Notes on this acoustic mix please?

[easlern]

Hi guys- would appreciate your notes on this acoustic mix I recorded. It's sort of Elliott Smith-inspired. I'm really new to recording so any tips you might offer would be great.
The song is "Untitled". http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pag...m?bandID=596259
I think the vox on the bridge need to lose some reverb and the violin needs to come down during the bridge. I'm not sure what to do with the vox in the chorus to make them sound more pleasant, for lack of a better descriptor. Your opinions?
Thanks!

[jpw23]

link no work!!!!!!!!

[easlern]

Weird- it must expire after a few minutes. Try this one:
www.soundclick.com/easlern
You'll have to click "music" to find the music page, sorry.

[jpw23]

That was very cool.....well written, folkish kinda groove....I liked it, good stuff!!!!

[jasgav]

thumbs up, nice tune good mix on rhythm guitar and vocals. the lead at the end need to be a bit louder. The Aaah in the bridge seems out of place to me but it's your song

[Monkey Allen]

Really good. A bass guitar would have filled things out pretty nice there and some shaker or something would have been to my taste. I liked it anyway. The coda bit, the end lead is ineffectual coz it is too low in the mix, not loud enough.

[rayc]

Sounds good & is up enough to also work with a Simon & Garfunkle style pop treatment.
Your own assessment is spot on re verb & string.
There's a delay with the strings too. Doesn't quite catch the right entry point. The drone it makes might be better achieved with a voice as it's not very clear or defined - I can empathise re recording a violin as I struggle with my 'cello.

[easlern]

Originally Posted by rayc

There's a delay with the strings too. Doesn't quite catch the right entry point. The drone it makes might be better achieved with a voice as it's not very clear or defined - I can empathise re recording a violin as I struggle with my 'cello.

I'm not exactly an accomplished violinist with a quality instrument. What you're hearing is probably due to the massive amounts of reverb I used to mask that fact. Ideally, if I could get a cello player to do the string part for me, it would be very much appreciated, because as Monkey Allen noted, this track needs some bass (and some vibrato, which is beyond my ability). I had originally imagined it with a cello part but settled for a violin for practicality's sake.
I did some fixes and I should have an updated version uploaded in a few minutes. I took off the reverb for the violin, and while it sounds more nasal, it has more clarity now. I think I like it better this way, though.
This link should be easier than the last one: http://www.soundclick.com/bands/song...songID=4474817

[rayc]

A much better mix of a really cool song.
I'd play with the violin track a little. Do some experimental EQ'ing maybe a spike at 3kh to give it more presence (that's where I spike my bass to give it definition).
There's some hiss at the end. Might need to use a wave editor (waverepair) to remove that if it's though the song or just cut it off.
Why not clone the violin track & with a TINY bit of delay the two will thicken up somewhat - careful use of chorusing can do that also though not as well. Last option see if you can borrow or download an octaver & run the violin signal through that to get bigger bottom - a pitch shifter that can do an octave would do I suppose.

[easlern]

That 3k boost really did the trick with the violin- I was able to lower its volume while still keeping its character in the mix. Very nice, thanks.
The hiss at the end is from that lead. I had to turn the gain way up to record it. I need to figure out how to get it louder without resorting to gain. I was able to EQ it out but that cut out the fret noises, so I decided to leave it be.
As for the bass, I'll have to learn more about Ableton; maybe it has a pitch tool I can mess with. I uploaded the new version with the 3k boost.
Thanks for everyone's comments- they're extremely helpful!

[easlern]

I added a virtual acoustic bass. Not sure if it fits. Any thoughts? Thanks!

[rayc]

easlern,
The v/bass is ok. Soft feel to it so it doesn't overwhelm etc. & doesn't compete with the violin.
I'd leave it out of the 1st verse (yeah cliche I know) & bring it for the chorus & thereafter.
At some stage though you should bring it up a little for a bar or two coming into or from the chorus maybe - just a run of a few notes - to create a dynamic change.
As a bass player I hope you get your hands on a bass or bassist eventually.

[Freudian Slip]

I know I'm supposed to comment on the mix, but I must say I was too stuck listening to the lyrics Very intresting conseptual quality about this song. It certainly has a feel to it as well. Sort of takes me back to a strawberry alarm clock, turtles type of thing.

There is a lofi thing going on that I sort of like but it is a little much. You may get away with it at the begining as an effect but you need to kill the hiss of the "silent tracks" if possible at the end for sure. It sort of goes with the song at the begining to me but I would fade the begining in.

This all being said if you where to master this song the hiss would become a big problem.

I don't know what your recording on so I will not say anymore about that.

I agree with others this song could use more bass guit and seems to have plenty of room for it.


Good job.

F.S.

[easlern]

Thanks for your input, guys. Sadly, the hiss will probably remain until I get some room treatment and start investing in more serious equipment. Also, I'm trying to rein in my instruments collection, so I'll probably "outsource" the bass if I can. Any volunteers? However, it won't be long before Christmas comes. . .
I'm not sure what to do to add more bass presence without overwhelming the mix. Maybe some more runs? I like to keep lots of room for the sound to swell/breathe/insert-silly-euphemism-here. Any suggestions on a good compromise?
I uploaded a new mix with most the hiss pretty much EQ'd out in the resolving chord, and some better normalization (put a limiter on the bridge, which was previously peaking very high and bringing down the volume of the whole mix). Also did some minor things to try to get a better balance, and dumped the "aahs". Song is sounding a bit more "humble", I guess, which I like.

[Freudian Slip]

What are you recording on?
I can't listen right now have to run, but will be back in the morning.

F.S.

[easlern]

I've got a Sennheiser 816e, A TubePre, and a Soundblaster X-Fi Platinum. I'm slowly getting better equipment. I think a huge difference would be audible if I were just able to shield my mic from the sound of my computer, which is by far the loudest thing in my apartment when I record. It would be tough to try to figure out which equipment was causing the hiss until I got that computer noise out of the equation, so treatment is next on the equipment list.

[rayc]

I've cut & modifed a large cardboard box to fit over my computer. The box is lined with 2 layers of bubble wrap, has cut aways at the back for cables & fan exhaust as well as flaps for the on button & CDROM draw PLUS space all around for heat dissipation. You can also set up a frame around it & drap HEAVY blankets over the frame BUT leave space for heat dissipation.
You mentioned that you're using a soundblaster card - I started off there last year - it's something you'll need to leave behind as soon as you can - a better & dedicated card should be you next investment.
Try http://www.homerecording.com/bbs/sho...computer+noise
or
search at
http://www.silentpcreview.com/
You're not using the "mic" in on the card are you? If Yes swap to the "stereo "line" in. that'll make a huge difference re noise.
Whatever prog you are using you should be able to mute tracks that aren't carry signal at any one time. I'm use Cakewalk Pro Audio - a few years old but I can automate faders etc to avaoid as much noise as possible.
Waverepair is a $30 download that would allow you to ( after mixing) sample the hiss from the wave file & then remove it (graduated levels of sensitivity & an option between direct & undo-able editing) from the file. there must be other progs that are wave editors etc you can down load for free.
Set up away from the comp if you can or isolate it similar to above (there should be better ideas if you do a search on the forum). make sure your pre isn't adding too much noise ( adjust the levels at the sound card as well as the pre to get a best fit - try recording an open mic whilst adjusting both & noting settings then play back to determine the best for your circumstance.
Close mic'ing, though it has it's own probs, will require less attenuation so you might get less noise by experimenting with mic placement esp for your guitar.
Remember normalising the signal inside the comp will increase all sound recorded.
As far as the bass is concerned I wouldn't add more runs etc - it's sparse but nicely so at present. Your song is working well on the less is more principal at present - don't clutter a good thing.

[easlern]

I got some monitors today. They do a great job of pointing out how bad this setup is. I can barely stand to hear this mix- yuck.
The background noise I can figure out a way to control. The low-fidelity recording is another issue. I've got to improve on that somehow. I'll take your advice, Ray, and start looking for another soundcard. I think I'll look for a better-quality mic, too. I'm not sure this one's cut out for more than PA-type stuff. This is a separate topic though, so I'll stop there.
Thanks for everyone's advice!