Bi-weekly record-diving sampling extravaganza | 15 | Alexander O'Neal - If You Were Here Tonight

[natehorn]

Hi folks!

We’re back again for another round of Nate and @aarb420’s Record Diving Extravaganza and I’ve dug up some sweet sounds from 1985. I’m excited to hear what everyone will do with these vocals!

The sample this week is Alexander O’Neal - If You Were Here Tonight.

If You Were Here Tonight is a song written by Monte Moir and recorded by American recording artist Alexander O’Neal. It is the second single from the singer’s self-titled debut solo album, Alexander O’Neal (1985). Following the successful chart performances of the single “Innocent”, “If You Were Here Tonight” was released as the album’s second single. “If You Were Here Tonight” is a melancholy ballad about the break-up of a relationship. It is the only song out of three songs on the album written and produced by Monte Moir to be released as a single. The song’s instrumental was sampled as the basis for the highly popular dancehall beat called the “Sail Away Riddim” in 1998. This was done by producing an uptempo dancehall beat woven around the airy keyboard riff.

Here’s an official version from Alexander O’Neal’s YouTube channel but I’ve also captured a recording straight from the record with lots of lovely crust and dirt.

Alexander O'Neal - If You Were Here Tonight

Vinyl wav: https://we.tl/t-v74XeffNzH

THE BRIEF

YOU have been selected by the notorious Global Sound Syndicate for a top-secret operation. Not really, please, share with your friends, family and that estranged friend that you’ve been thinking about.

-Sample any part(s) of the track we’ve nominated
-Spend no more than 1 week turning it into music/noise
-Post your creations here for us all to enjoy

You can use as much or as little of the track as you like - add whatever other instruments/samples you like. No winners, no losers, just good times*

DEADLINE Sunday, April 23rd, 2023

Submit your entry no later than 11:59 PM, Sunday, April 23rd, or be faced with a brief moment of regret. You could also submit something after that date too, we’d still like to hear what you make!

COMPENSATION

Hearts and compliments from the community*

Enjoy yourselves and join us in the chat for existential crisis, high-fives and advice!

Lots of love, @natehorn and @aarb420

* Not guaranteed

[natehorn]

Paging recent entrants @jdaddyaz @Funk_Illuminati @Yabba @BLKrbbt @proskynesis @1-2 @Clarke_111 @looms @trophoniq @tubefund

[natehorn]

@Nils @malus_mons @monquixote @sasquatchfuzz @jeye_musik

[natehorn]

A little heads-up - Stemroller seems to have done a great job isolating the vocals It’s even retained the lush reverb tails - it’s pure witchcraft

[looms]

Toooo smooooove @natehorn! I’m gonna get to the charity shops and see if I can get that sweet jacket from the record sleeve.

Stemroller ftw

[natehorn]

@looms

I’m gonna get to the charity shops and see if I can get that sweet jacket from the record sleeve.

You definitely get extra points for dress-up

[jeye_musik]

On the one hand, I’m already doing the current hip-hop and d’n’b challenges. And on the other hand, that’s a really nice track that’s giving me ideas. And on the other hand, I don’t have too much else I need to do today…

@natehorn how does Stemroller compare to Spleeter? Spleeter is pretty decent but it does bring in some weird artifacts (which isn’t necessarily a bad thing…)

[natehorn]

@jeye_musik

And on the other hand, that’s a really nice track that’s giving me ideas.

haha I’m glad it’s tempting for you! We do like to keep you all busy

I’ve not used Spleeter actually I’d also be interested to hear how they compare. There are some very minor artifacts in the stemroller export but for my tastes they’re basically non-existant, I won’t hear them in my track that’s for sure!

[BLKrbbt]

@natehorn

Stemroller seems to have done a great job isolating the vocals

Can you post the isolated vocals?

[BLKrbbt]

Whoa. That video is…. Interesting.

Why does he look so distressed? Is he that heartbroken? Or is there someone off camera threatening him to do a music video?

Is this a 30 year old cry for help?

But for real, those filter sweeps on that Juno or Jupiter, or whatever.

[jeye_musik]

Sounds like Stemroller is a good bit cleaner than Spleeter then. Makes sense given how quickly Spleeter does it… the artifacts are definitely noticeable in it but I’ve been leaning in to them and making that a “feature” of what I’m doing with this one.

[natehorn]

@BLKrbbt

Can you post the isolated vocals?

Sure no problem bud, I treated mine a little but here’s the raw output from Stemroller

vocals.wav

@BLKrbbt

Is this a 30 year old cry for help?

Breakups are tough

[BLKrbbt]

So true!

And wow… This is crazy. I go through this every time when I start chopping. Whatever I was planning goes right out the window.

I chopped out that filter sweep. Then ran through the different pitches, but there is some percussion under it, so 12 semitones up it’s a bangin hyper pop chop.

Now I’m parsing it to different pads at that tempo, but back down all 12 semitones.

It might turn out to something, or it may be a failed experiment.

Let’s see!

Thank you for the stems, btw!

[natehorn]

@BLKrbbt

I go through this every time when I start chopping. Whatever I was planning goes right out the window.

Yea I’m the same, start with a plan and after 10 minutes I have something random that I’ve gotten carried away with I really wanted to create something Burial-esk today but I’m mucking about with something that is definitely not that lol

[Sherelle]

Monte amour was also the keyboardist for the group The Time.

[jeye_musik]

Thanks for sharing the vocal stem - comparing against the Spleeter version and that’s much cleaner. Think I’ll use those as I’ve already used some of the piano that had been extracted using Spleeter and so having the cleaner version you posted means that it won’t be complete overload of weird artifacts… and yeah, my original plan for what I was going to do completely fell by the wayside too. But hopefully should be able to get something out of it!

[Funk_Illuminati]

Morris Day is the closest thing we’ve had to a second coming. Or Zimmerman. Or the Purple Prince. One of them.

#Sherelleonthestamp

[Funk_Illuminati]

Now, If I can just get the separated stems for the first four bars, I won’t have to do any preparation work. Mad props either way my dude. Sorry to hear about your breakup.

[BLKrbbt]

[natehorn]

@Funk_Illuminati

Sorry to hear about your breakup.

Oh ha I was talking about Alexander O’Neal Although my housemate is abondoning me this week so tbf it’s also hitting close to home! So I’ll take the condolences, thanks

@BLKrbbt this is funky - that bassline/distorted tom whatever you wanna label it is hard!

I have most of something down I’m itching to get back to it and finish it off but won’t have the opportunity until a bit later…