Several of you offered very helpful comments on early versions of a song I've been working on that I'm calling "Re:Action". (See threads: http://www.modernbluesharmonica.com/board/board_topic/5560960/609681.htm for the original chordal vamp, and http://www.modernbluesharmonica.com/board/board_topic/5560960/610938.htm for an earlier full version). Well, a lot of what was said about the earlier versions of the song resonated with me, and since I had the day off today, I sat down and worked on it some more. Also, I got everything working again with my computer recording setup using the USB connection from my RP155 to go straight into my recording software (the Linux program "Sound Recorder"), so once I had a version down that I really liked, I recorded a few takes. No post processing was done to the track. Because of the direct USB connection, the sound is much cleaner than in the original video-taped versions. As for changes to the song, I added more melody, and also cleaned up the beatboxing a bit, and extended portions of the rhythm playing. I set the audio track to a little cheesy animation of a schematic harp moving around just to add a bit of visual distraction, and uploaded it to YouTube. The new version is pasted below. Mainly, I just wanted to post it here so those of you that helped me out with advice can see how I went with the track. Thanks again guys!
My computer is broken and I've borrowed my mother's laptop for a couple days. Unfortunately, the speakers stink. What I can hear sounds good but even with the volume maxed the proverbial baby in the next room would be able to sleep even with the laptop miked up and the baby in front of my amp. I'll give it a better listen when I get my computer back online.
Enjoyed that Isaac. I'm following your progress closely. A. Because I know that what you are attempting to do is really quite difficult, and B. You are doing stuff that I hope to try in the future. Keep going. It's interesting.
Thanks Tooka and Nate! Tooka, I didn't realize I had any followers! :) I'll try my very best to live up to your expectations!!!! Really, though.... I've found now that I can start make the music I hear in my head come out of my harp and my looper, that that's what I've been working for all this time. I just love it. It makes me feel really good. I know some folks get that by playing standards, or covers, etc., but I really only get that when I've made a new song of my own come out of my head and into reality.
Did I say this last time? It is coming together nicely. I think you need a much cleaner mic for laying down the beat. It sounds muffled and a huge mismatch to the very clean harp.
Yeah, I'm puzzled by that. I'm using a clean vocal mic for all of it, and it works perfectly for harp (great clean sound), but it distorts when I do my beatbox. I've tried all sorts of mic positions, cupping, not cupping. If I get to a place where it starts to sound cleaner, it's too quite then, and when I move in closer to get the sound level up, it starts to distort again. I suppose I need to research what mics pro beatboxers use, and what kinds of mic techniques they've developed for beatboxing. Hopefully, I can find a solution that is good for both harp AND beatboxing.
Thanks for your comments Kingo, they are very helpful!
Know what you mean Isaac. It's your creative streak. Trying to break new ground - new discoveries. In a way that's why I'm currently enjoying playing to backing tracks. I never know what direction they may take me.
I've been researching beatboxing mic techniques, and I found lot's of interesting things. Apparently, beatboxers LOVE the audix fireball. It's because of it's high spl level (it won't distort) and even frequency response, and the fact that it's easy to hold. They also love the shure beta58 and standard sm58. But also, they love the Behringer XM8500, which only costs $20, and they say is directly comparable to the sm58... Hmmmm... Methinks a new mic purchase may be in my future! ---------- ------------------ View my videos on YouTube!"
Every time I see the word "redux" the expression "dux redux" comes into my head, which I guess I heard on a classical music radio station in the Seventies. I thought it was perhaps an oratorio or something by Purcell, or similar, but every time I research it, I can't find any reference that convinces me that's where I know it from! For example, it seems to have been the name of a novel by James Rhoades or something, but I've never heard of him. I'm confounded. It's one of those mysteries which are as well forgotten as solved, but I can't forget it!
---------- Andrew, gentleman of leisure, noodler extraordinaire.
