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Cash - Cut you down


uncle fester

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Hey folks  - (said in a tentative voice) here's my overdue version of Johnny Cash'  God will cut you down.  

  • A month and a half late, but that was to build suspense
  • Has clapping as a click track to keep rhythm, and then did the song with one mic, Shure SM58 for singing and playing at the same time (a la Murph).  Through my Presonus audiobox 44VSL.
  • It takes a verse to get into a rhythm, but I feel I do get there
    • Note on this - I am really struggling getting the first verse to really flow (any song)...  this is better, still not good, practicing hard, but it's coming slow - will take suggestions

 

As said before, other versions are more than welcome.  I had input, will leave them unnamed until I see how this ship lands...

Happy September all

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Hey, in all honesty that is very, very different sounding. I wouldn't be surprised if others might think it sounds too odd, but I like it. It has an alternative drone like, low-fi feel that I really like. One thing that struck me, I was waiting for a section where the volume and intensity would really increase, but it never came. I think your style could have benefited from such an approach. As an example, have you heard Nirvana's version of  Where Did You Sleep Last Night? That kind of shift is really cool (I realize that pulling something like that off does not come easy, but you can do something similar in a way comfortable for you.) Check it out here and what happens right before the 4 min mark.

 

Lars

Edited by Lars68
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I think what you’ve done with the song has a lot of artistic merit.   Phrasing is good.  Timing is good.  Enunciation is good.  Accompaniment is good.   You’re using what you have in a very intentional conscious way.   No doubt it is a hard song to phrase, enunciate, keep the mood of, etc.  Your good effort shows.   It’s not you have, it’s how you use it...you put a lot into this one.  I say bravo for your artistic approach to it!  Kinda grows on ya upon multiple listens!

 

QM aka “ Jazzman” Jeff

 

 

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Sorry, Billroy, but while I can get what you are trying to do with the beat and drone guitar, the vocal is way off tune.

Cash version did put the fear in everyone, while honestly, your version is just scaring the kiddies.

Had to tell you what I thought - I will look bad if it is a hit. Back to the drawing board, BR!

 

BluesKing777.

 

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Thank you all, appreciate the input.  Lars, on the dynamics - it's funny, I had gone the direction you mentioned and felt it was too much, but will revisit.  QMJJ - thank you as well, getting some of the nuts and bolts together, just not all of them yet.  BK - true is true, no harm done.  Thought I had made strides getting the vocals on key, but hey....  I got a big drawing board, no reason not to go back to it

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54 minutes ago, billroy said:

Thank you all, appreciate the input.  Lars, on the dynamics - it's funny, I had gone the direction you mentioned and felt it was too much, but will revisit.  QMJJ - thank you as well, getting some of the nuts and bolts together, just not all of them yet.  BK - true is true, no harm done.  Thought I had made strides getting the vocals on key, but hey....  I got a big drawing board, no reason not to go back to it

 

Well, slot some listening to that drawing board.....the beat thing you are doing probably goes back to the dawn of time and a bit of fireside entertainment clacking some bones. Slightly more recently, slaves rowed long oats to that beat and a caller, but Cash’s backing is straight from the cotton field/prison gang style. So working some more on ‘Soul Of A Man’ could help you, and more inspiration see John The Revelator by Son House.... and speaking of Son, don’t forget some wild slide to liven it up if you are in Open tuning.

 

BluesKing777.

 

 

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3 hours ago, BluesKing777 said:

 

Well, slot some listening to that drawing board.....the beat thing you are doing probably goes back to the dawn of time and a bit of fireside entertainment clacking some bones. Slightly more recently, slaves rowed long oats to that beat and a caller, but Cash’s backing is straight from the cotton field/prison gang style. So working some more on ‘Soul Of A Man’ could help you, and more inspiration see John The Revelator by Son House.... and speaking of Son, don’t forget some wild slide to liven it up if you are in Open tuning.

 

BluesKing777.

 

 

ahhh - BK I understand input on the delivery, and happy to take it... but if it's the style of the song that's got you upset, not sure if it's as valuable.  The beat thing might go back to whenever, but it's a journey and it's where I'm at.  Out of key, out of tune, not dynamic enough - ok, don't like the style.. hmmmm.

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Hey Bill  I was not familiar with this Cash tune so after listening to your track, I went looking for the original.  After hearing Cash's version, I think you did get real close conveying the original mood of the song with what you did.

I think if you can try to put some more "push" behind your notes, your pitch response may get easier.    While it's true that we don't want to yell,   we do need to move a little air when we sing.  (When making omelettes, you have to break a few eggs! 🙂  )

Voice is - in my flea bitten opinion - one of THE hardest instruments to master.   Confidence is huge.   But in fact, we gotta let it go, and get some "volume" out of the voice  to make all the registers work.    One of my vocal coaches once told me "Don't ever sing apologetically."  In other words, he was saying don't ever take your foot off the gas.     I went home  thought about that for a few weeks and tried to keep that in mind when I was practicing,... eventually I understood. 

With singing; our breathing is so important.   When to breath, how much air to pull in,  (too much is as bad as not enough)  

Just like any other instrument, the methods have to be learned, memorized, (muscle memory applies to voice as much as piano or guitar)   Remember, as a vocalist, every note we sing counts, and we do need the air behind those notes to get through to the end of the verse. 

Keep at it bro, trust me, it's a long journey. 

 

 

 

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13 hours ago, kidblast said:

Keep at it bro, trust me, it's a long journey. 

 

 

It sure is. Years and years of frustration, constant failures and embarrassments are my experiences. At least now some light has started to make its way into the far end of the tunnel. I don't want to bring you down, you are at a much better starting place then I was, but it will take time and truck loads of motivation.

Lars

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