whats lacking in my recording??

> > > whats lacking in my recording??

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Member Since: Jan 07, 2003

www.soundclick.com/dodo

listen to Compo 6 UnMixed..

I double recorded the guitar with a Mic around an Inch away from the "cone" of the speaker, and a LDC around 1 feet from the Amp. It sounds really "RAW and LIVE" ??? how do i get rid of that ? :( i need comments too about the recording (if possible the playing too :D)

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Member
Since: Jul 02, 2003

Jan 07, 2006 03:06 am

Well it sounds like a mono mix, if you double tracked or double mic'd I can't hear it, you need to do some panning of the 2 guitar tracks. If you used 2 mic's you may need to play with the distance the 2nd mic is from the speaker to get a fatter sound. Also if your not going to have a bass guitar I think I'd add more bottom end to the guitar. The playing is fine far as I can tell. :)

Dan

Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002

Jan 07, 2006 02:35 pm

I definately have to agree that the entire mix is very high/mid heavy. The drums could use some compression as well as some EQ and reverb to give them a bit more life. The guitars sound very thin , good tone is there just recorded very thin.

I agree with the mono thing as well, it sounds as if it is all in one space. I would definately start with getting the guitars seperated and EQed properly. Then work on fattening up the drum sounds as well. The kick is very floppy sounding and could use a good fattening up as well. This is all a matter of mic placement to get a good sound on the tracks then using your EQ and such to get a good full sound.

Member
Since: Jan 07, 2003

Jan 07, 2006 04:31 pm

i have a hard time also, cause for example this mix.. its already barely hitting the red/clip mark.. yet there's no bass guitar and vocals yet.. how the hell do i do that ? if i weaken everything, eveyrhting would be so weak.. :( the volume i mean.

Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002

Jan 07, 2006 04:47 pm

You have to learn to get the levels all set proper. And this does mean while mixing you may need to lower the levels of certain tracks to keep from clipping your outputs. But in the end, once the mix is sounding good with everything together, then you maximize your levels for the finished stereo track.

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

Jan 07, 2006 06:10 pm

The keys are compression to allow everything to be louder without clipping, and EQ to give everything its own slice of the frequency spectrum.

With these two things, you can make your tracks louder and more present without having to turn it up so much that it clips. Take a look through the articles here on HRC and they'll get you up to speed on each of these effects.

Also like Noize said, try a limiter on the finished mix to maximize the volume you can get out of your mix. Not too much or it sounds like poo, but just enough to take the transient spikes off of the mix that are making it clip.

Member
Since: Jan 07, 2003

Jan 07, 2006 09:47 pm

so i double track the guitars, pan one left and one right ??

Tadpui:

frequency spectrum.. thats what i wanna learn, which portion is the guitar ?? the drums?? etc .. since guitar and vocals are mid frequencied.. how do u stop them from being "infront" of the sound spectrum ??

also the guitar sounds too "RAW" ?? how do i make it more Natural ?

The Quiet Minded
Member
Since: Jan 01, 2003

Jan 07, 2006 10:54 pm

less distortion and more low mids. try to record only with the grill mic, to avoid any phase problem. the performance sounds nice.

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

Jan 07, 2006 11:03 pm

Here's some good reading on the subject:

www.homerecordingconnecti...tory&id=390

I think that what most people here do is scoop a bit out of the mids in the rest of the mix to make room for the vocals. The vocal "pocket" could sit anywhere from 1Khz to 4Khz or thereabouts...I guess it depends on your voice.

Usually if something sounds too raw in a mix, it needs a bit of reverb to sit it back in the mix a bit. Too much reverb and things get muddy or too distant sounding. Compression helps put some polish on a track as well, but again too much will suck the dynamics and life out of a track. A slight delay will help sometimes too.

A good general rule for most of the effects on vocals and guitar is to turn it up to where you can first detect the effect, then turn it down one notch from there.

I'm sure others will chime in with more helpful info than I can.

Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002

Jan 08, 2006 02:00 pm

fredz, the thing I mentioned about levels fits right in with what Tad is saying. Mixing is not just dumping tracks all together and then hoping the levels are good. You will constantly be needing to reset levels of things as you add more tracks. That is why it is called mixing.

The scoop for fitting in vocals is important as well. I usually start at or near 3k and then work up or down from there. Sometimes you need to take a big scoop out, sometimes a smaller spot is needed. As well it wont always be in the same area of the frequancy spectrum.It can move around in the area Tad specced out above.

Compression as well will aid in keeping the track at a some what constant level to aid in mixing.

Have a read on the article Tad linked to. As well there are a ton more in the recording tips section that pertain to mixing and use of EQ and compression and what not.

Member
Since: Jan 07, 2003

Jan 08, 2006 07:09 pm

but is there potential with the sound u hear ?? i mean, it doesnt sound that "awfull" ? it just needs a little care in mixing and eq ?

Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002

Jan 08, 2006 10:30 pm

Exactly, it does not sound awfull at all. There is definately potential there. As you said, just a little time experimenting with mic placement as well as EQ after you get a good sound recorded and you will be home free. As I said earlier in the thread, the guitar sound is there, just lacking some low mid and bottom. The drums sounds other then the kick were all good as well, just need to breath some life into them and you will have it made. Again this will take some work as you mess with were the mic placement is, mostly the kick is my concern on what I heard. The rest is just maybe compressing the drums as well as a little EQ after it is recorded.

But the tune itself sound good for sure.

Member
Since: Jan 07, 2003

Jan 09, 2006 05:17 am

how do u think would i make my bass drum more "thumpy?" take out the muffler ??

what if i take out the front head and put the mic directly on where the beater hits ?

jimmie neutron
Member
Since: Feb 14, 2005

Jan 09, 2006 12:19 pm

Unless you don't like the sound of the drum while it's being played, I wouldn't mess with taking it apart. You could add a mic for the beater side, if you want that sound (but you'll pick-up pedal squeek and other undesirable noises that the drummer themself makes, like belches and such...), or use compression at a high ratio to "beef" it up, or use EQ to shape the sound, or copy the track, leave one alone and "tweak" the other with FX and blend the two for that sound, or "fire" a sample with side-chain compression, or... or...

Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002

Jan 09, 2006 06:35 pm

Well honestly it isnt a completely bad sound you are getting. I would maybe put in a smaller muffle and make sure it is tight in there and not flopping around when the drum is kicked. As well like jmail stated, use compresion and Eq to enhance the sound. If I have a wimpy kick I will usually extract the beats and convert them to a midi not then replce or add a synth or sampled kick to get a better sound. If you dont have that option then Work with the EQ as well to get a good all around sound.

> > > whats lacking in my recording??

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