Small room...full band....recording...???

[Twinhit]

I pesonally think the "energy and feel" argument is often rather overstated: First, the "energy and feel" of live performance seems to happen a lot easier in a bar at 1AM than in a studio at 3PM. Second, when you actually play back such live "energy and feel" moments caught on tape, that "energy and feel" often winds up being more a matter of experiencing the moment though Budweiser-colored cans than an actual lightning-in-the-bottle moment of performance excellence. Third, a good guitarist (just for an example) should be able to get just as much "energy and feel" listening to the drums whether those drums are being played now live or now through a playback. Fourth, if the guitarist (again, just for an example) makes a mistake in the fifth measure, it's a lot cleaner to punch in on a separate track than it is on a live mix track. And finally, the whole "energy and feel" starts to head out the door right about when the tracking engineer hits that talkback switch and announces, "Let's try that again" for the third or fourth fourth take.

I'm not dissing live-style recording, it has it's own advantages and charms. I'm just saying that the whole "getting that live energy and feel" thing ain't all its cracked up to be either.

IMHO, IME, YMMV, ADAT, MBC, ETC.

G.

ABC, NBC, CBS AND BBC, ETC....., YMMV, IMHO.....

Curiously, could the band simply drink a pint of JD at three or would it HAVE to be a simple case of drinkin' beer for
breakfast and 20 more for dessert to get that LIVE feel at 3pm in the studio?


Maybe someone will come out with a Live at the Bar Night fitness program for X-box and the band could get drunk and
play to screamin' rowdy dancin' carousin' fans who are themselves displayed on a real big LCD screen.
Different dances for different styles of music. Maybe put some punk rockers in a country scene line dancin' and
some hillbillies breakdancin to rap or somethin.
Whatcha think? Think that would help, too?

 

[Twinhit]

G'mornin gents (and ma'ams)

So our band wants to record as a unit. Mic bleed and everything. I built my room for a one man band...so it's kinda small. Roughly 14' by 20' and I raised the ceiling to about a 10' pitched roof.

I brought up that I could mix everything better if we mic'ed the drums and ran everything else DI and then come back and overdub guitar, and vocals after. Keepin it cleaner.

They brought up about the energy and "feel" of straight out jammin.

Good point.

So, I was thinkin that if I put a cocoon of sorts around my cab mics, like maybe a "box" made from extra gobo foam, that might help to get rid of some of the bleed.

But it still seems like I'm gonna have to run a DI'd bass (lack of another kick mic) and vocals anyway.....so I'm kinda thinkin...What's the point?

Any thoughts here? What've you done? How'd it work?

boobies-n-beer

woof

Doggy,

I've read somewhere that the band's jam session was recorded "live" for a scratch track and then each player would come back and play their own parts along with the scratch track and when all that was done, each track were edited
to taste and finally all parts carefully placed together in the mix. I recall that either the drummer or solo leads was improved over the jam track. In the the end the band was happy with the final product.

I would think that if you did it this way, when each of the band members are playing with themselves, the need for a spare mic won't be necessary for the bass player or whoever as far as that is concerned.

 

[grimtraveller]

When I listen to a piece of music, it doesn't even enter my head to think about if the whole band played together while tracking, whether there were numerous overdubs, whether it was 1st or 47th take, etc.
Recording as an entire band is brilliant and has been responsible for zillions of great songs. And exactly the same can be said for the alternatives {except the 'one note at a time' show}.

 

[Greg_L]

When I listen to a piece of music, it doesn't even enter my head to think about if the whole band played together while tracking, whether there were numerous overdubs, whether it was 1st or 47th take, etc.

Same here. I'm more suspicious of "live" albums though.

 

[grimtraveller]

Same here. I'm more suspicious of "live" albums though.

Yeah, same here. Up until about early '82, I loved all the live albums I'd heard, except this one that my sister had a couple of years previous, "Betty Wright live". Part of it may have been our musical rivalry but there was something about that album that didn't sit well with me. The entire crowd sound was at the same level the whole way through and at the time I thought live albums couldn't fade off, they had to come to a full stop and I looked for every possible excuse to rip to shreds Betty Wright and her stupid album ! I dug all my heavy rock live albums though. To me they were great.

Then I read an interview with Tony Visconti in a book called "The record producers" in which he revealed that everything on Thin Lizzy's "Live and dangerous" except the drums had been rerecorded in the studio and even the crowd sounds were 'manufactured'. And at the time "Live and dangerous" was one of the LPs that I loved. But that just put me off it, even though I still like some of it. In a way, it partially ruined every live rock thing I've heard since because in the back of my mind I'll be wondering whether it's been doctored, especially once I found out that that was the norm rather than the exception.....All my inherent cynicism rose to the fore and had plenty to feed on. Just like when my cousin Franca told me that wrestling was pre-rigged; I'd loved it up till the age of 13. Or when someone tells you that world famous actors and actresses look to the side of the camera shot because someone is holding up the lines on a board because said actor can't remember all their lines !
But in studio recordings, I should co~co.

 

[Dogbreath]

Doggy,

I've read somewhere that the band's jam session was recorded "live" for a scratch track and then each player would come back and play their own parts along with the scratch track and when all that was done, each track were edited
to taste and finally all parts carefully placed together in the mix. I recall that either the drummer or solo leads was improved over the jam track. In the the end the band was happy with the final product.

I would think that if you did it this way, when each of the band members are playing with themselves, the need for a spare mic won't be necessary for the bass player or whoever as far as that is concerned.

Since we're not on a set time frame, I plan on bringin up all the techniques I've read about here and there, and just try em all.
What the hell, I've got beer and fatty's so.....

I DO plan on reviving this thread at some point to post a sample or two of what we managed to get done. Maybe it won't suck.

And the "live" thing.....I was listening to a buddies recording that he did. He wanted me to tweak it and make it sound better.
Anyway, it starts off with this crowd of screaming fans, volume rising and falling etc so I called him up and asked him how the hell he did that (thinking he mighta recorded it from the boob toob or somethin) and he said, "Dude! where the hell ya been man? That's one of the samples from (whatever the hell it was). Don't you use samples fercrissake?"

"Dude! I don't even use a computer!"



I have GOT to check out this new computer recording thingy.

(fookin neanderthal)

 

[SouthSIDE Glen]

The Duke, kicking it old school!! Gotta love it!

G.

 

[Dogbreath]

The Duke, kicking it old school!! Gotta love it!

G.

I wish it was a nostalgia type thing.
In truth it's a "DAMMIT!" thing.

 

[Twinhit]

Since we're not on a set time frame, I plan on bringin up all the techniques I've read about here and there, and just try em all.
What the hell, I've got beer and fatty's so.....

I DO plan on reviving this thread at some point to post a sample or two of what we managed to get done. Maybe it won't suck.

And the "live" thing.....I was listening to a buddies recording that he did. He wanted me to tweak it and make it sound better.
Anyway, it starts off with this crowd of screaming fans, volume rising and falling etc so I called him up and asked him how the hell he did that (thinking he mighta recorded it from the boob toob or somethin) and he said, "Dude! where the hell ya been man? That's one of the samples from (whatever the hell it was). Don't you use samples fercrissake?"

"Dude! I don't even use a computer!"



I have GOT to check out this new computer recording thingy.

(fookin neanderthal)

Doggy,
I used to drive big rigs cross country for a living.... if you want to call it that. In fact, I've driven through Elko many times. I remember thinkin..... what do people do for a livin' in the middle of the desert? Granted, if it swells, there are
girls who can take care of it right there in the Wells. Mind you, there are a lot of places that don't look like they belong there. Arkansas is one of those places.

 

[Dogbreath]

Doggy,
I used to drive big rigs cross country for a living.... if you want to call it that. In fact, I've driven through Elko many times. I remember thinkin..... what do people do for a livin' in the middle of the desert? Granted, if it swells, there are
girls who can take care of it right there in the Wells. Mind you, there are a lot of places that don't look like they belong there. Arkansas is one of those places.

I remember when I first moved here, I didn't know anyone so I went out to find a bar with a pool table, I go down to this area of town (3rd st if you're interested ) and I see a bar, with a doorbell (WTF? ) and a curtain covered window.
?
So I ring the bell, get let in and start lookin around for the table....notice a couple of scantilly clad wimmin, order a beer and the beertender asks me if I wanna look at the menu.
I'm thinkin...sure I could eat.

And out comes about a half dozen wimmins in lace and cleavage and it FINALLY dawned on me.
"Ohhh....that kind of menu! No no no....I was just lookin for a pool table. "

I felt like a doof

 

[SouthSIDE Glen]

And out comes about a half dozen wimmins in lace and cleavage and it FINALLY dawned on me.
"Ohhh....that kind of menu! No no no....I was just lookin for a pool table. "

Geez, can't a guy just chalk his stick and knock around his balls once in a while?

Anytime you want me to come down there and help you set up your new computer DAW and get some dinner over on third street, you just let me know....

G.

 

[Dogbreath]

Geez, can't a guy just chalk his stick and knock around his balls once in a while?

Anytime you want me to come down there and help you set up your new computer DAW and get some dinner over on third street, you just let me know....

G.

The setup? Sure I'll buy the steaks n beer.
Dinner on 3rd street? I don't like fish.

 

[Twinhit]

That sounds about right.
You know, a lot of people have misconception about truck drivers - that ALL of em are huntin' for horizontal highway hostesses. T'aint true. When I drove, I drove. My loads were always on a tight time schedule and I barely had time to sneeze let alone goof around with the shady ladies. Sheesh..... that's nasty. Just give me a recliner and let me
let me stop and relax.

 

[moresound]

3rd ST. huh DB?
Just about the same thing happen tome in Hong Kong, walked into a bar and the bartender and waitresses all took there tops off immediately and these were nice looking woman. I thought to myself what is going on? I told them I had to use the bathroom and didn't want a drink so they covered back up and they all gave me a dirty look. ~ oh well.