R
RAMI
Guest
Actually, I was just responding to this:
Hold me.
My feelings were hurt and yours should be too.
Hold me.
R
RAMI
Guest
Awesome! What's the name of the band? Not that I think I would have heard of them, but you never know.
Steenamaroo
...
Actually, I was just responding to this:My feelings were hurt and yours should be too.
Hold me.
See, I was blissfully unaware of that, but now I don't know what to do.....
Bobbsy
Boring Old Git
They call themselves Star Hunters. Not exactly my style of music but they seem to be some kind of underground success in Montreal.
R
RAMI
Guest
Hmmm...Must be pretty under ground. I never heard of them on this side of the ground.
ashcat_lt
Well-known member
Here's a slightly different perspective:
Some of my favorite recordings - my own and other folks' - are actually pretty poor productions. Muddy or noisy or washy or thin. Some ARE amateur recordings, some are "pros" who didn't understand or care about what they were recording, some are just some fan recording a concert or whatever. Some of them really sound like the engineer did almost everything wrong. But you know what, I'm pretty damn glad that this stuff got recorded at all! How else would I have gotten to hear it?
I'll admit that I get into some pretty strange stuff sometimes. I suppose none of the "poor" recordings that I might mention were really top 10 hits, but some of it is considered classic, or seminal, or "required listening" in certain circles. Hell start back with Robert Johnson! Some of Hendrix's albums are almost unlistenable. Minor Threat, early Misfits and pretty much any other early punk group. Early JAMC. MBV's Loveless is a very challenging mix. Beck's early albums... The list just goes on and on. Heck, more people know and love the album I recorded on cassette 4-track which makes me cringe than the more recent "good" recordings!
Why? Because there was something worth recording to begin with. If you've got good songs, and can perform them as though you actually mean it, then they will withstand all kinds of production "sins". People who dig it will cherish it without caring about any of the nitpicky crap that's got you pulling your hair and spinning your wheels.
Some of my favorite recordings - my own and other folks' - are actually pretty poor productions. Muddy or noisy or washy or thin. Some ARE amateur recordings, some are "pros" who didn't understand or care about what they were recording, some are just some fan recording a concert or whatever. Some of them really sound like the engineer did almost everything wrong. But you know what, I'm pretty damn glad that this stuff got recorded at all! How else would I have gotten to hear it?
I'll admit that I get into some pretty strange stuff sometimes. I suppose none of the "poor" recordings that I might mention were really top 10 hits, but some of it is considered classic, or seminal, or "required listening" in certain circles. Hell start back with Robert Johnson! Some of Hendrix's albums are almost unlistenable. Minor Threat, early Misfits and pretty much any other early punk group. Early JAMC. MBV's Loveless is a very challenging mix. Beck's early albums... The list just goes on and on. Heck, more people know and love the album I recorded on cassette 4-track which makes me cringe than the more recent "good" recordings!
Why? Because there was something worth recording to begin with. If you've got good songs, and can perform them as though you actually mean it, then they will withstand all kinds of production "sins". People who dig it will cherish it without caring about any of the nitpicky crap that's got you pulling your hair and spinning your wheels.
miroslav
Cosmic Cowboy
Then, of course, you can talk to Miro about mastering!
The guy to talk to is John/Massive Mastering.
My approach to "mastering" is do as best a mix as possible...and then don't screw it up trying to master it into something else.
Oh....and props to Jimmy, RAMI, Steen, ashcat, Bobbsy, kip for posting all their great advice.
grimtraveller
If only for a moment.....
grimtraveller
If only for a moment.....
I have alot of sympatico with this viewpoint ~ but with the very clear caveat that as home recorders, we should be aiming to produce stuff that someone would actually want to listen to.
Chasing technical perfection seems to me to be a choice ~ as is not making the effort to record and mix songs well. While one should not be doing things to satisfy everyone else {I always say, however a recording comes out, the rest of the world hears it that way and if you like the song, that's what matters, not the foibles of how 1000 others would have done it}, neither should one deliberately put out shit and call it lo~fi because they couldn't be bothered to present something clear and enjoyable that was recorded well and mixed creatively.
It's often worth adding that at every stage in the history of recorded music/sound, there has been a large scope in terms of the quality of recordings. Some bands, artists, engineers, producers and mastering engineers are/were simply better than others. For instance, the quality of recordings of the Rolling Stones in the 60s is really poor. Fortunately, many of the songs are stellar.
And so it goes on.
grimtraveller
If only for a moment.....
Yeah.
1. Learn patience. In order to learn it, you must be put into many frustrating situations. Then you need to be put into more to have it tested. Then you need even more to excercize it. Soon you will experience it with the wisdom to know that you'll get over it.....eventually.
2. Also remember that while you still breathe, the story has not reached it's conclusion.
3. Practice makes permanent.
IllAdvised
Banned
I most definitely intend to treat the room and understand the importance of it. However, being a college student just trying to make ends meet, I don't think I can afford $400 all at once. For now, recording vocals is probably the most important aspect I need to tackle as far as getting things sounding as good as possible. So, whether that means recording in a closet or making some sort of makeshift booth or barrier until I can afford to treat the room completely, any suggestions would be much appreciated.
JimmyS1969
MOODerator
Ok, well your budget, is going to be the crutch, that will make it really tough to get what you are wanting/expecting.
Please, do not even think about going into a closet, for quality vocal tracks. That is likely the most highly ridiculous thing, that Youtube videos/internet BS, has ever promoted. The absolute only benefit of using a smaller space to record vocals, is if there is some need to hide from outside noises, or feel embarrassed singing in front of others. Either way, the amount of treatment/isolation expense, to make this actually work well, would be likely $3,000, if the space was even large enough to make it happen.
Regarding the 'makeshift booth, or barrier', there are many threads about reflection filters, that many have had good things to say about. This is however, not going to make your room sound better, while mixing. Probably help a bunch with the actual recording of your vocals, but you are still in the same (most UN-desireable) room.
You could build two of the panels that I did, and hang them from the ceiling, or mount them on mic stands, for the price you would spend on one of these 'Reflection Filters'. I actually still use this technique in my studio, even though the room is already treated. I just take two of the panels from my drum room, to place in this scenario. Then, you are two panels further, into getting it right from the start.
Look at the pics on my website. You can kind of see what I am doing there.
TimN
New member
What jimmys69 said about the bass traps--I've made dozens of them, and when I finally treated the dining room I was recording (and mixing) in, the difference was remarkable. Are you handy? Absolutely treat that room. The traps can be built cheaply, but if you're not "handy," well then. I used to sing in a basement that was concrete floors and walls--I hung a bunch of blankets up at that place, and it definitely helped. I now stack and arrange the panels so that I'm mostly enclosed. I've got them in all the corners, behind the monitors, etc. They're light, easy to move, and on the bigger ones (5' x 2'), I put hinges on so that they open and close like a screen.
IllAdvised
Banned
What type of material would I need to do this and is there a guide somewhere?
JimmyS1969
MOODerator
Studio Building & Display forum here man. There are so many options, as to what to start with, that I could not even start.
Ok, I will start anyway. Roxul 80 is the cheapest-bang for the buck material. OC703, is a bit better, more rigid, and makes building frames for them, a bit easier. Not the best as far as price for benefit is concerned IME.
Where you live, and whether there is a supplier close to you, will have a lot to do with your cost. Also, your skills, and tools available, will either make things not worth doing yourself, or save you a bunch of money.
Hell, if you lived in Denver, I would help you build your room treatments for beer and pizza....