Cover Songs by Everdrone (Constructive Criticism please anyone?)

everdrone

I would like constructive criticism from anyone please. Im just gonna post my cover songs here so I do not saturate the "Post Your Demos and Videos" thread.

I finished my cover of Interstate Love song just now,

by Stone Temple Pilots:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22Sb-260fdo

everdrone

finished a quick cover just now of "Black Hole Sun" by soundgarden:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUkzVYLguT0

highmtn

@everdrone,

These sound good. You're consistent, supported, and on pitch. You're comfortable singing just about whatever you want to do.

Nice work.

Bob

everdrone

Thanks so much Bob, I really appreciate all your help and insights as I worked through the KTVA program my new years resolution is to make a cover song video every week and I just got a decent webcam so I can collab with folks on Bandhub. I have a cover band audition next week, I hope it goes good and to start gigging asap How are your bands doing?

highmtn

That's exciting, @everdrone. You will learn a lot just by making all of those demos and listening back as you do your best on each one. The collabs will keep things interesting, as you'll be working with all manner of different combinations of musicians and vocalists. You have reached a level of consistency and confidence which should really help you with cover bands. If not already so, it will become you choosing whether you want to join them vs the other way around. It's nice when it's a mutual decision to make it a "go".

My band work just keeps on steadily cranking. We have done hundreds of gigs together. I got a new digital mixing console recently, and have been getting ready to take it out on it's maiden flight, live, onstage. I've been running the sound from a Mackie 24/4 for the past several years. Now I'll be jumping over to a Behringer X32.

I was a little leary of Behringer, because they're known for making inexpensive equipment, but I've had my eye on the Midas M32 for a long time. When I found out the the same company owns both Midas and Behringer now, and that the X32 is the same exact mixer as the M32, software, features, preamps, and all, I realized that it would be crazy to spend an extra $2500 just for the nameplate. If you look at the schematics for the X32 and the M32, they are exactly the same, except one starts with an X and the other starts with an M. The motorized faders are a bit faster/better on the Midas, but not worth $2500 more for my wallet...

So I've had my X32 set up in my music room with my mains and monitors, and got all the routing worked out and channels set up. It goes to the club this week. Should be fun.

I visited my brother in Carson City a few months ago, and he had a Behringer X-18 Air. It's a little box the size of a shoe box. The shoe box is a stage box with 18 inputs on it, and you do all the mixing on an Ipad.

It's virtually the same as an X32 mixer, onscreen with the ipad. I fooled around with it a little bit at my brother's house, and was sold. I'm just not ready to get rid of all of the physical faders and keep that straight while I play drums. So I got the full console.

My brother is a drummer (like me), but also works with a sound company. They recently got an M32 for their commercial concert sound system, replacing a huge, 40-channel, big-name mixing console AND a big rack of effects. They were blown away by how much better their line arrays sounded with the digial M32 and its built-in effects.

The X32 is essentially an M32 in a different box, and about $2500 less.

I'm using all QSC K12 and K8 mains and monitor speakers with a K18 sub.
It's kind of a compact, High-Definition sound system, and I'm expecting the X32 to have the same kind of impact on my system as it did on my brother's line array.

I just love it when we sound like a CD playing on a high-end sound system.

everdrone

wow thanks for the insights brutha, killer rig! thats really inspiring, 100s of gigs. I am ironing stuff out, right now my diaphram could be stronger and stuff like that which will take a year or two really, so I figure Ill be able to find the right cover band for me when Im ready. they pushed the audition till this weekend so I should be ready.

Behringer X32? wow, killer! and mixing with the ipad seems interesting too. I dig your choice in gear! I have a mixer and three 18" powered monitors and a voicelive3, I have not used them much so I am looking forward to using them as much as possible. Cheers

everdrone

here is audition footage, the song Heavy by Collective Soul:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rdi36rPjz70

everdrone

did learn to fly by foo fighters last night:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsZ8DqZ8AKk

highmtn

Nice job. Much better recording sound that the live-room version.

everdrone

thanks brutha, cheers :-) ya we are repositioning the PA and stuff to get the vocals louder, I am using in-ears so the live room version sounds great in person, I am looking into recording vocals direct when recording the live version, I might get the Zoom Q2n where you can plug in the mic directly

highmtn

Cool. I used the X32 live these past 2 weekends. Lotsa fun trying to keep my head glued-on and sing a play at the same time. We're quite pleased with the sound of it. Learning to operate it while playing is a bit of trial-by-fire, but I'm enjoying it. Steep learning curve for playing and mixing on the fly. Tons of capabilities, though. It gets easier as we go. Tons of initial settings to get established at first.

everdrone

that 32x has gotta sound killer man, rock on! glad you are figuring out the space jet controls on that thing lol

everdrone

did an online collab just now, Night Train by Guns and Roses:

https://youtu.be/CauD57JASKo

highmtn

This is one of your best in terms of Energy! The guitarist is good. He should get a head in life.

everdrone

thanks brutha, very cool! I am glad you think so. Good energy is so important. Cheers :-)

ya the guitarist slays that song, I hear that he has good fundamentals and techniques for many more :-)

everdrone

I recorded this one tonight, its "in bloom" by Nirvana, lots of vocal distortion:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBxYMyTBohM

everdrone

Here is my most recent online collaboration, Stone Temple Pilots song "Plush":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HomXOP9EXSI

everdrone

recorded this AC/DC song yesterday, collaboration with a forum dude:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVhdl2aJ8Y0

highmtn

This is a good one. Nice guitar, nice vocals, nice mix overall. Ron, this is your best in terms of stage presence. I have to say, you get into it. If you can keep this up when you get onstage in a live band, you'll do well. You are convincingly "into it" 110%, and that is what is going to make or break a lot bands. As much as we might like to be appreciated for our quality vocals and musicianship, people want to see somebody get into it, and see the band engaging the singer and the audience, and see the singer engaging the band and engaging the audience.

Keep it up. I often tell people to fake it till you make it. I think you've made it! Don't stop!

Bob

everdrone

Hi Bob, thanks so much for the listen and great advice! I was thinking about your last comment on stage presence prior to making this video, cool stuff

JakeBladeMusic

I think this is pretty solid vocal take. On Pitch, consistent tone, I feel like you embodied the style (I believe) you're trying to portray. Kinda rock/grungy with those fry-ish vocals. Well done!

everdrone

@JakeBladeMusic thanks for the listen brutha! I appreciate the close listen and your analysis, glad you dig, cheers

stratman

Very good stage presence. You sounded close to Mick Jagger at the beginning... I wonder if you've tried any Rolling Stones.

everdrone

Many thanks @stratman !! Thanks for the listen and feedback. I have not tried any rolling stones, thank you for the suggestion

everdrone

SOUNDGARDEN - RUSTY CAGE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJWcP3poDFA

highmtn

You got buried in the mix on this one, bro!

everdrone

thanks friend, I gave him a mix but he said it was no good since he is the guitarist and did not think the guitars were loud enough and then he just buried me lol! I messaged him just now to see if he will adjust it. thanks for the listen and help highmtn

highmtn

Sounds fine if you want a guitar solo-duet from start to finish with vocals underneath there somewhere! It's a "more me" mix.

everdrone

lol he seems to be a cool dude, I submitted a mix for his approval and gave him an article on subtractive equalizing that he asked for , I hope he approves

highmtn

I'm not a big fan of subtractive EQ, but the purists wouldn't like my mixes anyway. I know that additive EQ is supposed to introduce phasing problems, but I just mix to my own preference. I look for the sound I like and call it good. I went to a mastering studio once, and that's the only EQ they used. Subtract here, subtract there, all over the place. Then compress and limit to boost everything up a couple of dB after they cut what they thought sounded nasty out.

everdrone

cool man, ya thats what I do, subtract eq and then compress/limit, I dont do it as much as them and am not formally trained but I used to just add frequencies only and still do it whenever I can, its a fine balance. I would like to hear your mixes, cheers