I've posted the finished version of Gift Horse by Cara Satalino.
The unmixed version was avilable in this post.
I'm really excited about this song! Cara is a really amazing vocalist, and you'll see it even more when I upload more songs!
We wanted it to be a little rough, and it didn't need percussion, so it was mostly recorded live, with some vocal harmonies and doubling added later. There is also tambourine and a bass-like electric guitar line.
Whe mixing, I added a little delay to the room mics.
Also, I used the tape machine to grit up the sound a little. The distortion that you get by running audio through the tape is really nice. I can't really describe it, but you can hear it when you compart the two versions of the song. There are also impurities in the tape which just make it sound that much nastier. Maybe took it too far, but I think it sounds pretty fucking awesome! I ran the vocals and the mix through seperately. Just cranked it!
Also, there were stereo omnidirectional room mics during the guitar/vocal take, and it helped so much. They added a good living room sound (of course, because we recorded in the living room), and they also gave it a nice stereo image. It's kinda subtle until you hear it in mono (maybe it just mixes to mono poorly! I dunno). I'm really happy with the stereo element to the song.
Yeah, this song is really fun! Check it out... It's in the player on the top of the page!
6 comments:
Meew!
EXACTLY!
Meew!
I listened to that song a bunch of times. It's GREAT!!! I don't think you took it "too far" - what does Cara think? (I'd really like to hear...)
I went to her myspace page - Like you said, the last song "shimmering thing" is the best - is it more recent? My first impression is that her style has been evolving from a more confessional, piano-based songwriting thing to a more lo-fi guitar-based sound, a little darker, that focuses more on the sound. I guess I like that better. Perfect time for her to work with you - perfect style synch.
I'd like to see and hear more here on the site. Like maybe a chat between the two of you? And I don't think there is enough info at all about the artist you are recording right now - I know there is a link to her myspace page in a previous post, but I can't be asked to scroll down - all the relevant info should be in the most current posts. She sounds like she is really experienced.
How many other songs have you done with her?
Keep on guilding, bro.
It's also funny how the song refers to blending into the background at the same time that the backup vocal harmonies are sort of fading in and out.
Hey Chet Btmp.
Great work with this song. I think you are doing what I basically wanted to do with Girl Songs (although you actually know what you are doing.) I wanted to practice "producing" and try to record a lot of kinds of music, but I was too shy to ask anyone to let me record them so I did it all myself. I did try to get Peter Shapiro to let me record Pianosaurus but it never happened.
So anyway this blog is really interesting for me. And the more information, the more I can live vicariously through your adventures in recording! And so far, so great! Keep it up!
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