I keep getting an UNWANTED Live sound.

D

d(-_-)b-Phones

New member
Ok here we go. Prepair yourselves.

To start this off i would like to say that I am a newbie with decent knowledge and really expensive equip. and no true idea what I am doing.

With that out of the way. I can say i used my humility once today.

Anyway the problem is this. After I record. and get everything into nuendo I keep getting a live sound out of what should be a NOT live sound. I have no idea what I am doing wrong. I try to aproach the tracks like this,

>Compressor>EQ>Somthing else.. then.... somthing, lol

I know that looks weird and is prob a good example of my lack of structure.
IDont have any foundations to start my mix on, and i imagine that is my largest problem. A friend of mine told me to use Limiters/gates to kinda cut the noise out and to tweek the compression to get more of that live feel, 2 problems with that.

#1 I dont know what a non live sound is.
#2 When i try to use limiters and gates I get frustrated and want to kill somthing. ( and my desk cant handle many more beatings. )

So can someone give me 2 things from their brains please, Tell me how to use a Limiter to my own benifit and can someone please in the time scale format lay out a decent process tree for tracks

Example:
DoThis>Dothis>DoThis>Dothis>Dothis>dothis

I understand that not all effects and processes will be used for every track, so if your really bored maybe you can do it like this

Drums
DoThis>Dothis>DoThis>Dothis>Dothis>dothis

Guitars
DoThis>Dothis>DoThis>Dothis>Dothis>dothis

Bass
DoThis>Dothis>DoThis>Dothis>Dothis>dothis

Vocals
DoThis>Dothis>DoThis>Dothis>Dothis>dothis

the mixed down stereo Track
DoThis>Dothis>DoThis>Dothis>Dothis>dothis

Just so you know all this info will be printed out and taped to my chest.

I am hoping that this is my problem with the live sound issue, if its not well maybe you can give me some other pointers.

After you make the process tree, ;)
 
No idea what a LIVE sound is?

Ok, like it sounds recorded live, Like i mic'd up a gig at the local bar and record it. altho its not recorded at the local bar.

I dont want to go as far back and say its the room, because its not really, the drums sound great my drum room is kinda sharp, not too much room reverb but there is an ez .3 -.7 ms of reverb in the room.

So, Live sound, Like recorded live, Like outside or in a large room.
 
Do you have a bit of a soundfile to post? Maybe that would help. That way no one tells you to fix something that may not be a problem for you.
Ed
 
Find out how to get the best out of your mic placement and mic choice. I would say it is a traking problem as you would rarely get a live sound if tracked properly, unless recorded live. Remember not live usually = close micing. The room will play a large part in your tracking also. Try and use a small booth that is dead, for vocals and maybe guitar. Drums in a largeish room is probably the best.
Good luck.
 
i WILL GET A SOUND FILE UP ON THIS CURRENT PROJECT I AM HAVING THE PROBLEM WITH. sorry 4 caps.


Am i wrong for thinking that there is a standardized way of going about things to start the mix off?

I was really looking forward to the Dothis>dothis>doThis>Dothais>etc..

There must be some approach to the music that never changes.

EDIT, Might as well ask this on here as well, Are all VST's compatable, like all pencils write on paper, nomatter who made them etc.. ?


I was thinking about getting some VST plugins for Mu nuendo rig, But how do i know if they are compatable?
 
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Do you have living people playing instruments within a room filled with air?
If so then you are recording a "live" source. ;)

What's wrong with a live sound? Are you comparing your mix to what you hear on the radio or mastered CDs - all the life squashed out of it?
 
Huh?

Maybe im saying this wrong, Its heavy music and i want it to sound in your face, but it has more of a live feel, any tips.....
 
I think the guitars sound kinda weak, not as in ur face as i would like them to. I guess its mostly the guitars, the drums sound a bit live in the hihat and overheads, I may have my overheads to loud in the mix, but with the guitars maybe i just compressed them weird, or not enuf, or too much.
 
Are you using any eq?

Sometimes, with drums for example, cutting in the 300-500Hz area can smooth out the sound and remove some of the boxiness.

Can't really say w/o hearing what you're hearing tho
 
It sounds like it might have something to do with mic position and the type of mic you are using. What types of mics are you using and where are you putting them?
 
Right now Im just using a 12 mic nady setup. I am putting them all on stands and doing the 1 inch in directed at the center of the toms airspace and angles.

I havee 2 mic on snare top and bottom.

2 mics on kick 1 about 3 inches from the pad on the inside, and a 2nd just outside the shell.

2 mics in highhats top and bottom.

2 overheads

and a room mic.
 
Looks like you have too many mics on the drums. Try the mix with only the overheads, room, snare top, and BD mic outside of the shell. If you can't get the high hat loud enough then add in the top high hat mic. Too many mics can cause phase problems. Phase problems might sound "live" to you...I dunno.
 
Yeah there's way too many mics there. You'll have all sorts of phase reinforcement & cancellation going on.

Get rid of everything except 2 overheads, a kick & snare mic. You'll probably need to flip the polarity on the snare mic. Get a decent sound with that setup first, then add toms mics etc.
 
Put one mic on your snare, one in the kick and put 2 condensors overhead, 1 on the left, 1 on the right. They will pick up your hats, cymbals & snare and give you a stereo image. Don't put them 2 high, but keep them out of the drummers way esp if he flails his arms around
 
for guitars, make sure the mic is right up on the amp...as close to the speaker as you can get. micing the amp from too far away can make it sound "live"
 
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