Backing Track Challenge - 335 Blues Rock

[udoering]

@Mjark : beautiful relaxed playing; guitar sound fits well in there.
@NWinther : nice twangy sound, good relaxed playing, though sometimes the rocker flashes through
@Mellencaster : track sounds like a jam on a porch on a warm summer evening
@Raimonds : nothing to excuse for. You played a mixture of sophisticated rythm and solo guitar. Like that.
@SbS : tremolo is a good idea, but somehow the guitar track sometimes sounds blurred. Maybe the combination of tremolo and reverb? I don´t know.
@Mikejazz : great opening, nice americana playing then. Sometimes I thought you are playing too much for that track. But who am I to say that?
@fendrguitplayr : oh, wow, you did vocals!! Beautiful, man. Guitar playing is right to the point.
@Alan L Cole : well, this track was for you, and you made it an Alan L Cole song.
@Len058 : very good work, len058! Again vocals, and tasteful guitar playing!
@G-52 : nice to hear from you again, you seemed to have had a longer vacation . Nice country-esk version.
@chris m. : you played a skilled country version, lovely entry.

 

[SbS]

@SbS : tremolo is a good idea, but somehow the guitar track sometimes sounds blurred. Maybe the combination of tremolo and reverb? I don´t know.

Thanks for being honest.. and I think you're right.

Was trying new mic, and to create some space with tremolo / good amount of reverb. Also played with my Thinline partscaster with WRHB in neck. So too many variables, too much going on. Wobbling, frequencies and echoes. Tried to EQ and compress some afterwards, but I have lot to learn, like how it's done right.

I need to get better initial takes with my workflow = Keep It Simple Stupid

 

[Len058]

Thanks for being honest.. and I think you're right.

Was trying new mic, and to create some space with tremolo / good amount of reverb. Also played with my Thinline partscaster with WRHB in neck. So too many variables, too much going on. Wobbling, frequencies and echoes. Tried to EQ and compress some afterwards, but I have lot to learn, like how it's done right.

I need to get better initial takes with my workflow = Keep It Simple Stupid

It's possible you compressed the guitar too much. The dry guitar volume get's lowered but the reverb level stays the same so they melt together so to speak.
Did you EQ before compression or after. If you put it before, the compression doesn't kick in as much. I assume you filtered out some low end...

 

[Mellencaster]

Here we go. What you hear is a mix of two takes. I tried to transport a little of this JJ Cale feeling.

Very nicely played version.Great tone with a sweet melodic blues style.

 

[SbS]

It's possible you compressed the guitar too much. The dry guitar volume get's lowered but the reverb level stays the same so they melt together so to speak.
Did you EQ before compression or after. If you put it before, the compression doesn't kick in as much. I assume you filtered out some low end...

I'm having mostly analog signal path. Pedals -> tremolo and spring reverb from the amp, so there's no like dry signal.. ..mic -> interface -> DAW.

Made some EQ first and then compression, but also had some limiter in the end. It think I recorded signal too hot (while no clipping) so top of the 'tremolo waves' were too high, and then they were like pushed down / cut in the DAW/mixing. Yeah, and my playing was kind of messy too there.

I know this is not the best way to work these days, but I'm just keen on turning physical knobs and switches and buttons

Btw, really great versions and singing from you and @fendrguitplayr!

 

[SbS]

Here's another version just made. Lumpy fingerstyle, but different approach and simpler setup.

 

[Len058]

I'm having mostly analog signal path. Pedals -> tremolo and spring reverb from the amp, so there's no like dry signal.. ..mic -> interface -> DAW.

Made some EQ first and then compression, but also had some limiter in the end. It think I recorded signal too hot (while no clipping) so top of the 'tremolo waves' were too high, and then they were like pushed down / cut in the DAW/mixing. Yeah, and my playing was kind of messy too there.

I know this is not the best way to work these days, but I'm just keen on turning physical knobs and switches and buttons

Btw, really great versions and singing from you and @fendrguitplayr!

I wouldn't call your playing messy, but loose. You did some great stuff and did it right and in time.

I also like using mic's and stuff. It's not the easy way but it has it's advantages. One is the sound you recorded can't be manipulated as much as you can with a guitar straight into the DAW.

What I mean by dry signal is what you can hear as the dry part of the recording. Compression is not the same as turning down a fader. It 'pushes' the loud stuff down, while keeping the silent parts the same level. In your mix the compression flattens the tremolo and brings the guitar level down to the level of the reverb tail. You compress out all the dynamics.

I've had some experience with mixing video and when you put a compressor on a voice with too much background noise you blend the voice into the noise. In that case, you can only use very light compression to tame the peaks.

 

[bullfrogblues]

More experimenting with amp settings and mic placement. Clams and all!
Thanks for the track, Mike.

 

[Mikejazz]

Thanks Mike!

Great singing and doublestop chops + slides, dig that raw tone too

 

[Alan L Cole]

Here we go. What you hear is a mix of two takes. I tried to transport a little of this JJ Cale feeling.

Sounded great Ullrich. Smooth, laidback vibe and great tone.

 

[Carl_Tone]

In the spirit of JJ I hope. Too bad I don't have a Casio guitar.

Tremendous tone and well played!

 

[Carl_Tone]

Sounded great Ullrich. Smooth, laidback vibe and great tone.

Here we go. What you hear is a mix of two takes. I tried to transport a little of this JJ Cale feeling.

Great sound!

 

[Mikejazz]

Here we go. What you hear is a mix of two takes. I tried to transport a little of this JJ Cale feeling.

Beautiful crisp and bright clean tone so full of twang. Liked the phrasing ideas and the way around chords with all that country feel.

 

[ASATKat]

Thank you JJ. I hear Freddie King's Going Down in this BT so I copped a couple bars of that.
Thanks to all as my head goes down to the ground, But this is pretty much inspired with JJ's energy.

Call Me The Breeze

 

[udoering]

@SbS : now you can be heard very clearly! Like the fingerstyle, it brings you to the essence of the song.
@bullfrogblues : lovely country / bluesy version.
@ASATKat : nice, you made a high energy blues version out of it.

 

[ASATKat]

More experimenting with amp settings and mic placement. Clams and all!
Thanks for the track, Mike.

Beautiful, almost dobro tone, but solidly guitar. Sweet playing. You inspired me on my second take.

 

[ASATKat]

Here's another version just made. Lumpy fingerstyle, but different approach and simpler setup.

Beautifully lumpy, lots of feel, more inspiration.

 

[ASATKat]

That is really good Marjk.
You're playing is sounding great, phrasing and attack.

 

[Mikejazz]

Kept it low key....

Cool twangs there, especially on the lower strings. Liked the story telling phrasing, lots of interesting ideas.

 

[ASATKat]

Kept it low key....

Nice playing, articulate and expressive, is there mystery track in there?