[MADMac0498]

Hey all! How are you today?

I’ve done work on quite a few charts I’ve never finished, but it’s looking like my latest one may actually (eventually) get at least a first draft that I can try and have playtested. However, one hurdle still needs to be overcome: my good old nemesis, vocals.

 

In the song, there’s singing and screaming alike, which is pretty typical of metal, especially the heavier, thrashier stuff like this. The singer also has a very rough, scream-like voice as he sings, almost blurring the line. This leads into what I mean by “incidentally” pitched vocals. A lot of times, he’ll go between talky parts and singy parts, but often times what seems like a talky part is actually on pitch with the music if you listen closely. Sometimes it’s straightforward that it was intentional, as in the first half of each verse, as well as the pre-chorus, but there are a lot of other times when it’s not so clear. So…should I chart the more accidental-sounding phrases as pitched because it fits, or unpitched because it would be a little easier?

 

Thanks for reading, and I appreciate your input!

 

The song, for the curious, is Now We Die by Machine Head. I was surprised that seemingly nobody has charted any songs off of Bloodstone & Diamonds (which, by the way, is a fantastic album). It’s the first track, and about the closest you can get to the title track.

[Atruejedi]

Make it easier for yourself and leave the vocals unpitched, except for portions of the chorus (“the ocean crashes”, “the sins wash over”) and obvious “pretty singing” (like the part 5 minutes in until the 6 minute mark). If you did take the time to pitch it all (or even most of it), very few players would be able to sing it “properly” (all screamy like the singer himself!) anyway, and they’d just be humming or crooning, so it doesn’t seem worth the effort, IMO.

 

Good luck!

[MADMac0498]

Make it easier for yourself

Ill be honest, it wont be much easier on me to do the unpitched. My main hatred is the tedious lining up of note tubes, making them the right note is easy. My main issue was how readable and playable the chart would be with the pitches. I suppose thats more a judgment call, but maybe playtesters will have something to say about that.

 

If you did take the time to pitch it all (or even most of it), very few players would be able to sing it “properly” (all screamy like the singer himself!) anyway, and they’d just be humming or crooning, so it doesn’t seem worth the effort, IMO.

I dont mind if theyre not singing it properly. Hell, during the unpitched portions theyll probably just be mumble rapping anyway.

 

Good luck!

Thanks, Im gonna need it. I do honestly appreciate your input, and hopefully this will turn out better because of it.

[Farottone]

Agreed 100% with Atruejedi

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