Your rack is really sexy but...

[dmbfrk]

I wanna here how it sounds!!

who's up for sharing some of the tunes ya made on your gorgeous rack? I'd love to hear!

[christiaan]

We have the Mixing Clinic for that
http://homerecording.com/bbs/forumdi...?s=&forumid=15

[Blue Bear Sound]

"This is an absolute surprise to fans who can find no disparity in the quality of the recordings from those made in major studios. "

Funny... you don't hear too many major studio productions that exhibit the use of too much top-end EQ -- inappropriately used Autotune (it's an effect... it's not supposed to be all over the place!) -- questionable production (what's with the Cher effect in acoustic ballads?!?!) -- acoustic gtrs with thin top and booming bottom sound characteristics-- not to mention far too much sibilance in the vocals.

Not the worst I've heard by a long-shot, but it doesn't live up to your quoted hype...... mind you, fans don't have engineer's ears so I'm not surprised if they don't notice the difference....!

[Dethska]

But what is inappropriately used Autotune? Seems like it's on every major pop/rock/country record I've heard the last three years. To the point where I know the sound of Autotune and I don't even own it.
Questionable production? Two words - St. Anger.

[Blue Bear Sound]

Inappropriate Autonetune is putting the Cher effect everywhere -- on acoustic gtr ballads no less!

The only time that effect was original was on the Cher tune -- that was the first, and last time, it should ever have been used.

And even worse, it's badly out-of-place on cool acoustic guitar tunes where the rest of the production is so minimal.

[dmbfrk]

well i guess i should take responsibility for my own actions - yes i did record a CD 2 years ago in my dorm room on a Sound Blaster card and used way too much autotune... but, no, i never told anyone on this forum to check out my groundbreaking engineering - nor does my web page exist to promote my skills as an engineer. rather, my youth is used as a selling point to listeners... not a$$holes who take the opportunity to tear someone down when it's completely uninvited. it's especially unnerving considering the fact that i was just interested in what other people were up to.

but hey i guess I asked for it. If by "asked for it" we mean "didn't ask for it."

for the record, here's the setup i was working with:

Dell PC (600 MHz, 256 MB RAM)
Sound Blaster Awe 64
Stereo IN to the Stereo out of a Mackie 1202 VLZ Pro
MXL 2003
Some Harmon Kardon computer speakers for monitors
cakewalk 9

aren't you glad you wasted your time on that one?
however - i do need to thank you for the criticism of the high-end . I definitely take it as a good sign that my hearing is slightly damaged, as supected. OK. enough out of me.

[Blue Bear Sound]

You're welcome...!

[eeldip]

Originally posted by Blue Bear Sound
Inappropriate Autonetune is putting the Cher effect everywhere -- on acoustic gtr ballads no less!

And even worse, it's badly out-of-place on cool acoustic guitar tunes where the rest of the production is so minimal.

wait- wasnt there a very popular kid rock song that did just this? i mean that guy sucks, but this is a good example of how not following the rules can work.

[Blue Bear Sound]

Originally posted by eeldip
wait- wasnt there a very popular kid rock song that did just this? i mean that guy sucks, but this is a good example of how not following the rules can work.

Matter of opinion, I suppose -- I don't think it worked at all! I would have said the same if I'd heard Kid Rock do it too!

[Dethska]

But I bet the Kid Rock song came out of a major studio.

[Blue Bear Sound]

Sure - but there's bad producers at all levels!

[Velvet Elvis]

Wow... nothing like a good 'bear hug' to boost an ego
(I mean that in a very respectful way... I value Bear's opinion)

Hehehehe... I listened to the tunes too... nice voice man.

Same as major studios? That's really hard to say when its just acoustic and vocals... have you done any full band recordings etc?

Bear.. have you ever listened to my stuff? I'm guessing not, because I've only got one poop chute and I'm guessing if you had listened to any of my stuff that you would have ripped me another one

hehehehe

btw - Kid Rocks stinks... and his little buddy Uncle Wheat Thin needs help too... I'm amazed at what gets record contracts now adays (ymmv)

I love this board...

Velvet Elvis

[scottboyher]

Originally posted by Velvet Elvis
his little buddy Uncle Wheat Thin needs help too...

HAHAHAH What is a Uncle Wheat Thin?

[Velvet Elvis]

My 'pet name' for Uncle Kracker

You know... the guy that has those songs that are like 100% Antares and 0% actual mic signal

He was/is part of Kid Rock's "band"

Velvet Elvis

[scottboyher]

I remember that Kid Rock had a midget at one time in his "band".

[Velvet Elvis]

Yep...

Because nothing says "hey... I'm a good singer/songwriter/musician" like a stage full of gimmicks.

I especially liked when Kid did his duet with Sheryl Crow...

Sitting there listening to her sing... then all the sudden hearing HIM sing.

What's next? A Celine Dion/William Shatner duet?!

Velvet Elvis

[KevinTran]

Originally posted by Velvet Elvis
Yep...

Because nothing says "hey... I'm a good singer/songwriter/musician" like a stage full of gimmicks.

I especially liked when Kid did his duet with Sheryl Crow...

Sitting there listening to her sing... then all the sudden hearing HIM sing.

What's next? A Celine Dion/William Shatner duet?!

Velvet Elvis

I actually liked the combo. Sheryl Crow was smooth and sweet...Kid's was rough and dirty. It's that Mars and Venus thing. Anyway, I saw a documentary on Kid Rock. i'm no fan of his, but he sure put in the personal effort to "make it"

even if i don't like his music, i can respect his determination.

kt

[willovercome]

Originally posted by Velvet Elvis
What's next? A Celine Dion/William Shatner duet?!

please don't insult william shatner by even suggesting he would take the stage with an arrogant overrated 'diva' like celine dion.

oh yeah, the midget died a couple years ago that's why he's not in the band (i hate kid rock, but i love behind the music that's the only reason i know)

[Dethska]

Originally posted by Blue Bear Sound
Funny... you don't hear too many major studio productions . . . inappropriately used Autotune (it's an effect... it's not supposed to be all over the place!)

Blue Bear, that's the quote I've been trying to get you to defend. I think it is completely off. I hear Autotune all over new music, music out of major studio productions. I agree with your bad producers comment though.

BTW- I don't know if Sheryl Crow uses Autotune but she sounds more like a robot than Cher.

[Velvet Elvis]

I'm not sure they'd ever make one of those 'rockumentary' things for someone if they COULDN'T make it look like the artist struggled a little bit

I'm sure they each have ... but they aren't the clowns that are hanging out on the homerecording bbs posting all day long (Velvet Elvis looks in the mirror and begins to cry)... It should have been me!!!

hehehehehe

As for the autotune thing... so that I at least address the topics at some point I used it on my project... and yes, sometimes it is unfortunately too noticeable... but in general, if set up right, it will return a pleasing result. The problem is... the singer STILL has to be pretty close to the note... I used it mainly to keep notes from trailing off or to catch certain troubled spots etc.

Velvet Elvis

[tjohnston]

Im still trying to figure out what the fuck "Kid cock" does!

[Velvet Elvis]

tj...

I'm not really sure... but I think it has something to do with inbreeding and mullets

Velvet Elvis

[Blue Bear Sound]

Originally posted by Dethska
Blue Bear, that's the quote I've been trying to get you to defend. I think it is completely off. I hear Autotune all over new music, music out of major studio productions. I agree with your bad producers comment though.

I already explained it - it was with regard to the overused Cher effect....! (look at my response a few posts up!)

[Dethska]

Blue Bear,

I must be misunderstanding you. I don't really see this as a need to start an argument (not that you were). I know you are much more talented/ knowledgable than me, so I'll let this go. I'll trust that you already know the point I'm trying to make. Sorry to waste your time.

[Blue Bear Sound]

I think the misunderstanding is that I made 2 comments regarding the use of the Autotune when I really was only talking about its abuse in using it for that "Cher effect."

I think you interpreted it as 2 separate points - 1 as the overuse of it for pitch control, and 2 - the cher effect.

I know it's generally abused as a pitch control device, but that's NOT was I was referring to at all in my original reply to this post. (Although it could have been taken that way)....

The reason I brought it up at all here was because out of the 3 acoustic songs I heard, all three contained the dreaded cher effect - sometimes all the time, sometimes jarringly in a bridge section.

As to the overuse of Autotune for pitch control... it is unfortunate that it gets SO much abuse - it IS a useful tool for rescue operations or minor fix-ups when you have an overall good take but simply need to fix a few syllables. This is how *I* use it, and know of many engineers who share that same ethic. And in fact, very few studios, I beleive, will run an entire vocal through it for a recording session.

Live performance, unfortunately, is a different matter altogether. Lately it appears that live performance production has adopted a "Hollywood" ethic - the performance must be flawless, seamless, and perfect, and since most musicians are not flawless (even the good ones!), live production producers started using tools and illusion to make it so.

To use it as a crutch or to mask/cover-up/hide a singer's incompetence reallys speaks for itself as a practice, don't you think?