New band & first demo

sikter

sikter

New member
A couple of mounts ago I started to play live again.
It's like always a lot of fun but I’m kind a missing recording and mixing so
I decided to make a demo for one of the band's songs.
For now, the drums are programmed (sounds are from Addictive Drums).
Organ in this mix is fake but we have a real Hammond with Lesley.
I'll try to record it next time. I need some help with this one
and I appreciate if someone could tell me how to do that.

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_songInfo.cfm?bandID=510525&songID=7667260

sikter
 
The guitar way left sounds real muddy. The guitar slightly R is thin. The bass sounds OK. The drums don't seem to fit the mix.
The vocal sounds like it was recorded with a bad dynamic mic.
The flange. Eh. A lot of FX. Maybe too much?

The tune strikes me as a simple folk tune. Acoustic guitar, with more body instead of the clanging, flanged electric would be my first suggested change.

The highlight of the tune is the harmonized solo. You need more of that kind of instrumental togetherness.

My suggestion is to record every part flat EQ, dry...and mix that, and try to make it sound good before you paste FX on things.Mixing is hard...and it gets tougher when you have sweeping delays, reverb, and phases shifting in your ears. Everything is everywhere at once. Build the foundation before you try to paint the house.

Guitar L is panned way out in left field so that the over-busy parts and almost constant 'dig me' soloing don't step on the simple vocal melody. It didn't work....it draws the ear away from the vocal feature even more. Give him a valium or two...and ask him to be a part of the band.

And one more item: It sounds like you recorded the vocal without being able to hear yourself well enough in the headset...or got your pitch thrown off with Jimi wailing. Cut out distracting stuff...make sure you can hear yourself. And try a different mic.

Simplify, organize, arrange, build, simplify....don't be satisfied until the song moves you. Less is more.

But, most of all, keep recording and mixing and mastering. Time and experience is what it takes to develop an honest ear and better perception.

I would really like to hear this tune done with acoustic guitar, and a more traditional European folk treatment: tamborine; lute; violin; recorders. Then built a little later with some tasteful electric parts. The tune sounds like that was the author's intent. Some British/Celtic 60's and 70's bands...like Fairport Convention and Steeleye Span.... were masters of the craft. Check 'em out!
 
G'day Sikter - Long time no post.
The Fx on the soloing guitar are pretty muddy in the intro and this causes the mix to lean too far one way - I'd at leats move the organ over to the rhythm guitar side and thin the fat guitar a little.
The solo that comes in around 2min is nice & the twinned solo is terrific,
The vocals are nice - have a Yes feel to them.
I like the constant noodling but would like that guitar thinned a fair bit to make it easier to hear and sit better with the rest.
Cool song & the performanes seem good so it's all down to you brushing up on those good mixing skills you developed.
 
jeffmaher said:
The guitar way left sounds real muddy. The guitar slightly R is thin. The bass sounds OK. The drums don't seem to fit the mix.
The vocal sounds like it was recorded with a bad dynamic mic.
The flange. Eh. A lot of FX. Maybe too much?

The tune strikes me as a simple folk tune. Acoustic guitar, with more body instead of the clanging, flanged electric would be my first suggested change.

The highlight of the tune is the harmonized solo. You need more of that kind of instrumental togetherness.

My suggestion is to record every part flat EQ, dry...and mix that, and try to make it sound good before you paste FX on things.Mixing is hard...and it gets tougher when you have sweeping delays, reverb, and phases shifting in your ears. Everything is everywhere at once. Build the foundation before you try to paint the house.

Guitar L is panned way out in left field so that the over-busy parts and almost constant 'dig me' soloing don't step on the simple vocal melody. It didn't work....it draws the ear away from the vocal feature even more. Give him a valium or two...and ask him to be a part of the band.

And one more item: It sounds like you recorded the vocal without being able to hear yourself well enough in the headset...or got your pitch thrown off with Jimi wailing. Cut out distracting stuff...make sure you can hear yourself. And try a different mic.

Simplify, organize, arrange, build, simplify....don't be satisfied until the song moves you. Less is more.

But, most of all, keep recording and mixing and mastering. Time and experience is what it takes to develop an honest ear and better perception.

I would really like to hear this tune done with acoustic guitar, and a more traditional European folk treatment: tamborine; lute; violin; recorders. Then built a little later with some tasteful electric parts. The tune sounds like that was the author's intent. Some British/Celtic 60's and 70's bands...like Fairport Convention and Steeleye Span.... were masters of the craft. Check 'em out!
Click to expand...

Thank you very much for your time. This is the best feedback I've got EVER!
I tracked guitars and bass in my bedroom but I wanted to get sound that we have on our rehearsals.
It did not turn out well. I see!
Guitar player (Flange) brought to my house his analogue pedals but I recorded him DI.
I used my digital processor for dist. guitar.
I recorded bass DI as well. Studio Project B3 was used for vocal but we recorded it in our rehearsing room and
I've got a lot of noise from drum set, ventilation fans etc.
Anyway, I'll try to do it better next time keeping on my mind your suggestions.

Thank you one more time and have a nice day, Jeffmaher!
sikter
 
rayc said:
G'day Sikter - Long time no post.
The Fx on the soloing guitar are pretty muddy in the intro and this causes the mix to lean too far one way - I'd at leats move the organ over to the rhythm guitar side and thin the fat guitar a little.
The solo that comes in around 2min is nice & the twinned solo is terrific,
The vocals are nice - have a Yes feel to them.
I like the constant noodling but would like that guitar thinned a fair bit to make it easier to hear and sit better with the rest.
Cool song & the performanes seem good so it's all down to you brushing up on those good mixing skills you developed.
Click to expand...

Thank you RayC,
You are too kind, as always.
Anyway I'll let you know when my new mix is ready.
Your new mix is playing as I type. It has your signature all over it.
It is not finished I guess but it promises a lot. Keep it going!

best regards
sikter
 
Love this tune....

The vocalist is excellent - very "Yes" IMO. Good pitch and good sustain. Couldn't ask for more....

The guitars/bass/drums are equally impressive.

Vocals are the most important part of a song for me and they are strong and supported well.

Now this sounds very "live" in the intro but seems to settle into more of a studio sound later. I'm thinking the guitar mic is a touch too far away or the reverb is too high.

The mp3 is washing the cymbals out a bit and the drums could be (for me) a little louder (not the cymbals).

Sounds like a great band to play in...top stuff.....

:D:):D:):D
 
ido1957 said:
Love this tune....

The vocalist is excellent - very "Yes" IMO. Good pitch and good sustain. Couldn't ask for more....

The guitars/bass/drums are equally impressive.

Vocals are the most important part of a song for me and they are strong and supported well.

Now this sounds very "live" in the intro but seems to settle into more of a studio sound later. I'm thinking the guitar mic is a touch too far away or the reverb is too high.

The mp3 is washing the cymbals out a bit and the drums could be (for me) a little louder (not the cymbals).

Sounds like a great band to play in...top stuff.....

:D:):D:):D
Click to expand...


Thank you, Ido!
Very kind of you.
sikter
 
I'm just gonna make a quick comment about the low end...a little boomy to some extent and I thought some of the vocals were perhaps a bit sharp at the high end. Mind you, I'm listening on earbuds...so...what really would I know? Anyway, that's a pretty good song.
 
Monkey Allen said:
I'm just gonna make a quick comment about the low end...a little boomy to some extent and I thought some of the vocals were perhaps a bit sharp at the high end. Mind you, I'm listening on earbuds...so...what really would I know? Anyway, that's a pretty good song.
Click to expand...

Thank you!

With best regards
sikter
 
Hi, Sikter

Great job.
I like the singer´s voice a lot!
Left channel gtr solo it´s fine too.

One thing if I could change...bass drum and bass guitar lacks a little "meat"
(some kind of punch in the lows that I have no how to say in "numbers"...),
but lows/mid lows..

Ciro
 
Don't have anything new to add, but just wanted to say I enjoyed the song. The guitar playing is really good. Thanks for sharing.
 
guitar zero said:
Don't have anything new to add, but just wanted to say I enjoyed the song. The guitar playing is really good. Thanks for sharing.
Click to expand...

Thnak you, Guitar-zero!
I did a couple of new takes on backing vocals. I'll try to mix them tonight so you could check it up tomorrow again.
 
very nice song. Some good guitar playing all over the place, especially the solo's and the harmony solo
The singer's voice is pretty great, and the only suggestion would be more emphasis on some words, as it was a bit monotonous.
 
johnnymegabyte said:
very nice song. Some good guitar playing all over the place, especially the solo's and the harmony solo
The singer's voice is pretty great, and the only suggestion would be more emphasis on some words, as it was a bit monotonous.
Click to expand...

Thank you, Johnny!

I added some backing vocals to the mix last night. I did not want to
wake up my wife so I used my headphones.
I did some tweaks as well and it was stupid thing to do cause I think I screwed up the bass and the guitars.

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_songInfo.cfm?bandID=510525&songID=7667260

sikter
 
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