First attempt at recording new amp

SLuiCe

SLuiCe

New member
Bought a used Mark IV. Great amp so far, still learning it as it's pretty versatile/complex. The chain here is PRS>Mark IV combo>SM57beta>Art Tube MP>Delta sound card. Very little EQ done in the guitar mix stage.

Also, I wrote the bass on keyboard originally, but Pedullist played it on a real bass for this new version. (Thanks bud!) I tamed the 100Hz area a little to clear up some mud slinging with the guitars, and also a few boosts on the way up the range for increased definition, 500hz, 1000hz, 6000hz.

It's un-mastered, but will hopefully be mastered professionally at some point soon. So any comments are welcome to help me get it ready. Thanks!

Tom

"Anxiety"
It gets fairly aggressive here and there...
 
I'll keep this short....Sounds professionally done to me....expecting it on MTV2....Amazing how you got the whole mix to sound so clean.

You are the monster!!!

DustyJack
 
I've listened to the new one a few times and now I'm a/b'ing them.
Wow!!! What a huge improvement!
Sounds like you're using the Boogie on the cleans too, eh? They're sparkling.
The dirty parts have much more definition and guts. I love the "growl" at 2:36. And the metal part at the end sounds awesome.

The octaves part that starts around 2:14 is jumping out a bit too much to me as it goes on, especially into the change at 2:38 and most at 2:52.

And of course Tjarko sounds great. Bass maybe could come out some, but not necessarily. You're guitar sound leaves him plenty of room. Just don't turn it down.

Looking forward to more!
 
Nice sounds from that amp. The distorted guits sound particurlarly nice. I liked that "sticatto" distorted guitar part. It just has that nice growl to it.

You know the clean sounds are pretty nice too. I'm speaking of that clean part that comes in at 2:15. I liked that.

Hey the volume jump at about :48 is pretty significant. On a second listen, maybe not as much as I thought the first time through. I'll leave the comment in just so you can check to see if you agree.

A couple of small pops in the 1:50's. They may be fret and/or string noise. So small, they almost not worth mentioning. But you know me. :)

Third listen - I just gotta mention that guitar at 2:15 again. Such a cool little doo-dad.

Good job as per usual.
 
The guitars sound incredible. I think you made a good investment. I think the difference lies in the clarity. You have wonderful distortion without the mud. Not that you had a tremendous amount of mud before, but this is an improvement for sure.

Now this was a treat for me because I never heard the original (this is an older song you are re-recording, right?). I thought I had heard all of your stuff so this was pleasant surprise.

Very nice work. Now to the song itself and the rest of the elements. I love the intro. The effect on the vocal is nice. It did seem to jump in volume at :47 a lot, but that may just be how it sounds. I would check that. If it jumps too much I would raise all the elements before :47 unless it requires unneeded compression.

The song is great all around. Peds bass is mixed perfectly IMO. Vocals sound great. Love the end.

I gotta run real quick here so I may be back for more comments.
 
You re-did the vocals interestingly too. I like the sound of the new amp, but I'm gonna have to get used to the new sound on the song LOL. Pedullist's bass is great.

I'm looking forward to this one through the monitors instead of through headphones.
 
Thanks fellas. I was suspicious of that intro leap, but I didn't know if I'd just grown to expect it too much. I've rasied the intro elements and also kicked the bass up almost a dB for good measure. :)


DustyJack- Thanks a lot Dusty. Yeah this is much cleaner than my ealier recording of it. I was trying to hard to make a Marshall sound like a Boogie and ended up overprocessing the living shit out of almost every other track to try to get it to work. This time, the tracks have been left pretty clean and I just focused on miking the amp in the best way I could find after a lot of trial and error. It's hard but I think I got close to what I was looking for in the over-all sound without dirtying it up with a lot of processing. Thanks for listening man.

fprod- Thanks Phil. I've taken your advice about the bass, but I'm still on the fence about the clean guitar (there's actually no octave there, but I know what part you mean. Dobro calls it the "spider part" or something like that). I know it is at the very least, pushing the limits of being too forward, so your comment is definitely valid IMO. Also, I left all the original clean guitars on there, but I removed a lot of the processing/ and or adjusted levels. By the way, I returned your email...let me know when that cd comes out. Thanks!

TripleM- Thank you. I took your advice about the volume jump in the beginning. I raised everything by 3dB's and that seems to have helped smooth it out a lot. I don't want anyone to have to jump for the volume knob. Glad you liked that 2:15 part. It's really the only reason I did the song, just so I could use that part. :)

skids-
I think the difference lies in the clarity. You have wonderful distortion without the mud. Not that you had a tremendous amount of mud before, but this is an improvement for sure.
Click to expand...
It was detail/clarity in the low end that I was really not getting enough of from the Marshall. This new amp has its own challenges, but there are a lot more options to work with. The controls actually mean something, and in fact work symbiotically with each other. It's hard to explain in a sentence, but it's a very sensitive amp, and I like that a lot. Yeah, I wrote this one earlier in the summer, but was absolutely disgusted when my ears cleared up and I heard how harsh it sounded. I am really hoping the production is conveying the feeling behind the song, but I think it was completely lost in a 2-4KHz whirlwind on the first version. Pedullist has been doing very nicely played and tracked bass parts for me. He gives them to me nice and full and clean (or dirty if called for), and I tweak them to fit to the needs of the song. He's great to work with too. Thanks a lot man.

dobro-
You re-did the vocals interestingly too
Click to expand...
It's a different vision I have for the quieter vocals in this. In the middle part ("...none of us will sleep...") I imagine standing out in a field on a cold starry November night. I imagine the music being like a glass ball with the scene (me and the person I'm singing it with) standing inside of it. In the intro, I picture sitting at the writing desk under candlelight, penning the letter, being afraid in general, but still trying to comfort. The walls are small, the light is dim, and it's totally dark outside. Kind of odd I suppose, but that's the sound stage I've tried for here. Thanks man.
 
Mark 4 RULES

I tried one and found it too complicated:D
I'm a dumb blues guy though.
Whatever you do is filled with a high degree of intelligence.
With the new elec. guitar sound you are moving into some very good taste too.
Keep making the MOST with what ya got Tom, it sounds GREAT!


Dan
 
:D ....niiiiice ending!

..Yeah man, those guits sound great. Its funny, I can hear what youre going after re: heavy tones now. I like the tone here better, but it still sounds very fundimentally similar to the settings on your other amp. Im sure the prs has alot to do with that as well.
How many watts is that new amp? Im gonna have to do a little searchin and check it out. I think i read somewhere that you record your guits in your closet right? ...this one too?
Nice tune and mix here. ...a given.
Ped, nice stuff here man.... ...I dig the sliding part ... ....Im hearing a little Gene Simmons in there man:D ....thats always a good thing!!

gw/5
 
Whoa!

Great stuff Tom! I remember the first version, and that one was off the hook uhm.. but this one sounds mad good (do you see who is full of the teenager jargon today? me!)

watch at :22 on the right side, my monitors woofed on the lows for a second.


Kick into vox = rox uhmm box pox lox bagel wagel finagle


Just before the lightly distorted part coming out of the right was a bit high for me, it's obscuring some sweet vox for me.

2:05 light theme from the right is great, going in to the lightly distorted guit. Once it gets to 3:00 and the vox come back in I think the vox should come up a bit more or the guitar in the right should come down somewhat.

3:25 out just kills, great ending. If i didn't say this last time.

Yay, Pedullist keep up the good work too.


KEEP RUNNIN!


p.s. that rawr of the amp on the left side ( you know which one im talkin bout willis) = Yeah baby!
 
hi sluice,

very nice effort. WOW, I must say, your voice sounded crystal clear and unrestricted on this one. Definetely an improvement over an already good voice.

The song was well done but not as memorable for me as say Fold or hatepill.
 
Oh yeah!

Can't put my finger on this but everything is like a helluva lot crisper and more defined. I play this tune a lot at home so I've got it ingrained in my little pea brain - this is a major improvement over the one I have on CD - and I really thought that one was top-notch. I just noticed the drums - in other words, they blend in so well they sound a lot more realistic (but you write kick-ass varied rhythms which takes a lot of that fake sound away, anyway) One of my favorite Home Rec tunes just got better -THANX!! Milan
 
I'm back! Hey, I figured out why I missed this the first time through. We were having our baby! That's no excuse, right?! :D I went back and looked when the thread was because I was surprised I missed one of your tunes this summer.

Listening again. I don't have much else to add other than I really liked your use of delay on that cool guitar starting around 2:15.

I enjoyed the lyrics as well. I was able to focus on them a little more this time through.

Nice work.
 
HevyD-
I tried one and found it too complicated
Click to expand...
Me too, but I have an obsessive streak to me so the amp seems to fit my personality like a glove. It's always on the verge of sounding a little better. LOL! Thanks Dan!

Guernica-
I like the tone here better, but it still sounds very fundimentally similar to the settings on your other amp. Im sure the prs has alot to do with that as well.
Click to expand...
Most definitely. That guitar has its own character, and you probably couldn't hide it even if you wanted to. Although I'm not sure why you would want to unless you were playing death metal. I love my PRS. But when I really want to push the power I reach for the Les Paul. That thing sounds mean on this new amp. Hopefully I'll be able to post a sample of that soon to see if I'm going in the right direction. Basically I want some punch, thickness, and edge without completely saturating the tone with distortion fizz. I think I'm getting closer now. The verses in this tune don't call for a lot of distortion. It's almost a neck pickup funk kinda thing going on. But the end is a different story. I called in a couple Les Paul tracks for that.
The amp is 85 watts. This is the first time I've recorded an amp out of the closet (laugh it up) in quite a while. I started out with it in there, but I didn't think I was getting any room at all. I'm still not getting a lot with the 57 so close to it, but I don't really have a good room mic for loud distorted sounds. Yet. So I mixed in a subtle room reverb and just a touch of chorus. Maybe more explanation than you were looking for, but I get a bit excited about learning this stuff. :) Oh, I trust junior is doing well? Cheers, Mike.

Khompy- Thanks a ton man. I'll definitely consider your suggestion about the vox at 3:00. That is such a delicate section mixwise, that I've just left it for now. I'll need to hit it freshly in a week or so and see how it feels going into that section. Thanks for making the point. Oh hey, I sent you an email...that link isn't working for me. :(

CyanJaguar- Hey man, how's it going? Glad you liked the vocals! Nice to know I might be getting better. You're right, this doesn't have quite the same catchiness as those tunes you mentioned. But those will also be on the CD, so hopefully it will be pretty well-rounded. Thanks again!

MC Gitarz- Hey hey. I responded to your PM. Thank you. Ahh..the drums. I'm planning on going back to a few other ones and re-writing a few sections of the drums. A lot of stuff I did was pretty experimental, but some of it just doesn't work. This one I thought came out pretty realistic so it's good to hear you thought so as well. I used to take so much shit for my drums. LOL! I've been beaten to submission. Thanks, Milan.

skids- Ahhhh yes. Well, babies do come first. :) I'll have one some day I'm sure. My younger brother just had a beautiful little girl, so I get my "baby fix" every couple weeks. :D Only I don't have to change diapers yet. hehe...cya man.
 
I remember this one, this is a killer song...

To me it sounds clearer and more defined, the guitars are awesome, they seem to have more bite and sit clearer in the mix....

I love it when you can hear everything, and this one is mixed very well... The bass could maybe come up a bit...

Your new amp rocks!..

To my ears, at 3:00 to 3:20 your voice seems a bit harsh on your ssss's, a bit tinny/grainy.....

Great job, great song...


Dude, you are such a talent....:)
 
That has a really nice natural breathing sound to it. I listened on the monitors and then the desktops. Real good mix with a good horizon wayyy back there too,and clean. The fretboard squeaks stick out a little more on the desktops. I enjoyed that clean midi bass you got out of that "Tjarko unit" ;)
 
Damn, I hate it when you post your signal chain because it reminds me that we're using damn near the same gear and your stuff sounds so much better.:D

The only gripe I can come up with here is that I'd like to hear a little more bass - just a hair more presence, not necessarily volume (although maybe a hair more of volume as well). It might be a matter of a tiny little boost in the 80-120hz area.

Listening again, I think definitely like a half db more on bass would suit me.

Sheesh, I'm straining for criticism. Sounds great, Tom.

Chris
 
There is nothing artificial about the guitar sounds now.

It sounds like you have made an excellent choice in your new amp.

The variety of tones and flavors that it allows you to deliver is outstanding and bringing more clarity only allows me to crank it up even higher, which is a good thing!:D

Great song by the way! I never heard the original but this definitely rocks and Ped's bass playing compliments this work which, I am sure is no small feat to keep up with your industrious compositions.

Congrats to you both!

Cheers! :)
 
"It's a different vision I have for the quieter vocals in this. In the middle part ("...none of us will sleep...") I imagine standing out in a field on a cold starry November night. I imagine the music being like a glass ball with the scene (me and the person I'm singing it with) standing inside of it. In the intro, I picture sitting at the writing desk under candlelight, penning the letter, being afraid in general, but still trying to comfort. The walls are small, the light is dim, and it's totally dark outside. Kind of odd I suppose, but that's the sound stage I've tried for here."

This is completely unexpected. One of the things I like about you is your willingness to share your mixing approaches. But the 'sound stage' idea you've got here amazes me. I don't deal in sound stages; I deal in sounds and feelings and ideas. It's always delightful to come across someone who knows something you don't. :)

I've been convinced for a while now that the most successful music on the planet will have to be in DVD video format fairly soon, which means learning not only how to record music like we're doing now, but how to present it in a visually interesting and creative way. I've got certain (very ordinary but full of potential) ideas for how to do that, but you've got a knack for it.
 
I liked it.:D


Sorry, I got no picks or gripes. Okay, a little one, and feel free to ignore me.
I really wanted to hear a huge kick in this song. Like at 1:10, plug in the Les Paul and crank out that riff. But, I'm a drummer and guitarist so I like the songs loud. I really like it as is, but I think if you pushed the dynamics a little harder, it would be really cool. Like I said, feel free to ignore me.

That guitar line at 2:15 reminds me of Joe Satriani. Such an awesome sound. Oh, that's nice. :cool:

This is the third time now, I like this song more and more. Very nice:D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top