How can I make my music sound less professional?

T

to_see_me

New member
I just got my Korg D12 and I think it's completely awesome. I have a ton to learn and am looking forward to the point when I can think less about operating the machine and more about laying down the tracks.

Anyway, here's my question: how can I use the D12 to make my recordings sound more indie? I like Modest Mouse, old Built to Spill, early Death Cab. I like the sound where it's a little dirty and more carefree. I know that alot of this will come from my playing style, songwriting and spontaneity but I wondering if anyone had any tips on specific ways to help achieve this sound with a digital recorder. I'm not really into super clean perfect sounding production. I want to breathe some life into my tunes!

Thanks for the input...
 
Haha the beers is a good idea! The only thing is I am still suuuuper paranoid about spilling any beer or coffee or anything at all on my new recorder since it took me so long to save the money for it and I'm the biggest klutz ever. Plan A: go to bar. Drink. Drink more. Go home. Record!
 
use an SM-58 for vocals........or some other non-condensor.........don't use many effects.........no reverb on vocals............'very' room sounding drums......mic them from further away and add no effects...............that should be a start
 
Recipe for Built to Spill vocals: tell your singer his mom just died, then kick him in the nuts.

Just kidding... I like all bands you mentioned - especiallly bts. I agree with most of what Powderfinger suggested, except I would definitely use some reverb on vocals done with 58 or similar dynamic. Also, don't try to 'dumb down' your D12. Use it to its full potential, using creative mic placement and mixing to get the sound you're after.
 
How to sound less professional?

Two words:


Radio Shack

;-)


Seriously, take Vurt's suggestion. Play with mic placement to get the tones you're looking for. Then, don't over-do it in the mix. Ease off on the reverb some, and chill with the EQ. Try dynamic mics on the vocals. Just keep searching for that sound, and you'll get there. But don't try to dumb down a good machine! Otherwise, you should have bought a Tascam cassette 4 track!

-mg
 
Record a track of just room noise, with no one there and mix it in. Record with cheap instruments. You can run vocals through a crappy practice amp and record them coming out the amp. There's lots of fun things you can do to make it sound more lo-fi. You can also EQ in too much low end or too much high end on tracks for muddy or tinny sounds.
 
Oh yeah, and there's a plug-in which will actually give you that "record-scratchy" sound (you know, the crackle sound you'd hear before and after the music). It's freeware, but I don't remember where I saw it...

-mg
 
mgraffeo said:
Oh yeah, and there's a plug-in which will actually give you that "record-scratchy" sound (you know, the crackle sound you'd hear before and after the music). It's freeware, but I don't remember where I saw it...
Click to expand...

It's called Vinyl (of course) and was made by the guys that makes Ozone. It's actually a lot of fun!
http://izotope.com
 
Wow-thanks for the good advice! I have a large basement to work in and nothing but condensor mics, so I'll work on the actual physical production side of it.
 
Great suggestions from Powderfinger.

Except I would use an SM-57 in place of the 58.


Why?



Because it's cooler looking.

:D :D :D :D
 
Jamie Jukosky said:
You can run vocals through a crappy practice amp and record them coming out the amp.
Click to expand...

hehe...when I first started with my Tascam 424 I would plug my vocal mic (an old Shure Unisphere B) into my guitar amp (tube, solid state combo) and the direct out from there into my 4 trk. :D. It actually sounded a little warmer than plugging the mic directly into the recorder (still didn't sound great though :D). A po man's mic preamp :D.
 
...and then there's tape sims so you can add all the hiss :)

but on a serious note I would recommend recording everything (except the vocals) at the same time. it really gives that "live" feel with a little more control.

...and don't add reverb...just use the room ...like a basement.
 
to_see_me said:
How can I make my music sound less professional?
Click to expand...
Several ideas:

1) Make up your own theories about audio/acoustics and practice them........

2) Do the opposite of everything Ed, Skippy, Shailat, Sjoko, Track Rat, or even myself have ever posted........

3) Stick to Hosa cable, Radio Shack, and Rolls gear exclusively.........


...but the best way to ensure the crappiest results:

4) Follow anything Boray has ever posted....!
 
return the d12

get rid of the d12, it isnt helping you make the kind of music you want to make. return it, and get your money back. what did you pay? $1000?

buy an otari 1/2" 8 track. $500. some 456 tape. $20 each. get a soundcraft mixer $400. use lots of dynamic mics ($100 or so each). hit the tape hard. experiment.

not only will the sound of the machine more closely resemble what you are looking for, but the work process that comes with recording to tape will compliment your music as well.

you are going to be fighting an uphill battle with the d12.
 
You might think of reamping some tracks... If I'm right you have one aux send - use this to go into a guitar amp and mic the output... Add some distortion whenever you want... A guitar speaker will cut your hifi sound even more severy than any sm58...

You can get lo-fi sounds by overcompressing, too. Lady madonna has the vocals done this way (it's not distorted)... I also found that additive EQ may give a very own sound (which I liked for some songs - somehow artificial) Add noise to the mix (maybe triggered by some other channel?)

aXel

P.S.: Whether you'll like to work with a digital multitracker or not depends on you - I wouldn't wanna miss the editing capabilities to correct my faults...
 
This is all really cool advice. As much as I'd like to get an analog setup to use, that is just too much work for me. I got the D12 in new condition for 500 bucks on ebay, so I feel good about it, and I think with some creative production I will find what i'm looking for. I like the idea of setting the mic's at a distance from the source. Maybe adding some sort of 'vinyl' sounding effect. And just alot of tooling around with mic placement and mixing technique. It will be a challenge, but that keeps it fun!
 
most of these guys haven't heard the bands you're talking about.........they're thinking of like a strokes type sound.........I think you just want more room sound...............cause i've heard a little bit of all those bands and none of the songs i heard had that super low-fi strokes sound............. and i would think that you're condensers would work fine...............and you could also email all of those bands and ask how they recorded the albums you're referring to..........the cool thing about indie bands is.....they care about their fans............

and they will email you back........even if it is just to say "we have no clue how it sounded like that cause we do a lot of crack" ......... that was kinda a joke.....except i'm told that modest mouse are a bunch of druggies.........which is o.k................i have one of their albums and i love it............
 
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