Can't achieve studio quality...

[Kyle015]

I am a guitarist in a band and me and my bassist have tried everything to achieve studio quality in our sound. We are going for a hard rock sound. To record guitar, we usually have my guitar plugged in to a GNX 1 distortion factory (a $200 guitar pedal, for those of you who don't play guitar) and then output to a 30W amp. We mic the amp with an Audix i5. Sometimes we have the Audix go to a mixer and sometimes we have the Audix go directly to the computer, it doesn't seem to make a difference. When we have the guitar recorded, it sounds fine on our nice computer speakers, but it doesn't sound studio quality on car speakers, headphones, or home stereo systems. It always seems to be lacking the brightness you hear in professional band's guitar work. Now, we have tried everything to get it to sound good. We have recorded in a livingroom, a bedroom, a garage, and a bathroom. We have messed with mic placement, and we have even mixed the Audix i5 with an Audix condenser mic, but to no avail. Can anyone suggest something to help us out? Much appreciated.

P.S. The sound card in our computer is a SoundBlaster Live!. We are using Sonar 5 to record, if that matters.

 

[chessrock]

Can anyone suggest something to help us out? Much appreciated.

Yea. Try recording in a fucking studio.


(Hint number 2: Most of these bands you like probably aren't tracking with a GNX 1 in to 30-watt piece of shit amp on their soundblaster).
.

 

[mx_mx]

Yea. Try recording in a fucking studio.

.

haha I was gonna post that but I thought Id get my ass whooped

 

[RAMI]

hehe...me too. I held back, but I could have posted my ass off on this one. Thanx Chess.

 

[schulteboy]

The problem you are having is probably caused by a number of things. For starters, you might want to invest in a better soundcard. The soundblaster is not ideal for recording. Try a audiophile 24/96 for about a hundred bucks. Next you will need to get some studio monitors. It sounds to me like your "nice computer speakers" may be deceiving you. Basically, your computer speakers were built to make video games and mp3s sound cool on your desktop. my guess is that the speakers are adding some "brightness" and when you play your stuff on the car stereo, it doesn't add the same frequencies. You should look into studio monitors which will give you a more neutral sound. Of course, you might not like what you hear...you will need to search for general mixing advice here or look for a good book on the subject.

 

[RAMI]

Or maybe the fact that there's a reason why it costs bands thousands and thousands of dollars to achieve "studio quality"....in a studio....with top of the line studio equipment....and a studio engineer that knows what he's doing....with the CD mastered afterwards by a mastering engineer.

 

[mx_mx]

Or maybe the fact that there's a reason why it costs bands thousands and thousands of dollars to achieve "studio quality"....in a studio....with top of the line studio equipment....and a studio engineer that knows what he's doing....with the CD mastered afterwards by a mastering engineer.

No, they're just greedy. It really can be done without any gear at all.

 

[brendandwyer]

Why is it that when it comes to recording, it seems like newbies brains shut down.

That would be like asking a painting forumn: Why can't I paint like Van Gogh?

Or asking Tiger Woods: Tiger, i've been playing golf for a year, i feel like i'm pretty good at it. Why can't i win the masters.

Or asking a chemist: I know how to make a cake, why can't I synthesize LSD in my bathroom?

Chess answered it: Professional results are derived from engineers who have been studying and working their asses off for years. It does NOT necessarily mean that they are using THE most expensive gear, but that they know what they are doing.

So, if you want to paint like Van Gogh, practice. If you want to win the Masters, practice. And if you want to synthesize an illegal compound in your bathroom, well, just go fucking buy it from a high schooler

 

[mx_mx]

And if you want to synthesize an illegal compound in your bathroom, well, just go fucking buy it from a high schooler

Pfft, not with their markup

 

[tarnationsauce2]

I love how so many on this forum are so quick to stomp noobish people dawn. It's worse than any other forums I know.

Yes, of course a comment like "Try recording in a fucking studio" is a true statement. But why be so quick to give that comment to a person who has a legit question... with only 1 post to his name!
They spent ~10min registering here to learn something from the "pros".

Now, I'm not trying to spotlight chessrock... it seems to be the overall mentality around here.

I mean, how would you like it if you're trying to figure out how to take the transmission out of your car but you'r frusterated. You can't figure it out, is it technique? your tools? So you sign up for an automotive mechanic's web BBS seeking the advise of a master and you get an answer like "Try bringing it to a fucking dealership".

 

[RAMI]

Hey Ghandi, take a valium.

First of all, if you think this is worse than anyother forum, you obviously haven't visited very many.

Second of all, this isn't about jumping on a Newbie, it's about asking a question that has the answer IN THE QUESTION. "I can't achieve STUDIO QUALITY".

Read Brendandwyer's post, it makes sense.

I would expect the same type of response if I posted on a car racing forum that I have a 2005 Honda Civic and don't know anything about auto racing, but I can't figure out why I can't get my car up to "racing speeds".

Simple common sense, NOT technical snobbery.

 

[Kyle015]

Thanks to everyone who helped me or defended me. Actually, you don't need a studio to get studio quality, and I know this... I just want to get quality like this guys quality. Listen to his sample for the Audix i5. That's the quality I want to get.

https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?p=2020145#post2020145

 

[brendandwyer]

It's not a slight on a beginner. it's testament to laziness and you know it. How many hundreds of posts have been started with "how do i achieve a professional sound." There is a search command and that's where most of us start.

Let me put it to you this way. You're standing in an auditorium off to the side. on stage are southside glen, fletcher, and massive.

1000 beginners in the seats all begin asking questions like "how to i record a hit record" "how do i achieve a professional sound".

Over on the right wall is a list of all the steps that the three on stage already wrote there as a primer prior to beginning their discussion.

All they have to do is the same thing the rest of us did. Start reading.

 

[RAMI]

Actually, you don't need a studio to get studio quality, and I know this...

Yeah, get some experirence, then come back and tell us that you had no idea what you were talking about when you thought you had it all figured out
...We forgive you in advance.

I just want to get quality like this guys quality. Listen to his sample for the Audix i5. That's the quality I want to get.

I guess everyone has their own definition of "studio quality"....

Keep at it and don't stop educating yourself.

 

[Farview]

I love how so many on this forum are so quick to stomp noobish people dawn. It's worse than any other forums I know.

Yes, of course a comment like "Try recording in a fucking studio" is a true statement. But why be so quick to give that comment to a person who has a legit question... with only 1 post to his name!
They spent ~10min registering here to learn something from the "pros".

Now, I'm not trying to spotlight chessrock... it seems to be the overall mentality around here.

I mean, how would you like it if you're trying to figure out how to take the transmission out of your car but you'r frusterated. You can't figure it out, is it technique? your tools? So you sign up for an automotive mechanic's web BBS seeking the advise of a master and you get an answer like "Try bringing it to a fucking dealership".

I'm always a little offended by the attitude that this is an easy thing to do. That you don't need skill or equipment to accomplish anything. "I've been recording for just over a week, I have $150 worth of consumer gear and sub-standard instruments. Why doesn't it sound like a Disturbed album?" It's insane!

The main difference between a recording BBS and a mechanics BBS is that music is subjective. Fuel injection isn't, it works a particular way and that is it. All of the questions about fixing a car have solid answers, it doesn't depend on what you are looking for.

 

[soundchaser59]

It's not a slight on a beginner. it's testament to laziness and you know it.

Yes it is a needless slap in the face. Every one of us asked that same "How do they do it?" question when we first started messing with mics and recorders. Anyone who says he or she did not ask that same question is flunking the polygraph..... and I bet not all of us were slapped around with "Go to a fucking studio!" when we asked.

First of all, if you think this is worse than anyother forum

Not worse, but this forum is laid out in such a way that the easy navigation makes it more visible and more obvious on this forum. But I think I see this type of response more often here than in any other forum I surf. (Harmony Central doesn't count, that place is like the subway of forums....)

But why be so quick to give that comment to a person who has a legit question... with only 1 post to his name!
They spent ~10min registering here to learn something from the "pros".

This place is called "HOME" recording for a reason, and the guy didn't ask us how did Van Halen mix their last gold album. How many of us can honestly say the first thing we did after we registered was hit the "Search" button? Not me! It took me a few days or weeks to learn the jargon and the way to ask what I need to know. For all we know this guy just got his first internet connection yesterday.

Yea. Try recording in a fucking studio.

I'm normally very tolerant, but this surprised even me, Chess. You know your stuff, and you normally give really good advice. I dont care how many "newb" mistakes the guy made, he didn't deserve to have this be his first response on the new forum.

That would be like asking a painting forumn: Why can't I paint like Van Gogh?

But common sense will tell any of us that this isn't really what he was asking for. If your little kid walks in and asks, "Daddy, what is calculus?" would you really automatically assume that he is just deliberately acting stupid to evoke a response? Then tell him, "Go use a fucking calculator!"?? I hope, for the kid's sake, the answer to that is "No!"

It would have been better for you guys to just completely ignore this question than to stomp all over the guy like this. The phrase "You know better" applies more to all of us than it does to him.....

You guys can slam me all you want, I dont care, but there was no reason in hell for replying to the newbie this way...... that's the truth, and we all know it.

Kyle015, I apologize from all of us for the crappy treatment you got with your first post! I hope your future experiences here are more positive and more helpful! Schulteboy tried to give you a good start on answering your question, so thanks to him for his help.

 

[brendandwyer]

point taken. So the correct response would have been "Attempt a search on the topic first, and after you read the basics of recording and feel comfortable, ask when you have a more specific question." correct? Damned semantics.

 

[RAMI]

point taken. So the correct response would have been "Attempt a search on the topic first, and after you read the basics of recording and feel comfortable, ask when you have a more specific question." correct? Damned semantics.

Yeah, exactly...whatever.

It was an unanswereable question asked by someone with the attitude that he already knows more than he does. Period.

 

[Farview]

and I bet not all of us were slapped around with "Go to a fucking studio!" when we asked.

Correct, some of us were slapped around IN a studio when we didn't seem to be picking up on things quickly enough. And BTW, we were paying for the privilege.

 

[chb2001]

I am a guitarist in a band and me and my bassist have tried everything to achieve studio quality in our sound. We are going for a hard rock sound. To record guitar, we usually have my guitar plugged in to a GNX 1 distortion factory (a $200 guitar pedal, for those of you who don't play guitar) and then output to a 30W amp. We mic the amp with an Audix i5. Sometimes we have the Audix go to a mixer and sometimes we have the Audix go directly to the computer, it doesn't seem to make a difference. When we have the guitar recorded, it sounds fine on our nice computer speakers, but it doesn't sound studio quality on car speakers, headphones, or home stereo systems. It always seems to be lacking the brightness you hear in professional band's guitar work. Now, we have tried everything to get it to sound good. We have recorded in a livingroom, a bedroom, a garage, and a bathroom. We have messed with mic placement, and we have even mixed the Audix i5 with an Audix condenser mic, but to no avail. Can anyone suggest something to help us out? Much appreciated.

P.S. The sound card in our computer is a SoundBlaster Live!. We are using Sonar 5 to record, if that matters.

Look into having it mastered, and then see how it compares. While mastering can't fix all problems, it will help add that sparkle you're looking for. But, you still NEED to have a good mix to work with first.

Also, I wouldn't suggest just having some guitar tracks mastered. Record with your whole band, and then have it mastered, unless you have the equipment and at least some knowledge of what it takes to master a song.