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Bad Stuff is Good Stuff – Recording Marcel Pereira

 Sometimes people would ask why I set up a recording studio. I do not really have a clear answer, but I know i really like recording original stuff. Every once in a while, a good original song “comes” along and I will get really excited about it.Recorded “Bad Stuff Got You Good” by Marcel Pereira recently. I remember I was setting up the mics when Marcel and Anthony started warming up by playing the song. “Nice song,” I thought to myself. But I wasn’t sure if it was a cover or original at that point. Run a quick google on the hook line lyrics and it brought me to Marcel’s website. That’s when I learnt about the story behind the song and Marcel’s little project of writing a song every week. (Check out more at Marcel’s One Song A Week website)Anyway, a little bit on the recording process. The vocals and guitars were to be tracked at the same time. During the miking process, we have to take into consideration the relative amount of bleed of the guitars into the vocal mic, as well as ensure the mic do not block their faces in the video =P.There’s no right or wrong in terms of miking. One traditional approach include using a figure-8 pattern to minimise the bleed from the guitars. In this case, we used a Rode NT1A for Marcel’s vocals. Marcel’s had a good tone projection and the Rode NT1A (in the position as shown in the viedo) was able to reject the guitar bleed quite well (incredible!). For Anthony, who was doing the backup vocals, we used a Blue Baby Bottle to capture a bit more of the air as well as guitar so that it blends well into the whole space of the sound.Marcel is submitting this song for the Noise Singapore competition. We did a little quick mixdown after the session, nothing too extensive. What you hear from the video is basically like 80% how they sounded in the room during tracking. I always believe the essence of a good song is in the song itself and a good recording begins from having a good room to track in. No amount of post-mixing can make bad stuff pass off as good stuff.In this case though, we got the “Bad Stuff” sounding really good…Bad Stuff Got You Good by Marcel Lee PereiraRain clouds comin’ in too fastA shroud of sadness that never restsFind a shelter on your windswept wayWinter’s troubles fade in MayPut love and hope on your speed dialThey’re trying to get to you, my childLike birds of spring singing at your doorLet them in, don’t cry no moreCHORUSOh… when the bad stuff got you goodNever worryMore than you shouldGod won’t give you what you can’t takeWon’t break the promises he’s madeWhen all else fails you’ve got me, don’t forgetI’ll do my best to pick up the slackCHORUSOh… when the bad stuff got you goodNever worryMore than you shouldBRIDGEDon’t sweat the small stuffDon’t sweat the small stuffLike you haven’t got enoughTo care aboutSo smile for me and steal my breath awayYou’re amazing and I want you to stayWe can face each day as it comesWhat good is life without the sunCHORUSOh… when the bad stuff got you goodNever worryMore than you should

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