General studio question.

[Shout It Out]

I'll start with myself. I feel that I have the ability to track fairly well for a teenager with no recording education, and about 5 years of experience. I can't mix what I record very well. Half of that is my lack of education on how all of the frequencies interact, and half is the cheap microphones I use, but they work for me. Now my question will be relevant to studio building and display.

I have bass traps made out of 4'' oc 703 and all that good stuff, but I'm wondering for a guy like me, if placement of things is so critical, beings that I am not expeceting amazing quality, nor do I try to be oh so perfect in my home recording enviornment. So...the question is...Will the placement of where I record in a room really matter all that much? I mean I try to mix as well as I can, and I always try to put out the best stuff I can, but it is far from perfect, and i am cool with it. Sure, I will keep the monitors in the equilateral, and the bass traps will be in the corners...but as long as I do not set up in a corner, will it really show itself in my mixes??

I kinda can't believe that my mix that is in a proper setup would be all that better than a mix in a sub par setup.

here are some examples of my stuff, I like to think it is alright, I can't mix all that well, but I don't really have a perfect enviornment for that anyway.
www.myspace.com/k300music

 

[Shout It Out]

Also...here are some pictures trying to help you see what I mean...

Properly set up (distance from walls is fine and it is set up so the room is longer than the width):

Not properly set up(bad distance from walls, room is set up where the width is longer than the length):

 

[gummblefish]

For me the tracking procedure is critical. I try to get everything perfect in the room before i go near a mic. Usually i will then set up Ambient or 'room' mic and try and get good balance with that, concentrating on hearing all the elements in the room. At this point i will say that i track live, usually a few instruments at the same time, i allow for spill and 'work with it' this usually allows me to get a good balance of all the instruments. I make sure that all the instruments are working together fundamentally in the room and that the room is sympathetic to what I'm recording. I will set up Gobos and try to contain any bad spill, also at this point i will sort out any rattles caused by frequency. When working this way i feel that Spill is a good thing and helps the mix. All the elements will gel together a lot easier. Mic placement is the Key and the utmost care should be taken. I will always move a mic to get the desired effect rather than touch an eq. I always experiment with mics and try things with them. Also Keep a check on phase issues at all times.
The room for me is the most important part outside of the player. You just have to learn how to get the most out of it.

 

[Shout It Out]

The reason I ask all of this is that I would like to have my drums where the desk is in picture one. and keep recording where the desk is in picture too. All I am trying to do is make alright home recordings. Nothing Perfect.

 

[TexRoadkill]

Proper placement for mixing is different then tracking. For mixing you want a good symmetrical listening environment. For tracking you want whatever sounds best.

If your mixing station gets in the way of good tracking then put it on some wheels and push it out of the way while tracking.

 

[Shout It Out]

Proper placement for mixing is different then tracking. For mixing you want a good symmetrical listening environment. For tracking you want whatever sounds best.

If your mixing station gets in the way of good tracking then put it on some wheels and push it out of the way while tracking.

It is a good idea, but what I'm trying to figure out, is if it would make that huge of a difference??

 

[Steve Henningsgard]

It is a good idea, but what I'm trying to figure out, is if it would make that huge of a difference??

Gah, just try it! Everything makes a difference. The biggest difference comes with experience: play the shit so it sounds goddamn amazing in the room, and everything else is a cinch!

 

[eeb]

read the post in the microphones thread titled "do you really need expensive equipment" there's some good ideas in there..