Ok mastering gurus. What would you do with this?

[guitarhunny]

I'm not expecting to become an engineer nor do I really have a desire to do so. If I had the money to spend on a true engineer I would gladly do so and not feel any remorse for not doing any of it myself. I am a singer/songwriter foremost and all I want is something that does my talent justice enough to move on to the next level which is getting people to listen. I am my own worst critique and a lot of times my worst enemy when it comes to progression.

I agree with everything that has been said here and it is very hard to accept that I can't have and do it all. I have a hard time with limitations of any kind. After all I am spoiled and a perfectionist.

How far away from just having something that doesn't make me sound bad am I? I ask this question here because I am a poor judge of my own material and who better to tell you the truth than strangers online.

 

[Blue Bear Sound]

GH - musically, I think your material is quite good... the only issue is the sound quality of the tracking/mixing....... if all you're trying to do is get your musical ideas across, then you're fine..... but if you're trying to achieve well-recorded songs then you've got quite a bit more work ahead (and I don't mean that in a negative way - it's just that I agree with Chess -- musicians/songwriters create songs -- engineers help realize the songwriter's musical vision on recordable media -- two completely different sets of skills, both of them art!)

 

[guitarhunny]

I completely respect the engineer art! I wouldn't ask for help if I didn't. I wish I could put one of you guys and all of your expertise in my pocket and take you home. I don't have a problem taking the time to learn I just wish it were easier and more excessible to put it all together (don't we all). Please excuse the frustration I am an artist trying to pull double duty to get to the next level which so far has elluded me.

 

[chessrock]

Well, you do have one thing going for you that a lot of people don't. And it's the simple fact that you're just plain good. You know your way around the guitar real well, and your voice is just as strong.

It doesn't take a slick-sounding demo in order for that to come across. If all you're looking for is something decent / acceptable, it wouldn't be difficult to do. All you'd really have to focus on, honestly, would be getting in a decent sounding room with some decent mics. It wouldn't take a genious engineer to make you sound good. Just someone who knows how to point mics, hit record, and otherwise get out of the way.

Same for the mixing: Ditch the effects and EQ. Focus instead on getting in a good room or venue and simply "documenting" what's happening there. It's an Albini approach, obviously, but it's probably the simplest and least expensive route for someone in your situation.

 

[caryindy]

Awesome performance. If you could just get that guitar recorded properly, this would be killer.
I couldn't resist playing around a bit. This is a quickey, but I felt it was more in the ballpark of what was needed.

 

[kylen]

Awesome performance. If you could just get that guitar recorded properly, this would be killer.
I couldn't resist playing around a bit. This is a quickey, but I felt it was more in the ballpark of what was needed.

Hey that sounds really good caryindy - what did you do ?

 

[kylen]

Oh - I see you downloaded the wav files and did a remix - still sounds good ! hehe, I thought you remastered it - I can sleep now...

Just the same - any mixing notes of interest you'd like to share ?

 

[guitarhunny]

Caryindy,

Now you have to tell me what you used, what you did, etc. So I can make a comparison. (if you don't mind)

 

[guitarhunny]

Seriously, I am sitting here comparing my mix with this mix and wondering what is wrong with me and how on earth is this accomplished? I am officially put to shame. How did you get the meat into the mix? It sounds so much more full!

 

[Jimmie]

Here's another quickie remix

 

[strmkr]

Dadgummit, I'm at work tonight or I'd be fiddling with a mix of my own. Damn job

Something you are going to find that is going to be critical to gettng good sounds is going to be a monitor setup so you can accurately hear back what you're putting on the recording. They don't have to be Meyer HD-1's or anything, just a solid set of nearfields.

A lot of times at the mix stage, it isnt what you do, but what you dont do, especially if you captured it well at the recording stage.


Good luck, your playing and singing are fabulous.

nice remixes, guys!

 

[Jimmie]

I second the motion on Studio Monitors, I use Yorkville YSM's not exactly "flat" sounding like they say but for a few hundred bucks there worth it.

I have a pair for sale!? Wound up with 2 pairs somehow ... you'd think I had money to throw around. Guess that's why I wanna sell them?

 

[guitarhunny]

This is fantastic!!! I have two incredible mixes already to compare with my own! And all I can say is thank you! I didn't even know this was done here. I've never had such a "home studio high" before. Now I have to know how it was done?

 

[guitarhunny]

I completely agree about the monitors. I am so sick of the computor speakers I have been using! I'll have to get out and perform so I can save some monitor money.

 

[Jimmie]

try that one guitarhunny I ditched the echo on that note and fixed my uploading problem that cut off the ending of the song.

I still feel that there is "level" automation adjustments that could still be made with the vocals. That would take a bit to pick it apart tho.

I need sleep ...

 

[Jimmie]

I am tired I uploaded the same one again ... oops

brb give me a sec ...

 

[Jimmie]

try that link now ...

if it don't work this time .. I quit .. haha

 

[guitarhunny]

Thank you, again!!! Really. Have a good night.

 

[csharp]

I like the new mixdown. The guitar is a little bit to much left heavy, but only really noticible headphones.

 

[caryindy]

Caryindy,

Now you have to tell me what you used, what you did, etc. So I can make a comparison. (if you don't mind)

Your vocal recording is great, so there's no problem there. The main issue is with the acoustic. I really just cut lots of the upper mids and shelved a few db of highs @ around 7k. Listening to my remix, there is some distortion that I didn't notice last night. I had a compressor plug in on the guitar and thats propabably where it's coming from. As I said, it was late. I had a bit of reverb (too much, IMO) on the guitar and vocal.

I'm willing to bet that if you were to record your acoustic with a mic, even the SM58, you'd get better results than the piezo direct. Aim the mic as Bluebear sugested.

I'm glad you're happier with the results, but I wouldnt feel bad about your mixes. Everyone has given you really good advice - you must get a set of monitors. Worse case, a good set of home stereo speakers over cheep computer speakers. Once you get monitors, you need to do some listening to good reference material to train your ears to what sounds 'good'. Compare your mixes to your reference material.

Keep going, keep posting, keep adjusting your methods. It will get there.