Chibi Nappa
New member
Bringing "life", "air" and other unclear ambiguous terms to my recordings....
I've been pretty frustrated with some of my work lately. There is just something missing.... I can only describe it as "life" or "sparkle" or something like that. When I listen to a pro recording in my monitors (or anywhere), the music "feels" huge, wide, crisp. Even if it is just a single clean electric guitar and vocals, it eats up the whole spectrum, spreads itself out, and just "lives" for lack of better terms. When I listen to my recordings, they sound small and confined. Eq'ing in more highs doesn't do the trick. After I push it past a certain point it sounds like a processed mess....and it still sounds like it is missing "air"!
So anyway, here are a few recordings I have done. I am not posting this in the mixing clinic because I don't need input on the specific songs themselves, and I'm pretty sure it is a recording problem in the first place. I think the songs sound more "good" than "bad" overall, I just want to take it to the next level.
http://www.nowhereradio.com/artists/album.php?aid=2823&alid=-1
and some older stuff...
http://www.garageband.com/artist/omnisoul
For anybody wondering, I am using a Roland VS 2480 with a Mackie VLZ 1204 mixer in front. Microphones aren't expensive, but not compleat crap either. Some nice Shure large diapharam condenser that belongs to our singer.... Don't know the model number but I'd guess a $400 or so price range, some SM 57's, Studio Projects C1, some Octava MC012's.... stuff like that.
Any ideas? Upgrade the word clock? Better mic placement (I've spent hours placing those damn things)? World class pre-amp?
I've been pretty frustrated with some of my work lately. There is just something missing.... I can only describe it as "life" or "sparkle" or something like that. When I listen to a pro recording in my monitors (or anywhere), the music "feels" huge, wide, crisp. Even if it is just a single clean electric guitar and vocals, it eats up the whole spectrum, spreads itself out, and just "lives" for lack of better terms. When I listen to my recordings, they sound small and confined. Eq'ing in more highs doesn't do the trick. After I push it past a certain point it sounds like a processed mess....and it still sounds like it is missing "air"!
So anyway, here are a few recordings I have done. I am not posting this in the mixing clinic because I don't need input on the specific songs themselves, and I'm pretty sure it is a recording problem in the first place. I think the songs sound more "good" than "bad" overall, I just want to take it to the next level.
http://www.nowhereradio.com/artists/album.php?aid=2823&alid=-1
and some older stuff...
http://www.garageband.com/artist/omnisoul
For anybody wondering, I am using a Roland VS 2480 with a Mackie VLZ 1204 mixer in front. Microphones aren't expensive, but not compleat crap either. Some nice Shure large diapharam condenser that belongs to our singer.... Don't know the model number but I'd guess a $400 or so price range, some SM 57's, Studio Projects C1, some Octava MC012's.... stuff like that.
Any ideas? Upgrade the word clock? Better mic placement (I've spent hours placing those damn things)? World class pre-amp?