Busking Leonard Cohen—Bird on the Wire (full song)

spinland
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Fri Apr 07, 2017 2:08 pm

Decided to shift gears from my frustration with the Rave-Ups song to something I started a while back but never finished: "Bird on the Wire" by Leonard Cohen. In D as a concession to my fifty-something vocal range—still had to work for a couple of notes.

Making progress. Still not up to scratch with my drumming so I built that track using loops in Logic Pro. I'll get there someday. Keyboard and bass tracks were extremely basic so I was able to handle those myself. :side:

[video type=youtube]MYJnSnsY4Co[/video]

Mark


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daryl
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Fri Apr 07, 2017 3:34 pm

Good job Mark. Really nice strong vocals. That key seems to work well for your range. Even if you felt a little stretched, it didn't sound that way to me. Fun production and effects but I did think your guitar sounded a little distorted. Did you mean to do that or were your levels just a little too hot?


spinland
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Fri Apr 07, 2017 3:43 pm

Thanks Daryl! Yeah, I've been experimenting with effects on the PRS and especially working on a "12 string acoustic" kind of shimmer effect. It's still a work in progress and I think I overcooked it in the mix trying to compete with my vocals.

The gain staging was too hot on the mic, too. I thought I had the levels set well but then adrenaline kicked in and I blew the top off the meter. Heh. Was not going to re-record that take, so there it is.

It's a journey! :side:

Mark


spinland
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Sat Apr 08, 2017 12:59 pm

Quick update, Daryl: I've been pruning the stuff in the acoustic shimmer effect. Less is more and I got more than a little slap-happy playing with my new toys and the tone suffered for it. Way too much going on in there.

I'm gonna record a quickie test run or two of the pared-down sound soon, probably throw up a video or two of some chord progressions on YT as a proof of concept. I'll share the link(s) if I do.

Mark


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daryl
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Sat Apr 08, 2017 1:06 pm

Hey Mark, you do realize and otherwise remember that you DO have an ACOUSTIC guitar. Right? It might just give you that "acoustic" sound that you're going for! ;-)


sandysue
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Sat Apr 08, 2017 1:43 pm

Very nice guitar playing and vocals Nark. You sound great. :)


Sandy


spinland
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Sat Apr 08, 2017 2:10 pm

daryl wrote:
Hey Mark, you do realize and otherwise remember that you DO have an ACOUSTIC guitar. Right? It might just give you that "acoustic" sound that you're going for! ;-)
Oh, I know, Daryl, but that seems like cheating. :silly:

The real answer is I love my PRS so much I hate to put it down. Pushing the envelope of what it can do is part of the fun I'm having right now.

Mark


spinland
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Sat Apr 08, 2017 2:11 pm

sandysue wrote:
Very nice guitar playing and vocals Nark. You sound great. :)

Sandy
Thanks, Sandy! :side:

Mark


davidrfinn99165
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Sun Apr 09, 2017 1:45 am

well done mark.. there's a cool 60s vibe to the sound here.

another vote for acoustic guitar (we hunt in packs round here haha) !!!


spinland
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Sun Apr 09, 2017 5:53 am

davidrfinn99165 wrote:
well done mark.. there's a cool 60s vibe to the sound here.

another vote for acoustic guitar (we hunt in packs round here haha) !!!
Thanks. man! :side:

Glad you felt that vibe; I went with a B3 organ and a 60s p-bass as well as vintage Ludwig drums to try for that very sound. The only non-vintage tone in the mix (and at my age I think I can include the vocals in the vintage list :silly: ) was the guitar work and that, as I've indicated, is still very much a work in progress.

This lone wolf will rejoin the pack soon enough, mes amis. Grande Dame will be getting some love soon but right now it's Angry Angel's time to shine. B)

Mark


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