Elevator

[mark skinner]

 Here's the latest instrumental I'm trying to finish up , no more in my hold file so ,  I'm finally caught up. Any crits and suggestions are welcomed. I felt it was a little lacking so I added  cello tracks and tried to make them  sound like a violin . I played my cello then in melodyne I raised everything up an octave into the viola range. The violin range got weird sounding. I'm not sure about a Lot of things on this one so whatever jumps out at you please don't hold back.  I usually play clean electric  but it sure was fun doing the overdrive guitar near the end. I Really envy you lead players. I really hope I can learn to pull off this cello/violin thing because I sure canNot play a violin.                Thank You ..    mark https://soundcloud.com/user-810058643/elevator  Link now reflects final remix.

 

 

Edited August 21, 2021 by mark skinner

[noynekker]

Hey Mark . . . I'll jump in and say you've posted another incredible project here ! I'm liking the drum stops through this, and how the guitars work with that, sounding very much like a live combo act. That electric solo at the end, well, c'mon, you're no slouch there either, nailed it very creatively. The intro and the ending are extremely well done in this piece.

I know you just like us to find something in your mix to fix, but it's really hard, it just sounds so great, and flows like all your stuff . . . all I can say is your experiment with cello moved up an octave sounds tonally good, but maybe a little too smooth, since violins have more bite in the higher range ? . . . I mean, I don't hear the bite of the bows in the mix when you play staccato notes. Of course if you hadn't mentioned how you did this, I would be oblivious, so my listening enjoyment was nevertheless not compromised !

[garybrun]

I can find no criticism on this Mark at all.  (listened to it 4 times)  ?
It sounds amazing and you've painted a fantastic audio canvas and as nynekker pointed out it sounds "like a live combo act".

I thought the violin was a steel guitar... shows how much I know  lol.

[Wookiee]

@mark skinner Sounds good here, on the Melodyne move from cello to violin did you play with the formants as I wonder if that what might be need to get that extra shift in tonality.

This has a nice groove to it.  (lead guitar players are over rated ??) Your playing sound fine.

[mark skinner]

@noynekker That's the first time I've been accused of being too smooth , but I Totally agree. I chopped up the tracks quite a bit moving notes and lost a lot of bow attack using fades. I baked them in bouncing to clips and got too far ahead to start undoing. Big lesson learned. Thank You .   @garybrun The middle section I used some pretty big fade ins , and It Really sounded more like a volume pedal used on a pedal steel. I thought the same thing . I may try and go for that sound in the future. Thank you for evaluating and your time. @Wookiee I'm researching to grasp the concept of using formants. Thank You for your comments and opinion.     I Really appreciate you guys and your help.    Thanks ..  mark  

[Bajan Blue]

Hi Mark

Great groove and very good track - liked it a lot

Cool

Nigel

 

[Barry Seymour]

Are you playing ALL of this? Holy Crap! Smoother than silk, great groove, tight playing, everything is nicely balanced. I wouldn't worry about the 'fake' violin sound, it's actually a little exotic; I like it a lot!

[mark skinner]

 Hello again , I did some EQ work and some cut and paste on the beginning of a few of the the cello notes. I think I got back a good bit of the bow attacks. @Barry Seymour Thanks a lot for the comment , I was uploading the remix as you posted.  I hope I made some improvement.   Thanks ..   mark

 

[DeeringAmps]

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[David Sprouse]

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[John Ferguson]

This is really intelligently constructed, beautifully played and very well recorded. Excellent all round.

[SUPAREELS]

Great stuff, tight and interesting grove ...loved it!  10/10

Steve

[eric chevrier]

Hi Mark wow!!! very well thought out! very excellent work on this, love this stuff this is very pro sounding work loved how you arranged this tune and great guitar work thanks for sharing fmm

[mark skinner]

@eric chevrier Thanks my friend , You were actually on top of the list when I said I envy lead guitar players. Your approval means a lot..   mark

[Hidden Symmetry]

Enjoyed it, playing, production & mix all sounding good to me. - great job.

[bjornpdx]

Definitely not elevator music.
Hard to comment on genres that I'm not really into, but have to admire the musicianship and arrangement that went into this. So very good.
-Bjorn

[ramscapri]

 

Wow this one sounded great just as it is Mark ! Great work ? 

I wouldn't bother much on the cello/violin sound as the sounds for this one were just right, just what this kind of pacy track needed, the dist guitar feel...

Yes, if you are aiming for a more orchestral kind of feel, maybe you would need to look for sound libraries that cover the whole range (double bass, cello, viola, violin) separately sampled. Raising or lowering the pitch ranges with Melodyne may not bring out the organic feel you need for these strings. 

And oh yes, this track does so much have the live playing feel... really good one overall

[steve@baselines.com]

This is really good - I am enjoying it.  If I had to nit pick anything, then there is something about that kick drum.  It may be playing to much or maybe it's too predominant or maybe not punchy enough in headphones.  I am not sure what it is.  If I had to pick one it would be to simplify it.  But still the song sounds great and the guitar tone is killer.

[Guest]

Very classy Mark, truly terrific work and a great listen. I hate elevators but I might ride one if it was playing this. ?

Andy

[Larry T.]

Solid. I'm thinking Steely Dan without the half diminished minor7 b5 chords, early Pat Metheny, '80's George Benson....well done. Great band playing (is it a band or all you????), audio clarity, overall production quality....If you have time....I'm new to this Cakewalk/DAW business and wonder how much of Elevator are real instruments and how much are software synths....? ?