Do you really need expensive stuff?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Harvey Gerst
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i'm sure i can speak for everyone when i say keep up the posting it's appriciated.

I'll admit.. up until recently i've been one of those "fix it in the mix" guys.. but in the last few months i've made some desicions.. biggest of which being that this is what i want to do.. So now i'm on a quest for knowledge.. i've realized how rediculously stupid the "fix it in the mix" attitude is (and i'm paying for it now..trying to mix some songs of ours that weren't as carefully recorded as they could have been)

I have a very modest amount of gear to work with (a shitty computer, a delta 1010, a little yamaha mixer and some cheap mics {mostly apex/samson stuff}) I know i can achieve way better results than i'm getting.. and i'm realizing that mic placement in the tracking stage is EVERYTHING I was making the mistake of getting a head of myself and thinking about mixing while i'm tracking.. i'm looking forward to recording some more tunes and taking my time way more.
 
Harvey Gerst said:
Now, if I could just remember where I put my keys....
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This isn't a joke that is going to end with "and then we'll drive out", is it?

Sorry, couldn't help but chime in. Now I am just a hobbyist at writing/recording, but I appreciate the knowledge you share here and find it very useful.
I ended up spending my Sputnik money on some of Chance's ACM mics, but I'm curious if you have tried one? On gearslutz.com I came across a couple of blind comparisons and I thought the Sputnik sounded excellent. Maybe it was only to my ears, because I'm surprised there is not more hype about it. Oh well, just curious if you've tried one and what you think about it if you have.
 
Seeker of Rock said:
I ended up spending my Sputnik money on some of Chance's ACM mics, but I'm curious if you have tried one? On gearslutz.com I came across a couple of blind comparisons and I thought the Sputnik sounded excellent. Maybe it was only to my ears, because I'm surprised there is not more hype about it. Oh well, just curious if you've tried one and what you think about it if you have.
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Haven't had the opportunity to try either of those mics, sorry. I have heard good things about both of them.
 
Hey Harvey cool to see your on another forum I'm Hankey's Buddie glad to see you sharing your expertise with us here on this forum, greatly appreciated for some of us here. Alex still tuning the drums or you guys have a tech. BTW Hankey mentioned to me that you like to use a Sansamp for some guitar work I believe he mentioned Bugs Henderson recorded with one. I was wanted to know your opinion about using the Acoustic version of a Sansamp on acoustic guitar alone with maybe a cheap apex 205 ribbon mic.:confused:
 
from wikipedia:

Interference beats are used to objectively measure the accuracy of tuning. As the two pitches approach a harmonic relationship, the frequency of beating decreases. When tuning a unison or octave it is desired to reduce the beating frequency until it cannot be detected. For other intervals, this is dependent on the tuning system being used.
 
youre always gonna have beating when youre superimposing tones

tuning is not a perfect science obviously

maybe you could eliminate beating by using soft synths some kind of just tuning but i doubt it
 
eeb said:
I know i can achieve way better results than i'm getting.. and i'm realizing that mic placement in the tracking stage is EVERYTHING
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Its important, but not everything. Great musical ideas and great playing supercede everything else.
 
When two frequencies are near to a simple fraction, but not exact, the composite wave cycles slowly enough to hear the cancellation of the waves as a steady pulsing instead of a tone. This is called beating, and is considered to be unpleasant, or dissonant.
 
The frequency of beating is calculated as the difference between the frequencies of the two notes.

The difference between consonance and dissonance is not clearly defined, but the higher the beat frequency, the more likely the interval to be dissonant. Helmholtz proposed that maximum dissonance would arise between two pure tones when the beat rate is roughly 35 Hz

wikipedia again
 
DavidK said:
Its important, but not everything. Great musical ideas and great playing supercede everything else.
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well yes of course.. I realize that completely but i'm talking in more of a "engineering" sense.. a good song by good players will still be a good song on a freakin ghetto blaster recording (won't sound pretty but it'll still be good)




on another note

"GROOVYISLAND"

You are likely posting on the wrong thread... this thread is about using less expensive gear to get great results recording.. .. it's in the "microphone" section..

you might wanna make a post in the "guitar" section then it would be relevant :D
 
I think we need to impose a breathalyzer test prior to allowing people to post.
 
eeb said:
well yes of course..
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Yeah, I knew you knew that.:D I was making a point, which is:

after being in this forum for 7 years, it is good to see a thread like this.:cool: I often find too much emphasis on high-end gear, and not enough on creativity, musicianship etc.

When I listen to music recorded in the 70s, I am very impressed with how creative some of it is. It seems to be sorely lacking in today's music for the most part. The autotuned garbage is just what it is, autotuned garbage. I notice an exception in the Broadway world, where many new shows have been terrific. Then again, they arent relying on technology (musicallly) and are writing music ye olde fashioned way.

I sometimes find my rather modest setup to be an advantage. I have a very nice project studio yet nothing outrageous, and a handful of mics. When I get something good, its due to the idea and the playing. Since I dont have the high end stuff, I know that I better be DAMN GOOD to compensate.:D
I probably have to work a lot harder. My philosophy is to get the best possible work done with my modest gear, and when it is actually a hinderance, I have earned an upgrade. I did that with my synths, and recently got a few nice ones. I was better than my synths. I cant say that for my recording gear yet, it is what I am striving for.
 
I know what you mean 100%

99.9% of music recorded today is all bells and whistles and no content... I don't know if we'll ever see another "dark side of the moon" or something of the like.. I just wish I could find more likeminded musicians... (not that I want to rip off that album...but you know what i mean) everything is cut for singles.. the next big music vid.. or you have the extreme opposite ... the bands that try so hard to not be "mainstream" crazy prog bands and metal bands come to mind. It's tough out there for us musicians and it's sad but even though I really strive to be a part of something great if i got offered a chance at a decent music career knowing i couldn't achieve that i still might take it... better than a desk job. horrible attitude i know but i have a morgage and bills to worry about... it seems like no one cares about music the same way anymore
 
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