1st Recording as a Guitar Player - Advice and Critique Sought

[oldjazztrumpet]

Hi Everyone,

As my handle suggests, I used to be a professional jazz trumpeter. A year and a half ago I left the profession and picked up guitar. I just finished a recording that I am willing to post publicly, and I'd like some critique of my recording techniques, guitar playing etc... Thanks in advance

I've been playing for about a year and a half, and have taken lessons from a professional.
For tech purposes here's a list of what's on the recording

Electrics: Fender Tele American Standard with Seymour Duncan Quarter Pound for Tele pickups
Effects: on the guitars I have lexicon reverb from a Digitech hardwire pedal. It's very slight though. The delay is from a TC Electronics delay pedal.
Amp: Vox Night Train
Cab: Avatar 2x12 with celestions.
Pre amp for pro tools: Universal Audio Solo/610
Mics: On guitars - Cascade fat head ribbon mic. On vocals - Rode NT 1
Acoustic guitar is an Alvarez with Red Cedar top and indian rosewood back and sides
Drums: Toontrack EZ drummer.

Any advice would be welcomed. Go easy if you can, I've only been playing a year and a half. The style of the song is sort of indy rock...it's pretty mellow.

Thanks a lot, this forum is really great, and I've enjoyed reading all your posts on other subjects. Thanks!
The song is titled Need Falls Away
Here's a web link
http://www.mediafire.com/?2e14k2mvtdh

[backalleyblues]

First off, I wish I could've played that well after 18 months!!!

Nothing at all wrong with the guitars, or the recording of them-very nice tone and clear sounding-clearly you've been paying attention on your recording techniques. Your vocal sound is really nice too-it sounds like you have a reedy voice (like I do) but it sounds pretty smooth here. Even better is how well the backing vocals are in tune-did you use a pitch correction to tighten it, or is that natural?

The only quibbles I have are with the bass-it doesn't sound like it's contributing its part to the rhythm section-if you played this yourself, you might want to dig up a bass-playing buddy to redo that part (guitarists don't always make the best bassists-I should know!! )

The other thing I would do is drop the backing vocals back slightly (-2 to 3 db) and add some plate reverb to them for sweetening... but that one is personal taste...

Overall, very well done!!!

Franc Robert

[mjb1967]

I really liked your song....record some more!!!

[oldjazztrumpet]

Thanks!
you're advice seems right on by the way. The bass is a keyboard patch that I use and attempt to tweak via EQ and the like. I hate it, but it's all I've got right now. I'm in Flagstaff for a year finishing a masters in education, so all my bass playing pals are back in Louisville where I'll go after I'm done in May.
I really love plate reverb too, so I'll try your suggestion on my backing vocals!
As far as my playing is concerned, thanks for the positive feedback. I don't have a teacher right now because the one I had lives in Louisville. I guess all those years as a professional trumpeter payed off in terms of learning how to practice. It's frustrating because I played trumpet at a very very high level, winning the national trumpet competition in 2004, so to be back at a beginner level on an instrument is frustrating, but really fun. Humility is always a good thing, and this is making me humble!
best
Matt

[oldjazztrumpet]

oh, almost forgot. I don't use pitch correction on my vocals. I can't afford the software :)

[backalleyblues]

Well, then you've got some good singing chops there my friend-very tight harmonies on the backups-well done!!!

Maybe for the bass, try finding a bass sequencer to patch into Protools, and just write the patch instead of playing it-it will sound much tighter that way...

Franc Robert

[bluzin]

Good stuff man, hard to believe your that good after a 1 1/2, good for you. Really like the backing vocals a lot. Keep it going, if your putting phrases like that together already you should be insane in twice the time. Recording sounds great, I am not anyone who's know s anything about recording but my ears tell me it sounds great, not amateur at all. Peace

[oldjazztrumpet]

thanks everyone!
I've included a link to a remix of this tune with added guitar parts
1. Distortion on the chorus with my tele and Homebrew Para Drive
2. an extra little solo on the end with my tele on the bridge pup with the same od pedal.
Here's the link
http://www.mediafire.com/?fnazzm5b2my

I'll also include a second link to another song that my piano player friend Wade wrote and I arranged. Everything on this track is tele except the lead guitar line, which is my Michael Kelly through a 1x12 instead of my 2x12 with a OCD pedal instead of the homebrew para drive. The tremolo part is a fulltone supa-trem pedal through the vox and a 2x12 cab.
Here's the link
http://www.mediafire.com/?iy5nmobtnwz

Heck, why not include a few more huh?
Here's another one of my tunes called Dustbowl
I wrote it just before the fall of Lehman brothers, and it has a decidedly anti-conservative economic lyric. So, if you're conserative..no offense! My mom and dad are conservative and I still love em' - misguided as they are...;)
Here's the link
http://www.mediafire.com/?2midhyzzzzy

Here's another one of mine called Monsters
It was written about a death row inmate whose story I once read.
http://www.mediafire.com/?mfjghnjmhmg

The final one I'll share was again written by my buddy Wade, with a big help from me on arranging and guitar parts. It's called Black Lines and has kind of a modern take on the Beatles style.
Here's the link
http://www.mediafire.com/?gz2hz23nkjy

With any of these...if you have recording, mixing, or guitar playing tips they're always welcome!
Thanks for all the positive feedback and constructive advice!
Matt

[oldjazztrumpet]

Oh yeah, and can someone please tell me whether they think the little thing on the end of "Monsters" sounds at all like R.E.M. - They vocal line is what I'm wondering about...