt. nice bit of improvisation as well

Stan

[macnik]

Thank you Stan for your encouraging comment. I used the Bassman amp for this which I think gives my strat with it's 57/62 pickups a much bigger tone.

Cheers

Ian

[jase]

Nicely played.

I listened to your other TFYL ( 04 TFYL01) on 4 shared and personally thought it sounded better. It may well just be personal preference but I feel it just feels more alive. All said and done both are very nicely played.

[macnik]

Hi Jase

thank you for listening and I found your comment interesting. The backing track is more quiet in this recording compared to the previous one, and I wonder if that is what makes it preferable.

I think I'll increase the volume on it and see if it makes a difference.

Cheers Ian

[jase]

Hi Ian

I should first say that I have very limited knowledge on recording and any comments I make come purely from personal taste. I wouldn't want you to change things just on what I said. I don't think the backing track level is to low. It would be interesting to hear what others think, there's a very good chance that its my hearing not your recording.

[macnik]

Hi Jase

Thank you for your reply. I think your view is positive and relevant and should be considered as such. After all the end result is whether you enjoy one or the other and that has to be based on a personal level. I feel it helps us improve.

Yes it would certainly be interesting to hear points of view from other members.

I have no preference and was just exploring other sound possibilities as an exercise.

Regards
Ian

[Charlie Hall]

Hi Ian,
The guitar sounds pretty good. The problem is with the backing track, it has too much bass and seems to lack clarity. Also it is in mono, possibly the left or right side is missing and what remains has been centered. I think if you can get the backing track in stereo, then EQ it to remove some of excessive bass, and remix it, it will improve the whole recording a lot.
Regards,
Charlie

[macnik]

Good morning Charlie

Many thanks for you advice regarding my recording. I am pleased you think the guitar tone sounds good, and I certainly agree there is something wrong with the b/t. I felt it when mixing, as I couldn't get any separation on it so I'll have another go at it and see if I can get some. Reducing the bass won't be a problem as I overdid it.

Thanks for your help Charlie.

Regards
Ian

[macnik]

Hi Charlie
Here is the remixed version of Theme for Young Lovers. I have reduced the bass, and have had to pan the backing track hard left and right to achieve some separation. As I am suffering from an ear infection which has caused me some loss of hearing in my right ear, I'm not able to tell if the balance and volume levels are correct.

Perhaps you'll be able to advise if this is an improvement.

Many thanks and regards,
Ian

www.4shared.com/audio/8za04kqN/01_Theme_for_Young_Lovers_3.html

[Charlie Hall]

Hi Ian,
It sounds better with the panning but there is still room for improvement. One of the problems is that the backing track is bass heavy anyway, without changing it from its original sound, although even without any compensation it should be sounding better than it does. What recording program or recorder are you using?
I put the recording into Sonar and found that I had to pan it around 20% to the right to get a better balance, although the balance between bass and treble seems to be off. I also got a better sound by using a shelving filter set at -4dB at 150Hz. I made other EQ adjustments that improved it further.
I feel that you should leave this alone until your right ear is better.
Regards,
Charlie

[macnik]

Hi Charlie
Thank you for your quick reply. I'll take your advice and leave it till my ear is better, but in the meantime here are details of what I'm using which is a very simple system.

The recorder is a Fostex 8 track with hard drive MR8-HD, and doesn't have any eq'ing ability unfortunately other than, normal, bright and powerful switches. In order to get this far, I've had to pan the backing tracks one to full left and the other full right.

The b/t is the UBH one and I don't think I can do any more with it as I haven't any other facilities to manipulate the tracks, so will probably have to leave it as is until I can afford a mixer with eq.

Do you think a mixer before the recorder will help to improve matters.

Thanks for all your advice on this one.

Regards
Ian

[Charlie Hall]

Hi Ian,
You might do better to import the recorded tracks into a computer based recording program like Audacity, which as far as I understand is free. You will then be free to make any adjustments you like without having to buy a mixer.
It is normal to have to pan stereo tracks full left and right if the two tracks are separate. In most recording programs, they can be mixed to one stereo track where the pan control will then be at centre. Further adjustments are also easier.
I did notice that your guitar track sounded slightly flat in pitch compared with the backing track. I am not sure why this would be so if you tuned your guitar correctly.
Regards,
Charlie

[macnik]

HI Charlie,

Thank you for further advice. There's food for thought there which I'll consider carefully.

Regards
Ian

[loujones12]

Hi Ian. all in all it's not a bad file. personal choice, i would leave out the extra improvise you did, and keep it as close to the original. muting is quite good, and overall tone is good. regards Lou

[macnik]

Hi Lou,
Thanks for your comment and pleased you liked the different tone. The small improvise has been pushing itself into my mind each time I play this, so eventually had to put it in. I thought it wouldn't be to everyone's liking, but just wanted to take it away slightly from being too much of a Shadows copy. Having done that I can go back to playing it as normal.
Regards
Ian

[john44]

Hi Ian
I enjoyed your TFYL well played and good sound mutted section was good and you came out of it nicely I liked your impro it caught me by surprise first time I think you should carry on with this improvisation and extend it further into this passage because it is different and is your version we have all heard The Shads version many times and most of us play to get that sound you have done something different stick with it mate after all you are not trying to make it a number one hit again just play it the way you want to
Chers John44

[macnik]

Hi John
Thank you for your encouraging reply to my sound file which is much appreciated. I do like to put in a little difference sometimes, as I know my painful hands keep me on the simpler Shadows instrumentals, and in order to keep it "me".

I am pleased you felt it worked and any help on how to extend the impro further will be much appreciated.

Cheers
Ian