My first song up on the Web...!

  • Thread starter Thread starter Dave52
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Dave52

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Ok, so here is a song I wrote and recorded (using Cakewalk Pro 9). I finally got it up on my web page, it's just straight rock really, and I'm a drummer so don't expect a shred fest...

I recorded the drums on my Ekit Sequencer, then had some trouble syncing it up within Cakewalk, anyhow - let me know what you think, keep it constructive...

Grain Of Sand

I've got about 9 songs written in all, I'm hoping to get an Album together by the end of the year - just for fun, I'm not doing this seriously...

Dave.
 
Hey Dave.
Good song.
I listened to it a few times. Here's what I'd change.
Back off the snare a bit. It drowns out some of the other stuff. Unless the snare is the focus of the song, of course. It seems to me to be just a bit overwhelming.
Increase the mic volume for the vocals, just a hair. Several parts I couldn't make out what was being said.
Other than that, it's a durn good recording.

Would like to hear the other songs when you get them done.
Grain of Sand. Hmmm. Not bad.

I also have PA9, haven't recorded anything yet, just got it and still monkeying around with the tutorials. Been playing music for years but recording is totally new to me.
I was wondering if you could post how you recorded it.
You know, just one track at a time?
Everyone together?
Stuff like that?
Did you have any problems with recording it other than Sync?

Another question I'd like to ask.
I use a Shure Green Bullet Mic running through a tube preamp processor when I blow the harp and a Shure SM57 for vocals running through the same preamp. Like when I play clubs and roadhouses.
Would you recommend using the preamp before the sound card or just blow the Preamp off and got direct into the card?
Did you mic the amps or run the guitars through the sound card?

I have Creative Soundblaster Live. Is that card good enough?

Anything on how you did that would be appreciated.
Thanks
 
good job!

I like the song. Sounds really good. I'm really anxious too try this home recording stuff, now. (All I need to do is find some decent musicians. ;))
 
Great song Dave!

I liked it, but there's just one thing that's been buggin' me.......you say that you're a drummer yet you used "squenced drums". :eek: :D
And there was definitly a mini shred fest going on there, how long have you played guitar for?


badgas,
Definitly use the preamp (the preamps in the soundcards are pretty much worthless) and go from your preamp to the "line in" input on your soundcard (not the mic input).

For just starting out I think the SBL should be fine, but it will dramatically improve your sound to get a good card. I just upgraded to an Aardvark Direct Pro from a Turtle Beach Montego and wow what an improvement (absolutely no background hissssss), it is awesome. :)

-tkr
 
Yup....and badgas...

Mic the guitar amp with the Shure 57 as well...as Tekker suggested for Vocals. The Shure 57 is a great mic for the ol' axe...

Just make sure you keep your peak levels below 0dB... -0.3 dB peak is a good place to start until you get used to all your stuff. Track HOT as possible but avoid 0dB like the plaugue in the digital world...

zip >>
 
Great song Dave...

Has a bit of a Styx feel to it...especially the vocals. Good compositional skill.

I would also bring the snare down a bit but I didn't feel it was all that heavy. The hi-hat / cymbals sounded a bit thin. Were they live recorded or synth? In any case maybe add a bit at 12K Hz to fill em' in and possibly lower 16K a bit.

Overall a very good first song...keep up the good work man...

zip >>
 
Dave...

Just to make sure I didn't mislead you on the cymbal frequencies I pulled it into my editor. To my surprise you are not heavy at 16K. They could still use a little thickening up (my taste) or you could simply pull the level down a hair...

Bottom line if YOU like it - keep it the way it is....:) That's the beauty of recording...

In any case - good work. Didn't want to mislead you with my reco...

peace.

zip >>
 
No prob...

Been close @ Newcastle... and with as much rain as you get - you should have plenty of time to lay down those tracks...:)

zip >>
 
Thanks for the feedback...!

Guys,

Thankyou so much for the advice comments etc... Ok, so the way I record is probably obscenely primitive... but here goes.

All guitars are put through my Zoom 505 effects pedel, then straight into the sound card... I have kids, and most of my recording's done at night so I don't get a chance to crank the guitars loud and position the mics round the room etc...

The vocals are also put through the Zoom 505, on a clean setting but making use of it's delay settings... (yeah that's horrible - sorry).

The bass and keys are done with a midi keyboard going through my Yamaha DTX Edrum brain and then straight into the soundcard (and recorded as audio tracks).

And the drums are recorded live onto the Edrum brain's sequencer, then recorded onto Cakewalk (that was the bit I had trouble syncing up - I would have played live straight into the soundcard but the drum kit is in a different room to the computer at the moment).

Anyway thanks again for the comments - I will get better at this whole Cakewalk thing - it's quite a step up from my Tascam 414...!


Dave.
 
Oh yeah...

Each track was recorded individually, as it's me doing everything...

The only problems I had were, tempo change following a mix down (I started another thread about that). Syncing the drums was fun, and when recording a long passage, after about a minute the recording would break up... I'm guessing this is the dreaded Latency...? I'm also guessing that I could probably fix it with a more powerfull computer (but I'm already on a Celeron 700 with 256 Ram damn it...!).

Anyhow I got round that problem by recording in small chunks...

Dave.
 
A 700Mhz with 256meg RAM should be OK...I'm only running a PIII at 550MHz and 256...works for me. Unless it's a Celeron thing...I donno...not a puter expert.

Try adjusting you latency settings in CW before you buy more PC...worth a shot.

Pretty impressive for a one man show.... :)

zip >>
 
That was interesting Dave.
When you get some of your other stuff done, I hope ya post it.
Thanks.
 
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