Question Re: The Boy Who Could Explode

[johnerwin]

I'm trying to re-record The Boy Who Could Explode using garageband and it's coming along fairly well but, I can't seem to figure out what that ambient sound at the beginning is that lasts through the verses as well. Sounds like some kind of scratching or something in the background..

 

Just wondering if anyone had any idea how he would get that sound??

 

The demo has it as well so it's probably not something done in the studio exclusively that can't be done at home..

 

Any feedback would be great.

 

Thanks,

 

Pete.

 

 

....here's the first minute and a half that sounds a bit empty without it..

 

The Boy Who Could Explode (Cover)

Edited December 2, 2009 by johnerwin

[umdesch4]

That sound always strikes me as being a pick scrape, maybe slowed down a bit, and put through a bunch of reverb, a phaser/flanger effect of some kind, then just looped. That's what I'd try, anyway.

 

...and might I add...holy crap, that cover is sounding AMAZING so far! Damn!

Edited December 2, 2009 by umdesch4

[johnerwin]

thanks man.. that does sound like what he's doing

 

hard to get the right sound on that though.. LOTS of phaser and reverb

[eclipse]

Wow, it's close!

 

It seems pretty good. Although I'd like to say that I don't think it's the lack of ambient noise in the beginning that makes it feel empty, it's the bass ;p

[johnerwin]

there's no electric bass in the intro before the drum entrance..

 

although there are dual upright bass parts that are bowed and may not be coming through as well as I thought

[eclipse]

there's no electric bass in the intro before the drum entrance..

I wasn't talking about before, I'm sorry. I didn't hear any bass at all, is what I was trying to say.

[johnerwin]

there is bass when the drums come in.. it's just that bass is tough to do when it's just midi and there's no real way of making it noticeable because it blends in with the strings so much

 

..i'll try to bring it out somehow.. hah

[umdesch4]

Have you done any more on this? I'd love to hear it...

[Who]

Listen to "I'm a window" between 1:40 AND 1:55. It's there. So I'm guessing it's a loop from GarageBand. But I don't know much about the software given I'm on a PC. I thought I'd point that out if it helped.

[johnerwin]

that actually does help.. i've never heard that before

 

unless he's just pick scratching on both, but they both sound really similar.. i'll search through some of the apple loops

 

thanks a lot!

[Who]

No problem! ;)

[AnOceanPearl]

there is bass when the drums come in.. it's just that bass is tough to do when it's just midi and there's no real way of making it noticeable because it blends in with the strings so much

 

..i'll try to bring it out somehow.. hah

Not to mention the bass is buried in the mix for most of the song which kind of makes it hard to accurately recreate it.