The future of home based musicians

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Typo Szar
Member Since: Jul 04, 2002

Another office hours brain fart from me!

Anyhow, i was thinkin as of late, my band has progressed much through our album recording and getting sounds and what not. Were a traditional band that plays all the instruments adn we use very little sampling. I was thinkin, as in the home recording community is growing larger adn larger everyday, not just this site but in terms of kids and pro musicians do work at home across the globe. What do you guys think are the chances of a band like mine, or just home based musicians making albums that rival main releases if all things were equal in terms of musical composition. I'm not relaly talking about bands "making it" or anythign, but in terms of quality. I'm not a trained AE and i dont ahve "the ear" but i like the recordings i make wiht my band, and alot of the stuff ive heard from musicians on this very site play perfectly fine next to pro pressed music on my winamp. If no one told me, i wouldnt have thought twice if it was recorded at SONY studios or in someones basement.
Is it risky for me to just go hey, these recordings arent demos, lets release a CD with these trax and not shoot for the pro studio. Up til now, my personal feeling has always been that, pro studios just makes things "fast" not exactly better. As in i can get a sound i want quickly, while at home i might take up to a month to hunt down something. Is there something im missing?

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Member
Since: Jul 02, 2003


Oct 09, 2006 12:30 am

I think it's possible for home studio based musician's to make albums rivaling commercial offerings in quality but I think most fall short of that "commerical sound" whether that's good or not is of course the subject of much debate among many indie musicians.

I don't think it has to sound just like it came out of a pro studio but It does need to sound pretty dang good/close if your going get listeners at large to be interested. The "Sound" is more than just the technical aspect of it though, material aside the band/artist itself/themselves I feel has to sound pro even more importantly than the recording quality and that's where alot of home studio grown stuff falls short. The little things that are allowed to slide that you just don't hear in pro produced stuff.

Dan

Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002


Oct 09, 2006 04:58 pm

You would be suprised at exactly how many Pro recordings are done in bedroom or personal studio's. The final product is of course dependant on the mastering as long as the mix is good or better then a decent mastering house will have it sounding Pro in no time.

I consider this place to be pro quality and dont release anything that I wouldn't rate at that level. So my answer is of course yes, it is more then possible. I listen to hundreds of CD's a month and I can honestly tell you I have heard some very hideous stuff coming out of studio's that charge $100.00 an hour give or take a few dollars. Whether that is the blame of the mastering enginer trying to squeeze the maximum volume out of it or the enginer who simply crushed everythiing into oblivion.

The stuff I do for commercials and such doesn't get anything but a little freshen up once it goes to production. It is the same as it left here, save for finalizing to go to video or radio or whatever. The loops I do fer DJ's dont get touched at all other then being chopped cut or otheriwse soncily mangled. Most get used straight as is.

Eat Spam before it eats YOU!!!
Member
Since: May 11, 2002


Oct 09, 2006 05:17 pm

I would say it depends on your choice of pro studio... Here in columbus you are more likely to get a better sound out of a home studio and taking your time than a local "pro studio" - period - .

I easially get better sound on even my old SONAR 2 & Q10 system than I did when I recorded on 2" locally ...theoretically that shouldn't be possible... but when the practice is:
1. Engineer is either drunk, hung over, or niccing
2. Tape is used (multiple times)
3. band is rushed
4. no producer
5. studio/engineer specializes in a different style - like country...
etc.

you have to realize many pro studios are just "really nice looking home studios on commercial property" anyway.

Prince CZAR-ming
Member
Since: Apr 08, 2004


Oct 09, 2006 05:35 pm

I agree with Zek, a local guy here falls right into that same category.

but, to be honest, without the money to pay good people (engineers, mixers, producers, mastering, etc), the 'technical' aspect, like olddog mentions, can fall short. I know there's lots I would do different, if I had time to expirement, and a bundle of cash, to try different gear.

and, i guess, to be fair to the local guy, if the artist doesn't have the $$$ to have a fantastic job done, then it can't totally be the fault of the engineer (in some cases).

I don't think it's so much the gear itself, but each point along the way has to have very competent people, even if all those hats are worn by the same person.

p.s. what's niccing?

Eat Spam before it eats YOU!!!
Member
Since: May 11, 2002


Oct 09, 2006 06:39 pm

niccin/niccing = the feeling smokers have when not.

Typo Szar
Member
Since: Jul 04, 2002


Oct 09, 2006 08:02 pm

That reaffirms alot of thoughts i already had about how important mastering is about and such.

Thanx a bunch guys

Prince CZAR-ming
Member
Since: Apr 08, 2004


Oct 10, 2006 02:01 pm

ah, i get it.

like if you're hot for mrs. jones, you'd be 'jonesin'

heh heh.


Frisco's Most Underrated
Member
Since: Jan 28, 2003


Oct 11, 2006 01:43 am

Quote:
The little things that are allowed to slide that you just don't hear in pro produced stuff.


I think this is the most important part. Listen to a professionally produced piece, and listen to all the little details, this thing going on over there, and that thing whizzing by for a second, there is a lot of details that go into it, and it seems that all the details are sweated. If you have the patience for that, then with enough experience you can make pro sounding pieces in your home studio.

ps I like Noize's attitude!

Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002


Oct 11, 2006 04:49 pm

thanx coolo!

You are absolutely right though. It is the time you put into the details.

I dont care if I'm doing a cheap demo for the high school wanna be rock or punk band, or a full paying clients work. I put the same effort into the details. If it doesnt sound good it gets trashed and done over untill it does sound good.

The only exception in all my years was the damn Svenghali heavy bottomed crap. They would have nothing to do with letting me fix the hideous guitar sound and let the drums and bass come through. In the end, I wouldn't put my name on it. Simply burned the crap to CD and told them dont use myname when asked were that trash came from.

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