grimtraveller
If only for a moment.....
What sort of things have you tried in recording {or live} that seemed like an innovative and experimental idea at the time.......but which ultimately left you thinking, "I won't be doing that again !" ?
Sennheiser
New member
Recording 10 tracks to a 4-track cassette recorder. Sounded like ass.
grimtraveller
If only for a moment.....
Yeah ! You read the books, ads and articles that tell you it can be done and you read "The making of Sergeant Pepper" or "Revolver" and see how these great albums were 'made' on a 4 track with bouncing and with the naivete of the beginner the journey begins.........but the cassette portastudio ain't a Studer ! That's why early on I upgraded to 8 track and then ultimately 12 track digital.
Sennheiser
New member
Took me a little longer to move forward, but in the mean time I just cut it down to five or six tracks and left off the cow bell, marimbas, and glockenspiel.
Track Rat
Just Your Average Sized Member
I wouldn't call it an "epic failure" but it's been the epiphany of miking up real instruments vs. using PODs/samples/etc. I know I don't always do it perfectly but I'm ALWAYS happier with the results of this approach rather than the ease of plugging in one of these wonder boxes and recording.
M
moresound
Loud Sun Studios
Trying to record the south end of a north bound cow!
grimtraveller
If only for a moment.....
I had this quintet of songs, I'd written 2, my friend had written two and another friend had written one (and I'd helped co~write part of it). We used to sing together alot and they were great in helping provide vocals {and esoteric instruments like accordians and tenor recorders} for my songs. I was always on at them to write songs so with this clutch of songs, I figured I'd do a medley of all 5. The keys they were in meant that to segue them, I'd have to do some gymnastics but I worked it all out. I figured that another friend that was a drummer and I on guitar would record all the songs, before putting everything else in. Because there were 5 songs, I thought it would be easiest to do them in 7 sections, the logic being that my mate and I could work on getting each section bang on. Where one bit ended, we'd start the next so it sounded like one continuous piece with no breaks. We often improvised arrangements and if we didn't like what we'd come up with, just do it again. We always got there in the end.
Then I came up with the brainwave to alternate each section on a 6 and 12 string guitar, just to see if a) it would sound good and b) if anyone would ever notice. This was back in 2000. Then I hit on the added brainwave of attaching either bells or a shaker to my strumming hand, the idea being to provide some extra percussion and counter rhythms. I'd done it live quite a few times. And in the mood of experimentation, even though both were acoustic guitars, when bouncing down to one guitar track, I shoved them through a wah~wah pedal.
The thing is, when it was just the guitar and drums, it sounded pretty neat. It started getting irritatingly interfering once vocals and backing vocals had been added. Once the bass, electric piano, bassoon, french horn and cellos were in there it just became one awful mess of mush, not so much anything else, just the guitar. Every now and then you'd get this lovely guitar poking through but much of the time, it was an irritating wah~wah'd bell ~ and not even a cowbell !
Fortunately, I was just about {this is still debatable !!} able to rescue the medley. But I won't be doing that again !
Then I came up with the brainwave to alternate each section on a 6 and 12 string guitar, just to see if a) it would sound good and b) if anyone would ever notice. This was back in 2000. Then I hit on the added brainwave of attaching either bells or a shaker to my strumming hand, the idea being to provide some extra percussion and counter rhythms. I'd done it live quite a few times. And in the mood of experimentation, even though both were acoustic guitars, when bouncing down to one guitar track, I shoved them through a wah~wah pedal.
The thing is, when it was just the guitar and drums, it sounded pretty neat. It started getting irritatingly interfering once vocals and backing vocals had been added. Once the bass, electric piano, bassoon, french horn and cellos were in there it just became one awful mess of mush, not so much anything else, just the guitar. Every now and then you'd get this lovely guitar poking through but much of the time, it was an irritating wah~wah'd bell ~ and not even a cowbell !
Fortunately, I was just about {this is still debatable !!} able to rescue the medley. But I won't be doing that again !
G
Greg_L
Banned
Copy/shift/pan.
I used to try to make it sound good, but never could. 2 independent tracks always sounds better.
I used to try to make it sound good, but never could. 2 independent tracks always sounds better.
c7sus
Disenfranchised Member
Playing keyboards!
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R
RobbieL
mr. president
Never use a laptop to run outboard effects for a live mix. The latency can seriously screw up your sound.
witzendoz
Senior Member
If I had become a plumber I would have been rich by now.
C
Captain Ego
New member
Bouncing down to free up more tracks. I always end up wanting to change the bounced tracks submix settings again after the extra stuff is added. ALWAYS. Not just sometimes... every time I have ever done this. I stopped bothering any more and just stick with my arrangements being minimalist stripped to fit on my 8 tracks.