tithe song
- Thread starter ndxs
- Start date
studioviols
New member
Cheated of vocals
Tithe Song
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Vocals are too low in the mix. But you know this.
Your vocal is going to sit way on top of a strong mix like this and be very, very effective.
Send all the instruments to one bus and compress that bus so that it NEVER peaks above the vocal's bus meter. This is how the pro's do it. And I want you to sound like a pro.
As a singer-songwriter, recording producer you fall deep, deep into the trap of thinking that because your vocal is generally soft, and unobtrusive ... that it should be mixed that way.
That is exactly the wrong thinking.
Your vocal's delicacy in some ways become an OUTSTANDING hook when you lower the instruments around your vocal, and bring the level of the entire mix up with normalization.
Think of the great blues singers ... think of those with vocal qualities like yours, they are mixed WAY WAY out on top of the mix.
Look at the meters, the meters of the instruments are 'PEAKING' above the vocals in some places and that means that these instruments are LOUDER than the vocal.
When a meter on an instrument is at the same level as a vocal that has softer, gentler qualities ... that means the instrument is MUCH LOUDER than the vocal, that does not mean it is the same relative volumen.
We deserve to hear this song and all the words, and understand the words with NO STRUGGLE.
It's wonderful little song, and a real improvement over your last posting.
Hell the words are really, really clever, it's great material.
Don't CHEAT us on your vocals or the lyrics in this song.
OK ... in the beginning, the vocals are ok, but I'm talking about an overall mixing concept ... to have your vocal ride WAY out front and WAY on top.
You deserve it, and we as the homerecording.com audience deserve it.
A lyrically driven song like this demands that type of vocal mixing philosophy.
Listen to how Chris Harris does this, he's a master at it.
Tithe Song
-----------------
Vocals are too low in the mix. But you know this.
Your vocal is going to sit way on top of a strong mix like this and be very, very effective.
Send all the instruments to one bus and compress that bus so that it NEVER peaks above the vocal's bus meter. This is how the pro's do it. And I want you to sound like a pro.
As a singer-songwriter, recording producer you fall deep, deep into the trap of thinking that because your vocal is generally soft, and unobtrusive ... that it should be mixed that way.
That is exactly the wrong thinking.
Your vocal's delicacy in some ways become an OUTSTANDING hook when you lower the instruments around your vocal, and bring the level of the entire mix up with normalization.
Think of the great blues singers ... think of those with vocal qualities like yours, they are mixed WAY WAY out on top of the mix.
Look at the meters, the meters of the instruments are 'PEAKING' above the vocals in some places and that means that these instruments are LOUDER than the vocal.
When a meter on an instrument is at the same level as a vocal that has softer, gentler qualities ... that means the instrument is MUCH LOUDER than the vocal, that does not mean it is the same relative volumen.
We deserve to hear this song and all the words, and understand the words with NO STRUGGLE.
It's wonderful little song, and a real improvement over your last posting.
Hell the words are really, really clever, it's great material.
Don't CHEAT us on your vocals or the lyrics in this song.
OK ... in the beginning, the vocals are ok, but I'm talking about an overall mixing concept ... to have your vocal ride WAY out front and WAY on top.
You deserve it, and we as the homerecording.com audience deserve it.
A lyrically driven song like this demands that type of vocal mixing philosophy.
Listen to how Chris Harris does this, he's a master at it.
FattMusiek
New member
I like your voice and the guitars, sound good to me. The bass drum is sharp and dull sounding in my opinion. (I'm tired, I apologize for the lame reply :-/ )
fattmusiek, thanks for the compliments. and when you're tired, you're tired
.
studioviols, again, that was a great (read informative and helpful) review. I'm still working on the first song I posted, thanks to your advice, and after having listened to this one so much, I'm afraid that once again, I lost perspective volume wise of my vocals.
I appreciate your taking the time to listen and critique my stuff.
thanks again
.studioviols, again, that was a great (read informative and helpful) review. I'm still working on the first song I posted, thanks to your advice, and after having listened to this one so much, I'm afraid that once again, I lost perspective volume wise of my vocals.
I appreciate your taking the time to listen and critique my stuff.
thanks again
Khompewtur
*Retired*
I listened to the mp3 but i think you've got a good voice for blues and solid guitarwork.
Maybe if you put up a description of your recording techniques used for this it might help people to offer adjustments as well.
Maybe if you put up a description of your recording techniques used for this it might help people to offer adjustments as well.
khompewtur,
thanks for the complimentxsz.
i'm recording to a fostex fd-8, acoustic guitar is a gibson mk53 I think, marshall mxl2001 mic for acoustic and vocals, epi lp thru line 6 flextone II amp direct into the fostex, behringer compressor on the vocals to tame louder stuff.
drums were miked w/ a shure prologue on the snare, mxl 2001 as right overhead, that sennheiser "sting" mic for the left overhead (for lack of any other condenser mic at my disposal) and a sm 58 on the bass drum.
tha bass gtr goes into the fostex via a tube mp.
after I mix it all to a cd burner via lightpipe, iI load it into sound forge 5 for a little tweeking and normalizing, and then........................................................................voila
a mediocre recording
anyways, it is fun.
thanks for the complimentxsz.
i'm recording to a fostex fd-8, acoustic guitar is a gibson mk53 I think, marshall mxl2001 mic for acoustic and vocals, epi lp thru line 6 flextone II amp direct into the fostex, behringer compressor on the vocals to tame louder stuff.
drums were miked w/ a shure prologue on the snare, mxl 2001 as right overhead, that sennheiser "sting" mic for the left overhead (for lack of any other condenser mic at my disposal) and a sm 58 on the bass drum.
tha bass gtr goes into the fostex via a tube mp.
after I mix it all to a cd burner via lightpipe, iI load it into sound forge 5 for a little tweeking and normalizing, and then........................................................................voila
a mediocre recording
anyways, it is fun.
studioviols
New member
bus compression
When mixing down, run all the instruments to one bus and chain the compressor to the instrument bus.
ride the fader on the vocal if needed, but do at least one mix with no compression on the vocal.
Or, you could make a copy of the vocal track, back it up to your computer. Do a destructive compressed mix on the vocal that remains on the fostex.
Use the compression on the instruments as a group.
Just try this.
When mixing down, run all the instruments to one bus and chain the compressor to the instrument bus.
ride the fader on the vocal if needed, but do at least one mix with no compression on the vocal.
Or, you could make a copy of the vocal track, back it up to your computer. Do a destructive compressed mix on the vocal that remains on the fostex.
Use the compression on the instruments as a group.
Just try this.
Toki987
Rock Steady
cool tune. sounds like and "almost live" jam. That sm58 on the kick will give you that "thoomp" on the kick instead of the "pok" sound if you back it up just a tad and let it hear the shell a little more and fatten the eq on it a little around 110. I like the loose feel. It needs a discernable bass part to give it a foundation too. It's prettty top heavy. Nice tune though, and could be a real kicking piece with a little work. And like Viol's said, compress the vocals more for consistency or ride the fader for the dropout parts.
Analytical Man
New member
Cool tune. Your voice is well suited for bluesy stuff. very well done. Pretty damn good. And your guitar work is impressive.
fprod south
Member
Good organic feel. The sparse production fits the song very well.
Drum kit is kind of heavy in the left speaker. I'd try to balance that a little better. Other than that, very cool.
Drum kit is kind of heavy in the left speaker. I'd try to balance that a little better. Other than that, very cool.
Khompewtur
*Retired*
Not sure if you're referring to the "Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster"
there was also the various permutations of "Jiinnantonnix" etc..
Now thanks to Sluice I cannot stop thinking about who should play Arthur Dent in the movie..
there was also the various permutations of "Jiinnantonnix" etc..
Now thanks to Sluice I cannot stop thinking about who should play Arthur Dent in the movie..
Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster
that's it. thanx. that was gonna keep bugging me. haven't read the book in many years and it was a loaner when I did read it.
fprod south, "organic", great adjective. Thankyou. I noticed that about the drums too. From now on, no mixing after midnight for me.
analytical man, compliments like yours are greatly appreciated, especially from someone as analytical as yourself
thanx.
toki987, thanks for the tip on th sm58. I know it's not the ideal mic for a kick drum.
studioviols, I guess I could mix the instruments down onto 2 tracks and comp them since the fostex doesn't have busses per say. I think this is what you mean. then keep the vocals seperate and mix them in at the end?
that's it. thanx. that was gonna keep bugging me. haven't read the book in many years and it was a loaner when I did read it.
fprod south, "organic", great adjective. Thankyou. I noticed that about the drums too. From now on, no mixing after midnight for me.
analytical man, compliments like yours are greatly appreciated, especially from someone as analytical as yourself
thanx.toki987, thanks for the tip on th sm58. I know it's not the ideal mic for a kick drum.
studioviols, I guess I could mix the instruments down onto 2 tracks and comp them since the fostex doesn't have busses per say. I think this is what you mean. then keep the vocals seperate and mix them in at the end?