Re: "Baker Street" cover

"Rocket Scientist" <RS@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:9bn4h6dq2bksgnebeopkb7t5lnqk0pue1q@xxxxxxxxxx
On Wed, 22 Dec 2010 15:08:34 -0500, RS <RS@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

And Rich: Post more tunes! This one is doing great so far! <g>

Rich, Maybe Laurel and Hardy have settled down a bit now, so a couple
quick comments:

I don't remember hearing the Foo Fighters' version of Baker St, so
that may be the basis for part of your approach to your arrangement
that I found unusual. In fact, I'm only going by distant memory of the
Gerry Rafferty version, as I haven't heard it for a while.

The original sax line is rather crisp, and the 'bend' into the first
note much quicker than your version. That may be via Foo Fighters, but
it sounded a bit errrr... 'relaxed' on your version. I'd like to hear
the contrast with, say, a note that's bent up the 1/2 step -before-
you pick it, then released into the second note in the phrase
(actually the third note in the phrase, counting the pickup). I think
that could add more punch. Also, I'm not one for lots of treble, but
that may be part of what I'm hearing there--your lead tone is more
like Eric Clapton's mellower overdriven sound than, say, Beck on the
bridge pickup (which I could hear for the sax line).

Your vocals also seem very laid back, but that's your normal style, I
think. Not far off from Rafferty's, but maybe a bit less 'intimate'?

The thing that did throw me every time is the transition from what...
I think it's a D to Dmin7/F, like at 3'02. Tough to hear nuance, but
that comes off as if the OD'd guitar stays on 1+5 and lets the bass
lead the transition. But the bass doesn't do that until after 1-1/2
beats (upbeat of 2). Again, possibly via Foo Fighters, but I found
that the transition seemed to lag right there. Three places in the
tune, I think.

Put some echo/verb on the solo guitar lines at the end?

I liked the Keith lick at the vocal phrase 'rolling stone'. <g>

All in all, nice! I don't mean to sound overly critical about any of
the above. I enjoyed hearing that.

Thanks, you don't sound overly critical at all, this is the kind of constructive commentary that I appreciate!

I'll look for the Foo Fighters rendition. You've got me curious about
how they do the tune.

Here's the studio Foo Fighters' version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0VIJ4Tbg9g

You'll notice the guitarist doesn't do that bend you mention in the "sax" line at all. Just hits the F straight off.
And now listening to this I hear what you're talking about with the D -> Dm transition. Appears the Foos do it the same way as I did. But you're right, as I was recording the thing, I was wondering "At what point does the listener know I'm now in minor?" The vocal doesn't signify it, and with distorted guitars adding the F to the power chord leads to all sorts of unpleasant harmonics. One thing I'm considering there is re-doing the arpeggiated guitar part at this point in the song (kind of weak in this mix) with less distortion and starting the arpeggio on the "1" with the F note.

The vocal "distance" has a technical explanation (a failed experiment if you will). My son bought me a ribbon mic a while back and I decided to see how it would work out for vocals as well as guitar. There's a risk of plosives damaging the ribbon, so I rigged up a pop filter on the mic stand, the result of which was that I was about 6" back from the mic, and I lost that nice proximity effect that you get, e.g., with a '58 when you're really close to it. I think that effect benefits my voice, so I may give it another go with the '58.

Thanks for the comments!

.

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