YOUR Biggest improvement yet !!!!

[Aly]

Hi everyone,

I start this thread just to learn from everyone what was his/hers biggest improvement in their "audio-carreer".. I mean by that, since you started recording/mixing/producing music...

This way I would like to know what is good stuff for newbies to buy/try/use and how to get a major step up in the world of homerecording..

So please, pro engineers and oldtimers out there, come visit this post and give us your 2 cents on that one technique, that one item, that so much stimulated and helped you in homerecording..

It doesn't have to be gear !!! I pointed out technique as well, most of time much more valuable more cost effective..

Okay, One example :

When I started recording, my mixes allways were bass heavy because I did'n t use dedicated monitors.. So I put my Sony 100 W speakers on a stand, away from the refelctions of my desk, and I turned up my trebble (to 80%) and my bass (100%) on my amp to compensate for the lack of monitors..
Afterwards I never encountered problems again !! With this simple technique I made far better mixes than ever before.. And it didn' t cost me a cent...

I showed you mine, now let's see yours..

I'm expecting a lot of opinions here, so let's make this a real big one.. a classic if possible !
Thanks...

[chessrock]

Originally Posted by Aly

So I put my Sony 100 W speakers on a stand, away from the refelctions of my desk, and I turned up my trebble (to 80%) and my bass (100%) on my amp to compensate for the lack of monitors..
Afterwards I never encountered problems again !! With this simple technique I made far better mixes than ever before.. And it didn' t cost me a cent...

I showed you mine, now let's see yours..

Probably when I started using real monitors, followed closely by the time stopped randomly eq'ing shit, thinking it was actually helping things.

.

[Track Rat]

True that. When I stopped trying to "fix" stuff and started to actually listen. That was a quantum leap more than any gear I've bought. I still love gear however.

[SouthSIDE Glen]

My biggest improvement came when it sunk in that not everything deserves to be recorded and not every recording deserves to be listened to. Learning to treat the Record button with respect, to put reality ahead of ego, and not to record something just because it CAN be ecorded, but rather to record something only when it DESERVES - or ever demands - to be recorded.

G.

[Trell Blaze]

Hmm...I'd say when I learned to stop EQing/processing each track for the track itself and started EQing/processing each track for the mix as a whole. Night and day differences in mixes...

[dachay2tnr]

Double-tracking acoustic guitars. Play the part twice (don't just duplicate the track), and then pan them opposite each other. Much fuller and more pleasant sounding, but you need to play it pretty close both times to get the best effect.

[Trell Blaze]

Originally Posted by dachay2tnr

Double-tracking acoustic guitars. Play the part twice (don't just duplicate the track), and then pan them opposite each other. Much fuller and more pleasant sounding, but you need to play it pretty close both times to get the best effect.

That's a well used trick when acoustics are used in R&B. Babyface does it VERY well. However, sometimes he'll intentionally play certain notes or parts SLIGHTLY different to add a neat effect...

[vadoom]

Originally Posted by dachay2tnr

Double-tracking acoustic guitars. Play the part twice (don't just duplicate the track), and then pan them opposite each other. Much fuller and more pleasant sounding, but you need to play it pretty close both times to get the best effect.

I've never done this, but I think if you record the guitar through wire and a mic at the same time, perhaps you might be able to add one of the other as an effect to the overall sound of the guitar...

[Trell Blaze]

Originally Posted by vadoom

I've never done this, but I think if you record the guitar through wire and a mic at the same time, perhaps you might be able to add one of the other as an effect to the overall sound of the guitar...

U don't get the same effect. Think of it like stacking vocals...

[dachay2tnr]

Originally Posted by Trell Blaze

U don't get the same effect. Think of it like stacking vocals...

Yup. It has to actually be played a second time. It's the slight irregularities in timing, etc. that make this work.

[vadoom]

Unless you are good at your musical instrument/s, it might be worthwhile to record MIDI. I know people that still swear by MIDI. I personally prefer analog.

I haven't recorded MIDI in a long time, but one thing I remember that made my MIDI recording better is to use extra modules. You may not have access to "combo" sounds when recording midi, so you may end up with very weak basic sounds. But then you may have better luck than I have had more than 7 years ago.

Avoid trying to tweak the sound by sing eq/comp/pan, etc when you are still recording. Have all your effects, pans, etc be flat and center until you are ready to start mixing. Adjusting volume is ok.

When you are done with tracking, make sure to take a break (try going for at least a day without going back to your project, unless you know you need to re-track something). After a good break, when you are ready to mix, put on your hearing caps and listen to your recording. Adjust volume, maybe add some ambience, pan, and just work your magic.

I don't think there is a standard way to do things at this point. I think what works best for you (whatever your groove is) then that is how you do it. If you are a newbie, then don't be hard on yourself. Give yourself some time and you'll find your groove eventually.

Like many other good people have mentioned, don't play with you eq, etc just because it is there. I'm not saying don't experiment, please do, just when you think you have it going good, don't start tweaking things because you think it will make it sound better. You need to be able to hear the difference for the most part and have a goal for your sound and have a good idea how to get it. Again, this will eventually come with time as you record one thing after the other...

Don't hang too dearly to your last recording. It's just that - its a recording. It doesn't have to be perfect - nobody is going to die if its not perfect. The main idea is that you improve with every new recording in the future. No, you don't need to go back and redo all the old stuff immediately just because you don't think it sounds as good as your latest one. IME I've found that going back to the same project to redo it after it has been done does not necessarily yield any improvements. Personally I have a hard time finishing up the redo projects unless I hear something terribly wrong with it - then I just go and try to fix what I hear needs fixin...

Anyways, the bottom line is to just keep recording one song/project after the other and you will soon begin to see (or rather hear) things you need to improve on. Perhaps you may even start growing out of your existing gear (or so you may think), but that is a different subject for a different thread...

Welcome to all newbies to this exciting recording adventure. Be prepared to shell out some money every once in a while and don't take criticism personally. After all, it is just a recording...... Enjoy the travel.


Disclaimer: All what I've said is my personal opinion that is based on my experience. it may or may not work for you so better start crackin on those recordings and find what works best for you!!!

[mrface2112]

room treatment. how can you expect to accurately record, mix or even hear something if you can't trust the environment in which you do it? you can't.

fixing your room(s) is the best improvement you can make, period.

after that, it was adequate monitoring (event asp8's) and using my apogee minime as a master clock (its converters don't hurt either ).


cheers,
wade

[7string]

Originally Posted by Aly

I start this thread just to learn from everyone what was his/hers biggest improvement in their "audio-carreer".. I mean by that, since you started recording/mixing/producing music...

I think it was when I QUIT my audio career. I sleep better now. And I've noticed I don't throw things as much.

[Track Rat]

Originally Posted by SouthSIDE Glen

My biggest improvement came when it sunk in that not everything deserves to be recorded and not every recording deserves to be listened to. Learning to treat the Record button with respect, to put reality ahead of ego, and not to record something just because it CAN be ecorded, but rather to record something only when it DESERVES - or ever demands - to be recorded.

G.

When I went from 8 to 16 tracks I eventually learned that one.

[raven46]

making the decision that i suck at recording and selling my gear...

[The549]

Learning compression.

Overtweaking, overdriving, and destroying everything I use. Testing its limits. The best and most carnal way to figure out what really works best for what.

[sweetnubs]

Finding out the secret to making a good recording is recording good sounds in a good room. As long as you know what you are doing it is impossible to make a bad recording when the initial sounds are good. If a shitty band with shitty sounds come in you get shit. That's why high end studios have lots of good amps, guitars, drums, keyboards and studio musicians lying around.

[Dani Pace]

Realizing there is a vast difference between playing live and studio work was a big step for me, convincing others of this has been more difficult. Treating my "live room" was time and money well spent. Learning patience with myself as well as others has done more to improve my recordings than anything else. Recording is as much of an art and skill as playing an instrument, it requires practice, experimentation and more practice, and the practice part calls for patience.

[Bulls Hit]

Biggest improvement to my mixes was when I got a uad-1 card. So I got another one

[blue gene]

I set aside time to practice. You can't teach experience. Save copies of your work and re-examine it every few months. Compare it to your more recent forays and note your improvement.

[cusebassman]

The most important thing I learned is that, for the most part, what is going into the microphone is what you should expect to work with. I know that seems blatanty obvious, but I originally started out recording one of the bassiest, boomiest acoustic guitars you could ever be cursed to work with, and no amount of mic placement/EQ/compression/etc seemed to help.

Finally I decided to try a different guitar once I got the money up, and it has made a world of difference. So, in my case, it is: get the source right, and THEN deal with recording it.

Beyond that, for recording tips, getting even mediocre monitors helped a conseiderable lot over the PC speakers I was using to mix.

[Massive Master]

Every monitoring and/or room treatment upgrade almost made me furious (as to why I waited to do it).

[mikeh]

1. Room treatment - any acoustic sound needs to be be in a decent sounding room

2. Decent monitors that can be trusted

3. Learning to get the right sound recorded so trying to "fix" it with EQ is no longer a concern

4. Learning to use compression correctly

5. Learning to arrange parts and play parts sparingly and accurately (as someone already indicated - recording is much different than live playing.

[RAMI]

1. Room treatment.

2. Just like I had learned 20 years earlier about drumming.....that less is MORE. Once I stopped trying to over-process every track and stopped using "Sonic Crapulizers" and too much EQ'ing and every cool sounding plug-in....and whatever else I thought I needed, my songs started to sound like music.

[HangDawg]

I start every mix in mono. And check in mono often. If it sounds good in mono, it will probably sound good in stereo.