Another song for review

gregsk777

gregsk777

...
Here is another song I did with my friend as I learn to record, mix, master and just mess things up in general: http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=9861052

My last attempt was "brutal" as some put it.

This song is a bit tamer than what I we would normally do so hopefully it will help in learning to do this stuff.

All feedback is welcome.

Thanks,
Greg
 
I have to wonder what your monitor situation is. Again, the electric guitar is ear splitting harsh. How are you not noticing that? It's much better than your other one though.
 
I know my gear is nothing special, but I have a pair of old Fostex 6301B monitors and use some Audio Technica headphones as reference.

I know it is trebley distorted but really that harsh?
 
gregsk777 said:
I know my gear is nothing special, but I have a pair of old Fostex 6301B monitors and use some Audio Technica headphones as reference.

I know it is trebley distorted but really that harsh?
Click to expand...

I thought it was pretty harsh. When it came in I had to turn my monitors down. I'm good with loud, but it has to be good loud. That was just kind of painful loud. But like I said, it's better than that other song you posted. Get the mic away from the cone. Maybe tilt it off axis or further out on the speaker.
 
Again thanks for your feedback, as "harsh" as it may be:)

Funny I think I need to try a hole new set of mics! I actually used an old Gibson amp and miced the baffle board between the two speakers using a stereo Sony mic (ECM-MS907 I think?).

How about the acoustic and other parts? Is everything harsh sounding or does the lead guitar overwhelm everything?
 
The guitar does sound harsh and kinda out there on its own, there some pitch issues with the vocals like you are struggling particularly at the end of one bit..and Im on PC speakers but Im hearing more of the strumming of the acoustic than the actual guitar itself

I think some EQing could fix the acoustic, take away some of the MHF - HFs where the strumming is and bring up some of its body, round about 100-250 khz region...as for the lead maybe try a software amp if your equipment isnt up for it..or put it through some effects...definitely approach the EQing on it and cut the highs...youve got loads of room in the mix for LMF's but they seem to be missing from both guitars

The vocals pitch issue just sounds like that one part is out of your range..if you dont have pitch correction tools try singing that part in a different way, going down the range instead of up??

It seems like quite a lot of work but in truth its not that bad and probably about where you should be if you are fairly new to this (its always harder than you first think) and a good thing is the word country normally makes me dive for cover yet this ones actual tune was actually pretty good..a bit Jayhawks meet Neil Young or something

Oh and erase the word mastering from your mind...mixing is a bloody huge hurdle to get over first :)
 
kcearl thanks for the comments. I decided to mostly EQ the acoustic for starters. Here is the result: http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=9861373

Is it noticeable?, or just too much low and mid low frequencies now?

I think one of my problems is that I am not entirely sure what frequencies I should be taking a look at. Plus my monitors probably lie anyway!

Not much I can really do about the lyrics. All the music my friend and I do is basically just caught in the moment and recreating it is a bitch. Plus I am not ready for pitch manipulation yet.

Thanks
 
Not as painful, although the whole mix is now wallowing in some fog like muddy midrange. All you really needed to fix was the electric guitar. :o
 
did you add midrange across the board or by each instrument?


Gregs right there is a muddiness now that wasnt apparent before...and the strumming of the acoustic is still pretty strong..

What are you using to monitor?
 
I added midrange to each instrument and cut some of the high frequencies (especially on the lead reverbish guitar). I may have gone midrange happy as I was trying to make every instrument sound thicker and eliminate the harshness and that acoustic strumming sound.

My main monitors are a pair of Fostex 6301B's and backup monitors are 2002 Honda Accord's. Sadly the Accord speakers sound better but don't seem to fit in my room!
 
yeah those fosteks are pretty useless for mixing...


Id suggest a set of decent cans..then use the fosteks to bring the levels up and the cans for the detail, if cash and/or space is a problem...I have ATH M40fs that would do a better job on this ($60 investment)..if monitoring is gonna be an issue I think you have to look at different routes as you will not get anything done with those fosteks
 
I am actually using ATH M40fs and I find them to be totally useless. Not that they are bad sounding but that they sound too good and make me think I'm as skilled as Tom Dowd!

I think I am going to be that guy and start another thread about picking a decent pair of monitors. I was thinking of posting a picture of my my substandard mixing conditions to see if my nook in the wall is even decent for mixing.
 
gregsk777 said:
I am actually using ATH M40fs and I find them to be totally useless. Not that they are bad sounding but that they sound too good and make me think I'm as skilled as Tom Dowd!

I think I am going to be that guy and start another thread about picking a decent pair of monitors. I was thinking of posting a picture of my my substandard mixing conditions to see if my nook in the wall is even decent for mixing.
Click to expand...

strange i have KRK 8s and the MS40fs almost translate completely....I find them flat as f*ck :confused:

anyhoo...whatever works for you..
 
gregsk777 said:
I added midrange to each instrument and cut some of the high frequencies (especially on the lead reverbish guitar). I may have gone midrange happy as I was trying to make every instrument sound thicker and eliminate the harshness and that acoustic strumming sound.

My main monitors are a pair of Fostex 6301B's and backup monitors are 2002 Honda Accord's. Sadly the Accord speakers sound better but don't seem to fit in my room!
Click to expand...

Midrange is tricky. Most humans seem to naturally prefer less of it. Midrange is necessary, but it can get ugly fast. Guitars, vocals, and cymbals live in the midrange, but they don't need much help there. Mids don't make things thicker. They make em sound like they're coming from an AM radio.
 
I guess I am overcompensating for the fact that my recording are usually very trebely and hot. I thought I could simply fix things my just turning up the midrange.

So is recording midrange heavy guitar like a Marshall recommended and then removing it in my DAW a good way to get a tighter punk sound?
 
gregsk777 said:
I guess I am overcompensating for the fact that my recording are usually very trebely and hot. I thought I could simply fix things my just turning up the midrange.

So is recording midrange heavy guitar like a Marshall recommended and then removing it in my DAW a good way to get a tighter punk sound?
Click to expand...

Not really. First off, it's rare that you "fix" something by boosting EQ. It's usually the other way around. Removing EQ is usually the better option. If your stuff is too hot in the high end, remove high end. Don't boost everything else up to match it. Secondly, get the tone you want from your amp first, then record it. Don't record a shitty sound and then try to fix it in the DAW. Record a good sound and then you very well might not have to do anything to it. There is no such thing as a "punk" sound. Punk ran the spectrum with guitar sounds. Joe Strummer is clean, Mick Jones was overdriven. They were in the same band. Instead of trying to fit a mold, just try for a good guitar sound and run with it.
 
Thanks Greg, you have been a great help!

I have to start from the basics of recording correctly. My biggest problem is that I can get loads of great sounds from my amp but my mics just don't seem to want to capture them correctly. Gotta work on my micing first.
 
Yeah just experiment. Mic different spots on the cab, tilt the mic off-axis, use 2 mics, etc. Find your sweet spot.
 
Greg_L said:
Not really. First off, it's rare that you "fix" something by boosting EQ. It's usually the other way around. Removing EQ is usually the better option. If your stuff is too hot in the high end, remove high end. Don't boost everything else up to match it. Secondly, get the tone you want from your amp first, then record it. Don't record a shitty sound and then try to fix it in the DAW. Record a good sound and then you very well might not have to do anything to it. There is no such thing as a "punk" sound. Punk ran the spectrum with guitar sounds. Joe Strummer is clean, Mick Jones was overdriven. They were in the same band. Instead of trying to fit a mold, just try for a good guitar sound and run with it.
Click to expand...

Wise words.

I'd comment further, but most of the ground I would have covered was already covered.

I enjoyed the composition, G.

Kev-
 
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