I Went to the Well (World Beat)

[freddy j]

I recently was listening to Rokia Traore's song Tounka and then I went back and listened to one of Lynn's songs that had a world beat flavour.  This inspired me try another world beat song (previous one How Will You Answer).  It ended up being more difficult than I thought.  In the first place I could not find decent drum(s) clips.  I use loops in hopes that some drummer is getting paid for his/her work.  Although I was going for more of an African beat I had to settle on a clip that I had that was a tumba beat.  I also needed a stringed instrument that would sound like a Jeli Ngori.  Well no luck with that so I used a one string SPAM guitar that my friend Thom had given to me.  The only way I could record it was to mike it and it really sounded flat.  So I had to fiddle around with amps and FX until I got something that would do.  I was also going for that hypnotic rhythmic feel that gave birth to the Blues.  Hmmmm, I may have overdone that.

Anyway, it is a bit rough and out of synch in some places but here it is.  As always I would appreciate some input on this song.  Oh ya,  I got a wee bit self-indulgent on this song and it runs on for almost 5 minutes.  Sorry about that but I was having too much fun to stop.

Thanks!!!

I Went to the Well

https://www.soundclick.com/bands3/default.cfm?bandID=963481

BTW the song icon (picture) shows the instruments that I used including my Spam guitar and homemade mbira.

Edited August 3, 2019 by freddy j
additional comment

[Larry Shelby]

It kind of gives me the "Low Rider" groove feel sort of...well done!

[Jesse Screed]

very nice!

and creative

i just like it much

the guitars are very cool

i can hear why it is fun

gotta do something

[kakku]

Very good. 

[bjornpdx]

Freddy
Lots of interesting things going on in the background. Not sure if you'd call it hypnotic but it had me tapping my toes. So is that really a can of Spam that somehow became a guitar?

[Lynn Wilson]

Freddy, this is so timely!  I hope your message is not too late.  I like the groove this has, and I think it has mass appeal.  I applaud your versatility and arranging skills.  I'll be listening to this several more times in the days ahead and will pass this along to several of my friends.  Congrats, my friend!

[Old Joad]

Nice, I like everything about this song.

[freddy j]

Hi cclarry.  Now that you mention it --- I can detect a wee bit of the low rider sound.  Thanks for listening.

Hey Jesse.  Thanks for the input pal.  Ya, I was having fun so I got a bit carried away.  BTW, you have been putting out some interesting and original stuff. Keep them coming.

Hi kakku.  I very much appreciate your listening and thanks for the kind comment!

[Grem]

Good tune Freddy. I liked the solo in the middle. That was on the Spam guitar?!! What ever you did to get the tone on it was working. I enjoyed the whole thing.  Like the vocals. That double fx you got going on that sure sounds unique!! Did you do any Vocal Align on it? Sounds on the money all the way through.

Good job, good job!!

[freddy j]

Hi Bjorn.  Thank you very much and ya, it really is a spam guitar (see below).  As you might imagine, the sound is not of the best quality but FX  and  a little bit of this and some more of that,  it can sound a bit like some kind of instrument.  With only one string it can be a bit of a bother to play.

Hi Lynn.  I really appreciate your kind words  and your encouragement.  Given that we are faced with empirically based facts concerning this subject ---- "if we don't do something, there'll be nothing left to do (if I may quote myself).  Thanks again!!!

Hey Joad.  Thanks!!!  I sincerely appreciate that you took the time to listen and for your kind comments.

Hello Grem.  Thanks very much.  Yup that was the Spam guitar.  I had to use a microphone to record it and then used the Blue Cat Free Amp, Sonitus Wahwa, and the Blue Cat Phaser 3 to make it sound like something.  I had to do some work with the sync on the harmony and main vocals.  I didn't use any Vocal Align or Vocal Synch but I did it the hard way  ----- a lot of cut, move, and paste.  Some of the harmony was so badly synch'ed that the most expeditious way was what I did.  However, re-recording multiple attempt at harmony, until I got it, would probably been quicker ?.  Thanks very much again!!

[RikF]

Hey Freddy, fun tune, sounds like you had fun playing that spam guitar ?

Rik

[PhonoBrainer]

What microphone are you using, what preamp or interface? Your stuff is getting quite good but my guess is you might upgrade something in the mic department. Am I wrong? I'd love to hear some shiny vocal clarity in the higher eq's - your song ideas are great and I think the vocals could be brighter in the mix. Is your vocal mic an sm57? OR are you eq'ing a crapton off the top?

But anyway, cool song. A pleasure as always.

cheers,

-Tom

ps great vocal delivery, I'm not commenting on your performance, which was way good indeed.

Edited August 13, 2019 by emeraldsoul

[freddy j]

Hi Rik.  Thanks for your kind comments.  It was indeed trying to come up with something using the Spam guitar.  It was a bit challenging to play a one string instrument and just a bit more challenging to make a pitiful plunk sound like something more, but fun --- ya, it certainly was.

Hi Tom.  Thanks very much for your input!  I certainly pay attention when you make suggestions and I value them.  I am better on the creative side than I am on the technical side -- so, I hope you can forgive me if my response sound a bit lame. 

The mic I have been using is a Sure Prologue LO Z 14L Dynamic.  It is an old one and I can't even remember how or where I got it.  I believe that Sure discontinued that model in the mid-1990's.  I hope that means some thing to you, as it falls into my level of ignorance.  My guide in EQ'ing is a chart that I found in an article that I read called The EQ Primer.  This chart listed what the author determined were the frequency ranges best used for various instruments and voice.  In particular, for vocal he suggested 10 kHz, 5 kHz, and 200 Hz and to this he suggested boost and reduction rates.  In my limited experience I found that the biggest influence for sound was in the 200 Hz range and I just fiddle with this range until it sounds right to me.  The author suggested reducing to add clarity to low vocals and boosting to fill out high vocals.  Depending on the type of song I am doing I bounce between boosting and reducing but I do tend to use mid to lower values in many songs (usually -3 to +2).  In this particular song I believe that I was in the -0.5 dB range.   I do tend to gravitate to artists that are in the baritone range (e.g., Muddy Waters, Daryl Higham, etc.).

I sure would appreciate it if you might be able to provide me with any specific ideas or suggestions as to how I might improve.

Thanks very much again Tom.

[Johnbee58]

This is pretty cool, especially the vocals.  But I'd turn the vocal track(s) up just a bit more in the mix.

?John B

[freddy j]

Hi John B.  Thanks for listening an thanks much for the suggestion.  A wee bit more it will be.