What is missing on my recording? Please help the newbie :)

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pauloemanuel.ng

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Hey guys, I recently wrote an EP composed by songs with electric guitar and vocals only. I started recording my guitar tracks today and it is sounding atrocious so far... to say the least.

Please find them below (no 2 & 4 are probably the ones that were better played):

https://soundcloud.com/pauloemanuel/1a-1
https://soundcloud.com/pauloemanuel/2a-1
https://soundcloud.com/pauloemanuel/3a-1
https://soundcloud.com/pauloemanuel/4a-1
https://soundcloud.com/pauloemanuel/5a-1
https://soundcloud.com/pauloemanuel/4a-2

Besides the fact that I should stop letting the lower E string ring as often, what else could I do to improve it?

I'm guessing my mic placement could be better? Once I move it closer to the amp however, Logic Pro X starts giving me the indication that it is clipping (red!) and the Vox AC30 is not even that loud.

Please keep in mind I'm recording it with an AT2020 USB and I play a strat. The room is small and rented so unfortunately, I can't spend as much time there as I would like. Hence, wanting to be as prepared as I possibly can next time I have the chance to go there.

The little I know about recording is thanks to this forum, thanks a lot guys! I hope you can help me save my butt once again hehe

Paulo

P.s. - I don't know how to delete the thread I created in the "Newbies" section, which I guess was the incorrect one to place this issue. Sorry!
 
Hello Paulo,

Welcome to the forum. :) Many will help here.

My initial thoughts after first listening of the songs is that your instrument needs tuning. If that is not possible then it needs to be worked on or replaced. It will be hard for you to move forward if the base instrument for your tracks is the first flaw.
 
Hey Jimmy, thank you very much! You're right, I was too cocky. I'm buying a tuner and I'll make sure to bring it to my next recording. Is there anything else you think I should work upon? Mic placement?
 
Hard to say anything about that before it is in tune. Sorry, I have a 4 year old with a Disney princess guitar. As much as I love her, I have a hard time just listening when an instrument is out of tune.

Fix the tuning issue and come back for recording techniques and such. No offense, it just hard to even say just yet.


Best! :)
 
Not a problem, thanks for the honesty. I'm playing with the whammy bar all the time (ripping off My Bloody Valentine but without the distortion etc etc.) by the way, that probably doesn't help...
 
LOL! Probably not. But the fact you are asking says a bunch. Get your gear in order and work from there. :)
 
I agree with Jimmy. Get the guitar in order first off and your recordings will improve instantly. Even though the intonation on your guitar was off, I could still get a feel for what you were going for and I really liked it.
 
Sounds like a modulator of some kind to me on #4 putting it out of tune but tuning/intonation is apparently off in there too.
As far as recording on this one it's sounds consistent in level and the tone is fine for me. The chord patterns are cool, a busy piece but you pulled it off well despite the tuning issue.
:D:D:D:D
 
Thank you very much for your input guys, extremely helpful!

I've recorded a version of one of the tracks with the whammy bar and another wihout it. Both of them should be in tune. Please let me know if you think the issue was related to not being in tune, the whammy bar technique or both.

https://soundcloud.com/pauloemanuel/tremolo-2
https://soundcloud.com/pauloemanuel/plain

Also, do you notice a significant decline in the quality of the amp? I recorded this in my shitty Bugera VC15 while the ones I shared first were on a Vox AC30.

Edit: I have decided to wait until I go back to my country where I have my Jazzmaster Blacktop, a Fender Champion 600 and a dynamic mic to use in addition to the AT2020, to record the EP. If you have any further advice please let me know. Thanks a lot everyone!
 
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