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How Did You? (MJ Coffehouse)
by michael2

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Guest profile visits: 665
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Song comments: 33
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Plays: 106
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Submitted on: Jun 28, 2008 - 12:40:27 AM
Last Updated:
Keywords help me perfect this mix (1)
Description Threw this one together in order to make it into the challenge on time. Recording acoustic really points out the limitations in my recording technique. If anyone has any tips on how to clean this mess up, please let me in on your secrets. I like the song, but it sounds a bit rough. Hope you like, I'm thinking it's a little Big Star/Alex Chilton (which would make it a 5th generation Beatles rip-off).
Hardware cheap $100 Kay acoustic, MXL USB mic, intel mini mac
Software: GB4
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Vic Holman said 148 days ago
very cool tune
neat finger picking and vocals (well that's a given)

solidly written song. I like!

michael2 said 148 days ago
hey thanks
was thinking of you a minute ago: i miss your original avatar. you were my little cartoon guy friend.

thanks for listening Vic, so glad you like. I'm kind of clumsy at the finger picking, but I love it so, thanks again.

Vic Holman said 147 days ago
like
...this guy. i was actually going to repost him as soon as i found the old file

Feter said 148 days ago
How Did You?
this is superb ..definetly so gorgeous guitar pickin
and singing ..the harmony so specaly here with the
panning ..(with headphones) ..its a classic if its
beatlish or something ...thnx alot for sharin !!

buckhorn said 148 days ago
Just Threw it together. Did ya.
Shut up. This is friggin masterful. I Love this. Rough diamonds or polished turds. I prefer the former. Music for "The Graduate" Remake. Stunning.

biba_nova said 148 days ago
Nice one Michael
very pretty song

Birdman Wayne said 148 days ago
Killer...
Man this is a killer track, nothing is rough at all. The guitar sound is neat... I just only wish I can someday play that style of fingerpicking, this is amazing! Fine vocals as usual. (also loved the chords progression!).

Take Care
- Yeman A. Al-Rawi

Peter Bauckham said 148 days ago
Limitations?
You're having a laugh. This is a great tune - I love the finger picking which doesn't sound at all clumsy to me. Nice vocal. Really good post.

Peter

Jim Bouchard said 148 days ago
to me, it sounds like Elliot Smith
but I feel like that's stating the obvious, and probably due to the tight harmony throughout. I guess I don't see a problem with the recording technique and the resulting sound, but then again recording technique is a lot about capturing the sound in your head. And I don't know what exactly was in your head. The guitar sounds a little dull, and that is probably just the fact that it's a plywood Kay guitar and an MXL mic. A little EQ'ing might make this more lively. I think the midranges are a little scooped out and I actually experimented with EQing this mp3 and boosting it a fair bit between 800 and 3K, while cutting some of the frequencies above 4K seems to sound pretty good. I was using Bias' Repli-Q and modeling it on a Calixico EQ to arrive at this. There's plenty of other EQ tools you could use, but that's all I think this needs; it's a really great song. I love it now that I've downloaded it!

The funny thing about this Coffeehouse idea, a lot of the songs don't really sound all that live. This is a bit canned-sounding the way it is, but re-EQ'ing it makes it sound a lot livelier.

Reinholt56 said 148 days ago
Hi Michael......
Another good song from you....

Keep up the great work and take care.

Paul

lavalamp said 148 days ago
5th generation
Finger picking good. Kind of a Elliott Smith vibe, which you know I dig. This is a truly great song.

I have to work with a cheap acoustic, too. You made yours sound so sweet.

YOUR BEST VOCALS!

Dave

MarkHolbrook said 148 days ago
I think Jim says it best
its all about the sound in your head. To me this sounds wonderful and I kinda like the noisy acoustical sound.

Some eq on it might be nice, I'd perhaps lower the mids a little to give the bass and treble a tiny bump.

The vocals of course are pretty much perfect.

I wouldn't change much if anything!

Roxylee said 148 days ago
playing catch up..
and I'm so glad I got to hear this one. Great lyrics, singing, and picking. Yeh, Beatle-esque and gorgeous!

bud said 148 days ago
Can't go wrong with Big Star as a start
and truth is I think you went a bit further into Elliott Smith territory. I'll have to give it a headphone listen for technical crits - but it's a great song well performed and that's all I really care about.

Ejh said 148 days ago
So I WASN'T imagining it...
..on the other tune of yours I heard tonight... This channels a bit of the Chilton-lead side of Big Star, while I heard Chris Bell in the other one...

Nice, nice, nice vocals and nicely simple guitar part...

Yeah, and this could've fit on Rubber Soul without too much finagling...

I REALLY like it...

Ed

Eckleiste said 148 days ago
How Did You?
your voice is full of character and this is a grat song!

davisamerica2 said 148 days ago
How did You?
Better yet, can you tell me how can I do this? Midas touch here: cheap Kay guitar turned into a Stradivarius. This guitar work was very impressive. Great vocal, great harmony, great melody, great lyrics. In short; great song! Thanks for letting me download. Terry

Moviz said 147 days ago
Love the
guitar and the harmonies on this... and really nice song too.... (Simon and Garfunkel get lost); loved it, M

Skean said 147 days ago
Yes
This sounds so good too my ears very nice played and your vox is wow.

rsorensen said 147 days ago
How Do You?
first of all, props for that pic! So awesome where'd you find it? Another great post. Really good singing and I love those harmonies. Good playing too. Didn't know you were so good at the fingerstyle thing. It's something I struggle with. As for the mix I think it's almost there. The mids are coming through a little strong for me so maybe I'd back off a little in the master EQ. You don't want to lose that nice warm sound you have going though so just a touch. Great tune. Post the lyrics dude!

Dee1962z said 147 days ago
Nice!
And very relaxing and you have a great voice Micheal. Lovely guitar playing and great lyrics. Its a beautiful song. Well done.

Peace Dee.

screamalexz said 146 days ago
...
i like that guitar part. i don't know much about recording so can't give you to many tips, but the song itself is good which is the most important. the airy vocals are nice, i can hear the elliot smith comment a little. nice tune.

Alannah said 145 days ago
yes ... it's true ....
.. i always look forward to an M2 tune ... never disappoints !

8piscean8 said 145 days ago
Sweet
This is fabulous. Really like the vocal harmonies. Great finger-picking also. Reminds me of Simon and Garfunkel more than the Beatles which is awesome. Did you record three vocal parts or did you just split the harmony part? I would love to read the lyrics if you post them.

-Adam

12parsecs said 145 days ago
great!
great song. well written. i especially love the chorus progression and corresponding harmonies! and cool bridge too, for that matter. you should be proud of this song. and your engineering skills... you made a $100 guitar sound like a million bucks!

apb said 145 days ago
I too ..

.. get more of a S&G/Graduate feel .. perhaps in the Boxer-ish finger-picking? the sweet vocal harmony... and close up intimacy style recording.

I loved it... and the pic too. Superb.

SJB said 145 days ago
how did you
Hi Micheal,
Your recording technique must be good already because the guitar sounds better than any Kay guitar I've ever heard. It might benefit form a bass cut below 100Hz and a high end boost. A bit of reverb might also add some shine. Picking and singing are faultless and I'd be very happy with it if I it were mine. I can't easily relate it directly to anything Beatles-like. The gentle lilt and soft vocal might be a bit similar to the White Album's Julia but this ain't no copy (5th generation or no).
Steve!


Ibstrat said 144 days ago
I don't
know anything about mixing or Hz, I just know that this comes across as a great song with lots of emotion.Your fingerpicking sounds great to me.Vocals and lyrics are superb.

guygrooves said 143 days ago
Solid...
Great song and vocal harmony. The guitar sounds pretty good for a cheap one, you can't blame the craftsman as the licks are really good I wish I could pick like that. I would agree with what Jim said about and add that a little compression on the signal never hurt. Only a little though. Great tune.

spitlogic said 143 days ago
Im no expert
I think it all sounds very good. The mix is perfect as far as I can tell.

bellyfur said 142 days ago
great
stuff

estellie said 138 days ago
*sigh*
if only my mixes were the "mess" yours is.

Let me just say, your lyrics are outstanding. honest, good writing.

I can hear the beatles or elliot smith, actually, in the sliding harmonies, but that's neither here nor there.

this is a beautiful song. and i'm really glad to have heard it. it's one of those so touching, I want to fave em twice!

Peace.

dajama said 135 days ago
I love the vocal
on this. Great harmonies - they work perfectly. The lyrics are really well done, perceptive and intriguing. There are some really nice changes on this too. Not sure what you don't like about the mix, sounds pretty good to me, maybe a little dullness, but nothing fatal. Cool song. Nicely done. Sorry it took so long to get round to listening! Peace.

Artist Profile
michael2 photo
michael2

Artist Bio I'm a guy who never wanted to do anything but play music. I grew up with classic rock and prog rock before discovering punk and the new york dolls once I got to high school. As i got a little older (and less angry), I developed a love of all thi...[more]
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