At this point, the song has almost all of the live instruments and software instruments recorded and edited. I think I am satisfied.
How do you know when you are done with a song? How do listen to your song without being the author. Wanna share your favorite forms and methods of quality control? Just toss it out there? That's valid. I've talked about splurging a lot. I'm breaking lots of "splurge rules" with this particular song, but this is about sharing self imposed quality control tactic.
I might add more guitar, but it's not that important... uhh... maybe need to repeat all this again after adding the guitar, but uhh... that's part of the... procession... uhhh... just let me have my excuse to practice reading treble clef on guitar. I've done lots of recording for this song. I guess I'm not done either. Vocals are an entirely different beast/mindset.
What I refer to as "critical listening", is a process where I examine the quality of a song's arrangement and some mix. I say, "mix", but it's a light element to focus on at this point. It's best to make nots about everything, but there will be lots of time to flutter around with mix referencing and tweaking. Listening for elements in the arrangement is what we are really after. There are many sounds and instruments in Tetrahedroseph's music. (Sometimes there is too much, but that's why we do this.)
Listening with a fresh ear or forgotten bias is best. Listen critically during the tracking process or the mixing process allows for many distraction.
The best critical listening occurs after the song has been bounced down. Get out of the DAW while listening critically. Don't make changes. Turn off the computer's screen. Dim it black so that you only experience the song. Feels like the sudden visual deprivation boosts your critical listening skills, right?
Write down "ear sores", elements you don't like. Make a quick note of the element you don't like. Sloppy playing, weird transition, too much mojo, not enough juice... whatever. Write it all down as the song plays. Make it look like a checkout sheet. If you are looking at the screen/music player, write down the time in the song. Write it out so that you can have a list to attack later.
After the listening process is over, start with the first item on your list. Go directly to that part and fix it. Let's not get too far ahead yet. Take a look at my list. It's like chicken scratch from ROBOTECH! (wtf?!)
This is my note sheet:
Don't take notes with the computer. Most of us still know how to use pens and pencils, right? I use a pencil to be closer to the earffth. Just kidding, pen is fine. My point is, get away from the screen.
Consider closing your eyes too. Stay awake... and you are greater than I. I schedule these listening times early in the day. Ears are fresh, perspective is only slightly skeptical, and I'm not drowsy. I could ramble on about this. Let me know how you get through it. Let's be drowsy together.
Lol, okay, i'll be right back. Gonna listen now...
♩♩♩♩
♪♪♪♪♪♪♫
♬♬♫♬♬♬♬
Ahh shit. This shit is all jacked up sounding... like a burning garbage barge colliding with a floating dildo factory being employed by chimpanzees.
Cumbia Chino Headlights looks like this in #GarageBand:
Lots of tracks, lots of editing along the way, and lots of overdubs. I've been creating the parts for a while. The melody played by the Guzhang took the longest to learn on guitar and yet it's the only a small section of the song.
I want to add more guitar doubles of the melody. It's been healthy for my reading skills AND FUN!!!
TO DO List:
-Add guitar double of the melody section after the bridge. The melody is almost the same. This section sounds similar to the melody section before the bridge, but it's in a different key. After the bridge, it's in the key of Amin. Brain got ouchy? Me too. Hopefully #TheBrokenYellowGuitar will save us all.
-Adjust the into vocals. Fix intonation on the first note. Add more and sound like a chant/meditation.
-Arrange instruments near the end. Create intimate hypnosis with the live instruments.
Today Must Go On!
I was planing to record the second and third verses on guitar, but it's not as easy as I thought. I'm slow and it's not bass clef. I guess I'm learning a guitar part for most of today. Maybe I can probably piece together a completed verse by tonight.
This recording process is very opposite of the splurge techniques I've favored in the past. I'm doing this to improve my reading skills and to streamline future splurge approaches/songs.
Many saved project file version. Yes, I might create another entire album out of one song...
Secrets are neat.
Thanks for reading!
Music: https://tetrahedroseph.bandcamp.com/music
Merch: https://tetrahedroseph.bandcamp.com/merch
Subscribe: https://tetrahedroseph.bandcamp.com/subscribe
Follow: https://tetrahedroseph.bandcamp.com/follow_me
Videos: https://3speak.online/user/steemseph
Audius! https://audius.co/tetrahedroseph
Spotify! https://open.spotify.com/artist/1awYbp9GCzfrWUy4xQEI2M
YouTubeMusic! https://music.youtube.com/channel/UCy3xm5NY9YaWHqCbic59L7Q
SoundCloud! https://soundcloud.com/tetrahedroseph
Napster! https://us.napster.com/artist/tetrahedroseph
AppleMusic! https://music.apple.com/us/artist/tetrahedroseph/1535038059
Deezer! https://www.deezer.com/en/artist/109591832
Tidal! https://tidal.com/browse/artist/21673555
AmazonMusic! https://music.amazon.com/artists/B08KWJMRS2/tetrahedroseph
