Rookie - Looking for tips

[monte428]

Here's my first attempt at recording. Looking for some good advice and comments on what I've done so far.

I'm running everything through Cakewalk's Guitar Tracks Pro 2. Guitar and bass are run through a solid state Crate (clean) direct to the software. Effects are all software sims, drums are loops.

The song is just a short, slow rock-ish instrumental. Geared more towards recording than actual songwriting.

http://www.soundclick.com/util/getplayer.m3u?id=4182176&q=hi

(Also not entirely sure that link will work, so let me know (as I'm sure you will))

 

[ido1957]

Nice slow rocking groove on this one.

Excellent playing and effects on the guitar - not bad for direct/ss - Crate sounds like a nice amp. Might add some more mids/lows to the guitar to give it some thickness.

Drums could use some more punch to make this more powerful.

The bass is a bit dynamic - meaning the levels are up and down a bit.

I would also reclassify this under guitar or rock instrumentals, I think "beats general" is for hip hop.

Biggest problem - it's way too short I could enjoy much more of this......

 

[SnakeDog5050]

Nice listen and playing. Mixwise, I think Ido1457's review pretty much hit it on the head. Just wanted to add that the overall volume is very low and I had to turn this way up. You may want to try and track louder, get more direct signal in. Or you could raise the volume and/or use some compression on the final mix by sending everything through the GTP bus (I use GTP too)
Good stuff

 

[monte428]

Thanks guys for the compliments and the advice. Very much appreciated.

I noticed also that the bass was rather 'dynamic' but have not had great success in smoothing that out just yet. Still working on it.

As for the overall volume, I seem to be struggling with that on GTP. I set my recording volume so that my max signal is just below the red line. Still all green. And I expect to see a wave form that fills the track, but it always seems low. Am I missing something? Maybe I'll go to the Cakewalk section and look around.

But thanks again guys.

 

[Calwood]

I agree with the first two replies regarding mixing.

My advice,....keep this tune in mind when you go to write something complete. This has alot of potential.

Take 'er easy,..
Calwood

 

[jpw23]

Nice slow rocking groove on this one.

Excellent playing and effects on the guitar - not bad for direct/ss - Crate sounds like a nice amp. Might add some more mids/lows to the guitar to give it some thickness.

Drums could use some more punch to make this more powerful.

The bass is a bit dynamic - meaning the levels are up and down a bit.

I would also reclassify this under guitar or rock instrumentals, I think "beats general" is for hip hop.

Biggest problem - it's way too short I could enjoy much more of this......

What he said......as far as low signals.....are you using any preamps, outboard mixer...ect,ect.....I use gtp3 and a mackie 1202 and have no problems with levels.

 

[Greg_L]

Here's my first attempt at recording. Looking for some good advice and comments on what I've done so far.

I'm running everything through Cakewalk's Guitar Tracks Pro 2. Guitar and bass are run through a solid state Crate (clean) direct to the software. Effects are all software sims, drums are loops.

The song is just a short, slow rock-ish instrumental. Geared more towards recording than actual songwriting.

http://www.soundclick.com/util/getplayer.m3u?id=4182176&q=hi

(Also not entirely sure that link will work, so let me know (as I'm sure you will))

pretty cool song. im far far far from an expert, but it sounds 'thin' to me. the whole thing needs some bottom end beefing up. i know a guy that uses a crate head and he also goes direct into cakewalk and he gets that same thin kind of tone. no biggee, just beef it up with the EQ's. the song is cool though and you played it well. it just needs some minor tweaking in my humble opinion. overall good job though.