donkeyt-seeing red-indie funk jangle pop

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..or as I shall call it - 'donkeywave'

Nile Rodgers won't be having any sleepless nights on the funk guitar front :hihi: , but it's not bad by my standards. Quite pleased (so far) with my attempt at ludicrous disco string bits as well. The jangle guitar is second nature of course...when I start f**king that up I'm giving up.

http://www.bennyleeds7.myfreeola.uk/don ... 80918b.mp3

As always, will need to let it cogitate in terms of vocal levels and automation, but hopefully not too far off.
Last edited by donkey tugger on Tue Sep 18, 2018 4:45 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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I always enjoy listening to your stuff. :)
Currently trying to turn noise into music. :neutral: Is boutique the new old?

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There's something bugging me about your stereo image. On the right side of the image, I am missing the balancing counterpoint to the funk guitar on the left. It's not until the break that I feel balance has been restored, and that's the moment the funk guitar drops out. This is on both phones and speakers, although I found it more pronounced on speakers.

The brass is also a bit lifeless initially, though I find that any fake brass tends to be. The part itself sounds fine in terms of composition and everything, it's just that bit flat and just "there". Not sure what to suggest aside from getting some actual real musicians in though... I preferred the later brass, it's a bit more lively and adds a lot more to the track.

Not sure the vocals are quite right in the beginning either. I'd almost suggest trying a different delivery style.

The indie part sounds better overall, but that's probably because you do these things blind. Things sound much better/more balanced when it gets all filled up.


In terms of composition, it's an interesting blend and definitely works. I'm thinking you just need to take another look at the beginning. It doesn't sound like vintage DT yet, it's still lacking something. Maybe you struggle with sparse arrangements? :hyper: :o

There is the odd guitar strum that is a fraction off time in the funk bit though... Can you chop/comp? It's really minor and not horrible or anything. But you did draw attention to it with your OP.

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sjm wrote:There's something bugging me about your stereo image. On the right side of the image, I am missing the balancing counterpoint to the funk guitar on the left. It's not until the break that I feel balance has been restored, and that's the moment the funk guitar drops out. This is on both phones and speakers, although I found it more pronounced on speakers.

The brass is also a bit lifeless initially, though I find that any fake brass tends to be. The part itself sounds fine in terms of composition and everything, it's just that bit flat and just "there". Not sure what to suggest aside from getting some actual real musicians in though... I preferred the later brass, it's a bit more lively and adds a lot more to the track.

Not sure the vocals are quite right in the beginning either. I'd almost suggest trying a different delivery style.

The indie part sounds better overall, but that's probably because you do these things blind. Things sound much better/more balanced when it gets all filled up.


In terms of composition, it's an interesting blend and definitely works. I'm thinking you just need to take another look at the beginning. It doesn't sound like vintage DT yet, it's still lacking something. Maybe you struggle with sparse arrangements? :hyper: :o

There is the odd guitar strum that is a fraction off time in the funk bit though... Can you chop/comp? It's really minor and not horrible or anything. But you did draw attention to it with your OP.
I had a slapback delay (in the 'Let's Dance' stylee) panned on the right hand side from the funk guitar which I appear to have automated out.. :hihi: Easy to fix, never picked it up on the speakers, but definitely miss it on headphones..wood for trees..!

Brass, there's a reason I seldom use it.. :lol:

As to the vocal - hmm, got that verse melody and delivery in my head now, I'll give it a few days and have a think- it might be staying though..I could just put it through a load of distortion. :hihi:

I do take the point on the guitar though and there's enough there (recorded a lot, until the barre chords started to totally kill me :x ) to comp some of the better bits I think.

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The Noodlist wrote:I always enjoy listening to your stuff. :)
Thank you sir. I (mostly) enjoy doing it!
Last edited by donkey tugger on Mon Sep 17, 2018 8:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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My Feedback

Music - 9.5
Instruments - 9
Performance - 10
Mix - 9.5

Overall - 9.5

Comments: Nice guitar work. Nice arrangement. What's there to say? Typical excellent you.

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donkey tugger wrote:As to the vocal - hmm, got that verse melody and delivery in my head now, I'll give it a few days and have a think- it might be staying though..I could just put it through a load of distortion. :hihi:
I'm not really that into funk (though I like the RHCP), but I'd have thought a bit more staccato/percussive; nothing wrong with the melody. It could also just be the fact that the whole section sounded a bit empty without the delay. It definitely had that feeling that something was missing...

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wagtunes wrote:
Nice guitar work.
:o Cheers!

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sjm wrote:
donkey tugger wrote:As to the vocal - hmm, got that verse melody and delivery in my head now, I'll give it a few days and have a think- it might be staying though..I could just put it through a load of distortion. :hihi:
I'm not really that into funk (though I like the RHCP), but I'd have thought a bit more staccato/percussive; nothing wrong with the melody. It could also just be the fact that the whole section sounded a bit empty without the delay. It definitely had that feeling that something was missing...
Got into old soul and funk quite a bit over the last few years, not sure how my teenage metelhead self would view this... :scared:

Made a few changes;

Put the slapback delay back on the guitar and tried to use the best bits - at least got rid of the ones where I completely missed the strings. :hihi:

Bit of phaser on the brass to give it a tad of movement (you can get away with it in funk, not sure it would work if it was for the Salvation Army band)

Corrected a couple of wobbly vocal bits.

New version up top and here;

http://www.bennyleeds7.myfreeola.uk/don ... 180918.mp3

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Have you thought of adding a second brass section at the beginning doing shorter parp parp things with a strong attack? Nothing fancy, just reinforcing the first note of the longer sustained ones some accents here and there, e.g. two quarter note accented parps, or even one shorter and then longer one?

At any rate, the delay has made a world of difference to the lop-sidedness of the mix.

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sjm wrote:Have you thought of adding a second brass section at the beginning doing shorter parp parp things with a strong attack? Nothing fancy, just reinforcing the first note of the longer sustained ones some accents here and there, e.g. two quarter note accented parps, or even one shorter and then longer one?
Nice idea. I'd thought about somehow varying it, but not adding something on top, Had a stab (hohoh..) with some parps in the verses where there's no singing or strings.

http://www.bennyleeds7.myfreeola.uk/don ... 80918b.mp3

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I find that adds just a bit more dynamics to the brass. It's not as flat any more. The first section is a lot more lively compared to the initial version now that you've done some tweaks.

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sjm wrote:I find that adds just a bit more dynamics to the brass. It's not as flat any more. The first section is a lot more lively compared to the initial version now that you've done some tweaks.
Nice one, cheers for the ears (nice lyric that..) as ever. I'll wager that's bastard brass dispensed with for at least another year when I foolishly again think, "ah, some brass would be good on this..".

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donkey tugger wrote:
wagtunes wrote:
Nice guitar work.
:o Cheers!
any f chords? :hihi:

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vurt wrote:
donkey tugger wrote:
wagtunes wrote:
Nice guitar work.
:o Cheers!
any f chords? :hihi:
f**k no! G,C,D and some B picky thing for the chorus type bits, and then some other barre chords for the verse with some numbers after them - 7 I'd guess.

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