Korgscrew
Group: Super Admins
Posts: 3511
Joined: Dec. 1999 |
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Posted: April 12 2004, 10:30 |
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Perhaps it's time I joined in (hey, it's only been 6 months!  )
I'd have to agree that this is impressive in its scale, and that it's a brave man who decides to tackle recording a version of the whole of an album such as Ommadawn!
Do I agree that it would have been better with more acoustic instruments? That I'm not sure of - Ommadawn was certainly a very careful blend of acoustic and electronic instruments. I do think that balance can be changed withot necessarily harming the music, though.
I'd personally have chosen some different sounds in places though, and used resources differently. Like, for example, at the beginning, I'd have made use of that opera singer to do some vocal harmonies to fatten out the otherwise rather thin synth choir sound (and if there are already live vocals in there, then bring them forward! ) and the viola player in that part around 1:15. Some male vocals in the mix could have been interesting...
I have to say I find the 'recorder' at 4:24 rather painful, it seems to have some rather odd out of tune overtones. You might not find the part hard to play on a real recorder, basic plastic ones aren't that expensive and would sound more pleasing to my ears, if used carefully (the trick is in the way they're blown, I won't explain here but you ought to be able to find a guide online somewhere and if not, in a local music shop).
The solo at 9:55...a tricky one...you've got the notes but it would have more impact if the timing was tighter. Seeing as so much work must have gone into the rest of this, it would have been worth working on that section until it was completely right, I'd have thought.
It's nice when the real vocals do come in, but it would be good if they were further forward - not necessarily louder, just less buried in reverb/delay...do I hear a vocal harmony in there? My choice would have been for a three part harmony, and more dry sounding, for a powerful feel.
Not sure about the beginning of Part Two...I see the idea, making it more barren and empty sounding, but I can't help but miss some of the texture that Mike's rendition had. I think it would add more interest if the guitar was placed nearer to the listener by using less reverb, otherwise everything is very far away.
I find the acoustic guitar section after that a bit odd too - the guitar samples seem to include fret buzz, which does add some realism when there's a little of it, when there's so much that the note doesn't sound properly, and the note's used repeatedly with it buzzig the same way each time, it sounds very unmusical to me (and instantly gives away that they're samples). The bagpipes sound lovely, but I'd again bring them closer, otherwise it's all like listening to the musicians playing in the next room rather than being sat there with them.
I personally miss the recorder and the melody it plays in the section after that one - I think even if the guitar played that melody instead of the harmony it does play, I'd prefer it...but if you like it that way then I'll just have to accept that!
Again in the final section, I'd knock back the reverb on the guitar to give it a bit more authority in the mix. Perhaps I'm missing the point here, it does seem like you were aiming for a more 'new age' feel to the whole recording, I just can't help but feel the music is too distant to reach out and touch it in the way I'd like to...
I think Ommadawnea is probably my favourite part, though I'm not sure how it works in place of On Horseback - perhaps it's just disturbing because it's not what I'm used to hearing there. It's a nice reworking of the themes into the single format, though.
So, maybe you won't agree with any of this, and if not, that's just fine - keep going your own way and enjoying it and forget about people like me who don't agree with all of your decisions. But I feel it's always worth thinking about all these things I've talked about when making music, especially that issue of reverb and the distance it creates. Keep going and have fun!
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