from ambient to rock…
Guitars played by Plectrumboy , a real joy and great collaboration. Thanks Steve!
Peter
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Great build! Love hearing Steve’s fabulous guitar playing. Sounds like an LP, Steve? Good job, guys.
That was great fun for me Peter, and lovely to experience how you develop ideas and mixes. Thanks for the ride!
Steve.
Thanks for the comments Leon, yes I used a Les Paul on the lead line and the bit of rhythm that followed Peter’s thunderous ‘and-3-and-4’ Moog bass line… I also love the way Peter builds it up, and then comes in with the glorious Hammond chords.
Steve.
Hi Desert / plectrumboy collab
The introduction of this piece is really great, the arrival of the Kick which sets the rhythm of the piece and the Build Up which introduces the guitar is superb; the arrival of the organ reminds us of the good old rock bands of the 70s. All this with the excellent playing of the guitar is very convincing and the quality of the recording and the mixing is at the rendezvous.
However, the ending puzzles me. I think this kind of finale lends itself well to a show with the cheering crowd in the background. I’m not saying it’s bad, but I find that after this climax which is really well brought and well delivered, ending abruptly on this chord and the sound of the Pick on the strings was not the best choice. Personally, I would have found a way to reintroduce the very good musical ideas of the intro or the Build Up following this climax of the guitar while integrating a more Space guitar playing into it. But it is all very personal.
You really did a good job. I liked this piece, although I would have liked a more or better elaborate finish.
Thanks Rene for taking the time to listen so well. I think you right, so it makes me think of finishing it differently. I will come back on this. Composing and constructing a track sometimes leaves you focused on different things, i am very happy with the guitar track and was very impressed by it, still am, but it stopped me of zooming out on the track as a total piece i think.
Good feedback and very useful pushing it in a direction this way.
Thanks again. Peter.
Peter,
Don’t change this one. The final as it is is perfectly suited for the show.
It’s up to you to see if it is necessary to have a version with a final that would be more suitable for listening on CD.
Excellent work!
Glorious music! Just what we need in this troubled time…
Its in the spirit of «Peaches en Regalia» by Frank Zappa…
Joss
It’s a nice track that’s well written. I slightly disagree with Rene’s 70’s rock reference, so I’ll toss it a decade into the future and say it fits more in the 80’s during the Joe Satriani/Steve Vai days.
The one thing that bugged me a little was a feeling that the drums were a bit too dominant in the mix. I also think a real bass guitar might help it all sit together a little better-particularly since you have a real guitarist and guitar on the track. Not sure if you know a bassist who could do what plectrum boy did for you…
As for plectrum boy, just wondering if any offboard effects were used. I played with a guy who used a Les Paul and sansamp who got just about that same sound I’m hearing. The sound was also a little reminiscent of Brian May’s Bohemian Rhapsody sound. Wondering if that was intentional in any way.
All in all, nice work, and please don’t take my rhythm section comments too much to heart if you’re happy with it.
John
Thanks Swetch for listening, the goal of this forum is to have critical listeners and to have feedback.
So I am happy with a different pair of ears listening well.
Mixing is a craft and there a so many choices to be made… I think i chose for the louder drummix lacking a bass guitar, but adding a moog bass. It would be a nice try to hear what a bassist would make of it.
Regards Peter
Hi Swetch,
Thanks for listening and for your comments. The guitar tone was one of those happy accidents; I had bought the little Headrush MX5 multifx pedals a few weeks previously but not really got into using it. I’d been playing with glassy Strat tones through my amp and hadn’t set up any heavier sounds. The Headrush has a stock sound called ‘Creamy Strat’ and that’s what I used with a Les Paul. I didn’t fiddle with it, other than to turn down the delay and reverb for Peter to mix it in the track. When I recorded the guitar I hadn’t worked out how to turn off the noise gate, so I ended up using slightly exaggerated finger vibrato to stop the signal cutting off suddenly.
I wasn’t going for a particular sound, just a reasonably chewy rock tone. The MX5 does have a preset called "Bohemia Solo’ which I think is a Brian May inspired sound.
Steve.
Thanks Joss,
For me it’s a good example of how Peter developed a lovely motif and used it across a gentle, ambient start and showed how it also worked in a rock context. Really good fun.
Steve.
Hi Rene,
Thanks for the listen and your comments. I agree that it could also work with a structured ending that becomes gentle again, but also think Peter packed a lot into a short time frame - and I like your image of a loud, sweaty gig!
Steve.
yes ! a loud sweaty gig …love that image too 
Fabulous work Peter and Steve. Perfect build up from the ambient to truly letting go. Joyous indeed!
Jonathan
Thanks Jonathan!
Steve.
mixed an alternative ending
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Good job Steve,
I also like this version with the return of the intro atmosphere. This makes the landing a bit less abrupt.
However, I cannot say which one I prefer; in fact, I like both versions.
Hi Rene,
I’m with you - I like both as well.
(P.S. while I’d be happy to take the credit for the mixing and remixing, it was Peter’s work not mine.)
Steve.
Hey Steve, thanks for sharing, Fantastic lead guitar playing, great mix of everythnig too, I hear some Brian May in parts of the solo, really well structured.
Have a great Day!