First attempt at rec--critiques and feedback requested. Thanks!

C

clazymike

New member
Hey everyone--

This is my first recording ever. Two of my friends and I--one on acoustic guitar, one on vocals and myself on the small violin part. I would appreciate any feedback, positive or (especially) negative. It's just a cover, so don't expect any earth-shattering songwriting!



Please bear in mind that this was done in my dorm room on some of the most basic poormans equipment. I recorded all tracks through a Samson S11 mic, a Behringer 802A 8 channel mixer and Soundblaster Live! Value. (Hey! I'm a very poor college kid with no budget!)

If anyone has time to listen to this and provide me with some critiquing, I would be more than appreciative. I do have a lot to learn, so please feel free to be harsh. Also, keep in mind my hardware limitations and if you have any tips or tricks I can use to try and compensate for the quality degredation I receive from each piece of hardware, please share.



Clazymike
clazy98@hotmail.com
 
The weakest link in your chain is the mic it doesn't really flatter any of the instruments. Although the vocals sound pretty good with the mic. The instruments sound a little harsh. especially on instruments like the violin a very warm mic is needed. The mix is pretty balanced. The tone is just a little harsh. Should have miced the violin a little closer so it would sound a bit more in your face the bathroom echo sounds a bit weird because the guit and vox are upfront. And maybe you could record the guit twice palying the same thing with little variations and pan one a little left and other a little right so you'll open up more space in the center for the vocals and violin. You should cut down on beer and get a mic like SM57 and and you can make yourself a pop filter of clothes hanger and the female vocalists pantiehose :) it will make your recordings a lot better. Keep the other mic too you'll never know what it will sound good on :)

Well my $ .02 anyway,
Keijo
 
QUOTE: "..and you can make yourself a pop filter of clothes hanger and the female vocalists pantyhose it will make your recordings a lot better".
-----------

That's while she still has them on,... right?
 
Ok, now I've listened.

It's a good recording.

I see what the other guy said, about the violin being like 'bathroom echo', but it's ok. I hear how it contrasts with the upfront vocal and guitar, but it's not a bad effect. In fact, I think it adds a 3rd dimension to an otherwise 2 dimensional recording.

The vocals are fine, and the instrumental performances are seamless. The EQ might not be bright enough, on the guitar and vocal tracks, to sound really 'live', but it's acceptable.

As for the song, I can only say two things:

1) it's not my type of music, so I typically wouldn't listen to this style of music, and

2) BLECCHH!

but, you know, it's not personal. I thought it was a fairly good recording.

Although the 'bathroom echo' was really obvious on the violin part, I think that's ok. It sounded 'live'. What I think is a worse thing is to not have a really 'live' edge on the guitar and vocal tracks. To 'liven' up those tracks might require adjusting EQ, or modifying your recording technique, or signal chain.

To me, a 'live' sounding recording is what I listen for. I definitely also think that a natural 'room' sound is better than an 'effect' sound.

You know, again, that's just my 2c worth of opinion.
 
Nice tune/song. Regarding your SB Live!, I used to use SB, have you set the sample rate conversion quality to the Best setting? It might help a little bit. Control Panel/Multimedia/Audio tab/Recording/Advanced Properties.

Definitely get a SM57 or perhaps one of the budget large diaphram condensor mics if you can swing it.

Not bad at all for what you're using.

Peace,
Curt
 
Very good performance. With your equipment in mind, I'm impressed. You definitely got talent, so try to save up for a good condenser mic (Marshall V67 or a Sound Projects C1) and a decent mic-preamp like Art Tube MP or something. Your sound will skyrocket with only a small investment.
 
Given the equipment you have, this recording is about as good as you're going to get, which frankly isn't all that bad for a dormroom demo. In the old days, we used to record our demos by sticking a boombox with a cassette tape in front of the band while we played - lol. It sounded like something akin to bacon frying in a pan .... :)

I do agree with Meshuggah on the condenser mic. Even a low-end condenser would serve you well. You can pick up a good condenser mic for $200-300 these days.

Also, the guitar sounded a bit "tinny" to me - perhaps this could be EQ'd to add a little bottom.

Of course, if you didn't have a condenser mic, and recorded the guitar direct, or with a dynamic mic, this would probably explain it. If you pick up a condenser mic, you can get some pretty wide guitar sounds, by recording your guitar with both mics - one up and off the neck to pick up the high end, and one off on the soundhole for the bottom end. Experiment! :D

Good sound, good tune!

Cheers.
Scott
 
Man, I think that is nice

I hope to make some, in my room, recordings as good as that. Nice vocals, I liked the space the violin had. I don't really agree with some of the other criticisms. I think it just sounds good. If I enjoyed listening to it does anything else really matter ? Give us some more, ok ? Silver
 
I wanna thank everyone for the positive words and criticisms. Like I said, I still got a lot learning to do.

Now, if I may, I have a couple questions--

1. I know a better mic is what I really need. I'm willing to make a small investment in a better one, but the fact that I'm using just a SBLive! and a crappy mixer--will that negate any positive effects a better mic would have? If not, should I go for a condensor mic or will an SM57 do? I want everyone to keep in mind that my dorm room isn't the quietest place, so I have to deal with a lot of extraneous noise.

2. I'm mixing on a some multimedia theater speakers, which I'm sure is gonna throw off my eq completely. Is there any way that I can compensate for that, without having to buy monitors or something? Headphones?

3. Reel person mentioned that I should liven up my tracks with EQ, modifying my recording technique or signal chain. Can anyone offer some very basic and general guidelines for EQing guitar and voice for a jumping point? Also, how could I modify my technique or signal chain?

Thanks again everyone for their opinions. They are greatly apprecaited.

clazymike
 
Wow....That's a "dorm room demo"? That was GREAT for the conditions/equipment you describe. She has an awesome voice.
There's nothing here that couldn't be dealt with by just using some panning and eq. The tracking quality is fine...it just sounds like a matter of playing with and tweaking the mix. I loved the sound of the violin and her voice.

BTW if you are anywhere near Chicago send me an e-mail...we've been looking for a violinist to lay tracks on a new tune of ours.
 
Clazymike:

The singing is great and the overall musicianship is top notch.
The vocal harmonies are in tune and nicely balanced.
I like the way the tempo breathes and flows naturally throughout the song.

A couple of engineering thoughts:

Consider giving the instruments a little more stereo spread. Maybe pan the guitar a little to one side and the violin a little to the other. It might be cool to pan the violin reverb a little bit to the opposite side of the violin . That way you could reduce the level of the reverb but still have good acoustic space.

Try reducing the overall level of the mix. That way you have some headroom to tweak the EQ a little bit without overloading.

The mic you are using is primarily considered to be a PA mic, but it sounds pretty good on this recording. You can always buy newer and better equipment, but you learn the most by making the best of whatever equipment that you have.


Keep up the Good Work,

--Rob
www.mp3.com/robsmusic

PS:

Your equipment is certainly good enough for semi-pro recording. I use the SB Live at 48khz and I often use the soundfonts ,as well as recording my own soundfonts. Be thankful for what you have !
With your computer, your Live card, and that Behringer mixer, you have more high quality tools at your disposal than many recording studios had not that many years ago!!

Happy trackin'!
 
clazymike said:

1. I know a better mic is what I really need.
Click to expand...

You should hit e-bay - you can find some pretty good deals on some used condenser mics there (as well as just about anything else you want or need).


... I want everyone to keep in mind that my dorm room isn't the quietest place, so I have to deal with a lot of extraneous noise.
Click to expand...

Check out some of the threads running here in the Studio Building forum. There are some easy/cheap ways of deadening sound out there ... here is one such thread:

https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?threadid=34323

Cheers.
Scott
 
hey

If you can afford it get a good budjet codensor mic. It will really help. As I said your mix was very well balanced, but the tone was just a little harsh (And that's a completly subjective oppinion anyway :)). And concidering how it was done it's a great job nevertheless. You also might concider getting a pair of good headphones, it will aslo help with the mixing, pc speakers are the worse monitors imaginable.

Keijo
 
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