Oct 11, 2005 10:24 pm must be okay then ;-)
This is a mix I'm working on... almost finished??
Posted on Oct 11, 2005 04:55 am
dragonorchid
Sound Gal - Michelle
Member Since: Jul 11, 2005
www.michelleklaessens.com/ApolloDrive_Song1.mp3
I haven't mixed much stuff like this before... alot softer and more subtle than I'm used to. Are the drums too loud, vocals not loud enough for this genre?
Colonel Sanders, how are those recordings I gave you to mix going?
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Oct 11, 2005 10:24 pm must be okay then ;-)
Oct 12, 2005 09:47 am Sounds Great! Love the song and the mix.
Oct 12, 2005 11:34 pm Yeah that sounds really good! Especially the vocals. What preamps and mics are you using? Wow.
Oct 13, 2005 09:02 am Are those drums sampled? If not what kind of kit is that?
Oct 13, 2005 05:20 pm This is one freaking sweet mix! I am stoked! Great job!
Oct 14, 2005 09:01 pm Hi Guys, thanks so much for your comments!
I'm using a digi001, and the drums are real! apart from the keyboard sample thingy with the static noise at the beginning, bridge and end.
Audio technica drum mic set on the toms, akg D112 on the kick, shure sm57 on the snare. I recorded the drum kit using me Fostex VF-160 as a pre-amp and Adat cable for the 8 outputs from it into the soundcard from the digi001 on the mac. I think adat is the greates thing since slice bread...
Rode microphones Nt5 matched pair on overheads in AB config, and I used a Rode K2 tube mic on the vocals.
I think its a PDP kit with maple shells, i can ask the boys if you like.
Oct 14, 2005 09:23 pm This is a bit outside of my usual listening, so I dont have much perspective.
To me, it sounds very well done. Everything is absolutely crystal clear. Sounds like you're really getting your money's worth out of those Digi preamps. I wanted to hear just a bit of something on the snare. Maybe some dark reverb to sink it back but not make it too chirpy or obvious.
Wow, I'm impressed. This is certainly better quality recording that I could aspire for in my own home studio.
Oct 14, 2005 10:41 pm This is definetly among the top recordings Ive heard at HRC. Thanks for giving me the specs man.
Oct 14, 2005 11:35 pm Michelle, that is an awsome mix indeed. Very differant from the Alpine Fault stuff you did. This is very rich indeed. I love the way the guitar solo come in at about 2:27 with a big dose of reverb and then the verb goes gives way to an excellant delay. I love the way the chorus works as well. Did you intentionally hide those voices way back in the mix. I am gonna have to listen again tommorrow when I can turn it up to normal levels and see if I can make them out better. Both the intro and outro are nice and smooth transition wise. I'll agree with Josh as well, very stunning mix indeed, among the top stuff heard hear at HRC.
Oct 15, 2005 07:31 pm Wow! You guys are so great.
There is such a great vibe of helpful advice and positive comments on here, I decided to become a pro-member to HRC today! :-) Thank you!
And Thanks to Colonel Sanders (Arie) for telling me about this place (p.s I'm trying to recruit him as a sound engineer for my little shed coz I think he's very talented ;-) and I have too many songs to mix all by myself - theres about a 15 song backlog!)
I added some more songs to my profile that I've done this year. I've been recording about 2 songs from many different bands every weekend, so these are just some favs...
Listen to Original Bones - the female singer, Kim has the most angelic voice I'v ever come accross.
I'm willing to try and answer any questions about the recordings and mixes that anyone has, if I can remember the details. Sometimes it becomes a blur. I don't really have that much equipment, but I've ordered some...
Oct 16, 2005 01:42 am Quote:
And Thanks to Colonel Sanders (Arie) for telling me about this place (p.s I'm trying to recruit him as a sound engineer for my little shed coz I think he's very talented ;-)
aww shucks.... thanks michelle. Truth is, its not just my computer thats give me problems. I'm having trouble getting the guitars to sit in the Amperzahn mix. But I'll keep trying : ).
Oh, I tried adobe as well. Had a bit of trouble getting it going but yea, it is a nice app. I'll have to do some more experimenting....
Oct 16, 2005 01:48 pm Oh my God! thats an incredible mix! Keep up the good work!
Oct 16, 2005 08:51 pm Yay! i just got some feedback from the band... They like it, so I'm over the moon. Hopefully they will come back and do some more with me :-)
They are such a great band to mix. I'll be really lucky, and happy if they come back!
Oct 18, 2005 09:20 pm Wow, that Mantissa mix is great. Here voice sits well in there, even when the distorted guitars come in. I think the harmonies ride nicely over those nasty guitars, and that is a compliment. I was prepared for it to remain nice and simple and then it got a little more complex, then the guitars kick in hard. Very nice touch, and excellant mix.
Coin, nice intro indeed. You did a great job getting that sounding good. The rythm guitars sound like you didi a good job as well. Nice seperation between the fours guitar tracks. Sounds like they are panned hard left and right for each pair. Very distinct seperation between them. Sounds like a lot of space between the left and right guitar tracks. I like it and it seems to work well in that tune. Hard time with the drums though, but my head is stuffed and my ears are kinda plugged so it might just be me. I will ahve to give another listen when my head clears up. I love the synth patch the guitars are copying again a nice touch and mixed in well.
More goodies added to my playlist. I will definately be looking to by an AlpineFault CD. Let them know they have a couple new fans up here as well. I had an audiance while listening to their tracks and the boyz agreed they would listen to moer of their tunes.
Oct 19, 2005 06:41 am Thanks Noize2u. I really like your in depth comments and insights :-)
I'll tell the band... BTW, It's actually a real violin played though an Amplifier that is miked up that you were listening to in both "Late Harvest" and "Coin". Ant is on main vocals and lead guitar, and Yvette, his partner is on the Violin. www.alpinefault.co.nz.
I love Alpine Fault, and Mantissa, and Apollo Drive. Infact, I've been really priveledged with the awesome and cool bands that have agreed to record with me!!! It makes such a difference when you are really enjoying what you are mixing, and I enjoy most of the bands i record, even the challenging ones.
Oct 19, 2005 09:05 pm I would never have pegged that for a real violin last night but now that I listen again it does sound real. It must be the tone coming from the amplifier that gives it a differant sound. I am a big fan of classical instruments being use in rock music. I started writing pieces like that back in the 70's and pity was people just werent ready for that back then.
I wonder if they will ship to the US if I order one via email? Either that or if I win the lottery tonight, (its up over $340 million) I can just fly down to see one of their shows and pick it up then. Wishfull thinking on my part I guess.
Oct 20, 2005 02:23 am Theyed be stoked! :-) I will probably be making their cds for them, when the EP/promo cd is done.
... Back to Apollo Drive, here is the second song I've mixed by them:
www.michelleklaessens.com/ApolloDrive_Song2.mp3
They have told me that they like the mixes, one of them, the keyboardist took my session files home with him so he could have a play and learn all my secrets... lol. I didn't know I had any.
I seriously think it's their wonderful inputs that get that nice output!
They have said that they will play instruments for me in my own songs in exchange for recordings... Yay, amazing session musicians for my own songs, wow, I can't wait!
Oct 20, 2005 04:01 am Have to agree with everyone else, great mix and sound. Very nice treatment on the vocals. Listening to the Alpine Fault songs you have posted in your profile as well, excellent mixes on those as well, and more my style of music to boot! :) I'm very impressed!
Dan
Oct 20, 2005 12:20 pm all this cheerin' i couldn't help but give a listen...yeah the colonel has got mad potential, it took me until i was 23 to get where he's at now with knowledge and experiance....i expect some hits commin' outta him in the next 10 years. honestly...i hope he remembers my piddly azz!!
anyway, *listening*
OOooOOooo way nice vibe, layers are perfect...that keyboard track (is it a melotron?) gels the song together really nicely. IMO the toms are panned a bit too wide, i can hear the kick and snare commin' outta dead center, so when i close my eyes i see him sittin' back in the room, but his toms are slightly inside the backup vocals, i'd pull them in tward the center (along with the overheads).....i read somewhere that what makes a good sound, is it's believablitiy. if someone can close their eyes and 'see' the music (in whatever way) it should be cohearant.....it made alotta sense to me. i don't think it'd be worth gooin' in and redooin' cuz the song still sounds great. but just somethin' to think about.
*second listen*
the clean guitars are fighting with the vocals, this is a VERY subtle fix, we're talkin' about no more than -3db's in the mids, whereever the vocals are. if ya do that, you'll accually be able to bring the cleans up a bit more (cuz you created more headroom)...
man this is some damn fine work, how long did it take to track and mix?
cheers wyd
Oct 21, 2005 05:21 am Thanks olddog and whosyourdaddy :-)
Took me about a day to mix...
I've made some adjustments to the mix, just before I read what you'd written above here...
doh, now I have to listen and mix again!
:-)
I'll wait till you've heard the newer version this time though ;-)
Small adjustements to snare tone and reverb, a few vocal adjustments and the addition of some delays that the band wanted inplaces, and in other places I thought would be cool too.
www.michelleklaessens.com/ApolloDrive_Song1A.mp3
Oct 21, 2005 11:09 am when i listen to a reverb, i try to keep in mind that "room size" just means, different algorithm, which means different sound....try to listen for a reverb that either compliments the sound when soloed, or disapears and blends completely with the rest of the music....i like lots of early reflections on percussive stuff, and not too much on less attacky things....early reflections are what will 'sink' the track into the mix...if your reverb dosn't have one, try a stereo delay mixed way down. also i like to compress my drum reverb to make 'em pump...set your compressor just right and turn down the reverb time some (cuz it's gonna be hotter)...and your kicks and snares will pound.
cheers
wyd
Oct 21, 2005 11:30 am What a hum dingy track. Well done on the mixing of the track i love it.
The only thing i fond disapointing was on the latest mix where you state you have altered the snare tone and the reverb - i see what you want to do but i find it too verby nd prefered the tone in the original mix. perhaps the verb needs to be darker and less of a duration.
but what the hell do i know i'm ony a drummer
Oct 21, 2005 01:41 pm dragonorchid, do you use a notebook as you go along and write down every last little thing you use and/or do while tracking and mixing? Reason I ask, and I don't know if dB has the room to spare, but I think a little "article" of your setup and technique is in order here (keeping trade secrets secret, of course...). You've got most of the info scattered thoughout this thread and in others, but I'd like to see it all gathered into one area. In fact, I'd like to see all the submissions done like that. Then we can needle dB into writing a real book with the title of "Session Notes From Home Recording Connection"!!! Excellent work, btw, on your part.
Edit: forgot to ask - My old eyes can't tell with this "mini" stuff on my screen, but is that Janis Joplin in your avatar? Can you sing like her?
Oct 21, 2005 01:44 pm I got room for the article, thats for sure.
As far as writing the book, well, I have talked to publishers and very well may write one someday, but not any time soon...maybe, I dunno.
Oct 21, 2005 01:46 pm Well, a spot in the "Recording Tips" area then, for now?
Oct 21, 2005 01:47 pm Yeah, i'd put it in whatever topic seems to fit, create a new on if need be...
Oct 22, 2005 01:31 am Wow! I'd love to help out with an article, but will have to wait till semester at Uni finishes - I'm completely bogged down right now...
dB - next year I have decided that I will run the Rock Factory full time, and do a master's degree in sound, specialising in studio sound part-time. I plan to do a project on how to make home recordings/small studio digital recordings sound more like the commercial ones you hear on the radio. So I will be writing a thesis/project summary of sorts, and promise i will cut and paste bits of it for you guys.
Kaos, I know what you mean. I feel the same way, but the band are happy with it, and don't want me to change anything.
jmail, that's me in the my avatar.
I can't really sing like janis, I wish...
I have some demos of my songs on myspace.com if you wanna listen.
It's really funny that I started learning recording so that I could record myself, but to this day I STILL haven't recorded myself! Hopefully now that I have some musicians willing to help me out as session musos, i will be able to do it one day.
Maybe you can help me to pick the first song I should do?
www.myspace.com/dragonorchid
Oct 22, 2005 01:46 am Jmail, that is a picture of Michelle herself I believe.
Michelle, had a quick listen tonight but will have to listen again tommorrow and post my thoughts on song 2 as well as the redo on song 1. But from a quick listen they sound great.
Oct 23, 2005 12:03 am Ah-h-h, I was just reminiscing (sic) of the glory days... Ah yes, when music was "free" (not for download, tho...). Something about the pose reminded me of Janis Joplin and I hoped you were a fan and possibly tried to sing... Then maybe we'd get to hear ya. Very few folks just "let it rip" like that anymore and are at once a part of the music. 'Course, there was a price to pay for that...
Oct 23, 2005 02:49 pm jamil, yep it does remind one of Janis indeed, the pose that is. Did you go have a listen to Michelle's music on myspace, very nice. Easy to listen to for sure. And ya, I really miss those days as well. Although I have to admit that I love the abundance of music to listen to on the web. You can go forever and never listen to the ame thing twice if you wish.
Michelle, I loved your tunes on my space. I gotta listen a few more times before I vote for a first one to do. I loved the harmony on them as well, especially on Rearranged. Nice funky feel on One Day We'll Find...
I think I'm going between Rearranged and that one for my chocie.
Are those still the original 4 track recordings posted on my space untouched? If so they are not too bad at all. I like the arrangements on all the tunes, very simple and easy to listen to. Your voice sounds great and easy to listen to indeed.
Anyway, on the AppolloDrive song1A mix, it does sound tighter now, maybe partly as my head is clearing up and I can hear a bit better. I like the snare for sure, nice pop on it. I gotta say your mixes of the AppolloDrive stuff are absolutely stunning for mp3's really.
Oh ya, and I love the ending of song1A, that great. Was that a real goat or a human?
Oct 24, 2005 08:18 am That was this singer (jon) making a funny goat (or is it sheep, would be more typically New Zealand) sound in the microphone. It's funnier in the second version because I put a delay on some words in that take, and it just happened to be on at the end!
I serious need to make an "out take" compilation. It would absolutely halerious. I could probably make a whole track out of swear words alone. It's amazing how often they get caught on tracks when bands are recording and they make a mistake. lol.
Oct 26, 2005 07:40 pm OH ya, that has happened here too many times. I think some of them just think if the stop playing the mics go off or something.
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