Need lots of ears

  • Thread starter Thread starter dobro
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dobro

dobro

Well-known member
I'm posting this here cuz I think it belongs here, even though I don't have an mp3 attached.

I'm my own biggest enemy, and it's cuz I kid myself. I tell myself (because I want it to be good) that's it's good, even when if I asked myself direct questions like 'how does that bass sound?' and the answer would be 'not as good as it should'. Anyway, now I know that I'm like that, so I make that mistake less often than before. But still there are times when I'm listening to one of my mixes and an impression is forming at the back of my mind but I don't give it my full attention so I miss the tweak. And then I post it here and someone says 'The bass needs more attack and more 1K and oh by the way, turn it up!' and I go 'Of course, I knew that.' So why didn't I notice it at the time? Why didn't that impression at the back of my mind take three steps forward and make itself known?

What's my point? Just this: I need this forum to mix my stuff as well as I can. Other people seem to be able to get a mix out first time and it's way listenable compared to my stuff.

I think I'm going to start posting listening icons for each suggestion I take from somebody here in a mix thread. I bet I'll average five to ten per mix.
 
You could HPF the guitars some more and bring the synth in the last chorus down.
Nice bass tone!

... wait what?
 
I think we're having a short moment of self reflection and gratitude for each other. <3
 
dobro said:
I'm posting this here cuz I think it belongs here, even though I don't have an mp3 attached.

I'm my own biggest enemy, and it's cuz I kid myself. I tell myself (because I want it to be good) that's it's good, even when if I asked myself direct questions like 'how does that bass sound?' and the answer would be 'not as good as it should'. Anyway, now I know that I'm like that, so I make that mistake less often than before. But still there are times when I'm listening to one of my mixes and an impression is forming at the back of my mind but I don't give it my full attention so I miss the tweak. And then I post it here and someone says 'The bass needs more attack and more 1K and oh by the way, turn it up!' and I go 'Of course, I knew that.' So why didn't I notice it at the time? Why didn't that impression at the back of my mind take three steps forward and make itself known?
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COME ON MAN!!!! WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!?!?

Oh wait. You didn't post anything. :D

Just kidding. I love you Dobro. You're one of the most helpful and honest people here. And you have a tune that's one of my favorites from anyone on this site. :)

As far as this is concerned:
Other people seem to be able to get a mix out first time
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I think the only person here who's mixes never NEED any changes is GregL. And when I say "NEED", I mean there's always room for different tastes. But nothing in his mixes is ever "Wrong". The rest of us can always use other ears and tweaks.
 
I've heard stuff from both you and Greg that's good right out of the gate. But I need more ears. (Cue: picture of my head with twelve ears on it.)
 
Need lots of ears, eh? You should've asked me back when I was in 'Nam, I used to make fuckin' necklac...

Oh, you mean... Ah! I get it.
 
Really? You were in Nam? That's so funny. Not that you were in Nam, but that up until now I took you for a kind of intelligent young man. Wise beyond your years. Or is it 'wise beyond your ears'?
 
I don't know with this guy.
He's either 25 or 65. I can't tell.
 
dobro said:
Really? You were in Nam? That's so funny. Not that you were in Nam, but that up until now I took you for a kind of intelligent young man. Wise beyond your years. Or is it 'wise beyond your ears'?
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Just a joke, my friend. You have to admit that one was pretty good!

"Wise beyond your ears..." Hey... that one's not bad, either! You go dobro! :)
 
Dobro, this is the most finely-realised thing you've ever posted in the clinic. :D
 
C'mon, man. I know you can take a joke. I saw "need lots of ears" and I got an image in my head of one of those Vietnam movies where the soldier has gone a bit nutty and has resorted to making a necklace with ears. I'm supposed to keep that to myself??

I agree with the sentiment of your original post... I have been helped quite a bit myself, here. I express my sentimentality by mentioning wartime ear necklaces. Different strokes for different folks.

Smile! :)
 
Access to other people's ears can be very helpful.

That's because our brains know how something is supposed to sound, and will sometimes convince our ears that's how it is sounding (specially if you have been working on something for a while).

Two things I've noticed when recording:

1 we often hear (and spend hours fixing) stuff that is inconsequential to a listener; and in the course of this
2 we often miss (and fail to fix) stuff that ought to be dealt with (e.g. a guitar being out of tune the whole way through or whatever).
 
NotThatBright said:
C'mon, man. I know you can take a joke. I saw "need lots of ears" and I got an image in my head of one of those Vietnam movies where the soldier has gone a bit nutty and has resorted to making a necklace with ears. I'm supposed to keep that to myself??

I agree with the sentiment of your original post... I have been helped quite a bit myself, here. I express my sentimentality by mentioning wartime ear necklaces. Different strokes for different folks.

Smile! :)
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I was really hoping you were a vet. But I'll settle for you being you, with or without the garland.
 
gecko zzed said:
Two things I've noticed when recording:

1 we often hear (and spend hours fixing) stuff that is inconsequential to a listener; and in the course of this
2 we often miss (and fail to fix) stuff that ought to be dealt with (e.g. a guitar being out of tune the whole way through or whatever).
Click to expand...

Absolutely. And the question I've got is what the fuck is that about? It's lying to yourself, right?
 
dobro said:
I was really hoping you were a vet. But I'll settle for you being you, with or without the garland.
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Well, I might have some left over from Christmas.

Do you have a particular bent towards vets?
 
dobro said:
Absolutely. And the question I've got is what the fuck is that about? It's lying to yourself, right?
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"lying to yourself" is a bit hard . . . it implies intention. It just happens.
 
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