Looking for info on gear upgrading. (audio included)

  • Thread starter Thread starter AttemptD
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AttemptD

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Hello everyone and thank you for letting me be a part of the forum.

I'll just jump right into this mess, as I've been in the same boat for a little while now.

For the last year to year and a half, I've used the mbox 3 pro. I have made some very nice recordings in the past with it and it's always done a great job at many different things for the price. Although I do hear and have always hear a lack somewhere...I've never been able to tell if...it's my mixing, or my conversion quality in the mbox, or the pre amp quality, Or maybe the mastering or possibly the pre production. I've made several changes in the past, trying to equipment and new software etc, and I'm just....still so confused.

I'll give small specifics here of what I'm using and I'll have a link down below of a test I did a few days a go just for sound quality purposes.
I use windows 7 and an mbox 3 pro with protools 9.
I've always in the past used just the box, no other external gear. Now I plug my Micx and DI's in to BLA B 173 pre amp. I dig.
This test is pretty heavy, don't mind the fooling around with the editing, but It's simple. Heavy, a tad technical, on the Djent side for sure
I have superior rummer 2.0 (just Avatar) for drums. Trillian bass for bass obviously, and the rest Is my 7-string custom Hellrazor running DI into Fractal Axe Effects Ultra.

So Only a handful of tracks...And I'll say immediately that the drums are too loud...But could someone tell me how I could imporve this? It sounds tiny...not very loud...and it's not as clear as I'd like it to be.

Is it me?? mixing or mastering on my end? Do I just need a better interface all together?? Pre's, clocking, converters?

I obviously mixed everything via ITB processing. All software plugins. (waves, Iztope, Track, etc)

But either way...some help if anyone has a word of advice. I'll take it well and id greatly appreciate you. thanks for listening. :)

PS. Sorry it wont let me share a link ye so. Here's a simple way to check if you'd like...I'd appreciate it.

Just go to sound cloud. I am AttemptD2013 And the sound is the newest one I posted. "Indefinite II"

Please let me know. :) Thanks
 
You need to have 10 posts here before you can share a link (cuts down on the spammers). Go to THIS THREAD to get your 10 posts, than post the actual link (or you can embed the SC file in your post, even better).
 
A couple of observations -

The sound you picked has some kind of envelope filter thing on it as part of the processing. Without knowing what you actually have in your mind in terms of where you want to go with the sound, it seems to work for the track. There's some kind of vibey thing about it that sounds electronic and sort of cool.

The low end across the whole track sounds pretty scaled back for my tastes. Could be just me, but generally heavier, chug kind of guitar sounds have more lows going on. Envelope filter kind of band limits the signal and helps to eliminate that. I'm also not a fan of sims in general and have zero experience with the fractal thing. I'm not sure what you have for an amp but pushing air through a greenback or 2 (or 4) in a closed cab of some kind with a mic in front of it would probably add a lot of the bottom end that's missing. You could also try dialing the distortion back a bit to see if it allows the track to breathe more. If you have a decent sounding amp and a mic and a space where you're not going to get arrested for pushing some air around, you could run the DI through your sim and mic an amp with the chug thing happening (no envelope follower on the second track) and just print 2 tracks and blend to taste. Or double the track. Same sort of idea, but if you can perform it tight with the 2 different sounds, the separate performances will end up adding some kind of organic delay thing that could help to add size.

I don't think pres or converters are going to make the difference just yet.

Also, I'm not sure where your levels are going in but they shouldn't be too hot. That can help to shrink everything as well.

Just throwing ideas out there. Hope it helps.
 
Thank you greatly....I posted a reply once but it didnt' go through..

Quicker this time, I don't understand what envelope filter for processing means, but besides that. I do run DI fractal. I honestly have trouble with low end on guitars because the bass and bass drum fight over such a large amount of it. And do modern studio engineers still do a little of 4 guitar recordings? like instead of just one on the left and one on the right?? Mix differently?? Thats something I've never done.

After your explanation I'm thinking about getting a book....I think the mix is decent...But I think I need help. I've been doing this All by ear and it's been quite the experience learning it.

I honestly though my mix was too quite. lol but I think I know what you mean. I try to keep everything Down....

Thanks for everything. I'll be taking it all into deep consideration. :)
 
Envelope filter is sometimes called auto wah. There's something changing the eq to make the high end pop out a bit more on the sustained chords. It falls lower on the chugs.

Also it's okay to a point to boost levels after they're recorded to the computer. Maybe try a search on gain staging either here or on google. Ignore everything that says to print the highest possible level before clipping. It kills things.
 
The sound you are referring to sounds like the limiting. the Waves Maxim. Part of the simple mastering process I attempt.

But I have a question? Are you using like a piece outboard gear to see what My mix is doing...like a mealtime EQ Analyzer??
I feel like you can "see" what I only get to "Hear"

Using mainly VI's I usually keep the gain to a spot where after everything is together The volume can be compressed and limited to where I want it....Although I'm not getting a ton of volume. A also agree completely printing at high volumes. out of the question for sure.
 
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