Bluegrass stuff...be critical and help me please.

  • Thread starter Thread starter bluegrit
  • Start date Start date
Maybe this'll help. Listen to what all the other instruments are doing during the vocals and the instrumental solos:



During the vocals and solos, the banjo is doing simple 3 finger rolls up high; the mandolin is playing "chop" chords, and the dobro is also keeping it simple with a few slides.

Now, this is not the best bluegrass band in the world and we did the whole thing pretty quick, but it's pretty traditional, and nobody's getting in another person's way.

By the way, all the instruments were recorded using MXL 603 mics, except for the stand up bass (which used a Behringer ECM8000). Vocals were done on the MXL V77.

Every instrument was individually miked; not the way I would normally record a bluegrass group, but they wanted to be able to redo their parts later, since they were really very new to playing together. Amazingly enough, there was very little bleed with them all playing live.
 
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Harvey Gerst said:
Maybe this'll help. Listen to what all the other instruments are doing during the vocals and the instrumental solos:

http://www.itrstudio.com/old home place.mp3

During the vocals and solos, the banjo is doing simple 3 finger rolls up high; the mandolin is playing "chop" chords, and the dobro is also keeping it simple with a few slides.

Now, this is not the best bluegrass band in the world and we did the whole thing pretty quick, but it's pretty traditional, and nobody's getting in another person's way.

By the way, all the instruments were recorded using MXL 603 mics, except for the stand up bass (which used a Behringer ECM8000). Vocals were done on the MXL V77.

Every instrument was individually miked; not the way I would normally record a bluegrass group, but they wanted to be able to redo their parts later, since they were really very new to playing together. Amazingly enough, there was very little bleed with them all playing live.
Click to expand...
Linky no worky:confused:
 
bluegrit said:
Thanks folks for listening. I have pulled the file and have dismantled everything in my studio and stacked it up in my spare closet. I am so sick of trying to mix and ending up with it sounding like garbage. I blew a gasket tonight after listening to this song for the 10 millionth time and it still sounds bad to me. I pulled the cables out of all my stuff and in about 10 minutes my computer room looked as if the recording equipment was never there. I have been burned out before and walked away but this is different. I posted this topic yesterday as a last ditch attempt to get some help but I guess I didn't know how close I was to the end of my rope. I have officially reached the end now.

Who knows, maybe I'll cool off and decide to try it again. If so, I think I'll just hit my thumb with a hammer as hard as I can. The result will be the same but at least I won't have wasted countless hours listening to the same insufferable garbage over and over and over and over (continue infinitely) again.

Thanks for the listen and the kind words.

Dave
Click to expand...


Well, dammit, I wanted to listen to it... :)
 
Here's the link to Dave's song:



Dave,

Pulling the soloed instruments back during the vocals definitely helped a bunch, but you're still gonna hafta re-track them to make them even simpler during the vocals. Those solos are still solos, even when you pull them back.

Think of them as little kids, screaming for your attention. Even if you put them out in the back yard, you can still hear them screaming for attention, a little softer maybe, but still screaming.
 
I think the link might stink!
I WANT to hear this song.
Bluegrit - glad you came back. Not so glad the gaspers came with it though. I hope you can find something that can help you kick 'em -( my mrs is allergic to the adhesive on the patches ) - Perfectionism is problematic - not least of all because it's a misnomer - obsessive (not quite OCD) or tunnel visioned is closer to reality & more manageable too.
Good ears are a curse - I had a good mate who had true perfect pitch - he was also a High School music master - each day was torture to his highly tuned ear & soul but he persisted & used it as incentive to lift everyone elses game - he gave up gaspers but needed a drink to dull those jaded aers after work.
What I'm attemtping to say is - post here - people will help. I'm amazed at some of the good mixes achieved for me by the camel commitee process. I try everything suggested, post for follow up feedback & stop when people say its done, (which could be ending their misery, I'm as close as I'll ever get or I did something well).
I also take time away between mixes & take a copy to different CD players, MP3 players, tape players and stereos around the house & at work just to hear a track out of the comfy zone.
 
If the link doesn't work it might be because geocities doesn't like you to hyperlink.

Just type in geocities.com/steelin1/carolina_star.mp3 with a www-dot in front of it.
If it still doesn't work it might be because geocities sucks and limits transfers to 5MB/hour. (Lame!)

I pulled the bass back a bit (I think, I was using headphones on the last mix). Took it over to the banjo players and it was WAY too bassy on his system. I don't get it...I have studio monitors and a subwoofer and it didn't sound anything like that on mine. (Although it was a bit bass heavy in my car.)

Dave
 
bluegrit said:
If the link doesn't work it might be because geocities doesn't like you to hyperlink.

Just type in geocities.com/steelin1/carolina_star.mp3 with a www-dot in front of it.
If it still doesn't work it might be because geocities sucks and limits transfers to 5MB/hour. (Lame!)

I pulled the bass back a bit (I think, I was using headphones on the last mix). Took it over to the banjo players and it was WAY too bassy on his system. I don't get it...I have studio monitors and a subwoofer and it didn't sound anything like that on mine. (Although it was a bit bass heavy in my car.)

Dave
Click to expand...

You need to tune your system with a reference recording; put in something that you like; something that you know how it's supposed to sound. Set you subwoofer and monitors up so THAT recording sounds exactly right. Then play yours, and you'll know what to do with it...
 
This time it says data limit has been exceeded.
Set up on Soundclick - that'll take 5 mins to do or Lightning MP3.
I would go near a subwoofer in a home studio set up. They are too fiddly, are built to BOOST the bass for FXs sake. Also you need to think of the medium you're mixing for.
Car stereos often boost bass 1st up.
As Llarion says you do need to get a reference disc to tune your system though. Me, I use Leonard Cohen's Songs of Love & Hate because I know it back to front and from vinyl to CD.
 
the link for geocities worked for me. Just in case anyone else had problems with it, i threw this mp3 up in a directory on my site. I have LOTS of bandwidth to use up. :D


Anyways, in my headphones i personally would have liked to hear a tad more from the bass, but i couldnt really hear anything wrong with the mix. I really enjoyed the music! I wish they played stuff like this on the radio in my area, i get so sick of listening to most of the newer country! (Like that one song about being "so much cooler online"... Horrible!) lol
If you have a problem with me helping you host the mp3, just let me know and i'll take it down.

I really liked the vox in this. Great tune!
Sorry i couldnt find something to be critical about. =P
 
Bluegrit - I like this version a lot. pulling those instruments back during the verses has done the job. re: retracking...I actually like still hearing a little business in them, as I know there's still something cooking up back in there...but that's just my opinion.

re: Monitoring - Here's how I do it. I have 3 sets of cans, Alesis M1Actives, Polk Audio home stereo speakers.

Cans
* Highs - K240 - very quiet cans - bass response is low and they're crystal clear.
* Mids - ATH M20 - perfect middle of the road sound. If everything sounds good in these, the mix is usually done.
* Lows - Sony MDR-V600. Bass really rings through on these. If I get a good kick/bass mix in these, i'm done.

Studio monitors: I really use my monitors for the overall mix...how does it sound in the room. First thing I do is turn the song way down, almost if you were gonna listen to the song at night as to not wake anyone else up in the room. Then if anything stands out over anything else, I adjust. Then I step back about 10 feet, sit down with my espresso and see how it sounds at a normal level.

Home Stereo. When I think I have it all down, I burn to cd and listen on the home stereo - flat as can be - then maybe to the mp3 player. I never use the car for monitor, as my system totally blows and everything sounds crap in there.

I have perfect pitch. I am a 'perfectionist' as well, or light OCD as Ray pointed out. I am never satisfied with my stuff. I hate my voice. I hate my drumming. I hate my guitar playing, keyboard playings, bass playings, etc. I hate my voice...still...hate it. I hear imperfections in 'pro' music on the radio, on CDs etc and think "How could they let THAT slide" ;) but...I know how I am...I know that give the chance, i'd never please myself...

so that's why I come here. I trust a lot of these guys' opinions. I take their suggestions, adjust accordingly, repost - the quit when a majority says "gold" or whatever. If not, i'd be smoking too... ;)

Cholo
 
I agree with Harvey to a certain extent on the overplaying. I listen to a lot of stuff and you will find that everyone certainly does it their own way. I usually like to hear a lot of space in the music. I have thought several times that my mandolin backing was overplayed in the 2nd verse. No problem I can re-track that easy enough and I will. How do the vocals sound to you guys? I don't mean how much (or little) do you like my singing but instead do they sound like album vocals. (EQ...Compression...blend...etc.) It is so hard to be objective about my own stuff because when I listen to it I hate it all.
The bass is giving me fits too.

On a side note: I am looking for a better place to store the mp3's for better access. Soundclick and Lightningmp3 both don't want you posting copyrighted material. This is a cover tune. How much do they really care about that. I don't intend on selling this yet (and I will jump through all the hoops when that time comes), I just want a place to store the mixes so that I can get external help from folks like you. Any suggestions?

Dave
 
Dave,

I LOVE the vocals; leave 'em alone.

My gripe comes in after the first chorus; killer guitar solo, but killer banjo solo - at the same time. Choose one, not both.
 
bluegrit said:
I agree with Harvey to a certain extent on the overplaying. I listen to a lot of stuff and you will find that everyone certainly does it their own way. I usually like to hear a lot of space in the music. I have thought several times that my mandolin backing was overplayed in the 2nd verse. No problem I can re-track that easy enough and I will. How do the vocals sound to you guys? I don't mean how much (or little) do you like my singing but instead do they sound like album vocals. (EQ...Compression...blend...etc.) It is so hard to be objective about my own stuff because when I listen to it I hate it all.
The bass is giving me fits too.

On a side note: I am looking for a better place to store the mp3's for better access. Soundclick and Lightningmp3 both don't want you posting copyrighted material. This is a cover tune. How much do they really care about that. I don't intend on selling this yet (and I will jump through all the hoops when that time comes), I just want a place to store the mixes so that I can get external help from folks like you. Any suggestions?

Dave
Click to expand...

I can give you 75MB and FTP access to your own directory to store mp3's on my personal site if you'd like... They would just be a direct link, like the one i posted above.
 
Recording sounds perfect to me. I don't think the first solo after the chorus is too busy, I think both actually sound good at the same time. The one in the right speaker sounds more like the rhythm to the solo.

If anything needs work it would be the arrangement not the mix. I don't think there's anything wrong with the arrangement though. :confused: Except around 2:30 or so it starts to sound a little busy but not too bad.
 
The battle of the killer solos is about all. maybe fade between the two.
Excellent singing & playing - it SOUNDS right.
Don't worry about soundclick & covers - Gerg L does cover ALMOST exclusively & has all his stuff on soundclick. But then snake eyez has made a very generous offer.
If your fretting has produced this recording it is good fretting.
Bite the bullet on the solo, re post & then move on.
 
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