Ever put in a reference CD and just want to quit recording forever?

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Brian01

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We spent 3 hours getting stuff to sound pretty good (after a few hours of inital set up of sounds etc), did a quick mix down, it sounded pretty good. Then we put in While My Guitar Gentley Weeps to compair, and I wanted to Weep. I felt like quitting! It sounded like crap compaired to a professional track.
 
I have a super Idea for you. Dont listen to your mix for a week, then when you listen next(after a week) see if you can find what you need to fix.

I guarantee that you'll see things much clearer. Also make sure to listen between 85-90 dbs
 
I think it has more to do with what you're using as your barometer.

Next time try comparing your stuff to Hanson or David Hasslehoff and you'll be much happier.
 
After you track make a completely dry mix of your tracks. Then tweak. Then go back and listen to that dry mix. If it sounds better try to figure out when you went past the point of diminishing returns.

Also don't worry about making your mixes sound just like someone elses. Unless you have the same musicians and gear in the same room with the same vibe you ain't even gonna come close.

Just make it sound as good as you can.
 
If youre trying to do your stuff on the level that the Beatles did....GOOD LUCK...try striving for a much lower level and you'll be much happier...Your stuff wont sound any better but youl be much happier....
 
Hey! David Hasselhoff Rocks!!! :D

I use reference CD's for analysis, not really as a measuring stick. There's usually something specific I like in the reference CD (mostly mastering-type stuff), so I try to figure out how they got it to sound that way, then figure out how can I make mine sound that way. Also, I like to use more than one.
 
Yeah, maybe I'll try some low fi - inde recordings as reference CDs. I know the Beatles are hard to follow, but they do have a less processed sound than a lot of the modern bands, which seems like it would be easier to get. Maybe its not so bad, I just cant get the rhythm guitar to stand out, yet be in the background. Im using a Vetta for the guitar, so the micing is a no brainer. It actually sounds good with the u-67, but its a bit too muffled. I guess we will keep plugging away.

I think its figuring out how to eq it so it sound good on tape. Sounds perfect live. I think the drum freq might be stepping on the guitar, but the drummer seems to think he knows everything about recording. Yeah Right!

Pro Tools mixdown might save us.
 
Steely dan CDs are my favorite reference material, but it inspires me in my writing, and technique. I suppose I could get discouraged if I had the type of personallity that wouldnt rise to the challenge to top my heroes. But I always reach for the brass ring. My lament is that when I finally have the brass ring in my hand I will usually no longer feel challenged and lose interest.
 
"Ever put in a reference CD and just want to quit recording forever? "

Yes. Every day. Every song. As a matter of fact, if Blue Bear ever heard the overuse of reverb on my recordings, he'd send Canadian hitmen down here to rub me out!
Yet, I will not give up, because I am a fool, and a fool and his reverb are never parted.:confused:

Bob
Recovering Reverb Addict
 
Almost.......You work for hours mixing a tune-you think you got it sounding good so you burn a copy and rush it to your stereo-it sounds ok...Then for reference you listen to the new dave navarro or tom petty...alls i can say is wow.....then I realize my drums sound like cardboard the vocals are thin the guitars sound small theres not enough presence in the mix-the bass tone is too low freq. etc etc etc.

Oh well...since we are home recording ,most of us, we gotta keep plugging away to get the most from what we have. I may not ever get a sound like i hear on refernce cd's but I know once I learn to push the equipment i have to its limits-I can get a decent sound. Thats what keeps me going :)
 
If you are having those problems, your best bet is to improve your tracking skills reading up in the microphone forum will teach you miking techniques.
 
Yes Darrin-thanks for the advice-thats why I'm here really-I read almost every board here daily. I probably overstated my case(just a little). Like in everything else experience will eventually catch up with me.







But damn those pro recordings sound good.



Strat
 
Getting those drums to sound right is the big challenge. after that everything seems easy.
 
jajajajaja nice one Lame Thrower!!!!! Those shots of concerts of Hasselhof full with thousands of people were all taken from european concerts!!!!!Those weird people, talk about cultural difference!!!!Actually, the only time you could hear him "sing" in the US was in those dreaded Babewatch episodes!!!!!
 
I understand you sooooooo well. I'm still trying to mix, remix and remix again the first song we ever recorded. Everything always seems to go great, until you listen again a few days later, then well....after some time we got the demo out but it never was what we thought we could achive. For me the most difficult is the voice, it never seems "real" it always sound as a recording.

So one year later, the group already splitted, the demo was never used and we still want to mix it to get it as we would like it to sound. One day....
 
Not to get too tangiental,have you ever read the linear notes on the Beatles Anthology cds?Really inspiring stuff.It tells you which take made the album,and the evolution(what was recorded,then rendered and dubbed over).Back when I was working w/a Roland vs840(before my computer setup),it really made me feel better about mixing tracks down to 2,and adding more overdubs.Obviously,they were working with 2"tape,and state of the art gear(And George Martin!!),but the idea is,they were doing what they had to do to get what they wanted recorded,and pushing past the limitations.Truely inspired recordists!!
 
I dont think George Martin has half of Gary Katz's tallent but he did wonderful work on the post beatles stuff. That must have had alot to do with his equipment at his disposal. The stuff he did while the beatles were together would seem to be the top end of low-fi.

Steely dan by far was the finest produced stuff I have ever heard.
 
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