Help needed with trying to cover something

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Loki Harfagr
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Re: Help needed with trying to cover something

Post by Loki Harfagr »

Well, from all of your posts it's getting shady more and more to guess if you want to play it your way or to be "harmonically" quite similar to the original "Fade To Grey" :)
In any case you'd be intersetd in trying first to play what was intended at first you could try to just start playing (here spelled for easyness in a condensed form of your last used way to represent chords):

On bass: A, C, E, while strings go (a,c,e), (c,e,g), (b,e,g)

and similarly on that part when comes the man on the lonely platform ;)
On bass: D, F, A, while strings go (d,f,a), (c,f,a), (c,e,a)

Then, of course you can divert it and agrement as you like, once the boat floats you're the master of the bridge ;)
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Re: Help needed with trying to cover something

Post by Gps »

You have a good point there. :)

What gets me into trouble every time when I cover something, I look at multiple midi files, and then start combining parts from different midi files.

Without paying enough attention to certain details, like the relation between tracks in a midi file.

When I finally had my piece in tune with the original my face looked like this: :shock:

The string part uses a chord and then, I think its called a first inversion of a chord. That got me into a lot of issues with the bassline.

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Re: Help needed with trying to cover something

Post by Gps »

Some progress.

Took about two days off from fade to grey.

Then after putting those chords and the bassline in one track I listened, and boom, it started to make sense.

It simple if you see it :lol:

The bass line and that string chord progression start at the same note an D and end on the same note, an A

The string chords used are DFA and CEA back to CFA.

The bassline first follows the lowest note, then follows the middle note of the chord, and then the highest an A, at which point the strings have returned back to DFA.

Messed around a bit and when I used a note, out of the the chord, instant shivers down my spine. (not the good shivers)

This solves my problem not understanding the relation, between these two tracks.
And because of this having not having clue on how to align them (or stretch them), with other parts of the track.


Sometimes I wonder, should I not be more lazy? By blindly following a midi file, I would been done weeks ago... :lol:
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Re: Help needed with trying to cover something

Post by Gps »

Can somebody remind me why I wanted to cover this ? :wink:

For days now fighting the drums. On the bright side this should be the last big fight.

Using VLC media player, to slow down the original.
Then had an idea, and copied all bassline notes into a hi hat track.

I think I am on the right track, but might have to delete some notes.There also seems to be a very soft kick (808 ?)

I do have a midi file, but It has a weird timing. It has a 1,2,3,4 count in, and then goes of grid. Enough to confuse me.

I am guessing two type of hats and or a snare. Its so soft compared to the other sounds even at the start of the track. This makes it hard to hear what is going on.

Thank god for being able in the bbe in lmms, to open a piano roll. You need this for fade to grey.
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Re: Help needed with trying to cover something

Post by Gps »

I lost all motivation to continue, which is funny in a way, because I am almost done.

Had started on the drums but then got so frustrated, I decided to take a break.

Typing this while listening to fade to grey, and I notice something about the drums.

Fade to grey has this off beat hi hat or snare, but this only starts after a few minutes.

Cant give up now. :)

Edit: its not off beat, and now in my cover, its a snare :P
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Re: Help needed with trying to cover something

Post by Gps »

I am gonna have a look at the part RvBerg helped me with.

I like what he did, but I don't like how it turns out in my cover.

Gonna see if I can get it closer speed wise to what he made, which has to me the right speed but at a totally different bpm then fade to grey :)



Think I now have finally drums closer to original, but it needs more work I think.

To be continued, never give up never surrender.
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Re: Help needed with trying to cover something

Post by Gps »

Never give up, never surrender.

Finally some progress. I have the drums and it sounds not bad. With some peeking at a midi file I added a few notes and moved some. (high hat)

It might need some fine tuning (using different drum samples) but for now I am done with the drums. I also added back the first note slight.

That is causing some volume ( mixing) issues, and I need to look at how I am gonna solve that.
Maybe one seperate track for the slights ?

Or is the solution in chords ? I am sliding only one note, were in the rest of this track I am using chords.
I know I can slide a chord in lmms, so gonna have a look at some tutorials.
Maybe its as simple as adding two notes..

Motivation to finish this is returning.

Can"t give up when I already have 7 min plus track, what needs some work on a few transitions.
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