fattening up an existing sound??

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trumpet_man

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I recorded a trumpet using an AKG C1000S microphone on a 24 bit digital recording. The trumpet sounds clear as a bell, but in practicing several mixdowns, the trumpet sounds "small" in the mix. Any suggestions for fattening up the trumpet in the mix??
 
compression will help pull it out and sit better in the mix but don't overdo it, trumpets are supposed to be quite dynamic sounding. Squashing it will kill that. Anyway...that's my theory, I've never recorded a trumpet player :)
 
Thanks. however, I've already compressed it and, really, it sets well in the mix. But the problem I'm having is getting the trumpet to sound bigger, not louder. I'm really stumped on this one.
 
Use a saxophone! :D :D

Sorry I can't help. I've not yet recorded a trumpet player...soon to change.

I'd try just turning eq knobs (and volume knobs) extremely and then taming them to taste. Can learn a lot about eq this way too! Much love,
Cuzme
 
A combination of compression and a short delay might help. Set your delay time for as short as possible and then start increasing it until the doubling begins to thicken the trumpet. Of course if you increase too far it will turn into an echo rather than a doubler. Then, maybe roll of some high frequency on the doubled sound, or boost between 200 - 300hz to help get some warmer stuff happening.
Whatever you do, let us know what finally worked!
 
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I realize it's probably too late for this, but easily the most important aspect of getting a sound that will work for you is mic selection and technique.

And unfortunately, I don't think I'd use an AKG C1000 on a trumpet if I had a gun pointed to my head. This is an example of poorly matching the mic with the source. It's probably going to take a lot of EQ to fix that track, I would imagine. Sorry for being harsh, by the way; just trying to help.
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I agree with both chessrock and tkingen. At this point, using a delay on the trumpet will be a good way to get it to sound bigger. Don't make the delay so obvious that you can hear the echoes, it should be subtle enough that it takes effect without you really noticing it.

I'm not sure about the doubling actually, you might want to try playing around with delays that are locked to the tempo, like a 16th or 8th note delay, and then mix them way back in the mix.
 
Hmmmm, a lot to think about here. I'll experiment with the short delay. By the way, Chessrock, no offense taken, but what mic would you recommend for recording a trumpet? I'm a little short in mic selection. I only have the AKG but also a Rode NT1.
 
Yes, I've thought of double or even triple tracking. How would I go about doing that? Offset each one and eq them differently? Any more suggestions?
 
trumpet_man said:
... what mic would you recommend for recording a trumpet? I'm a little short in mic selection. I only have the AKG but also a Rode NT1.
Click to expand...

Definitely not the NT-1. :D

You should get a hold of one of those new cheaper ribbon mics like the Nady. Or if you don't mind buying used, a Beyerdynamic ribbon would be another good choice.

Another option might be to see if you can get a hold of an Electrovoice RE-20, or a used PL-20 off ebay if price is an issue. The idea is to use a very mellow-sounding mic, preferably with a rolled-off high end. Definitely not a condenser if you can avoid it at all.
 
As long as you are considering re-recording, what was the original mic position? If it was back enough to get a smaller image, and to p/u some reflections, both might tend to move it 'back'. How about closer for 'intimate, maybe turned or off axis if it's too bright?
I always think distance first as size control. :D
Wayne
 
I agree with Chess - a ribbon is the way to go for fat. That and mic positioning.

I'm fortunate -I use a AEA R84 on my horn. It took me a LONG time to figure out where and how to position the mic, and it does make a HUGE difference.

The ribbon really provies a nice proximity effect, which adds to what you are looking for I think.

In one of the recording tomes I have, Jerry Hey talks about how he gets his great tracks. I'll try to dig up the reference for you. It really helped me.
 
Yo Harry James:]

Try your dynamics settings if you have them on your recorder. For example, I use the 2816 and when I get to the point where I'm ready to mix the stereo track for the CD, I have this cool dynamics set-up where I can BOOST the sound of any track. Of course, there is always twiddling the EQ but I don't like to mess with EQ too much unless it is really necessary or I want some special effect.

My DAW will let me boost any track AND I can also boost the stereo track when I hit the record button.

Before I had the 2816, I used to record two tracks of a vocal, for instance, to get a larger sound. Adding some reverb will help; but, with a trumpet, if you get too much reverb you will be getting the Grand Canyon echo....

Also, don't record reverb until you are doing the stereo track--however, you can insert reverb into the cans so you can listen to it--this is very helpful to someone doing a vocal--gives the talent this awesome sense of singing in Carnegie or Orchestra Hall.

Merry Christmas
Green Hornet :cool: :D
 
Try a pitch shifter. Set it for 9 cents up on one side and 9 cents down on the other. That should thicken it up.
 
Yo Hedda Hopper Fan:

If you use a "pitch shifter" wouldn't you have to change the pitch of all the other instruments in the recording? Also shift the pitch of the vocalist.

Or do you play a theramin?

Green Hornet :D
 
The Green Hornet said:
Yo Hedda Hopper Fan:

If you use a "pitch shifter" wouldn't you have to change the pitch of all the other instruments in the recording? Also shift the pitch of the vocalist.

Or do you play a theramin?

Green Hornet :D
Click to expand...
What are you babbling about?

The pitch shifting effect I described would sound like a chorus that doesn't sweep. It was intended to be mixed with the dry trumpet sound.
 
Yo Hat of Silly:

You were not very clear. Are you saying you are adding FX or effects?

I construed "pitch shift" as a shift in pitch. Alas, I don't know everything and surely not enough to comment and consider my few words enough to close a thread. Does this "pitch shifting" lixiviate from a DAW or a PC program or a black box?

It is you who speaks in redundancy, which could be construed as "babble."

But, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Green Hornet
 
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