Guitar & Drums

  • Thread starter Thread starter GT
  • Start date Start date
hey,
I'm not familiar with the song so I can't rightly comment other than the git was smooth and clean.

The drum track needs help
How did you record it?

Nice execution on the instruments

Peace,
Theron
 
Theron,

Thanks for listening! I would have replied sooner, but we just got through a power outage, caused by hurricane Gabriel.

Please let me know what you think needs to change on the drums, would really like to hear your opinion, as I have never had much luck with drums.

Thanks

GT
 
I was having ISP problems when I replied so, I had to cut it short.
As far as I could tell, the drums were solid. However, they sounded like they were recorded with one mic 10-feet away. There was no distinction on any of the kit. The track sounded muddy and singular. It was almost distracting to the song.
Not trying to be negative, just repeating what my ear told me. I've tried miking drums and found it a hard labour and you need decent mics to do it. Maybe I'm wrong but, that was my impression after a couple listens.
How did you create the track?

Please know I'm just attempting to be constructive. You can piece apart my song as well if you wanna download it. See the"green horn in need of opinion" post.

Peace,
Theron
 
Thanks Theron,

I allways try not to have too much treble, and then go to far. I also accidently made the mp3 monaraul.

I think you gave a very constructive critisicm, and I appreciate it much.

It's a Zoom 123 drum machine, that I banged out the arrangement on the pads myself. Trying to make it as human as possible.

I think I will delete the mp3 and put it back in in stereo, with more treble. Scratchy stereo mono switch made me do it, forgot my reading glasses, and my studio is farely dark. How's that for an excuse?

Thanks for taking the time!!

GT
 
No need to make excuses when trying to follow your muse.
Maybe try a mild pan on the high end of the kit as well.
I've been using loops and creative editing to create drum tracks and have found this to give the track some space and dynamic, live feel. The D track is good. Don't hide it, bring it out and mix the git around it.
Damn!! I write like I know what I'm talking about.

Let me know when I can hear the remix.

Theron.
 
I have my baby son in my lap right now, checking out some of the tunes here in the MP3 clinic. He was a bit fidgety for awhile until I played this song, then he just immediately calmed down and started smiling and reaching toward the speakers as we listened....... sweet. :)

Really nice job on this one, GT.... we like it alot!

It's nice to know you're still a big hit with the "young crowd", eh? ;)
 
Hey Buck,

How's it going?

Thanks alot, and glad you and little buck liked it.

Recorded in mono by mistake, must have been to busy trying to tune my guitar, lots of chords on this one, you know how that goes.

I'm going to redue it from scratch, this time in stereo, with a little more treble. Should be a world of improvement.

Let's hear another from you soon!!

Thanks again,

GT
 
Nice GT. Really like the guitar sound and playing - very relaxed and natural sounding. Do you play using a pick and fingers with your right hand? That's a messed up sentence. Just curious.

Good stuff.
 
GT, that was 1 of the most relaxing songs I have heard in a LOOONG time. It would sound SOOO much better once you put it in stereo and add a lil hi's for clarity, but other than that it was,
as they say, "Music To My Ears"!!!

BTW, can you make the song longer!!?? I personally would like a
7-8 minute version of this beautiful classic of yours! I'm SERIOUS!!! As soon as the song ended, I went back to my ole'
WTC-rage filled self again!!
 
Emeric,

Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed this tune. I'm glad it sounds relaxed, as playing it, is a bit of a chore, lots of chord changes.

I wanted to play it on my acoustic, but still haven't gotten a recorded sound that seem worthy of solo type recording, may have to try a new mic. (Cheap bastard productons, one mic to my name.)

This one was fingerpicked, with three fingers and a thumb.

Mr.Q,

Glad it relaxed you, seems like you've been through a lot in the last week or so. Things got a little scary here with the storm we just had, but nothing like what's happening up in your neck of the woods.

Thanks

GT
 
GT,
I'm not familiar with that song in particular, but I've always had an ear for James Taylor. Unfortunately I don't have the hands for James Taylor :mad:! I could never play something like that. You've done quite well.

A thought on the drums, maybe you could record them one drum sound at a time and then be able to fiddle with things a bit more in the mixing process. I agreed with theron's interpretation about one mic, 10 ft back. Sounded a little removed and muffled.

Queue
 
Well, for those of you who were wondering what this beautiful song would sound like if there was a bass guitar in it...

Here it is...



It is the original MP3 with my Bass line added to it. I eq'ed to try and get rid of some of the real high end noise.. GT you may want to check your signal path..was this tape or direct to PC?..

Let me know what you think.. I would still like to have independant drum and guitar tracks to mix with, but if you are satisfied with the result that is fine also.

Bassman
 
Wow!
Bassman, you did more than the bass. I knew the D-track was solid. Now it's represented as well. the bass line was very appropriate. It had my monitors pulsing comfortably.

G.T. This non-complicated compilation is just getting better. I listened to your re-cut on "NoWhere" and would agree that the tracking was an improvment. Nice fingering. Pleasant execution.

It is cool to see this one unfold.

Theron
 
Bassman,

What can I say, I'm thrilled!! Top notch job!!

Love the bass line absolutely fit the song like a glove. Loved the riff at :51, and the bloom on the last note.

The mix level seemed to me to be perfect, everything seemed to have it's own space. When you said you had EQed I was worried, but it sounded like you left everything perfectly intact. The tone of my guitar was the same, thank you!

Great work editing out the note that butted up against the begining of the song.

Cheap Bastard Productions: I recorded the guitar and drums to DCC deck (digital cassette), then bounced to vidio tape, then vidio tape through an equalizer to computer. I try to use the equalizer to remove coloration only. (for good, not evil).

Bassman, tell us what you did on your end, we gots to know.

Thanks so much,

GT
 
Theron,

Thanks for having so much interest in how this song went, I feel that you are partly resopnsible for it coming this far.

You pointed out some flaws, that were right on.

Love this site!!

BTW: I tried to download your song last night, and three quarters of the way through, my computer said, and I quote "Goodbye". Computers, maybe a swift reboot to the ass will straighten it out!! I will try again.

GT
 
Hey GT...

On my End...

I took your MP3, converted it to wave.. Imported it into cakewalk..

I put some EQ on the track to get rid of a very high pitch noise, it lived around 15k. Also scooped out some lows to make room for the bass

Played the bass on the next track..... Comp and EQ, Eq complimentary to the EQ on your track...

Mixed it down, brought it into Soundforge cleaned up the beginning and ends.

There is an awful lot of noise on the recording(Not to be picky) ..what its the reason for for the bounce to video? If you are using it as a mix down deck, you may as well go direct to PC for the mix down...Also you are probably better off not running it through the EQ, it most likely adds more noise.

Sounds like you go through an awful lot of trouble to put down 2 tracks. What about using something like N-track?.. Not sure of the power of your PC but you really dont need much for 2 or 3 tracks. You must have a soundcard with a line in if you are making MP3's.. Just a suggestion

This was fun, if you have anyother instrumentals like this you need baas lines for let me know. This kind of stuff lets me think and play differently than plain rock and roll..

Bassman
 
Bassman,

I bounce to video, because my computer is in the living room, and the only deck I have in the living room is a stereo vcr.

Another thing is that I was using the dreaded single coil neck pickup, this song called for it. With single coil you have to resign youself to the fact that there will be more noise, even barefoot to ground. To a degree you may not be used to hearing this pickup on most rock songs.

I have to run it through EQ, to improve the sound, even if it adds noise, has to be done.

I tried to tell you I have modest gear, but you wouldn't beleive me!

I think you may be a bit picky about noise, no one else that downloaded this recording even mentioned it.

To me the noise level was acceptable, but then again I would love a nice twelve track. Some day, as soon as DCC deck brakes down

Anyway, it was great fun.

Your noisy friend,

GT
 
Gt... I wasn't knocking what you have, or suggesting that you run out and buy a 12 track... I was just making some suggestions on improving the quality of the recording with the equipment you have.

You said >I bounce to video, because my computer is in the living room, and the only deck I have in the living room is a stereo vcr.

I was just saying, that using the Video deck for mix downs is an unnesesary step that is lowering the quality of your recording. You don't need a tape deck to mixdown to, you have your PC. I Eqed out a lot of tape hiss and some really high pitched squeal...I have a strat with single coils and am familiar with that dreaded hum..this wasn't that..it was most probably a product of your stereo video deck and/or EQ. I might be being picky, but I did listen very closely to this song dozens of times, much more than anyone of the reviewers did. Besides, I think your guitar playing just blew everyone away. ;-)

So here's what you might want to try:


Instead of mixing down to VCR tape, use your PC as your mixdown deck..I used to do this when I had my 4 track cassette. Simply take the outs of your DCC and move them from the VCR to the line in of your PC. You probably already have the right cables, since you move the song from the VCR to the PC to convert it to MP3. Just use it like a you would a tape deck.You don't need any fancy software, any run of the mill Wave editor should record on the line in. From there you can do simple edits like fades and cleaning up the beginning of songs. Any PC with a soundcard can do this simple step, it is something even an old 486 can handle(I did it).

For that matter if your PC is of a decent speed, you should be able to run N-track studio, which I believe is very inexpensive($39).. then you can record multiple (4,5, 12???)direct to your PC which will give you huge amounts of flexibility to craft more fine performances. Check it out .. www.n-track.com

I apologize if you feel I was knocking your recording, I didnt mean to come off that way. I am not suggesting you buy anything, just that you evaluate what equipment you have and try something different. If it doesnt work..well hey you tried..This stuff is all for fun and this forum is here to help those who don't know how or with what to record their music. You seem like a nice guy who has a hell of a lot of guitar playing talent, just trying to let the world hear you a little clearer.

Bassman
 
yes, there is a lot of free ware that could accomidate these mixing and recording tools. do a search with "google.com" for shareware recording and take your pick.
As it stands, the git picking was very magnetic and the colaboration ended up bigger than the tools and medium involved.

theron.
 
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