Re: [linux-audio-user] My First Linux Song

Last Sunday 13 February 2005 09:12, Shayne O'Connor was like:
> well, it's taken awhile, but i've managed to complete my first song on
> linux!

Congratulations!

> http://www.machinehasnoagenda.com/downloads/The_Girls_-_The_Sailor.ogg
>
> (please be kind in any comments - i'm especially open to tips on
> mixing/mastering).
>
> i recorded bass, guitar, vocals into ardour and sequenced the drums
> using hydrogen.
>
> i used the ladspa plate reverb for the guitars, but the drums and bass
> are dry ... i couldn't get a nice enough sound for the vocals using
> ladspa, so i plugged them through ik multimedia's amplitube with
> dssi-vst. i also used ik multimedia's TRackS to master the track, as
> it's got a bunch of good presets ...
>
> this song is a bit of pastoral yearning from the back of my brain ...
> i'd written the lyrics some years ago, but had forgotten all about them
> until i stumbled upon this chord progression - at which point, it all
> came flooding back :)
>
> this was the song i was working on when i decided to "try-out" linux ...
> so i'm pretty happy to have finished it.
>
> a few caveats though:
>
> * i'm not that technically proficient at any of the instrument i've
> played on here (though guitar is my favourite).

Instrument Proficiency is one of the most overrated things when it comes to
recording a song like this. There are two things which are required; being in
time and in tune. You could afford to be a bit more fussy about the tuning of
the guitar, that's all I can hear that would make a major difference.

> * i can't really mix.

Neither could Holger Czukay or Mark Kramer when they started, who cares? Trust
your ears.

> * i can't really sing.

Neither can Bob Dylan or most Rappers. Pas de Probleme.

> * i can't really master.

This is your first song. Play with JAMin for long enough and you will
learn. :-)

> * i may have gone too far with the echoes?

I think that's largely a matter of taste. Not far enough for mine. The drums
really need some reverb.

I always say 'do what you can with what you've got'. It sounds like you've
done just that. Fair play. I look forward to your next offering.

cheers,

tim hall
http://glastonburymusic.org.uk
Received on Sun Feb 13 16:15:07 2005