Rancid Cover Critisism Wanted

ruined

reaper addict
Ok, I'll start from the beginning...
I've been recording/mixing for about two years now, but mostly electronic stuff and smaller projects like that. This is probably the most involved thing I've tried to record so far...and it pretty much sucks. I would jsut like some honest opinions about what I could do better for this song, or if i need to, just redo the song. I have a good understanding of compression and eq'ing and all the techniques, im just having trouble executing them.

I already know about the popping p's, the muddy guitars, the kick drum getting all hard and thumpy about 38 seconds in, timing of the vocals being off, the snare being noexistant...etc, I'm just looking for maybe what i did wrong, or what I could do better.

And here is how i recorded the song...
Drums - Audix Fusion 6 pack through a Behringer PA mixer, through an M-Audio USB interface (the $150 one), although I only used one overhead condenser and the kick drum mic because anythign more sounded like straight noise.
Guitar - Peavey Supreme half stack, SM58 just off the center of the dust cap on one of the speakers though the Behringer PA mixer straight into the line in of the computer.
Bass - MXR M-80 Bass DI straight into the line in of the computer.
Vocals - One of the condensers from the drum mic kit into the PA mixer, into the line in on the computer.

I mixed it in Cool Edit Pro, using NS-10s for monitors.

So, be honest with me, i would like some criticism.
By the way, its my band and I played guitar, and yeah we aren't that good.
Also, there is some swearing in the song, hopefully that doesn't offend anyone...

*EDIT..I had to change the URL.
 
ruined said:
Ok, I'll start from the beginning...
I've been recording/mixing for about two years now, but mostly electronic stuff and smaller projects like that. This is probably the most involved thing I've tried to record so far...and it pretty much sucks. I would jsut like some honest opinions about what I could do better for this song, or if i need to, just redo the song. I have a good understanding of compression and eq'ing and all the techniques, im just having trouble executing them.

I already know about the popping p's, the muddy guitars, the kick drum getting all hard and thumpy about 38 seconds in, timing of the vocals being off, the snare being noexistant...etc, I'm just looking for maybe what i did wrong, or what I could do better.

And here is how i recorded the song...
Drums - Audix Fusion 6 pack through a Behringer PA mixer, through an M-Audio USB interface (the $150 one), although I only used one overhead condenser and the kick drum mic because anythign more sounded like straight noise.
Guitar - Peavey Supreme half stack, SM58 just off the center of the dust cap on one of the speakers though the Behringer PA mixer straight into the line in of the computer.
Bass - MXR M-80 Bass DI straight into the line in of the computer.
Vocals - One of the condensers from the drum mic kit into the PA mixer, into the line in on the computer.

I mixed it in Cool Edit Pro, using NS-10s for monitors.

So, be honest with me, i would like some criticism.
By the way, its my band and I played guitar, and yeah we aren't that good.
Also, there is some swearing in the song, hopefully that doesn't offend anyone...

*EDIT..I had to change the URL.

Worse part of it is the drums.......the first thing that screams demo is poor drum trcking......there needs to be way more snare and kick.....maybe not in a volume sense but an eq sense.....
 
first thing first, i liked it :) kewl song, good performance, great for pogoing!,

vocal out of timing?, i don't think so, it's nice that way!

there's a great drummer on this board, rami, with some luck he'll be able to tip you off about recording live drums. All cymbals are very prominent in the mix.

the guitar sounds alright, it's just stuck in the middle of the picture. I like broad guitars! for best effect, if there's only one guitarist anyway, cheat and do two takes and pan them out left and right.

you shouldn't put yourself down too much here mate, this recording is good entertainment if you like the style. (I guess a rancid track can't go much wrong ;) )

Keep hanging around, we need more punk on the board :D



...
 
Nothing like a sweet, slow ballad on a Sunday night...!
It's actually a pretty cool tune...You got the perfect voice and attitude for it. I liked it.
Well, Madmush put me on the spot, so I have to respond :)
It's hard for me to tell you what to change without having seen and heard what you did for the drums to start with. The thing I don't understand the snare is fine for those one-shots where nothing else is playing, but then gets buried as soon as everything comes in again. SO this tells me that the mic is picking it up fine...Maybe you have too much compression on the drums or on the whole mix, I don't know. You also might want to lower your cymbals, they seem very close to the overhead...Again, I'm guessing here, but that's what it sounds like. The only other advice I can give you for the drums is to make sure you spend as much times as possible tuning them and getting them to sound as good as possible BEFORE even thinking about putting a mic anywhere near them. The bass drum has to come up a bit, volume wise, and down a bit, tuning wise.
As stupid as this might sound, it's true. Sometimes TIGHTENING a bass drum skin willl give it more low end. This is because of it's too loose, it's just flapping. It's like de-tuning a bass string to the point that it just farts, tighten it up and it starts vibrating and resonating.
The only other piece of advice I can give you is to almost never boost eq frequencies. You're usually better off just finding which ones to cut. Of course there are always exceptions, but that's something I try to stick to as much as possible.
Keep woking at it and don't get discouraged. Drums are the hardest thing to record. At least you have the talent and it really doesn't sound as bad as you made it out to be in your original post.
 
Thanks for the replies everybody!
Maybe im too critical becuase I recorded it and I want it to be perfect. We are going to re record the drums and guitar and take our time this time. The olny thing that might stay is the bass, and possibly the singing. Well, thanks and keep the replies coming!
 
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