Mobile Recording Project

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G-master G
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Re: Mobile Recording Project

Post by G-master G » Mon Dec 01, 2014 3:39 am

Here is a mix that I did Sunday morning. I haven't done any editing to tighten up the timing but I have just applied a bit of basic subtractive EQ and compression to each of the tracks.

http://soundcloud.com/g-master-g-1/lost ... 30/s-R3PPR

The intention was to give the kids something quick to keep them excited and to show them what is possible. I also wanted them to hear the vocal effect that I have created by adding a stereo delay to each vocal track, linking the repeat to the song's tempo and then panning the voice and the delay to opposite speakers. They like it on the choruses but don't want it it in the verses.

I also chopped out the guitar riff from the solo vocals because it just gets too much when played all the way through the song.

Please feel free to make comments, good bad or otherwise: sharing is improving. (That doesn't rhyme but it's the way I see the world and one of the reasons for doing this project in the first place).

Cheers all

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Anthony Alves
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Re: Mobile Recording Project

Post by Anthony Alves » Mon Dec 01, 2014 5:01 am

The track seems to be coming along. I would suggest less delay effect on the vocals. I would automate the delay to only come in on certain words and mostly at the end of a vocal line. The delay forces the listener to concentrate solely on the delay taking away from the vocal performance and lyrics. I would however suggest a shorter delay on the vocal with longer delays on certain words for effect. The guitar could use some fattening like chorus or a delay. Also try to change the guitar tone a couple of times in the song, maybe one for the verses and another for the chorus. I won't comment on overall balance and tone as that will come at the mastering stage. Good job and good luck. Cheers.
~~_/)~~~*

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martygras
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Re: Mobile Recording Project

Post by martygras » Mon Dec 01, 2014 11:39 am

Nice, what a great song. It's really coming together.
I noticed the drums are a bit muffled. Possibly just my computer monitors playing tricks on me, but It's probably just that you're in the middle of recording and this is a preliminary mix.
Marty Schulte [I'm a drummer. So, there's that.]
iPad AIR(128), Akai EIE, Akai EWI USB, illudium q-36 explosive space modulator
Head First Audio (live sound for Southern Oregon, USA)

G-master G
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Re: Mobile Recording Project

Post by G-master G » Mon Dec 01, 2014 8:20 pm

Anthony Alves wrote:The track seems to be coming along. I would suggest less delay effect on the vocals. I would automate the delay to only come in on certain words and mostly at the end of a vocal line. The delay forces the listener to concentrate solely on the delay taking away from the vocal performance and lyrics. I would however suggest a shorter delay on the vocal with longer delays on certain words for effect. The guitar could use some fattening like chorus or a delay. Also try to change the guitar tone a couple of times in the song, maybe one for the verses and another for the chorus. I won't comment on overall balance and tone as that will come at the mastering stage. Good job and good luck. Cheers.
~~_/)~~~*
Thanks Anthony

I have had some comments from the band regarding the delay and they are along similar lines to yours; I will take this on board and make some changes.

Cheers

Grant

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Re: Mobile Recording Project

Post by G-master G » Mon Dec 01, 2014 8:27 pm

martygras wrote:Nice, what a great song. It's really coming together.
I noticed the drums are a bit muffled. Possibly just my computer monitors playing tricks on me, but It's probably just that you're in the middle of recording and this is a preliminary mix.
G'day Marty

The song is great - these are 16-yr old school students and they have a real knack for writing catchy songs with good hooks.

I am struggling a bit with the drums. I used a couple of OHs, a kick, as well as SM57s on the snare, kick tom and floor tom but what I have found from an overall sound perspective is that the kit sounds good using just the 2 OHs and the kick mic akin to what I call the Petula Clarke/Dusty Springfield sound when pop singers were backed by big bands and the engineers just aimed to get an overall kit sound.

But then when I bring them into the mix they don't seem to cut through. I have applied HPFs and a touch of compression to each track to achieve no more than about 3 dB of gain reduction and I am quite happy with the way that the kick sounds in the mix but not much else.

I can't recall if I have applied any compression on the drums buss so I will check that - perhaps I can get it a bit punchier.

If you have any suggestions I would be grateful. Do you think that it is just the level of the kit in the overall mix or is it that mix of the kit that seems to be the problem as you hear it?

Cheers and thanks for your comments.

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Re: Mobile Recording Project

Post by G-master G » Tue Dec 02, 2014 8:37 pm

Last night I removed the bleed from the overhead mics by using Fab Filter Pro MB. I soloed the overheads and added the Pro MB plug-in and located the frequency range of the snare bleed. Then I applied a super-fast attack and release as well as a lot of gain reduction and a reasonably wide Q value.

Now there is no snap to the snare in the overheads which means I can get better control over the cymbals and I can also work on shaping a snappy snare sound.

Up until now I have actually just been using the overheads to create an overall image of the kit - I found that by adding the snare mic there was just too much going on.

Now effectively I am doing the opposite: removing the snare from the overheads using the Pro MB and adding the snare mic with its own eq and compression.

There is a horrible ring in the snare so I am going to try and notch it or alternatively I am going to try to re-amp the snare or just simply replace it with a better sample using Drumagog.

supanorton
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Re: Mobile Recording Project

Post by supanorton » Tue Dec 02, 2014 10:07 pm

This has been a great thread. That really is a good song. I'm anxious to hear and read about the next stage. Thanks for sharing this experience.

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martygras
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Re: Mobile Recording Project

Post by martygras » Wed Dec 03, 2014 1:03 pm

You still have the option to check phase/polarity on some mics to see if flipping the phase on different mics helps.
Marty Schulte [I'm a drummer. So, there's that.]
iPad AIR(128), Akai EIE, Akai EWI USB, illudium q-36 explosive space modulator
Head First Audio (live sound for Southern Oregon, USA)

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Re: Mobile Recording Project

Post by G-master G » Wed Dec 03, 2014 7:38 pm

supanorton wrote:This has been a great thread. That really is a good song. I'm anxious to hear and read about the next stage. Thanks for sharing this experience.
Thanks for the support

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Re: Mobile Recording Project

Post by G-master G » Wed Dec 03, 2014 7:43 pm

Well, it was neither notching nor re-amping that solved the ringing snare problem. I used PSP's Pro G gate with fast open and shut times and it let through the snap of the snare and cut off the tail which had all of the ring. It has now transformed the sound of the snare from being very sharp and pingy to being very flat and slappy which gives it more of a rock/pop feel which is perfect for this song.

The whole kit now sounds punchier and together and it cuts through in the mix so much more than before so it has addressed the previous comments about not really being able to hear the drums.

Progress one knob-tweak at a time.

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