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Creepin – a protest song – master ready?
Hello once more, MP fam!
I have another track I’m looking to get out asap for this season of upheaval and wanted to run the mix through your incredible mastermind filter.
My main q’s:
1. Should the whistle be louder (like PBJ’s Young Folks)?
2. And @-PT ‘s previous notes has got me thinking that mayyybe the intro may not be necessary. Yet it’s a protest song! So does the weird intro fx set the tone (and message) in a cool way or should the drums just blast us off out the gate like ‘Young Folks’? Or maybe that’s the “radio mix”.
3. I often feel these mixes a re bit 2k midrange heavy and I ask myself can that just be fixed in mastering or should it really be dialed in on the mix side?
I’m hoping to develop a better ear likes Dana demonstrated on my Believe in You mix shoot out where he hears, mimics, and cleans up the resonant build up: WAAAAAAHHHH vs HHEEEEEEEHHH.
😂But for real!
Please weigh in where you wish!
ps: per usual, this one is co-produced and choral arranged by the one and only @Nate
Many thanks,
Jeremy
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8 Replies
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Yooo! Ur en fuego, homey! Love that. 🔥 Gives me “hey mickey” vibes, meets Peter Bjorn & John, and lots of other great influences too.
I just gave a listen on my laptop (recent model MBP) and it sounds vast and “partytime!” I’ll have a real listen in the studio tomorrow (err, later today at this point) and follow up with any ideas.
Here’s one for now:
- The telephone bgvs stood out as a little loud, tho that could have been accentuated by my laptop speakers. Also might be fun to swap the telephone for something more unexpected/fresh … maybe push them in the opposite direction with some sort of woofy grimy dark saturation instead? Little more Strokes, little less Beatles, perhaps — Just a thought! Telephone bvs felt a bit “expected” to me, and those bgvs might be an easy opportunity for something slightly more “experimental” if ur feeling cray. 😵💫 ⚡️ 🤘
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Thanks, Dana! If it’s working on the laptop that’s a great sign. I think the BGV’s are too loud.
And, totally Hey Mickey + PBJ… + Radiohead spit + Beachboys harmonies for me.
I love your equal-and-opposite direction take on the BGV and Strokes vs Beatles comparison. Part of me feels more Beatles-y this round as it’s a darker lyric song. But I wanna try it and see what happens!
Many thanks 🙏
And PS: you got share your song/video with everyone. I couldn’t believe your voice! So deeep.
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Jeremy,
Viva la Revolucion! History suggests the next revolution will not be televised, but rather streamed. Your clarion call should be! It’s catchy AF.
Let me address your questions first, then add my observations.
Yes, the whi$tle should be a smidge louder. It’s the defining melodic hook, give it the deserved spotlight.
Once again, I agree with -@PT about the brevity of an intro. Don’t overthink it.
No, the song doesn’t come across 2K heavy, at least in my monitoring scenario. The zippity 8Kish on your vocal does pop out a bit in comparison to the high freqs of the rest of the track. The double track lead vocal in the center might be the cause of that by the sibilance buildup. Some surgical EQ is called for.
Now for my “What ifs”
What if you lose the self-described, weird intro FX and start the song not with the kick drum which we will hear a lot of and is NOT a focal point, but just the handclaps? Very organic and gluten-free. People instinctively know what to do when they hear handclaps…they clap along. Congrats General J, you just recruited compatriots to your cause. Two bars of handclaps / two bars more of handclaps and a taste of the ambient keys sound and right into the drums. HOOK CITY! Play through the whistle part just one time rather than twice because it’s that good and I want to hear it again but let’s get to the message with your first verse. Second time that whi$tle motif happens, I’m wishing it were twice as long. We enjoy an extended stay in that section’s flavor and then get back to your words.
As always, my comments and suggestions are my viewpoint only and not necessarily those of the management here, especially the next one.
First there was the “Hey Mickey,” then the “Hey Ricky” satire of the original. Yours could be the new soundtrack to an I Love Lucy episode with a guest appearance by Lee Harvey Oswald. Or John Wilkes Booth, whichever way your pleasure tends.
PT
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sheesh sounding GREAT
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Man, I know what a Roy sheeeesh means so I’m feeling good. Thanks, boss! 🤑
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Man, your posts are epic. Many thank yous! You might consider blogging about music if you don’t already!
Welcome to the revolution! haha.
All great notes. I’m been feeling that double whistle might be one too many in the intro especially if there’s other intro-stuff. Will experiment with the intro and peep the sibilance.
And I love I love Lucy. Sign me up!
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Jermy, Thanks. I was feelin’ that one and easy to write about because you know, revolution. ✊
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Dig this! Sounds great first listen. Very catchy. Nice!
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