Breaking all recording rules in the book. Will I get away with it? (Review my mp3!!!)

  • Thread starter Thread starter Boray
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Boray

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The mp3:


* Always record the drums first. Then the bass. These two components is the foundation of your recording.

I recorded the drums LAST except for some guitars! The bass almost last on the previous version.

* To get a good drum sound, you need fresh drumskins, good cymbals, fresh sticks and a well tuned set. You need to place the drum mics very carefully.

My drumskins are many years, my cymbals are total crap. (One has a big crack going almost all way around). I haven't tuned the set in years. And placing the mics didn't take hours if you know what I mean.

* Don't use much EQ (rather none at all), and if you use EQ anyway, then reduce rather than add.

I used loads of EQ. And I mostly ADD! I don't think you really can imagine how much EQ I used to do some tricks with the guitar in there...

* Never use a recording media that uses destructive compression.

I use a Roland VS1680 that uses destructive RDAC compression.

* To get a good recording, you need a good preamp and good converters.

I use a Behringer preamp + a behringer mixer. And the 20 bit converters of the VS1680 is hardly top quality either.

* Never use Behringer.

Seems I've already failed that one ;-) I also used a Behringer compressor.

* Of course you also need good mics. The more of them and the more they cost, the better. Because you need different mics for different purposes.

I have two condensers and two dynamics. That's it. No matched pair or anything. Two Audio Technica ATM31a and two ATM29HE.

* Never do a sample rate conversion. (If you really don't need to).

Well, I recorded at 44.83kHz (I think) just because the song I started on was out of tune. I used the sample rate converter of the Philips CDR870 audio CD recorder.

* If you record in 24 bit, you have to dither down to 16 bit, or there will be a horrible distortion to the sound.

Guess what, I just truncated.

* Guitar amp simulation sucks.

I used the Pod 2.

* Guitars need to have fresh strings to sound good.

I haven't changed them in a year or two. I've NEVER changed the strings on the bass.

* You should use good quality cables, for example Monster cables.

I often use the cheapest RCA cables there is with a couple of adaptors.

* You need Genelec's or at least Mackie monitors to mix. Everything less is crap and your mix will never translate well on other systems. You also need to check the mix on different systems.

I used my Alesis M1 active Mk2. And I have NOT listened to the mix on different systems before I made this mp3.

* Always monitor at a sound pressure level of 85dB

That's the most idiotic advice I've heard. I monitor at a comfortable low level.

* Your music needs to be professionally mastered.

This is not mastered at all.

....So.... According to the experts, this mp3 must sound like crap... Maybe it does...? :D


But seriously, what I wan't is some honest feedback! Say exactly what you think, I can take it! (The mp3:
)


And if you like, you are also welcome to compare it to the old version and tell me if this is an improvement or if this new version just was a waste of time. The old version can be downloaded here:


What I've done since then was to add a couple of guitars, record real drums, remove most of the synths and added one organ from my old Ensoniq SQ1+ synth. And mixed it quite differently. The whole song sounds VERY different. I broke one more recording rule on the old version, by using 8 bit 20 kHz sound for the drums! :D Here is the thread about the old version: http://www.vsplanet.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=11&t=001068&p=

Myself, I think the new version rocks more, but maybe also sounds more like a home recording. I wonder how it would have sounded if I not had broken all those recording rules... ;)

Thanks for listening.

/Anders
 
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Never ever........ummm.....




Always.........mmmmmm......




oh never mind....
It sounds decent man...a bit bass heavy...
The guits are like listening to an Ozzy tune...
Pods are forgiving for sure...I use one myself...but you just can't get the "tone" of and amp from them....because it's synthetic to begin with...it's already compressed to shit...ya know?
heard a lot of finger sqeaks too man...that's cool though...surgically placed sqeaks can be cool :D

Is the lead vox compressed?

sounds decent man...
and there are no rules...just guidelines to get a better sound....just imagine how good this would have sounded with an Avalon Pre...and a mic-ed Marshall stack...
good job.
Joe
 
Thanks joro!

A bit bass heavy, yes, that confirms what I suspected myself. The lead vocals is compressed a bit, yes. And I also have a chorus effect on it. Do you think it should be compressed more?

Thanks for your input!

/Anders
 
I aint no expert man...
Try thinning up the bass guitar a bit...
add a bit of shape to it...more definition....less boom...

later,
Joe
 
The mp3 is up again now! Sorry everyone for the delay! I had some trouble uploading. The new mp3 is basically the same. I have just EQed a couple of things differently to get rid of some bass problems. So I guess I have followed one of the advices in my first post now... "You also need to check the mix on different systems." :D

/Anders
 
It sounds thin and "mushy"... and also like all the mids have been sucked out of it.... as well, the highs sound very harsh....

Definitely not what I consider professional sounding -- but on the other hand, it also isn't terrible by any stretch....! :)

Incidently, the reason 85db is picked is because that is the level where your ear response is the most neutral.... so it's one less "variable" you have to consider when deciding proper spectral balance of a track or a mix.
 
What? you didn't use cheap hi-fi speakers? Boray, this was your chance to prove your theory to the world...



HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!






Okay, that's out of my system. I'll try to listen tonight...

Daf (such a child sometimes)
 
Blue Bear Sound said:
Incidently, the reason 85db is picked is because that is the level where your ear response is the most neutral.... so it's one less "variable" you have to consider when deciding proper spectral balance of a track or a mix.

What's the best way to figger out if I'm near 85db?

Daf
 
dafduc said:
What's the best way to figger out if I'm near 85db?

Daf

Duh, your ear response will be 'most neutral'! Is it so difficult to understand?

Ok, play some of your music on your speakers....check your ear response.....it's quite negative right?...........now slightly turn up the volume..........aaaaaaaah almost neutral.........yes............keep turning it............awwwwwwwwww, now it's positive noooooooooooooo.............argh.........turn it down......turn it down......yes......yes..................neutral! Yay! You did it! :D
 
Welll...... actually....

...a level meter (a crapshack one will do) placed at your listening position, while playing some music will do nicely (test tones aren't as effective because they are too simple a signal!)
 
That was pretty darn good! I liked it!

WTG, Boray!;)
 
Ha, I'm diggin this. I'm listening on headphones right now. I REALLY like the bass drum sound. The snare would sound tones better if it was tuned higher. I didn't really like the guitar tones...
 
This has the ~1kHz deficient "mid scoop" sound... the radio EQ curve... w/accentuated 8kHz "K-Tel" Sears boombox boost...

The reverb returns on the cymbals/overheads are too bright... roll off the highs 4Khz and above on that reverb and see what you think...

Kick drum has a LOT of ambience on it... which may be OK... it borders on rumbly... (your bass gtr is getting cheated by the kick drum ambience) The only part where the bass shines is the pre-verse (sparse arrangement)...

The song's pretty good... sounds like David Bowie. Nice arrangement.

"I always had a feeling..." that part has some messy mix issues... bass gtr gets lost, fights w/kick... hardpanned gtrs go missing (need compressed)...

Some mild harshness in your snare/cymbal/vocal tracks could be that additive EQ you've talked about... that cheap "K-Tel" 8kHz hype/sizzle.

This isn't too bad... overall there are some tracking issues w/noise (hiss, etc) in some of your tracks. I would have probably mixed it different... but anyone would have their own preferences.


Chad
 
pretty good listen while chilling down after a long 2 hr ride in the car. I dont think you defied everything cause there's so many different approaches, but the capture has to be decent before you can manipulate it very much, and you seem to have that part down well. That and knowing what you want to hear before its recorded. Some of the tracks sound a bit detached in eq from the others, possibly from working on this with different extended stretches of time between sessions. Some of the tones are a bit flat and dull sounding on some of the instr'ts. The drums dont have a lot of body but they sound good, not enough kick for me. The bass is pretty good but missing a bit of tone fat, I know the deal about old strings very well.
 
Hey that was good.

I like your guitar tones, the song's melody and progression are great
 
First, Thanks everyone for listening and for your comments!!! I appreciate it all!

participant, There is no reverb on the overheads. The only reverb in the whole song is on the snare. But maybe there is some leakage you hear into the snare mic?.

I got some other leakage from the headphones into the drum mics. So I should probably buy myself some good closed headphones... This leakage (mainly the "sssssss" sounds from the vocals) can clearly be heard at the intro and the ending because I copied those drums from the chorus.

BlueBear, I don't think it sounds "pro" either. Mainly because of the drum sound in my oppinion.

I think upgrading the drums would probably be the point that would make most for my recordings. Of course there are a lot of issues, but I think the drums have the biggest impact if you picked one. One of the reasons I have to use a lot of EQ is because I have to make crap sound good...

Thanks agains for listening and for your input!

Btw, myself, I would have complainted about the drum playing in some places... ;)

/Anders
 
Thanks, Dragon for removing that "don't download now while I'm updating the mp3" note!!!

/Anders
 
Boray, you're the GREATEST in my book!

You broke ALL the f'n rules, except one:

-Pls don't feed the bears!;)
 
I respect anyone that breaks the rules as long as they played by them once or twice-lol..... I usually do the Bass(3rd) after the Rhythm Gtr. Other than that I just do what works for me. Thats what its all about. This sounded good on my monitors. The kick fighting with the bass is always a battle. I really liked this song.
I have mix burnout but this sounded good to me. Hope to hear more from you.
Myx
 
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