My First Stab At Computer Editing & Mixing

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Czar of Cheese
Member Since: Jun 09, 2004

Please give this a listen if you have some time. It's called "I Must Be Going Down The Road". My latest recording, totally edited and mixed on the computer using Cool Edit Pro. It's the first time I have done a mixdown on the computer.

I'd sure welcome any specific advice in terms of shaping the sound, especially getting the vocals to sit better in the mix.

The link is on this page:

www.thecutaways.us/jimsongs.htm

Thanks!

dB - By the way, I couldn't upload this MP3 to my HRC space. (I tried three times.) Here is the message that it returned:

File type error

Any uploaded file must be a valid mp3 encoded to 128kbps and 44100kHz frequency.

I'm pretty sure I followed all of the guidelines for file types and whatnot. Thanks.
Jim

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Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002


Oct 29, 2004 06:13 am

I would assume it wasn't encoded at that bit rate or sample rate then...but I thought I dropped that requirement...hmmm. ANyone else having trouble? I know I haven't.

I do see your folder exists and has the proper access permissions...

Hello!
Member
Since: Jan 12, 2004


Oct 29, 2004 06:54 am

Hey Jim

I'll give this a blast this evening when Im back from work.

You'll never look back when you get into the PC mixing/editing/mastering scene. It does get easier (tho I am no expert yet!) but aye - the curve does lessen.

Also, when you do hit the sweet spots and get the mix, settings right you have the joyous ability to use "Save As" !! hehe.

Anyways, I'll let ya know later what I think of your song.

Cheers...

Coco.

Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002


Oct 29, 2004 09:50 pm

Jim that is pretty kool. It reminded me of Some older Lou Reed stuff. Your voice hinted a bit like his as well, the style in which you sing as well as the tonality of it aswell.

Very interesting. And not to bad for your first crack at the digital domain.

I will try and make some time to critique it later and post back here.

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


Oct 31, 2004 02:30 am

Jim, I will check this out this week.

dB, I had the same uploading problem tonight, and I'm pretty sure everything is encoded right. I mean I haven't checked, but I did everything the same way as I have in the past, and I've never had any problems in the past. I will double check though and get back to you.

Member
Since: Apr 22, 2004


Oct 31, 2004 04:04 am

Jim, I can't offer you advice re recording but I'll still have a listen and tell you what I think of your song...to support what you're doing.

I only have dial-up and so I have to wait to use my sons computer which is on broadband. Looking forward to it.

Cheers,

BM

PS You know I don't know anything much, don't you?

Member
Since: Apr 22, 2004


Oct 31, 2004 04:05 am

Oh damn Noize...I did it again....hehehe!

BM ;-(

Member
Since: Apr 22, 2004


Oct 31, 2004 07:58 am

Jim, I liked the positivity of the lyrics of 'I must be going down the road' and also the sort of commonsense in a way no nonsense approach of the content. Does that make any sense?

I agree with Noize about the tonality and characteristics of a kind of 'Lou Reed' sound. I think you have a lovely and mature voice.

Cheers,

BM

Hello!
Member
Since: Jan 12, 2004


Nov 01, 2004 04:16 pm

Jim

Just listened to the song and yer mix - it sounds good man! I never used CEP (Cubase is my app of choice) but this sounds good for a first attempt at PC mixing (Now, you are biten my friend...there is NO goin back! he).

Good song, rockin up beat tune, LOVE the geetar - like the tone too, good rockin sweet tele creamy tone there...Aye, the lead guitar is cool. The beat, song itself kinda pumps along and its a cross between rock/country and folk which is what I like just now so its cool.

Vocals sound as good as I've heard ya do and the rockier songs seem to suit yer voice.

Overall, a good tune and nice little infills of guitars....thumbs up here.

Good work....

Coco.

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


Nov 04, 2004 11:49 am

Jim, this is definitely a cool song. As for suggestions in the mix, I think the drums are sitting pretty low, compared to the vocals and guitar. The kick can especially stand to come up as the song seems to be lacking some bottom end. The main lead that starts off the song and kinda acts as the bass line seems to sit on all the drum parts. I'd take that part down a bit. And I like the guitar fills coming in here and there.

With that being said, I think the vocals sound good and fit well with the guitars, and the guitar playing is great, with very nice tone. I also like the song structure and lyrics. Overall, good song, and good job for first computer mix. I know it sure is a lot better than mine was!

Czar of Cheese
Member
Since: Jun 09, 2004


Nov 04, 2004 12:21 pm

Thanks, everybody. Your kind remarks are encouraging.

Coolo, being that my drum track is a rendering of a MIDI drum track, I cannot isolate the kick drum. Do you know of any EQ tricks, i.e. a specific frequency that I could boost that may bring up the bottom without muddying things up? (I suppose that's another one of those million dollar questions! :-)

Thanks again.

Jim

Hello!
Member
Since: Jan 12, 2004


Nov 04, 2004 05:17 pm

Hey Jim

Can you not stick the track into your sequencer which should have midi editing and alter the pattern for the kick drum or even better, seperate this from the rest of the midi file and load it up as its own track??

I think you said you use Cool Edit?? Thats one I never used but if you have midi editing, take the drums apart and isolate the kick drum then copy/paste to a new midi track giving you all the drums on one track and the kick on another.

Dunno if C/Edit allows that tho as I say - I use Cubase and actually an old Cakewalk Pro Audio 9 for midi editing.

Good luck anyways.

Coco.

Czar of Cheese
Member
Since: Jun 09, 2004


Nov 04, 2004 07:53 pm

Cool Edit doesn't do MIDI, but I too have an older version of Cakewalk Home Studio that does. Maybe I'll have to fire it up and see what I can come up with.

Hello!
Member
Since: Jan 12, 2004


Nov 04, 2004 07:55 pm

Thats what to do Jim...either that, or find one of those freebie midi editors and just hammer in the basic pattern on that.

Then, play it back via the Zoom as the output channel using a midi lead and yer sorted. I know you dont have that yet but when you do - its sooo much easier. Just then a case of routing it like this:

Design In Cakewalk >>> MIDI OUT TO ZOOM >>>
<<< MIDI In (Zoom) - Just record the incoming signal. SO all yer doin is designing in the app, and reading it on the zoom whilst usin the zoom banks..I find it works well.

Gid luck.

Coco.

I am not a crook's head
Member
Since: Mar 14, 2003


Nov 04, 2004 09:59 pm

I seem to remember Fortymile mentioning something like boosting just below 80Hz to add thump without adding boom, but I may be remembering wrong.

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


Nov 05, 2004 05:27 pm

For an "easy" fix you can boost the eq on the drum track from 60-120Hz range to boost the kick. But I think if you bring up the volume on the whole drum track you may accomplish a good sound, cuz the drums on a whole were low in the mix.

As for splitting the drums into seperate tracks, where are you getting the drum sounds from? Drum machine, samples? There's probably a way to get those drum track seperate, if you want to.

Member
Since: Jul 02, 2003


Nov 05, 2004 07:47 pm

Don't know how I missed this one Jim, definitley a cool song, nice moving, has a great 70's sound going. Great first attempt at PC recording/mixing.

You could probably get the drums to have more umph, by boosting at 40HZ-60HZ for the kick, and cutting a bit at ~500HZ, the snare generally responds well to a boost around 800HZ-1500HZ and the cymbals if needed around 8KHZ. Also use some compression on drum track.

again nice job, and great song. :)

Dan

An outburst for perfection
Member
Since: Dec 11, 2002


Nov 06, 2004 11:24 am

Cool edit does do Midi

Member
Since: Jul 02, 2003


Nov 06, 2004 12:18 pm

Cool Edit only plays midi, you can't edit. It can also be used for timing, and control, but sadly no editing.

Dan

An outburst for perfection
Member
Since: Dec 11, 2002


Nov 06, 2004 01:57 pm

You can isolate tracks with it though

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