Recording on my laptop - need some feedback

  • Thread starter Thread starter Shaky Tee
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Shaky Tee

Between being and nothing
Hey all!

I've FINALLY upgraded this machine, installed some new sound software, whethered some nasty crashes, and am now ready to road test this puppy.

Over the last couple of months, I've been working on a tune on my Palm Pilot (which may account for the lack of nuance in the instrumentation, which I will fix later). I've hot synced both music and lyrics over to my laptop, tweaked the midi files just a bit (for channel usage and the like), audtioned samples for it on VSampler, rendered midi files to wave with Audio Compositor using said samples, mixed them in N-Track and added vocals (using a voice that's currently getting over a rotten cold, as well as using a cheapy headset mic, so please forgive me on that front. Can't belt anything right now).

Using Audio Compositor, I was able to render 24-bit files, and with N-Track, despite the 16-bit vocal file, I was able to render a 24-bit mixdown file.

What I want to know is does all this really matter? Does this sound like ANYTHING approaching professional quality? Yes, the vocals suck, but does everything else sound reasonably well off? Or will I have to just give up home recording when I go on the road and have to put together some cash when I hit a larger studio.

Here's the file. Have at it.



Thanks, all!
 
Shaky,

Hey there again!

I thought it sounded well balanced overall. It just suffers from MIDI drum-itis. The bass parts, too. It just sounds a touch too canned. But the effort involved in trying to make MIDI drum parts sound truly real is just so great... I myself am never up to it. I've gotten spoiled from playing around with loops made from snippets of real drummers...

So professional, as in what ou would expect from a CD? -- No. But certainly well done and well balanced, very good for a home project --especially off a laptop. Get that vocal down it'll be a terrific demo.

-AlChuck
 
Sound quality-wise, I think that you've got something worth working with. I would definately spend more time with those MIDI instructions though: as you mentioned give them more nuance. Neat tune, too. I can hear it all dressed up and it sounds really good.

You've got my curiousity WAY piqued....you did WHAT on a PALM PILOT???? Programmed in MIDI? What program are you using and what model Palm?

Definately don't give up on homerecording on the laptop. I'm using a Toshiba 600Mhz celeron laptop upgraded to 192M ram. Works wonders for me, and I can play with my tunes on the plane, listen to mixes on the drive home, and impress everyone with a big mixing screen and flashing lights. :D Not as upgradeable as a desktop, but well worth it as a road worthy scratch pad and demo machine.

Take care,
Chris
 
Shaky....

Love your Songwriting.... it sounds sort of modern folky, maybe even a bit Tori amos....That piano sound has to go!...... sound like my baby sons little toy piano....... but then and again you may have wanted that effect.

Like ALCHUCK said..... "Pro?.......Not really...... Decent?... YEAH!

You are going in a great direction! (especially with your songwriting)

Joe
 
hey all!!

Thanks all for the comments.

Al, actually, I didn't spend much time with the drum patterns. I've just developed an understanding as to where the keys on a keyboard, or notes on a scale would correlate to drum patterns in MIDI. That and the palm software helped me out as well. I just can't stand the fact that I export the stuff, and it comes out EXTREMELY quantized (which accounts for Voxvendor's comment about the "Toy Piano"sound - no, I didn't intend for it to come out that way...grr!!)

As for the pro-vs-home studio argument, I guess what I'm trying to go after is that sound which doesn't sound like it was done through a soundcard, or that it was obvious that it was done in someone's bedroom. ;). If it sound like I'm going in the right direction, then I'm just go there then. :)

Oh, and Chris, the site where I got the palm composing software is here:

http://www.minimusic.com

I LOVE this program. I've been utilizing it and a Yamaha MU-5 on my LONG commutes to work these days.
 
I actually thought that the vocals were the best part of the mix. Really cool singing IMHO.

As far as the music...well it does sound very MIDI. The only way to not sound "MIDI" is to make sure that every instrument you include sounds great and at least somewhat realistic, even if it's not supposed to mimic a real instrument. The inclusion of a simple fakey hi-hat can ruin the whole sound. In this mix there are a lot of typical MIDI sounding instruments going. It sounds computerized and narrow. The only thing giving it width is the piano, which was kind of dry, and each note sounded identical.

I did really like the piano riff. I especially like how it seems to come in early. Very nice.

I'm not sure what you mean by professional. No I don't think this was even close to "big time" professional...but I'm not sure what you expected. I think that for the fact that you created it on a palm pilot it's pretty cool. As far as the sound of the recording itself...it's not hard to get a "perfect" sound when you're working with MIDI instruments. I think that with better instruments and more attention to the low end and overall width of the mix, you could certainly create some great sounding mixes.

I don't think you should give up on home recording! The more time you spend at this the better you'll get. Even if you don't get the quality you want, you'll at least have some complete ideas to work from when you do hit the studio.

Slackmaster 2000
 
shakey,

I am digging that piano . Really clean. Nice space around it.
Nice bass sound. Also nice space around it.
Tight drum sounds.

as far as the vocal. It has a vintage sound to it it, but Its not really in the same room as the other instruments.

I like the mix. I think you should put the vox in a slightly bigger space and mybe add some highs to it.
THis is because you asked though. If I had been presented this mix on a cd I would have no complaints at all.
When can we listen to the full version.

keep it up.
 
sounds ok to me I don't know what you're talking about.

It reminds me of Frank Sinatra in an opium induced system override and trans gender kind of way. I really like music in general and this is no exception. Professional recordings are overrated anyway, and you don't get to come here and talk about you recordings not recorded at home, otherwise you're not home recording, and that is considered passe here at homerecording.com. Why would you want to emulate that passe "professional" sound anyway? People who want to be "professional" are wannabes. Of course if you suceed then that is something all together different, and you should certainly help me out. My suggestion is that if you want to sound professional, keep it a secret and take notes when you can. Otherwise you should always act like this is the way you wanted it to sound, and anyone who critiques it is obviously too braindead to recognize the artistry in your creation and this is the new "in" sound.

imho
 
rats said:
sounds ok to me I don't know what you're talking about.

People who want to be "professional" are wannabes. Of course if you suceed then that is something all together different, and you should certainly help me out. My suggestion is that if you want to sound professional, keep it a secret and take notes when you can. Otherwise you should always act like this is the way you wanted it to sound, and anyone who critiques it is obviously too braindead to recognize the artistry in your creation and this is the new "in" sound.
Click to expand...

This makes no sense to me... If people are trying to get the level of quality that a "professional" recording has, It's not the fact of being a wannabe, it's a fact of acheiving the equal excellence.

Just because she want's to sound proffesional doesn't mean she's a wannabe.... it means that she wants her music to sound like commercial recordings....and that is her choice.

You said...
"You should act like this is the way you wanted it".......

Ahh so we know your trick now Rats!:)

You have to have a level of honesty, at least to yourself, if not to others

She was asking our opinion, and we are all here to better ourselves and help others...... statements like the one above, are not helping this cause......
 
voxxy your ability to recognize satire is impeachable. Now go tweak your sonic maximizer.
 
rats said:
voxxy your ability to recognize satire is impeachable. Now go tweak your sonic maximizer.
Click to expand...


So, impeach me then, for calling you on your post.

Your statement about sonic maximizers further proves my above point....

Utter sillyness...

You don't know me, so how would you even know if I have one..(Which, I don't.... They're for people who can't get it right in the mix)....What brand is yours?;)

Thats all for this thread!.... I could go on, and on, back and forth for a week, but I have recording to to do.

Joe
 
I lied.... One more message

If you were Just using satire, thats cool, but be a tad more overt about it, I mean after all us Canadians are dumb, and you should expect to be questioned on it....

Throw in a smilie here or there for us slow people.

No hard feelings.

Joe
 
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