Smooth As Silk - collaboration!

[Joanna]

It's finally done! Click here to listen to the new version of Smooth As Silk with iGStudio on sax and McBoy on piano. These guys are amazing!

Let me know if I need to fix anything in the mix. The final mix was my responsibility, and I want to make sure I do their work justice.

Okay, click away: Smooth As Silk (Collaboration)

-- Joanna

[Joanna]

(don't mind me, I accidently posted twice).

[kilroydegeek]

Joanna, if the first one was cool and cruisey, this version lifts the song to the heavens! Replacing the loops with humans has made this a powerhouse little number Love the interplay between iGStudio and McBoy on sax and piano in the instrumental parts and generally the new arrangement brings home the bacon.

[Boris]

Smart and fanciful while maintaining the original sentiment.

This is a fabulous example of the natural order of recording. A big, finger-snapping kudos and congrats to you and all your players on this fine, fine recording.

How many people played on this?

Nice to hear this version. I was so excited when you mentioned doing it, and it certainly lived up to expectations. How do you feel about it overall, Joanna? Happy? Anything you'd have changed or done different?

Classy tune, for sure! THANK you for sharing!

[maggieo]

The new version sounds fantastic, Joanna. Top drawer!

There are a few places tho' where you over-sing just a bit- parts where in your first version you sort of let them slide by like silk velvet but on this one you camp it up a bit more. It sort of reminds me of the difference between playing for a small gathering and the more adrenalized performance of being in front of a big crowd. You sound more bothered by the bad boys and less sly.

That's a pretty minor quibble, tho'. The backing tracks are wowza! Nice slinky sax and piano that falls like silver sunshine.

[davajonah]

Man alive! Top drawer Joanna! Has a real live feel - the original was good but this is fabulous - good enough for Blue Note. I say again - you all get yourselves together, go out there and play in front of a discerning jazz audience - mix your own stuff with some standards and you'll knock 'em dead.
Did you have a bass/drummer? If not - get them. To compliment great sax and piano. Do it!
Brilliant - top song, performed really well.

DJ

[clanger]

Amazing!!
Only one comment tho; I feel that the additional reverb on the voice is a little too much and prefer the closer more intimate sound of the original in that respect. Otherwise a most brilliant collaboration and excellent performances on everyones part.

[Talkin Ape]

mmm, it is better, more natural with the collaborators.

I kinda agree with what Mags said... maybe just do some more takes and see if you find one of them is the "one"

Still a great piece overall, you have great potential, and as Dava pointed out get gigging girl!!!!

Jazz, smoooth!

[Joanna]

Thank you, everyone!

For Mags & Ape: the vocal performance is unchanged from the original. Basically, I sent them my original band file and they removed the piano loops and vibraphone, and put in their piano and sax. So my performance is identical to the version that was in the contest.

What you're hearing is a difference in the support for the vocals.

As for the reverb on the voice, it has less reverb than the original, and less than the accompanying instruments. I did that because reverb tends to be most obvious on a vocal track and I didn't want to sound like I was in a different space than the accompaniment. I tried it with even less reverb, and it didn't mesh at all with the instruments.

-- Joanna

[clanger]

I must have got the two versions mixed up. sorry.

ah no I didn't I rechecked. It seems the reverb on the new version is just ... er different; maybe less decay on the setting or the Eq on the voice has less middle...
whatever. I preferred the first with regard to the voice.

[maggieo]

For Mags & Ape: the vocal performance is unchanged from the original. Basically, I sent them my original band file and they removed the piano loops and vibraphone, and put in their piano and sax. So my performance is identical to the version that was in the contest.

WOW! Psychoacoustics are amazing (and confounding!).


I'll be. Pretty cool how the comping can really change the perception of what the lead instrument or vocal is doing.

[rcandrews]

hhmm. i like the live instruments on this version but preferred the vox on the original. sorry im just gettin to this. ugh.

so much to catch up on so little time.

i will add that this version has mo of a "live" feel then the original. just the vox didn't grab me like the first version did. but i am just repeatin myself so i will shut up now

peace

[Joanna]

As I said above, Robert, the vocal track is identical to the first one, so you're not hearing a difference in vocal performance, but a difference in the support that the instruments are giving to the voice. I'm not disagreeing with what you said (or what anyone said above), just giving you a little background on what you're hearing.

-- Joanna

[rcandrews]

hey joanna, ya'll can disagree if ya want especially if n ya didn't do anythin different

so ya'll didn't even do anythin to the vox trax??

wow thats weird. sounds so different.



hows those prizes treatin ya?!

[Joanna]

Nope, not a thing. It is the same track.

But this does prove how much of a role the instrumentation behind a vocal plays. You can completely change the mood of a song, and even make the vocals sound very different, simply by changing another element in the song.

-- Joanna