"This Is Only A Test"

[Lee Shapiro]

A quickly composed "test" song to showcase some new virtual instruments. (I wrote the "junk" lyrics in under 5 minutes.)
Some of the new virtual instruments added to my arsenal include:
Toontrack's highly anticipated EZ Bass,
Toontrack's Rooms of Hansa Drumkit (with rototoms and octaban toms),
NI Session Guitarist - Electric Sunburst Deluxe,
NI Session Guitarist - Picked Acoustic
Celemony's Melodyne 5 Studio   (just released new and improved version)
All used in this composition.

This Is Only A Test

[DeeringAmps]

Sounds like you're having fun Lee!

tom

[bjornpdx]

Lee
Pretty darn good for a quick test song.
I've been using and liking the Sunburst and Picked Acoustic Vsts for a while and I recently  picked up EZBass and Melodyne 5. Haven't gotten into EZbass yet but I watched a couple of tutorials. Did you create the bass line from the drum track or from something else? It sounds good and fits in well with the song.  I tinkered with Melodyne 5 and my first impression is positive. The sibilance control is a winner IMO.
Thanks for posting. Gives me a chance to hear what EZBass can do.

[Lee Shapiro]

9 minutes ago, bjornpdx said:

Lee
Pretty darn good for a quick test song.
I've been using and liking the Sunburst and Picked Acoustic Vsts for a while and I recently  picked up EZBass and Melodyne 5. Haven't gotten into EZbass yet but I watched a couple of tutorials. Did you create the bass line from the drum track or from something else? It sounds good and fits in well with the song.  I tinkered with Melodyne 5 and my first impression is positive. The sibilance control is a winner IMO.
Thanks for posting. Gives me a chance to hear what EZBass can do.

Thanks Bjorn.  The EZBass was keyed off the piano part I made.  I haven't tried keying it off the drums yet, but that's next on my to-do list.
For me, one of my biggest goals, is getting a perfect blend of kick drum and bass, to where it almost sounds like one instrument.  I'm still having trouble finding a really good bass sound from EZBass (something that will really punch through the mix), but I'm sure its in there somewhere.   For years, my go-to bass has been Scarbee's Rickenbacker Bass.  I've been able to create some great drum/bass sounds with it.  But finding the right kick drum (From Superior Drummer) is also part of the equation.

I just started using Melodyne 5 (I have been using Melodyne 4 Studio for years), at first I was a little disappointed with the latest version because I was expecting more dramatic improvements.  The reason I upgraded was for the new chord feature.  I thought it would be easier to create harmony vocals with my lead vocal track.  I'm still trying to figure out just how the new features work.  I should probably read the manual. LOL!  
Thanks for listening, and thanks for the feedback!

[David Sprouse]

Like your voice as usual.  You definitely  have a style that's enjoyable.

[Wookiee]

Hi @Lee Shapiro, nice, sounds good for a quick test of your new toys.

[Lee Shapiro]

7 hours ago, Wookiee said:

Hi @Lee Shapiro, nice, sounds good for a quick test of your new toys.

Thanks Wookiee, I'm enjoying the hell out of EZ Bass.    And the NI Session Guitarist - Picked Acoustic plugin sounds incredible, with lots of new strumming/picking patterns.
I'm a keyboardist and could never quite master the guitar, but it's fun playing guitar parts via my MIDI keyboard and having friends say "When did YOU learn how to play guitar?"

 

12 hours ago, David Sprouse said:

Like your voice as usual.  You definitely  have a style that's enjoyable.

Thanks David, I'm always delightfully surprised when someone compliments my vocals, easily my weakest component.   Thank goodness for Melodyne and all the other vocal efx.

[Bapu]

Nice little test there Lee.

 

 

[Lee Shapiro]

3 minutes ago, Bapu said:

Nice little test there Lee.

 

 

Thanks Ed.  As a bass player, do you have any feelings, good or bad, about EZ Bass?  Something that has plug and play bass lines for various styles of music?
I know for me, when EZ Keys came out, I didn't take offense, in fact it helped me learn some new chords and styles of playing keys.
And I have a feeling that once the novelty wears off, I'm going to just go back to writing my own bass lines for my songs (which is one of the things I like doing most in the song writing process).

[Bapu]

16 minutes ago, Lee Shapiro said:

Thanks Ed.  As a bass player, do you have any feelings, good or bad, about EZ Bass?  Something that has plug and play bass lines for various styles of music?
I know for me, when EZ Keys came out, I didn't take offense, in fact it helped me learn some new chords and styles of playing keys.
And I have a feeling that once the novelty wears off, I'm going to just go back to writing my own bass lines for my songs (which is one of the things I like doing most in the song writing process).

I think EZBass will become something special down the road. I plan to use it for inspiration, less likely for final tracks (until I'm physically unable to play). What I heard in your test is a great example of a demo bass line that can either be a) be tweaked or b) a jumping off point for a real player.

I'm thrilled with EZKeys for somewhat the same reason(s). EZKeys was used to start the latest BZJ song (of course Daryl did a great job of adding a live player feel to his parts).

 

[mark skinner]

I thought the vocals on this one were fantastic and the harmony mixed in perfect. I am assuming you built the harmony in melodyne , if so .. it was very convincing.   Great job ..  mark

[Lee Shapiro]

5 hours ago, mark skinner said:

I thought the vocals on this one were fantastic and the harmony mixed in perfect. I am assuming you built the harmony in melodyne , if so .. it was very convincing.   Great job ..  mark

Thanks Mark, I appreciate it.  And yes most of the harmonies were constructed in Melodyne.  Although I did record a second vocal track, mostly as "vocal doubling", but there were some harmonies created in that 2nd vocal track as well.