Sorry guys, PMS. I was a bit sensitive yesterday.

This track is super rough. At times the vocals sound like I'm strangling a cat. The mix isn't right, etc. I just threw it together.

Why the heck am I putting this up? I LOVE the harpsichord and string counterpoint in this piece. I've been wanting to share this with you guys, my very special internet friends. You inspire me.

So I just put down a scratch vocal. This is me on the new mic! It's working out quite nicely. I don't have to eq too much like with the other one. These are raw vocals. NO effects. I sang it twice for harmonies.

Red Pepper Bunches

Story behind this song:
The harpsichord & String combination came about a long time ago when I first started writing music on my Mac SE30. About 4 years ago I extended the music and added the piano and tabla and wrote the lyrics and melody. A month ago I added a drum loop from my ACID files and recorded the vocals. The song is about leaving home for the first time to go live with my boyfriend. I had this tree outside my window that I loved and I knew I was going to miss it.

UPDATE: 11/19. I have taken this track down from soundclick. I'll put it back up when it's recorded better. Thanks for listening.

[Edited 11/19/04 7:09am]

UPDATE: 11/21: Ok I put it back up for those who wanted to check it out.
[Edited 11/21/04 10:29am]

There's a beautiful vibe 2 this!
I like the lyrics of the red pepper bunches
& the intro with the harpsichord is very beautiful.
Still a bit rough on the production tho'
but I really like the song.
/peace Manki

The song is not here anymore..
Where did it go???
/peace Manki

"A Question of you."

Ok guys, It's back up. Enjoy the pain.

VinaBlue said:

This is my favorite part. Water sounding keys to visit the water.

The new mic is quality and it feels like the first time I've actually heard your voice. I know they're scratch vocals but what great pipes

Thanks for posting it, work in progress n' all

nice melody...kinda reminds me of Ingrid Chavez. U are really into the middle-eastern world music sounds. good song.

Slave2daGroove said:

Thank U. I was trying to figure out what you meant my the "water sounding keys"... that's the tabla. Wannabe tabla on my keyboard. I didn't make that connection. Thanks for pointing that out.

Feels like the first time, huh? Cool. It's the mic, but you know what else? The seminar I took back in June did a lot for opening me up a bit. I've got a long way to go, but I could feel my throat opening up more while recording this. There is a rawness and a power that is coming out, but it still feels kinda fragile. So, I thank you for the compliment. Also, there are NO effects on this. I don't even think I eq'd it. So you are hearing my voice for the first time...

*blush*

talmuzic said:

Thanks. I dig Ingrid's cd. Yes, I love middle-eastern sounds.

manki said:

Thanks for listening. You know what? I just realized, there isn't harpsichord on this. It's a mandolin sound on my Korg. Originally it was harpsichord on my Yamaha FB-01 tone generator, which had a pretty good harpsichord sound from what I remember. I'm gonna re-record it with that Yamaha box and see how it comes out.

This is lovely. Simple and clean. Can notice your new equipment giving you less stress, and as a result a more relaxed feel. Let's hear more !

my input, (you know, since you didn't axe) is that you need to process the hell out of the vocals - through a compressor. I'm talking about WHILE you're recording. Not during the mixdown. Either a nice cheapo mic pre-amp with compressor, or some vocal box. You've got a nice voice but the volume change is too drastic. I know I know, it's a scratch vocal - i'm just trying to help you get a solid scratch vocal, because, well, because I care.

otan said:

I wanted to axe... so I'm glad you put your


Thanks. These are exactly the kind of things I need to know. I have no idea what the F I'm doing. I know, I know... I should read books about recording, but I am a hands on/ visual person. You simply telling me to get a compressor to use while I'm recording is priceless information to me. While most people might know this stuff and think it's a given, I sometimes sit here pulling my hair out and crying because my voice sounds weird coming through the speakers. Then I feel like I'm a phoney because I have to clean it up and add effects or whatever. Meanwhile, everyone else is using all this equipment to sound good and "natural" and I have no clue.

Thanks Beau, I know you care.

This is the kind of help that I look for, too. Believe me - I have no clue, either. I just want to plug stuff in and play and sing. You do a lot more of that technical computerized mumbo-jumbo than I do. I haven't gotten a chance to listen because soundclick is blocked here at work. The words are pretty, though. BTW, how did I get on the Vina "ignore" list??

artist08 said:

What!?!?!? You know I don't need to put you on no list to ignore you!

Sorry babe, I've been real busy. Moving, re-organizing my life, trying to buy a car now that I don't have a boyfriend... (He also took the dvd theater system, but I have the bed and he sleeps on the floor.

Anywho, I gotta shop for a dvd system now because I have these awesome dvds to watch and no player!!!) Meanwhile trying to learn this recording stuff... Sooooo lots going on. But I will listen to your track soon.

Interesting side note: I wrote this when I moved from home to live with my boyfriend. Now that we decided to separate, I ended up going back because my best friend wasn't able to move in with me just yet and living back home was the best option. We had already been waiting a few months for my friend to move in so my boyfriend (ex) could move out and we were wearing thin... Anywho, it's interesting that now I'm back in the same room, with the tree and this song has been revived...

Funny how these things happen, huh?

VinaBlue Said (to otan):

artist08 said:

I recently checked out otan's site :
http://www.funkmusician.c.../index.php
and found that he's set the place up with really precise technical based Forums.
It's a shame that more people aren't accessing it, probably coz this forum is teeming with music product, and otan's always around; but hey i reckon it would be great to get more tech. threads happening @ Funk Musician

What a treat for me, I get to listen to your new track right before I go to work. This song has a very interesting sound. I especially liked the intro and outro sequences. This tune just creeps up on you at the beginning, I really like the way you arranged this.

The vocals are a bit too loud. You need to kill some of the vocal dynamics. That's why god created a compressor, throw a compressor on the vox and start at the bottom of the fader and work your way up.

The lyrics are bit abstract, but allow the listener to pen their own experiences to it.

"My brown eyes are in love with the sea"

I love that line.

keep them coming.

ToyStein said:

Thanks Toy, I was really hoping you would hear this and give me some feedback. Now that I have a kick-ass mic, the next thing is to get a compressor. Never had this "too loud" problem before...the old mic and my timidness kinda took care of that, lol! Like I said before, the vocal seminar did a lot for "opening me up"... now I gotta put a lid on it. *giggles*

Anywho, I'm really pleased that you liked the piece, the arrangement and the lyrics and that you consider it a "treat" to hear something new from me. Makes me feel good.

Ok...um.... Nothing happened!

Vina, I'm glad your back on track creativly.

As for the compressor - I wouldn't worry about buying a (physical) compressor and putting it in the chain, although it wouldn't hurt but for now, as long as your levels arn't clipping you'll pretty much get the same thing just using a compressor plug-in after you've recorded. The difference being is you'll have the option of changing the compressor parameters later, while if it's hardware your stuck with what you got while tracking.

You might also want to work the mic a bit. By this I mean when you open up your voice, back off the mic a bit. Play around with it. It takes a little practice, but in time you won't even know you're doing it.

well, for what it's worth I hope that helps.

'For a limited time' indeed...

Vina, you have a beautiful (and sexy) voice. I like your music; in fact, as I continue to try new things musically, I'm inspired by a lot of people in the org Artist Community.

I'm sorry I missed this one; it can be cool to hear stuff while in the early developmental stages. Given the feedback you have received, I feel like I just got an invite in the mail for the party of the year...a party which happened a month ago.

I'll keep my eyes peeled for a repost.

todd305 said:

How sweet you are! I don't think I've seen you in here before... I'm glad you posted because I listened to your tracks and I really like them!

I took this track down because it was sooooo embarassing and it was getting lots of plays and on the Electronica:Mellow charts at #27. I didn't want it to represent me because it was so rough. I guess I could have "retired" it from the charts and left it up for others to check out. I will keep working on it though, and put up a better version.

I know what you mean though, I like hearing things in the beginning stages. It's like hearing crappy demos from your favorite artist sometimes and you hear the origin of a song. This one had a lame loop on it. I'd love some kind of world rhythm or just whatever it might inspire in someone who is experienced with beats.

Thanks again for the compliments.

Of course you take it down NOW right as I click to finally listen to it! Sheesh! I'm sure it was as good as the shit that I'm putting on there right now...lol.

artist08 said:

Aiiight. I put it back up. http://www.soundclick.com...amusic.htm

Very nice song Vina

That is the basis of a good song Vina, I like it! But indeed, the production is still rough though (the loop thing, yes), and you'll have to work out the dynamics with the mic. And there seems to be something wrong with the timing/ quantisizing (I think it is the piano bass lines), but maybe that was done intentionally?

Can't give you any tips on the mic though because I have no experience in recording vocals at my place. But I received a note from the post delivery yesterday that they tried to deliver a package, and that package might just contain my new soundcard! So soon I will have the same "problem" of having to find out how to record my vocals in the best possible way, yes!

funkaholic1972 said:

Thanks! Yes, another reason I didn't want this up for too long is that the quantizing wasn't quite right yet. It was on a Mac originally and I transferred the midi info to the PC. So it got a little off in the process. I just wanted to share the basic idea with my homeboys.