Reworked Hymn "Amazing Grace"

nice, i like the contempo feel. really reminds me of chris tomlin. yeah probably can do a lil more to bring vocals to the front, maybe use a softer pick to get a more tickly upper register guitar sound, put a lil sythn in the background to give volume and your good to go. diction though not perfect isnt much of an issue. sounds nice and natural rather than having to overdo it by doing everything word perfect.

i mean, just an example, music is perfect in an imperfect way. its based upon a whole palette of ideas and a combination to work. one eg colin raye - love me. second verse: in the doorway of the church where me and grandpa stopped to pray. the right sythesis would be: in the doorway of the church where grandpa and I stopped to pray. but that doesnt really suit how the flow of words plays a part in the melody.

i think overall u have a nice combination, can sense the recording potential.
 
penta-tonic said:
nice, i like the contempo feel. really reminds me of chris tomlin. yeah probably can do a lil more to bring vocals to the front, maybe use a softer pick to get a more tickly upper register guitar sound, put a lil sythn in the background to give volume and your good to go. diction though not perfect isnt much of an issue. sounds nice and natural rather than having to overdo it by doing everything word perfect.

i mean, just an example, music is perfect in an imperfect way. its based upon a whole palette of ideas and a combination to work. one eg colin raye - love me. second verse: in the doorway of the church where me and grandpa stopped to pray. the right sythesis would be: in the doorway of the church where grandpa and I stopped to pray. but that doesnt really suit how the flow of words plays a part in the melody.

i think overall u have a nice combination, can sense the recording potential.
Click to expand...

Dude! awesome suggestions but I already did a retake. Not perfect... was kinda 'cha pa lang' recording but just to tickle your thoughts. haha! posting up in.... 5 mins!
 
parkertr : a tip about "finalizing mixes" .. I can nail a mix within 1 hr, but to nail the sound which the band wants extends the drag by 5 to 10 times slower, from hours to days to weeks literally before confirming a final version. cos of so many conflicts wants/don't wants from each of the band members vs my own opinion

end of the day, this mix must represent your music. you should like it first, then your fans should love you for that representation. don't rely too much on outside preference/feedback unless majority of the ppl says "the new version sucks, go back to the previous" then you know you're doing something wrong haha.
 
thanks for the tips bro :) they are certainly useful! i'm experimenting with different arrangements for the song :D hehehe check em out! :D thanks again for ut tips! they are so helpful! always!
 
My preference is version 1 > 2 > 3.
Those beats in version 3 didn't add value, more like it took away. A guitar riff (and piano arpeggio) can create a strong rhythm. Each "strong" emphasised down strum is like a drum beat. I found the beat sound in version 3 is too high in pitch. Something lower might be better.

This is very apparent in the version 1 but the guitar wasn't being played that way in version 2. The guitar part in version 2 sounded like it was making space for a bass part, all strums equal emphasis, while version 1 was a more complete solo. Maybe could use the implicit "beat" you had in version 1 rather than the one in version 3.

Version 1 built a "peak" and then came down from it quickly to strengthened the sense of a peak. Version 2 at one point tried to stretched the "peak" and in doing so that it became more of a plateau. Not saying right or wrong to do so but just that I find version 1 more "hookier" as a results.

Version 1 got that fresh singer/songwriter feel to it, some like Joni Mitchell's Both Sides Now or something like from Oku Hanako.
 
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sorry been really busy, finally done with 2 bands.. taking a break now.

I heard all 3 versions.

3) no go for the beats. vocals mixing sound better (probably cos more reverb) . the "bass" (or is it acoustic guitar playing the bass notes) is alright too.

2) I can't really tell, but did you EQ and add lots of lows to the guitars? it's "heavy acoustic" sounds fuller but "tiring/easily ear fatigue" esp the way you mixed your vocals + guitars. watch the plugins you're using heheh slightly over done. but gd attempt.

1) my vote.

in acoustic songs you have to ask yourself, do you want to sound more "upfront" or have the "mellow intimate soft" or the "musician with his guitar in a cathedral" (soft but still grand) kind of feel , do you want a "climax" for this Amazing Grace , because if I recall right, the typical arrangement is ,intro more "dry upfront" before the drums and bass will come in with a drumroll-to-crash after the 1st chorus. then the feel changes with reverb etc, giving that acoustic band firehouse/lifehouse/whateverhouse feel . that adds a variety of feel that removes the "boring/repetitive syndrome" for the next few choruses. but all the extra instruments will come in together with more effort on your end for mixing.

having said this , if I was your producer I'd suggest what I said above , acoustic intro , then the bass/drums/ABIT of piano whatever come in, then the ending "climax" when the piano etc everything becomes grander with all that extra back vocals (gotta tap into all your vocalist-friends resources already) but this is of course the option for "soft-to-heavier-to-grand ending" arrangement. some ppl will prefer the slow fade out ,so that one gives no chances of letting the listener have the impression that there's an "ending" to this song, and that "psychology" gives some sort of addiction to let the consumer listen on repeat 1, but, again I stress, provided it's mixed properly. I could listen to version 1 over and over. I heard version 2 1.2 times (to be sure it's not my ears messing with me), and the sharp high frequencies + low "full" (but probably too full for my liking) frequencies was killing me and version 3 was no go for the guitarbody beats cos you're definitely not a percussionist lol.

overall, good guitar playing, good voice tone (but always room for improvement) and good mixing attempt
 
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