Is it just me, or is this muddy

  • Thread starter Thread starter ruebarb
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ruebarb

ruebarb

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Having a slight problem here...I'm mixing songs...(demos, mostly) vocals and acoustic guitar.. - and I have Mackie monitors...they sound great, but what I'm noticing is a pronounced muddiness - or lack of treble.

Sounds great on the monitors...so I'm thinking it's just my computer....but I'd like a second opinion

http://briefcase.yahoo.com/bc/ruebarb01

go to the my documents folder..pull down stbrigid.mp3...and give me your opinion as to the overall tone (muddy or crisp) - I'm thinking I'll go back in and remix with a 3-5 db boost from the middle of the EQ scale on, like I do on my winamp player. I should have access to a Massenburg EQ in a couple of weeks.

and the slight warble on the high end of the guitar already...mp3 conversion...so it really does make a difference going to mp3...don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

Bonus points...guess what the keyboard like drone on the chorus is..
 
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Good tune,
The acoustic sounds really nice but then I like things dry. You using a capo boosts high end naturally. That did not strike me as lacking high-end but then its a matter of taste. I'm sure an argument could be made for wanting a little more bite in the mix.

Good vocal performance. I wish to hell I could sing!!! I hate relying on singers.... no offense. The vocals IMHO were definetly needing some shimmer though. It sounded cloaked, as if the tweeters were off. I listen to my computer output through my main monitors in my studio.

It's been said that certain monitors have to be "learned". I've heard this said of the mackies. I guess after many mixes and you are seeing a pattern, compensate for the present high end that you say you hear from the mackies. These are great monitors so don't get me wrong, but it seems that the mackies are a cross between high-end stereo audiophile speakers and studio monitors. What we strive for in the studio is flat sounding monitors as to accurately show when the frequencies are lacking.
This is the theory anyway and I'm probably preaching to the choir.

When I used Alesis monitor-ones, I had to do a similar thing but with the low-end of my final mixes. I "learned" how to compensate based on the common feedback from fellow music lovers. I'm certainly still struggling with it as I find that killer tight low-end so elusive so to speak. A never ending journey to be sure.

Check out www.mp3.com/carusodavid if you would like to hear a sample.

Don't want to sound like I know anything because really I know nothing.

I'm going to guess that the drone part was either a recorder (don't laugh) or a accordian.

Dave C
 
briefcase file download kinda sucks

I've heard from a friend or two that Yahoo's file briefcase is real slow...I've uploaded it to MP3.com and after about a month, it'll probably be approved...if anyone really wants to hear it, they can email me and I'll mail it to them. Otherwise...it'll take a few minutes on Yahoo

BTW, the recorder is a Mackie HDR24 - board is a Mackie D8B - the main mic is a Rode NTK and the guitar mics were Oktava MC012's - (one take - two mics) - and I just used the preamps on the D8B cause I'm still too broke for a Joe Meek after buying all this other crap....the board has a TC reverb I'm using. The guitar was a Taylor K14, which is a sweet sounding baby...just not sure it was mic'd to optimum perfection.

Now here's the bonus points answer...necessity is the mother of invention...you were close...I wanted an accordion or bagpipe type drone, but couldn't find one and I have no keyboard..

I took a harmonica...blew into it gently for 10 seconds to get an even A chord/tone sound, and then used the digital edit in the HDR to trim the best 5 seconds of the sample and loop it ...threw a multitap delay over it to smooth and thicken it up a bit more...and so it's like 4 harmonica players blowing a chord for 4 minutes without breathing.

I love doing stuff like that - sounds and things that can't be created in real life...tons of fun.

And thanks for the other compliments...I don't consider myself a singer as much as I'd rather be a songwriter, but it's real damn hard to pull of the 2nd without pulling off the first. I will remix it...I might have brought down the vocal hi end a bit...I tend to fatten up the middle a bit and trim the ends...but I may readjust that as well.

Your stuff has a lot more hi-end on it...more in our face and out there...what are you using to record with? Are these mastered versions of songs? Or the rough drafts...cause they seem pretty even and consistant from a tone soundpoint.

RB
 
I use my computer and also a VS-1680. I have a Delta DIO 2496 sound card thats pretty cool on a PIII 1Gg machine. Works really well. I Have the computer and the VS integrated very nicely. I use Sound Forge on the PC along with Acid Pro, Cubase VST, etc. I think the best part of the rig is the matching Digitech VTP-1 and VSC-1 preamp and compressor. The preamp has digital outs for flexibility. I use Rode NT1000, NT1 and a Shure SM-81 as well as SM 57's.

I've always thought that the Roland was an amazing box. I do all of the mastering there. I can move the tunes digitally to and from the computer and have a pretty good formula on the VS. Don't have quite the same mastering tools on the PC, but its great for recording unlimited tracks. I'm only using Direct X plug-ins that came with Sound Forge and would like to expand the VST stuff more in the future.

The thing about the high-end, and all of the stuff I do EQ wise, I record everything flat and usually mix flat. The more I do it the less I ever turn a knob. However I love to record stuff with effects, as well as without, probably like most folks. Pretty average.

Keep jammin.

Dave C
 
I have not read any of the other posts.

Its not muddy at all. What I hear is a pleasing guitar tone and a very big vocal(one of the best I've heard)

Now, if you will share your signal path. What mic are you using?

I think the vocal can use some high eq. Somewhere from 10-16 k can use a high shelf. It sounds big as it is, but it can be a bit better.

I would not touch the guitar at all. It sounds natural and pleasing.
 
Ok, I've read the other posts now and I see what mics and signal you are using.

Which mic is that on the voice. WHatever it is, it is awesome. If its an ntk, I am putting it back on my list. If its a mc012, I am buying it, cos I have heard awesome vocals from it before.

DaveC,
I listened to freedom. WOW. It pleasing. Good work. Waterfalls had too much limiting.

Ruebarb, I now see why you are so critical of the work. THe gear is pro. THe pres sound good to me. I would say save your money on the joemeek. I agree with dave that the vox needs some sheen. As it is, it reminds me of the early steely dan/eagles vocal sound.
 
Sounds very nice. Great song too.
I especially like the guitar tone.
I agree that the vocals could use a bit more of the hi frequencies.

Keijo
 
very basic signal chain

NTK for vocals...MC012's for guitar - Mics go direct into the mic preamps on the D8B and from there, it's in the digital domain. (and they were tracked seperately...no mic bleed) - I'm not even using a pop filter cause the one I have tends to thin out the sound...I just backed away from the mic and tried singing the way I used to talk on the radio.

I've really liked the NTK for vocals...especially mine...it seems to be a better one for my voice in general, although I've considered messing with a C1 for the heck of it...

and the EQ is virtually non existant...I put in a bass cut when recording the acoustic to get some of the lower frequencies and rumble out...and I think I increased the midrange of the vocal a bit and brought down the treble. - (probably cause it sounded too harsh in those monitors when it was probably ok anyway) - but basically a very stripped down guitar with virtually no eq after tracking.

I can't go on enough about how good the Taylor sounds...I've used those mics on medicore guitars....and nothing comes close. It's just a great acoustic with great projection...If I had a quieter recording environment, I'd use the omnidirectional heads...as it is, I had to use hypercardiod.

The reverb is just a TC Electronics one that came with the board...Warm medium hall, it's called.
 
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