My very first home recording

[geetarman]

SONG: Don't Leave Me
I did this on a day at home once we got some recording equipment, just basic stuff, MBox, NT1-A and a computer, ofcourse a guitar and amp aswell. I didn't do much mixing to the track, but enough to make a difference. www.mp3.com.au/leonblair
Check out my mate Dave's recording www.mp3.com.au/davetran
Take into consideration we're both only 16

 

[gbondo9]

Welcome to the board! You will learn alot here.
I listened to 'Dont leave me"
Im going to be brutally honest, so please don't take offense to anything I say. It's just my opinions and suggestions - which are worth..well...nothing really.
First off - Its a good song and it's got potential. Keep it up.

My nitpics:
-The vocals need alot of work. It's good emotion you have, but you need to stay in key and redo the track if it's not in key. I have a hard time listening to things that are out of key even for a second.
-Are you using a chorus effect on the acoustic? If so - don't. Instead, double up the guitars (record them twice) for a thicker, fuller sound.
-The distortion you are using needs work. It sounds really thin.
-I felt like the timing was helter skelter. Try using a metronome or something like it. Make sure the bass and guitar and on time with eachother too.
-The background vocals and harmonies need to be a lot quieter in the mix. They will accomplish the same thing, just pull them back.

All in all, it sounds a lot better than my first mix, so you've got potential. Keep it up. Ill be interested to see what you're capable of. When I first joined this site, I read threads for months and months before I posted. It's a wealth of information here.

Hope this helps,
Todd

 

[grweldon]

First off, I'll say the first song I ever recorded sounded much worse than that. It was a cover tune even!

I'll agree with the previous poster's remarks about everything, especially the potential that the song has. The other big point with me, as was mentioned previous, the timing varys greatly to the point of being distracting.

One other thing that I thought was strange was the very long fade on the end. Seems to me it should be about half (or less) of what it was.

I can't emphasize enough though about the originality of the song and how good it could be. Try the previous poster's comments out and re-record/re-mix and post again. I'd like to hear.

 

[Llarion]

SONG: Don't Leave Me
I did this on a day at home once we got some recording equipment, just basic stuff, MBox, NT1-A and a computer, ofcourse a guitar and amp aswell. I didn't do much mixing to the track, but enough to make a difference. www.mp3.com.au/leonblair
Check out my mate Dave's recording www.mp3.com.au/davetran
Take into consideration we're both only 16

The vocal harmonies show a lot of great ideas, but man it's pitchy. It's important to be in tune, emotion and age aside. I also agree that you want to make sure timing is on the money. Record a click track first, then play to it. It doesn't have to be in your final mix, but having solid meter sends an invisible message to your listeners that you know what you're doing.

When guys that are old and fart dust like me were sixteen, the recording technology available to me was two boomboxes, doing sound on sound. Now, pro and near-pro gear is avaailable cheap-cheap, but the trap you fall in at sixteen is that a clean recording doesn't mask ANY nuances of iffy performances. Back in the day, we could get away with stuff because of tape hiss, and because nobody was recording at all basically; so novelty worked in our favor. Not so much here, because you hear EVERYTHING in the recording, good or bad.

My advice to you is:
First and foremost: KEEP WRITING! You do have the gift, and it can provide a lifetime of joy and a decent living if you hone the craft.
Second: practice, practice, practice!!! Get the shops in order, get a metronome, and just listen to it click all the time, you gotta just BEAT good meter into your head. listen, listen, listen, play, play, play.
Third: don't be discouraged that you're not pumping out pro level stuff at sixteen. Nearly nobody, not even some 16 year old pros, does that.
Fourth; invest in a good vocal coach. That's not a slam on ya at all; it's a serious interest in your development, because I like the sound and the tone of your voice, but you're having a hard time holding pitch, and it sounds like a breath control issue. I bet if you spend six lessons with a great vocal coach, your vox will improve 100%!

What is it that say down there; "Good on ya, mate"? Lots of potential, especially on the writing side. Keep plugging, you WILL get there!!!