Analog Hard Rock Song

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themaddog

Rockin' & Rollin'
There's a track I recorded and put on the Tascam MP3 mixing clinic forums. Someone inevitably asked how I recorded it, which the short of it is, I used a Tascam 2516 console, and an MSR-16 and a 22-2. If anyone would like to hear the clip, I've put it below, as well as an explanation of all the equipment that was used below that. The song is kinda old school hard rock/heavy metal.

-MD

http://www.battleofthebands.com/nightstalker

This track was produced using a lot of Tascam equipment. It was recorded through a 2516 console onto an MSR-16 (1/2", 16 track recorder). It was mixed onto another Tascam machine, the 22-2 (1/4", 2 track), and then was recorded onto computer using a Delta 44 soundcard.

I guess that's the basic info above. From here I'll give much more detailed info, for those who are interested. The 1/2" tape used was a high-output version of Emtec LPR35 (estimated to be around +7), and the mixdown 1/4" tape was Quantegy 406.

The snare and toms were recorded using SM 57's. For the kick, an AKG D550 was used, and for the overheads we used Audio Technica MB 4k's (not matched). In total, there were 6 drum track (toms were mixed from 3 channels to left and right).

Some of the guitars were recorded using SM 57 mics, on-axis. The left rhythm was recorded in this way with a Hughes & Kettner solid-state amp (1x12), and was pushed by a Tubescreamer pedal. That guitar player plays a Les Paul Custom. The center channel solos and light lead at the breakdown were recorded through a Mesa Boogie Nomad (1x12) with a Jackson Warrior XT. The solo channel track had a push with an undisclosed, cheap distortion pedal. The right rhythm track actually wasn't played through an amp; a Hughes & Kettner Tubeman was used, and played with the Warrior XT. All of those small lead-fills were aided by a Behringer compressor during tracking.

The bass was recorded direct and through an SWR Workingman's 200 watt amp through a 2x15, mic'd by a Studio Projects B3. We scrapped the direct track and only used the amped and mic'd track.

It was mixed onto a Tascam 22-2, which was really easy to do since I could monitor everything off of the playback head while it was recording to get the EQ and levels right. Behringer compressors were used, along with the Alesis Midiverbs II and II. I used delay from an Alesis Picoverb.

After it was mixed, I mastered it in Cool Edit Pro 2. In the past, I've just mixed to computer and skipped the 1/4", 2 track mix step, but I found this really helped to tame the mix before going to digital. I didn't have to worry about clipping nearly as much as I have in the past.

If anyone has any other questions on specifics, feel free to ask.
 
The weakest aspect is that it's a little dark sounding though surprisingly not so much in the vocals. Mostly it's in the guitars and probably the bass which is so undifferentiated from anything else that it's basically missing.

Less guitar tracks with a lot more highend EQ on them. More treble at the guitar, at the amp, on the board channel. One of the guitar channels is fine.

Bass is just imperceptible.

Drums are good. Punchy kick.

Vocals are good.

SO overall I dig it. But if I were to make it better I'd redo the guitars and the bass and brighten up those channels. I would not just EQ the 2-mix.
 
When I mixed it, I was worried the guitars were too bright. Therefore, I probably compensated a bit too much for it.

Thanks for your insight,
-MD
 
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