My first album

reverbdk

reverbdk

New member
Hey all,

Just put out my first real full-length album and I know it's still not quite professional studio quality but I'm looking for some feedback. I have been on and off on this forum for some time but everytime I had checked in with some new tunes a lot of you were real helpful with advice on panning, EQ, and compression (which I'm still working on big time).

Here is the track I'd like your thoughts on, as it is one of the ones I put the most work, and collaboration into, on the album. It's more folky than my electronic stuff, but any thoughts on mix quality would be appreciated. Also, if you get the chance, check out the rest of my album titled "Maturo". I teach high school math and any cash made from the album on bandcamp is going right to the kid's tech and theatre program. The link is in my signature.

 
I like this one. Playing with the EQ, in mastering I'd like to hear a touch more air, a shallow dip around 150 Hz to clear a little mud, a very shallow dip around 1500 Hz where it sounds a bit pinched, and a dip around 8 kHz to control the harshness that comes forward with the air.
 
I think it's pretty good. I'm not crazy about the slide guitar. It's a little too....aggressive? Cutting? A little harsh. Maybe just drop it down a little. The rest seems pretty good to me. I do agree with the comment though about maybe needing a hair more air.

And kudos for helping out the kids.
 
By "more air" do you mean opening up room for the higher frequencies a bit? Or kind of a general boost in the highs?
 
Air is the highest highs above the "brightness" frequencies i.e. above 12 kHz or so. If you're using a mastering engineer, they'll be able to bring out the air. If you're doing it yourself you'll need to use EQ very judiciously to avoid making the highs harsh.
 
Great thanks a lot for the feedback guys! I have always understood that "boosting" eq is not the general idea, but am fairly new to self-mastering tracks. This time around I lifted the highs a little bit, however it was in a relatively small band; I don't think I boosted too far up because I thought to myself: hell your instruments don't even shine through that high up so why make it more present?

It's very useful to hear that THAT is where this mysterious air comes from...

Thanks again
 
Sounds really good. Nice work. I guess I heard the remix, its sounds good to me. I still hear a bit much in the upper mids, but I think it sounds good that way.

Enjoyed the tune.
 
The mix is pleasant sounding. Good job. Maybe a slight touch too much reverb on the vocals, but that's really a taste issue. The guitars at around 1:45-2:00 seem to be fighting each other, not really playing nice together.

Not much else I can add. Nice work. The stuff at the end maybe goes on a little too long... but again mostly taste issue.
 
For some reason the accoustic guitars sound kind of fizzing and thin. I'm not sure if it's the mic or the guitar itself that was recorded.

As a personal preference I'm not a huge fan of the room/delay on the vocals. I would have chosen something a little softer - like a little bit of a room reverb with some diffusion on it, so it fills up a little more of the sound.
 
I recorded the guitar with two mics: an SM57 and a Rode NT1A. The Rode was set over my shoulder pointed at the neck point where it connects to the acoustic body. I also recorded that with the 57 dead on at the soundhole. Then I re-recorded it with the SM57 offset in front of the acoustic pointing diagonally at the soundhole. I wanted the intimacy of the guitar from the player's perspective, but also wanted to pick up the high sound close to the sound hole of the strumming and finger movement. I found that using a 57 for an acoustic guitar DOES sound fairly thin, and figured the NT1A would eliminate that problem when combined with the 57. As for whether the strategy actually worked, well that could be another story hahaha. I'm still getting used to miking techniques and executing them properly.

Thanks for the feedback on the vox too. I have a tendency to go a little reverb/delay heavy haha, just my personal preference. Some of the bands I appreciate like to hide their vocals behind the sounds of their instruments, and I guess that influence kinda comes through a bit.
 
reverbdk said:
I recorded the guitar with two mics: an SM57 and a Rode NT1A. The Rode was set over my shoulder pointed at the neck point where it connects to the acoustic body. I also recorded that with the 57 dead on at the soundhole. Then I re-recorded it with the SM57 offset in front of the acoustic pointing diagonally at the soundhole. I wanted the intimacy of the guitar from the player's perspective, but also wanted to pick up the high sound close to the sound hole of the strumming and finger movement. I found that using a 57 for an acoustic guitar DOES sound fairly thin, and figured the NT1A would eliminate that problem when combined with the 57. As for whether the strategy actually worked, well that could be another story hahaha. I'm still getting used to miking techniques and executing them properly.

Thanks for the feedback on the vox too. I have a tendency to go a little reverb/delay heavy haha, just my personal preference. Some of the bands I appreciate like to hide their vocals behind the sounds of their instruments, and I guess that influence kinda comes through a bit.
Click to expand...

There is some tips on the Shure website on different strategies on micing an acoustic. Some good tips that might help you out. I never heard of over the shoulder, maybe in front on around the 12th fret seems to be the recommended placing for two mic setup, but if it works, then it is right ;)
 
I'm new to mixing and mastering so I can't offer any advice, but wanted to say I thought the track "no car" sounded pretty great. Very catchy and a very nice sounding recording. Nice work!
 
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