D Train "mix 4"

[mark skinner 645]

 Hello , here's a new instrumental based on one I wrote 40 years ago. It has now transformed into an "Acoustic Funk" song featuring my Takamine , mandolin and Ibanez bass.  Any help on this one will be Greatly appreciated.  Mix 3  is now "wider" and added a backing electric track.       Thanks for your time ..     mark   

 

    

Edited April 18 by mark skinner
Remix

[Larry T. 234]

first off, Acoustic Funk is exactly what it is, cool new genre....what tracks you have decided to keep sound real good, tight, good tones...the piece sounds to my ears like a good jam but not a fully realized song as its structure doesn't vary too much....it's a real good place to create more sections and develop into something more or keep and use as an intro or breakdown to a larger composition 🎶🎶🎶🎶

[Kevin Walsh 214]

I agree with Larry and I would only add that this is a pretty awesome piece. Great playing wonderful sound and the bass tones are so tasty. But those drums!

[mark skinner 645]

@Larry T. @Kevin Walsh , Thanks guys for commenting. I agree with you Larry about some more variation in the structure. As usual I ran out of steam about half way thru and started repeating sections with minor variations.   Kevin the drums were AD2 with a TTS cowbell. It was hard to keep the bass from sounding like it was strung with a piece of barbed wire. I was tuned a half step low And in dropped D.  Anyway ..   Thank You ..  mark

[noynekker 374]

Mark . . . always excellent stuff, really found the mandolin interesting, the way you fit that in, so well played. And then cowbell ! . . . was that from 40 years ago, but you left it in ? Nice how you take a breath along the way in this one, right after the cowbell solos. Those drums are right on the money, very tightly wound snare, does it have the snares turned off in places ? I can't imagine what you might do for a mix #2 . . . it already sounds very polished to my ears . . . but, I'll surely stay tuned as you work it.

[mark skinner 645]

@noynekker Thanks Bruce. I Always appreciate your input. I absolutely Love playing mandolin. I'm not a Real player and the only time I pick it up is when I'm recording. I added it after deleting electric guitar and keys. As far as the cowbell I tried first for silence , but wanted more. This was originally about a 2 min. instrumental and the only one we ever did when I played in a duo doing the harmony band thing. I had to dig thru a lot of dormant brain cells trying to reproduce the song.  It's hard for me to make direction changes when in an alternate tuning. I'm sure I'll make a few changes.  Thanks mark

[John Vere 1,490]

Not many people cover what was once called Progressive bluegrass. David Grisman's Hot Dawg  comes to mind. Most excellent recording and chops!  

[jack c. 709]

Any help on this one will be Greatly appreciated

                     you don't needs any help me friend.just busy funky enough.leave as is.jack c.

[KSband 305]

Another cool  and busy groove, great playing on all the instruments. Like mentioned before,  a change up of some kind or solo section (with a key change?) would break it up nicely. Or call it done , that's cool too.

[Bapu 4,838]

This double plus good in my book, Mark.

[Makke 300]

Nice groove. I liked the structure and arrangement. Well mixed track sounds good.

[mark skinner 645]

@John Vere Thanks for the compliment!  What I Really like about Grisman's music is the jazz like fiddle he mixes in with the bluegrass sounds. I may try and play one again someday. @jack c. Thanks , I know you're a great Funk artist yourself. @KSband  I Really Appreciate the input. I've been trying key changes but Nothing is working.  This morning I re recorded the second lead section that was a copy of the first one. That seemed to help break it up a "little". I also dropped the first cowbell rest , panned the lead acoustic and mandolin closer to center. The link now reflects changes I made. This is now "Mix 2".         Thank You for listening and commenting           mark

Edited April 12 by mark skinner

[garybrun 874]

I love your compositions Mark...
Instrumental balance is great.. and love the cowbell 🙂

We all paint very different pictures and on my system the mix seems to be 40/40 left right.
I myself like wide mixes and think your could benefit with a larger sound stage

Edited April 12 by garybrun

[Bajan Blue 1,037]

Hi Mark - I really like the track and the playing is just stellar - really great chops my friend!!

Cool

Nigel

 

[mark skinner 645]

@Makke and @Bajan Blue Thanks for the nice comments , means a lot to me. @garybrun Good call. My L/R main guitars are set at 44% the lead and mandolins are narrower.  I'll for sure see how far I can widen the mix and still sound good with headphones.      Thanks ..    mark

[mark skinner 645]

 Mix 3 is now a much "wider" mix and also has a lot better interaction between the L/R channels.  Mix 2 sounds Way too narrow now. I don't know what I was thinking..    Thanks Gary.   I'm toying with some electric parts but  I'm satisfied with this mix for now.      Thanks for all the comments and advice.              mark

Edited April 14 by mark skinner

[KSband 305]

Sounds good.

[DeeringAmps 1,726]

Somehow I missed mix 2, this is great!

t

[Wookiee 1,737]

This has got its funk on @mark skinner, nice grooving as they say.  Cool clear present mix, very nice    

[garybrun 874]

On 4/14/2022 at 4:27 PM, mark skinner said:

 Mix 3 is now a much "wider" mix and also has a lot better interaction between the L/R channels.  Mix 2 sounds Way too narrow now. I don't know what I was thinking..    Thanks Gary.   I'm toying with some electric parts but  I'm satisfied with this mix for now.      Thanks for all the comments and advice.              mark

Sound great pal.