How I Did It
Tools I Used
M-Audio Key Studio, the M-Audio GM Module, SM-58 Mic, Reaper
Samples I Used
I found Don's amazing piano part just listening to various piano parts on the "browse" feature in Samples. (I like to listen to parts there rather than the suggested parts, or even most recent parts, because you find some real gems.)
Original Samples
I created a pad that is meant to sound somewhat like rain. The right pads can add some depth and mystery to the piano they sit under.
I put a synth fretless part under the piano, and toyed with the vibrato bar from time to time to give an 80s feel to the fretless.
And of course I sang it, using an SM-58. I'm kind of a lazy singer in that I don't punch in and fix things, and sometimes avoid retakes. That was how it was here.
Process
I played the parts, then quantized the bass; adjusting the quantize errors manually after. With the vocal, as noted above, I just did one take, so when I listened to it, and I thought it was sort of good enough, I put it through reacomp, and it sounded even more acceptable.
I put no effects on the pad or bass, which were ambient enough. I threw a 2000 ms reverb on the piano along with PianoVerb. I threw a long reverb and delay on the vocal.
The song is kind of quiet - I have such an aggressively compressed vocal that I couldn't do much with the limiter, which forced me to leave the song quieter than I would like.
Other Notes
I love Don's piano. What can I say? I had to do something.
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