Here And Now original "lockdown" song

[msnickybee]

Well, they say that boredom stimulates creativity!?
Well, not for teenagers, but I've written and recorded another retro "lockdown" song on the trials of modern living.

Quite enjoying the new Mixcraft version tbh. Hope you get chance to give it a listen, and ask any questions, or comments welcome, thanks!

YouTube link: Here And Now

[outteh]

Super job as usual! What's your setup these days, your recordings are all very professional!

[Mark Bliss]

I'll let Nicky answer about her studio, but I can tell you one thing that hasnt changed:

Obsession.
These are the result of a lot of effort, and Nicky has been in a very productive mode.
I just wish I could even begin to keep up with her!
When she slows down a little I am only about two songs behind in the process....

[msnickybee]

Super job as usual! What's your setup these days, your recordings are all very professional!

thanks Tom! I wish I could agree that they're professional! but, I get a lot of enjoyment out of it tbf, so that's good.
My setup? Err, well, nothing fancy to be honest. Mixcraft9 PS, reasonable windows PC, some cheap Shure mics I've had since I was a student 30yrs ago haha. Although I did buy a Shure Beta 58a 5 or 6 yrs ago, and a Rode NT1a. Been using my Roland/Cakewalk UA25-EX for quite a few years, but I've alternated between that and my (newer) Audient id14 interface in the last few years.
Errr.... what else... Oh! And all freeware, I don't buy any plugins etc, so it's all what's in Mixcraft. Have got a few different acoustics.
No room treatment, and up until last year I could only record in the daytime until we all needed the room to watch TV lol, but now I'm in an attic room which is nice(r).
This particular song was different in that I routed guitar and voice through my guitar amp, usb interface, then recorded that on Take 1! And I could never better it, so added overdubs. Funny how that goes sometimes.

Mark's right, I do get a bit obsessed!
Whilst I might spend more time these days getting the recording right (and I might once have spent far too long trying to edit/mix poor recordings), it's still no substitute for putting in the effort editing, but more importantly in thinking about the production, and the groove of a song, but that's just my personal opinion.

Thanks for listening!!!

[Mark Bliss]

Yeah, she has "a few acoustics"

And the improvement in recordings has had nothing to do with equipment fwiw.
It is, IMO, practice and experimentation. And more practice. Just keep doing it a lot and you get better ya know?

[outteh]

[msnickybee]

Yeah, she has "a few acoustics"

I refer you to the obsessed bit!
But (to justify it lol), gotta focus on what goes IN first eh?

And the improvement in recordings has had nothing to do with equipment fwiw.
It is, IMO, practice and experimentation. And more practice. Just keep doing it a lot and you get better ya know?

s'true...and I've recorded some absolutely (more) awful stuff on the way....

[Ian Craig]

Very nice, apart from the bass notes being too loud - a narrowish cut of a good few db at either 132hz or 150-160hz seems to sort it out

[msnickybee]

Very nice, apart from the bass notes being too loud - a narrowish cut of a good few db at either 132hz or 150-160hz seems to sort it out

thanks for listening Ian! I don't disagree, that's a great point thanks for spotting! part of me likes it a bit boomy, kind of like McCartney's "Another Day" you know? (where he admitted it was bass heavy), from my Gibson J15, it's heavily compressed but really seems to drive the song esp. on a mobile phone speaker, and the bass is all centred... and taking that away leaves pretty miuch nothing else...it's a tough one for sure...
and to be fair, this is a "demo" and not mastered also
really appreciate it!
thanks again!

[Ian Craig]

Yeah, I was listening on the computer, didn't think about phones. It just sounded like it could be more ethereal like it is in the middle eight section, giving it a slightly blown away effect. Sure, lots of things could be done if you make different versions

[jlouvar]

Sounds good on an iPad... Good job.

[msnickybee]

Yeah, I was listening on the computer, didn't think about phones. It just sounded like it could be more ethereal like it is in the middle eight section, giving it a slightly blown away effect. Sure, lots of things could be done if you make different versions

Interesting point Ian! The bridge does take it in a different direction for sure, and I suppose lacks bass (never got round to adding it there!), so definitely a difference between the rest of the track...bridge is my fav bit tbh

[msnickybee]

Sounds good on an iPad... Good job.

Thanks Joe, and thanks for listening!!!

[Ian Craig]

bridge is my fav bit tbh

exactly, mine too