What the DMP-3 sounds like (for my set-up, anyway)

  • Thread starter Thread starter BJW
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BJW

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Hey,

I just got a DMP-3 and finished recording a new song with it. I used a stereo pair of MXL 603s's on the acoustic guitar and a SP C1 for vocals, all through the dmp3 and into a delta44. The drums and bass are programmed.

Song is "The Way It Has To Be"
Link: http://www.acidplanet.com/artist.asp?songs=261004&T=7725

If you want a bit of a comparison. Two songs below it ("Something Better (Drum Loop Version)") is basically the same thing. . . acoustic guitar, vocals, and a drum track. The pre-amps used on that one were the behringer mx series pre's. The mic's were different, to, which might cause more of a difference in sound. Anyway, if you listen to both songs, it's immediately appearant which one is better in sound quality.
 
What monitors are you using? The guitars sound awfully shrill to me. Way too bright for my taste, so I can't say anything about actual sound quality.
 
Halion said:
What monitors are you using?
Click to expand...

Even PS5's - not that great, but better than the cheapie computer speakers I was using.

Any suggestions on how to "thicken" up the sound? Maybe some reverb?
 
it's hard to tell since we don't know what else you did to the mix. i'm interested in getting the DMP3 too but a good preamp can fall apart with bad mixing. i'd be interested in hearing it without any processing at all.
Guitars have too much strumming sound. Try and capture more of the low end of the guitar...more toward the tone hole. Watch some of the pitches on the vocals too. There's a bunch of places you sway in and out of tune. Thanks for doing this test though. :cool:
 
Hey BJW,

I also own a DMP3. It is my main preamp. I also upgraded from a Behringer MX series mixer. In my opinion the DMP3 is noticeably better. I've read opinions from others that think the difference is not that big a deal, but to me it is.

I also found your mix to be a little thin. I have not heard the mics you used in person, only on other clips. But they both have a reputation for being bright.

Please let us know what other processing you used, if any. And also, the brand and type of acoustic guitar, and mic positioning.

Using only a reverb would not help to thicken the sound. You would be merely causing those highs to reverberate and maybe make matters worse.
But if you put a reverb in the chain, and then an eq on the same buss, and drop the highs down on the eq, this could help. But first give attention to eq-ing the original signal.

Don't know what your level of experience is, but mic placement could be an issue hear (pun intended) as well.

Also, as an aside, I have heard other users of Acid Planet complain abut the poor sound of MP3s from that site. Is the clip pretty close to your original sound?
 
Guitar: Takamine FD 360sc

Mic positioning: X/Y set-up, in front of the 15th 16th-ish frets. The mic's are about 12 to 16 inches in front of the guitar, due to my small recording space (see below)

Processing: I EQ'd it a bit. . .little boost in the highs and little cut in the mids. I like the "clicky" sound of the pick on the strings, and I like the presence of the high's - just my preference. I also compressed it a little.


*here's probably where my downfall is - I live in a niosy house with wooden floors, so I bought some twin sized egg crates and tacked them up to the walls and cieling in my closet. Clothes hang on either side and the front and back walls are treated with the egg crate. On the floor I scatter shoes/dirty clothes/anything I can find to break up the sound. It's pretty dead, but I'm sure much better results would come with a better room.
 
I say this not to be rude but to help. Your voice is a bit out of tune. Especially the low note on "do you believe in ME." The song has potential though. To fatten up your guitar sound, record another track and layer them.
 
pdadda said:
I say this not to be rude but to help. Your voice is a bit out of tune. Especially the low note on "do you believe in ME." The song has potential though. To fatten up your guitar sound, record another track and layer them.
Click to expand...
Sounds like you guys are focusing more on the performance, more then the sound of the pre. The pre is what we are supposed to be listening too, not this guys performance. I know mic placement is half the battle to getting a good sound for guitars so maybe thats what you should be commiting on more so then this guys performance or abilities. With poor mic placement it doesnt give the pre its justice. As stated earlier a bad mix can destroy the true sound of the pre. Thats my 2 cents for what its worth.


peace
Eddie
 
I'm with Pro Tools User. I posted the song more to give an example of the pre, but I appreciate all the comments about the performance, too. Perhaps the MP3 mixing clinic is the proper place for comments about performance, etc, and I did post there, so I like the performance comments as well. I know that the vocals are a bit out of tune, especially the "me" in "believe in me" the first time I sang it. I didn't do too many takes, so I can re-do them and make them better. I might try doubling up on them, too. The song is sort of a work in progress, not at all a finished product. I just wanted to post before I process the sound much so the sound of the pre could be heard.
 
What would you guys (or girls) suggest as far as mic placement? Maybe one mic on the bridge and one mic towards the sound hole and blend them? I'm going to try that one, too.
 
The guitar sounds compressed. Or you eq'd the fat out of it. The 603's already have a bright sound or a high mid as I've heard them here w/ my stuff. It's hard to tell the sound of the pre in this case.

I was interested in this b/c I'd like to get a stereo pre, since i'm using 2 different tube singles, and the dmp3 is on my list.

I usually don't compress acoustic guitar. But your track does have clarity for sure.
 
If you layer it your problem with keeping tune will become more obvious. I wonder how we can discuss teh soudn of the preamp without taking into account the performance?
 
Instead of XY, try AB, and further back. I found that while I used to think that putting the mics a bit further away would give me way not enough punch, it actually sounds alot better that way. Try moving them further away then you normally would, and make sure you point 1 of the mics near or even at the neck of the guitar. That way, you get alot of click, but still some nice mids aswell. If you don't like the mids, try to stay way from the eq, but instead, mix more of the other mic in (it should be pointed somewhere between the bridge and the very end of the guitar body). If you encounter any phase problems, try lining the two signals up in your editing software (if you have that option). That should help a whole lot.

Also, I have found that recording in a poorly treated room result in mid-heavy reverb (not too much, but pretty noticable). If you don't like those mids, try hanging towels everywhere you can.
 
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