I've just uploaded "Green Tomatoes," a rough, unmastered mix of a track from my next album. It's a cover of a Rick Braun contemporary jazz tune.
First, here's a video of Braun at work:
Here's my ReverbNation homepage, where you can scroll down and stream my solo blues-up harmonica version:
http://www.reverbnation.com/adamgussow
So here's the question I'm brooding on: Do I release the track more or less as-is, as a solo piece? Or do I drive down to Jackson and ask Jerry Jemmott to play some badass bass on it?
Jerry's presence will cost me.
My wife said, "Add some guitar." Every other cut on the album has more than just me. I'm tempted to let this cut remain the solo keystone to a one=man-band-plus-others album. This cut is pretty much exactly the mix of KICK AND STOMP.
The song really fits your style of playing. I really dig the solo version. but I'm sure it would sound great with Mr. Jemmott as well. So sorry, I guess I'm of no help!
Part of the tune really reminds me of another song? For some reason I'm thinking it's an indie tune from the '90s, maybe early '00s? ----------
That's just great, Adam! Damn! You sure are getting good with the feets! I like it as it is--but bass could fill it out a bit--I don't think it needs guitar at all. . .
Last Edited by on Sep 18, 2011 6:34 PM
I agree with wife and Ryan... add more. The strongest songs you do with the one-man-band format that you cover from others have an extremely catching hook that you come back to, so the listener keeps it going in their head the whole time. This one is not so strong, so maybe could benefit from more behind it. I was just listening to your take on superstition.. that one stands alone for sure. Not to say I do not like this cut, but some help could make it better, imho.
I agree that this could use some bass, or at least some more low end. I also think that if you want this to fly, you should double up the tracks and pan them. As is, the song is straight down the middle, and loses body as a result. Maybe put some subtle reverb across the whole thing, or, if you double them up, across one of them. You could really make those foot drums sound thunderous with the right post-prod work.
@walterharp: I'm intrigued. If you'd asked me, I would have placed this track in the same category as "Buford Chapel Breakdown" and "Sunshine of Your Love," two tracks that have been getting a lot of airplay: relentlessly riff-heavy and repetitive. Hook-y, in a word, in comparison with several other instrumentals I do.
@tf10music: "You could really make those footdrums sound thunderous with the right post-prod work." Hmmm. I agree with you 100% about the need for increased panning, but I think most listeners, if asked about the mix, would say that the drums right now are TOO thunderous, too big and deep and aggressive. I'm not sure I agree that the mix needs to be taken further in that direction. [Edited to add: Somebody on Facebook has already responded to this cut by commenting, "The kick drum volume definitely needs to be lowered a lot though. A bit overwhelming."]
I should make clear that while my version was inspired by Rick Braun's, I was very much trying to translate it, not replicate it. "Now's the Time" is the bebop version of an R&B hit, "The Hucklebuck." Same melody, two completely different orientations.
Last Edited by on Sep 19, 2011 4:30 AM
I say take advantage of the opportunity and make the fullest recording you can-obviously, most of your live performances will be just you in a OMB format-but why not have a recording that has the extra flavor in it? There's no steadfast rule that says you must be able to recreate live EXACTLY what you did in the studio-if so, Led Zeppelin would have been screwed. Although I do personally dig the OMB stuff, my ears perk up when I hear some tasty bass in there every now and then, or maybe a little B3 action sprinkled in. It breaks the monotony.
I categorize bands into to groups-live bands and studio bands. Either an act can't be truly appreciated until seen in a live show, due to the synergy of the members and their being charged up in front of a crowd, or the band is basically a bore live, but their recordings are lush and intricate works of art. Some can pull off both, but it's a rarity, at least in the rock world. ---------- Todd L. Greene
@kudzu hey what do i know? "Buford Chapel Breakdown" has a totally kicking intro two lines then you punch it with the two hole bend... and "Sunshine of Your Love,", everybody knows that hook. the demo you put out did not seem to me to carry that as well, but what i like may vary, and you have the experience. the only hook you ever played that bugged me was quoting "get back".. but then i have a weird thing about people quoting the beatles and it pisses me off cause once i heard it from you, i started doing it at times
all things considered you have set yourself a very very high bar with kick and stomp.. hell chris said he listened to it twice and that he never even listened to harmonica players..
Make two CDs: One solo, the other solo+. Offer them individually or together at a discount. You'll make more money off people like me that like both styles. ---------- Ozark Rich __________ ##########
Ozark: That's a fascinating idea. Truth is, of the eleven cuts on the new album, ONLY "Green Tomatoes" is, at this point, still in OMB format. Most of the others were recorded that way, but then I've added a fair number of overdubs: guitar (often my own rhythm guitar work, but also some by another guitarist), keyboards, bass, drums, depending on the track. One track has me singing while I play guitar, with drums and upright bass then added. Another was tracked with me thumping my foot on the floor and slapping my thigh for seven minutes, then singing and blowing harp; we added Elvis-style rockabilly guitar and drums and took the original foot/slap out. So the new album has a wide range of sounds. I think people will be surprised at the range, frankly.
Last Edited by on Sep 19, 2011 9:07 AM
If there's already a wide range of sounds, you should leave this one the way it is. You should have at least 1 track of this style on it, for reasons of diversity at least. ----------
When I hear you play live—solo or with Mr. Satan—it sounds great & full enough as is: no need for other instruments. But for me something gets a bit lost when that live sound is translated to a recording: and this really didn't hit home until I heard how good "Back in the Game" sounded—how the sound of the full band was almost needed to make up for the lack of being there live.
Then again, if "Green Tomatoes" is the only one in OMB format, well, variety from song to song is usually a plus, so maybe it's best to leave it exactly as is! Sounds damn good to my ears, for what it's worth.
"@tf10music: "You could really make those footdrums sound thunderous with the right post-prod work." Hmmm. I agree with you 100% about the need for increased panning, but I think most listeners, if asked about the mix, would say that the drums right now are TOO thunderous, too big and deep and aggressive. I'm not sure I agree that the mix needs to be taken further in that direction. [Edited to add: Somebody on Facebook has already responded to this cut by commenting, "The kick drum volume definitely needs to be lowered a lot though. A bit overwhelming."]"
Depending on the age of the listener, that would make sense. I'm from the dubstep generation, so I can't get enough of the giant low-end percussion. I know that I've been trying to get a bit more of a 'contemporary' sound by playing over trance and electronica beats, which is a little bit drastic, but it's been educational, if nothing else.
It IS something to think about, if only for the benefit of giving the speakers more work to do. Another benefit is that pauses and brief silences become that much more emphatic due to the contrast. I really like it as is, though, and wish that I had your sense of rhythm (let alone your abilities on the harp). Alas...
@kudzurunner... cool track! I definitely hear some funky bass happening.
Question... During the solo section where you go to the 5 chord; do you stay on the 5 throughout the lead? It kind of sounds like you go 4 and down to 1 before you go back to the melody. Would you be so kind to explain what you were thinking/hearing/implying in that section?
Listened to both of them. I like your version the way it is, but if you really feel the need to add something, I would add an organ. Just my two cents.
If the wife says add some guitar, I think that would be the choice to make. Women are natoriously intuitional and rather she is a musician or not doesn't take presidence what does take presidence is being a listener of music (knowing what sounds good to them) and being of the intuitional sex...the old guy
I'm pretty much staying on the V chord. More precisely, I'm playing the Bb harp in third position, with a fair amount of imprecision masked by a lot of spirited movement.
As it turns out, I'm using Jerry Jemmott to add bass on two other tracks on the album, but I can't afford to pay him for a third song. At this point, I'm leaning towards leaving the track as it is. I tried playing funk guitar along with it and couldn't find anything that sounded right. I don't really play the style that the guitarist on the original recording plays--little wah-wahed blues licks--and I'm not good enough to play the style that the guy in the video plays. But I COULD bring Bill Perry back to play keyboards on it, with a stress on the low end; that would fill out the sound and provide some bass.
Edited to add: There are several other options for spicing up the cit.
#!: I might be able to double the harp signal--from one or both close-miked amps, I mean--and run that second through an octave pedal or the equivalent, lowering the signal one octave, then pan that bassy harp signal in creative ways. This could be a way of keeping the one man band thing intact on this cut, yet somehow enlarging the sound.
#2: I could bring a horn player into the studio and have him double or harmonize with my harp melody line.
#3: I could do both things.
Last Edited by on Sep 22, 2011 1:29 PM
"#!: I might be able to double the harp signal--from one or both close-miked amps, I mean--and run that second through an octave pedal or the equivalent, lowering the signal one octave, then pan that bassy harp signal in creative ways. This could be a way of keeping the one man band thing intact on this cut, yet somehow enlarging the sound."
One thing I've found useful has been to do stuff like that after the fact on the computer. In other words, you take the track you've already recorded, and double it up. This provides the sound with more body. Then you effect one of the doubled tracks...so if you wanted an octave pedal type effect, you could do that to one of them. This method allows for more control, because you can play with the levels and panning really easily. But that'd only work if you've recorded the foot drums and the harp in separate channels or something of the like. Are you running the harp through an interface or just mic'ing everything up?
@kudzurunner I second what OzarkRich said. I hope you continue recording doing the one-man-band (harp/kick drum) thing. I dig your album Kick and Stomp. It seems to get better each time I play it. That's the sign of a good album-one that grows on you instead of off you. Of course overdubbing other instruments or using supporting musicians is cool too and I love Satan and Adam but I do hope you stay with the kick and stomp set-up part of the time.
I would leave it as is. It doesn't need any more instrumentation added. It kicks more ass solo. This song sounds tough and in this instance adding someone else's "help" won't go for the jugular in the same fashion.
I think the track stands on its own. When you want to record with bass, arrange to include the bass. You don't add something to something designed one way by adding something else after the fact. And having a solo piece on the CD pays homage to your roots. I'm with Sammy: "If there's already a wide range of sounds, you should leave this one the way it is. " ---------- /Greg
I came up with a few ideas... some were a lot more funky, but I felt they were too busy and I decided to simplify. I tried not to take the focus away from the harp. I think it sounds good.
I love it! I've already emailed you privately, but I'll just say: Great work. I think you've added the magic touch. When I open for Clapton at the Garden, Mr. Bruce, you will definitely be coming up for the encore. I hope we can use your part on the album.
@Adam, the email I sent you did not go through because of the huge WAV file attached. I just resent it through Yousendit.com. Please let me know you got it!
