Newbie needing help :( Thanks for any help.

  • Thread starter Thread starter JerryD
  • Start date Start date
JerryD

JerryD

New member
Hi all,

I'm getting back into recording and I have some questions along with
a song that I just recorded. Any advice you could give me would be greatly appreciated. I'll try to provide some of my equipment below. I would like to know what I need or what I'm doing wrong. I just need some information on where to go next. The link to my song is below.

,Jerry

http://www.archive.org/details/Drive_354

Equipment

O/S = Windows XP
MIC = Marshall MXL 2003
Sound Card = Lynx one
Mixer Mackie 1202 VLZ
My monitor speakers are cheap PC speakers and a cheap headphones.
Reaper
Ibanez Electric guitar and bass
I run both the guitar and bass through a Vox tonelab before the mixer.
Sample Drums
 
You're not doing anything wrong...just making scads of newbie errors like:

overprocessing

inability to keep objective ears

under-appreciating little things like how a bass drum and bass guitar work together.

being satisfied with weak melody, phrasing, and word choice in a lead vocal...that is, not understanding how it can be improved.

Etc.

What you can do right is make and ruin a hundred more records over a couple years.....and listen to professional recordings along the way, with acute ears, and apply what you learn to your own productions. Read and study all you can about music and recording. In a few years, you should be pumping out 1st rate stuff....if you work every day at it, and don't give up from frustration.

Not my advice.....just passing along what I was told when I started by real engineer/producers with gold records, checks coming in the mail, and teaching positions in expensive recording arts schools. All three had the same advice for me that I pass along to you. And it works.
 
Thanks.

Thanks for the honest feedback. I think you're right about all of those. The overprocessing is because I don't know how to use the software correctly. Compression is lost on me and it seems the more buttons I have the worse it gets. Thanks again for your feedback and I will use it to improve.
 
I'm only a couple years ahead of you. And from the beginning I was always told to leave the damn tracks alone. The tough thing is doing nothing until the whole recording is done and ready to mix....y' start playing with stuff that's intended to fix deficient tracks...and use it to destroy good work...with the best of intentions. All those buttons and knobs....they beckon...like Sirens on the rocks. I'm still doing it! But I'm getting better! So much to learn...and experience. Only one way: Do It! And Do It..........and do it....
 
You have potential, Jerry and you are not too far away from a good sound.

The first knob you need to restrain yourself from overusing is the verb.

Turn up the verb until you can just notice that it's there and then turn it down a bit.

Also, I think your affected speech is a vampire in your phrases. Everyone is trying to be so cool that there is no room in the world for just plain people.

I would start there. Just be a person. Then someone might be interested in what you have to say.

I wrote a book on the subject. "The Little Shop of Lyrics."

That makes me an authority. When I take my book into a coffee shop with three dollars, I can get a cup of coffee.

That makes me a consumer.

Wig:)
 
Thanks

You have potential, Jerry and you are not too far away from a good sound.

The first knob you need to restrain yourself from overusing is the verb.

Turn up the verb until you can just notice that it's there and then turn it down a bit.

Also, I think your affected speech is a vampire in your phrases. Everyone is trying to be so cool that there is no room in the world for just plain people.

I would start there. Just be a person. Then someone might be interested in what you have to say.

I wrote a book on the subject. "The Little Shop of Lyrics."

That makes me an authority. When I take my book into a coffee shop with three dollars, I can get a cup of coffee.

That makes me a consumer.

Wig:)


Thanks so much for the feedback. My first goal in my journey is not to ever say you know I'm okay with my sound. I always want to be improving somewhere. I know I mumble alot when I talk and mabye that is going into my singing some. When you said "Also, I think your affected speech is a vampire in your phrases" did you mean that I'm mumbling alot.... I know this song is not the greatest but since it's my latest song I thought it would be a good starting off point to improve in everything from song writing to recording it. Thanks for your feedback I realy do appreciate it and I think this site is great because it brings like minded people together to help each other improve.
 
Back
Top