Hotel California (acoustic version)

[jugge]

Here is a cover of the classic song Hotel California by Eagles. This is the acoustic version and all instruments comes from the PSR SX-720 arranger keybord.

For vocals I used Synthesizer V and a voice bank called Hayden which I thought fit this song very well.

[Gleston]

Congrats !

very well done. Showing that the possibilities for an arranger keyboards are endless!

[porterma]

Wow!
This is an excellent rendition of the song.
Very well done.
Did you create your own accompaniment style for the background ? It fit really well.
Thanks for sharing it with us.
Mark

[Snicker740]

Wow!
This is an excellent rendition of the song.
Very well done.
Did you create your own accompaniment style for the background ? It fit really well.
Thanks for sharing it with us.
Mark

From the progression of the Bass Guitar, I'm guessing this isn't an 8 bar loop style. This is a midi squencer using the S720's sound

[jugge]

Thank you, guys. I was using a  midi file for this song and no style.

/Jugge

[Sam Wacker]

.....  I was using a  midi file for this song and no style.

/Jugge

Your YouTube rendition of a classic Eagles song is excellent.  What, I'm sure, will be of interest to many of us is how you got there. The process, as a learning tool, is just as important as the finished product.  For example, was the MIDI you used a commercial product,  something you created from scratch or a combination of midi files? Which Yamaha voices did you use? Did you create all the vocal harmonies yourself using Synthsizer V?

There are hundreds of examples of midi files of this acoustic version of the song from the Hell Freezes Over album. Some are free and of dubious quality, while others like from HiTrax in Australia are fairly accurate.

Did you use audio stems like those on offer,(at a price) from "ISOLATED TRACKS" - a company that claims to have some original stems ?

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These are the stems:
01_Intro_count.wav
02_Drum_Kit.wav
03_Eggs.wav
04_Bongos.wav
05_Bass.wav
06_Rhythm_Acoustic_Guitar_1.wav
07_Rhythm_Acoustic_Guitar_2.wav
08_Rhythm_Acoustic_Guitar_3.wav
09_Lead_Acoustic_Guitar_(left).wav
10_Lead_Acoustic_Guitar_(right).wav
11_Backing_Vocals.wav
12_Lead_Vocal.wav full_mix(demo).wav mix_wBack.wav mix_noBack.wav

It doesn't appear to be the original recording but a cover version. The Eagles' Don Henley is known as a YouTube blocker.

Synthesizer V

The original program has been around for about 5 years but has improved dramatically. The latest program, an Asian affair with English, Japanese, Chinese and Korean as the languages offered-  without an upgrade - is not an expensive program at about $100. The vocal track on your rendition sounds very much like Hayden.  For some of their  source vocalists the original singer is listed, but not with Hayden.

[jugge]

Your YouTube rendition of a classic Eagles song is excellent.  What, I'm sure, will be of interest to many of us is how you got there. The process, as a learning tool, is just as important as the finished product.  For example, was the MIDI you used a commercial product,  something you created from scratch or a combination of midi files? Which Yamaha voices did you use? Did you create all the vocal harmonies yourself using Synthsizer V?

There are hundreds of examples of midi files of this acoustic version of the song from the Hell Freezes Over album. Some are free and of dubious quality, while others like from HiTrax in Australia are fairly accurate.

Did you use audio stems like those on offer,(at a price) from "ISOLATED TRACKS" - a company that claims to have some original stems ?

Hi Sam,

Great questions.

I started this project using a midi file I bought from HitTrax midi. This company offers great quality midi-files and their prices are reasonable.
I then edited the midi file in Cubase and changed most of the GM instruments to better Guests are not allowed to view links. In order to access the links, please Register or Login alternatives.

The midi file included a melody line for the vocal notes that I could import in Synth V.  However, there were no lyrics included in the midi file, so I added all lyrics manually.
Another option would have been to use a program like Steinbergs spectralayers to first isolate the vocal track from the original song and then let Synth V analyze and extract the notes from that audiofile.
However, normaly I get better results using a midi melody line as source.

Hayden's voicebank was used for the main vocals. I used another voicebank called Noa Hex for the harmonies.


After having both the music and vocals parts in Cubase, then the mixing phase begin and I think this is one of the most crucial part to make the song sound good .
I mostly use Fabfilter plugins for effect. Especially their EQ, Compressor and reverb, but for the vocal track, I used a plugin called GEM voice from overloud which is specifically designed for vocal processing.

Hopes that helped

/Jugge

[Amwilburn]

Very cool as usual, Jugge!

[Sam Wacker]

..... I started this project using a midi file I bought from HitTrax midi. This company offers great quality midi-files and their prices are reasonable.
I then edited the midi file in Cubase and changed most of the GM instruments to better Guests are not allowed to view links. In order to access the links, please Register or Login alternatives.

Another option would have been to use a program like Steinbergs spectralayers to first isolate the vocal track from the original song and then let Synth V analyze and extract the notes from that audiofile.
However, normaly I get better results using a midi melody line as source.

Hayden's voicebank was used for the main vocals. I used another voicebank called Noa Hex for the harmonies.

 ''''After having both the music and vocals parts in Cubase, then the mixing phase begin and I think this is one of the most crucial part to make the song sound good .
I mostly use Fabfilter plugins for effect. Especially their EQ, Compressor and reverb, but for the vocal track, I used a plugin called GEM voice from overloud which is specifically designed for vocal processing.

Thank you for a comprehensive and honest reply. I was convinced this was a HitTrax midi file  (HT 5067) as I used to be a customer and auditioned this very track.

You've made a good job of re-voicing and mixing – same with your YouTube Santana tracks, Maria Maria and Journey's Believin'.

Do you mute midi channel/parts and play those yourself in performance? Do you double-up tracks ?

Another company that produces some first-class midi is a Scottish company. They also have a range in languages other than English including Dutch and German but not Swedish.

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Like HitTrax they have several versions of Hotel California including the 'Hell Freezes Over' acoustic version. It's not as good.

As for AI vocals, I did look at Ace Studio Pro as it's quite difficult to get vocalists who just like singing. They all want to go on the road!  I rejected this software. The pricing is a monthly rental for 2 years and then we own it – at a total cost of £538.  Synthesizer V seems to be aimed at a wide market including Asian teenage wannabe pop stars.

My interest in all of this is wanting (or dreaming maybe) to produce a version of Electric Light Orchestra's Mr. Blue Sky. It has a Bach-like choral section reminiscent of The Swingle Singers [not Swingers] that would be fun to create as a way of learning the software.

Cheers