Soundcloud milestone: 500 plays on Death Cab cover

[Sombras]

A couple years ago on a whim I recorded this cover of Death Cab's "I Will Possess Your Heart". I'd always liked the song and started dinking around with a version of it on the acoustic. After posting the recording on Soundcloud it pretty much sat there unlistened to for about a year, then something strange happened and it (and the Van Halen cover) started getting regular sustained listens. Sometime in the last few days it passed 500 listens--which is a first for me (though nowhere close to some of the members on this forum).

Thought I'd re-post as a sort of self-congratulatory pat on the back. Thanks in advance for listening and I hope you like it.

https://soundcloud.com/tjxsj/i-will-...your-heart-ben

[Ranger1964]

Hey that's great! 500 plays AND the song itself. I love your productions and how you add such a cool vibe to your vocals. Just a great great job!

[Sombras]

Thanks, Ranger. Very much appreciated!

[SalFromChatham]

YOu already know I am a big fan... Outstanding. How do you add the vibe to your voice? Are you doing two octaves? Is it an effect? I like it a lot.

[Sombras]

Originally Posted by themissal

How do you add the vibe to your voice? Are you doing two octaves? Is it an effect? I like it a lot.

Thanks, man! No effects--well, wait, I did add "talent" (i.e. some Garageband reverb), but no modulation or anything like that. On some songs like this one I do two separate takes on the main vocals. The (hopefully) very slight variation in pitch gives the vocals an almost chorus sound. I'll pan each track slightly, but not too much or the differences in takes will be apparent. In various places I'll add a harmony track--usually higher, but sometimes lower. My vocals are not very dynamic, so I do all this to add some energy or it just comes off as flat. Jose Gonzalez (Junip) and Mark Kozelek (Red House Painters, Sun Kil Moon) are pretty much masters at the multi-track vocals and I find myself just trying to rip off their approaches.

Oh, and I've had my nose busted seven times, so I have to do some eq-ing with my messed up midrange.

[Geedub]

Congratulations on reaching 500!

I just gave it a listen and it sounds great!

Thanks for sharing.

[noman]

Originally Posted by Sombras

Oh, and I've had my nose busted seven times, so I have to do some eq-ing with my messed up midrange.

Dang! But you recovered well. This song sounds great!

Congratulations on your Soundcloud Achievement.

noman

[Sombras]

Thank you, Geedub and noman. I appreciate your listening!

[Ranger1964]

Originally Posted by Sombras

Oh, and I've had my nose busted seven times

I think you're holding the guitar the wrong way

[Sombras]

Originally Posted by Ranger1964

I think you're holding the guitar the wrong way

Actually it's the windmills. Never figured out how Townsend managed to hit the strings and not his face! I'll keep practicing, though.