Thoughts, opinions, advice sought...

[P-T-P]

So have recorded some tracks with my cover band which can be found here [url="http://www.thick-as-thieves.co.uk/thick_as_thieves_wedding_function_band_song_list.html"]http://www.thick-as-thieves.co.uk/thick_as..._song_list.html[/url]

These are ripped from a cd (except Hero) and naturally sound somewhat different to the original as a result. I also haven't quite figured out how to get the final master to ignore the silence at the start and end of the tracks!

The first four were all recorded, mixed and mastered on a Korg D3200 with no other true recording gear used. Vocals and guitars just using SM58 and SM57, final mix done using not particularly flash hi-fi speakers and my decent but a bit artificially bassy PC speakers. The last track was done an age ago and is me recording or programming the tracks on my PC in Cakewalk Home Studio. Vocals again done using SM58 but with no pop filter and a bit of green mic technique from singer and lack of recording knowledge on my part!

There's issues with all of the tracks, whether it be the feel of Maggie May performance (a bit lethargic), tuning of guitar in part of Pretty Woman and the Angels' vocal.

What I'm interested in mostly is opinions on the quality of the mix (too bassy, too muddy, levels etc) and advice as to what I could/should have done differently, either at the recording or mixing stage bearing in mind the equipment I have at my disposal and the quality of singer's voice, guitarist's inability to play in time etc.

[birdy]

Hi Pete,

I don't know much about the technicalities of recording at all but will post my thoughts as no one has yet.

I think you have done well for a first attempt at using the gear and in my opinion the levels are ok. There is something not 'right' with the drum sounds. I don't know how to explain it but if anything thats what lets the tracks down the most in my opinion. The only other real comment I have is that the guitar intro at the start of pretty woman does sound noticably rushed and I would try and get that done if at all possible depending.

Hope this helps, I am sure others will have more valid opinions.

Steve

[P-T-P]

Thanks for the feedback.

Yeah, the drums are a bit odd. They're all electronic in one way or another.

Pretty Woman was a DT Express kit, all on one channel.
Hero was me actually writing and weighting dots for all the percussion parts for the soundcard's onboard synth to play.
The other three ar on a DDrums kit which gave us bass, snare, toms and cymbals/hi-hat on seperate channels.

We should have spent more time checking the drum recordings from the DDrum as it turns out that the mesh is so sensitive it was registering vibrations from the speakers as being a strike, particularly on the kick drum. I had to gate the kick drum quite heavily so it's lost a bit of its boom.

The actual performance on Angels is not our drummer's finest hour. Because he could, he also used different sounds for each song and that wasn't really wise as many of them had already been treated, would have been better trying to pick one good kit sound and getting it right. Definitely a lesson learned for next time.

I think te overall compression I used on the master may have brought out the hi-hats too much in a couple of places too.

When you say the intro is rushed, do mean the timing or the quality of the recording? It is ahead of the beat a bit and his subdivisions aren't great, but I didn't feel it was too noticeable (though I've listened to it for three years now, maybe I'm immune). Getting him to concentrate on playing in time isn't an easy task and when he does we often lose the energy of the performance - I think Maggie Mat's rhythm parts suffer a bit from this, that and the fact we should have used an acoustic. When we've recorded in the past, I've actually snuck back to re-record a lot of the guitar parts for this reason. On Hero, the guitar solo and vocals are the only thing which aren't me.

Cheers for taking the time to listen and reply though.

[ShergoldSnickers]

First the good news – the bass parts are the strongest parts. This isn't just bias either, some really nice tight playing there.

I'd agree with birdy that the drum parts sound odd. Too processed and slightly synthetic, the individual components sound too eq'd. A good kit sound has an air of naturalness about the sound, smooth and unpeaky. I noted your comments on the recording of the drums though. The sounds on Hero are better, but you lose the human element. Swings and roundabouts really.

The guitar levels in Maggie May might be a tad too high as well. Not by much, but the rhythm guitar tends to get in the way of the vocals on occasions. The solo guitar could be brought back a tad too.

There's a slight amount of compression pumping creeping in sometimes too - I can hear the vocals depressing the kit volume. Or at least I think I can – I have a crap cold at the mo' and me ears are slightly blocked.... what? ...pardon?

[P-T-P]

Yeah, the rhythm on Maggie May is a bit loud on the mp3s, not so much on the CD copy though, but was thinking of taking it down a smidge.

I think you're right on the compression pumping, certainly on Keep on Running, the hi-hats in particular noticeably jump up and down depending on what else is going down.

I'm also thinking of bumping up the vocals across the board by a wee smidge.

Agreed on the drum parts, at the end of the day they are all synthetic in one way or another! Should have spent more time thinking about them before we recorded.

Thanks for the compliments on the bass playing, I was very pleased with the way it came out.

And thanks also for taking the time to listen and give some thoughts, I appreciate it.

[birdy]

[quote name='P-T-P' post='174954' date='Apr 12 2008, 01:19 AM']When you say the intro is rushed, do mean the timing or the quality of the recording? It is ahead of the beat a bit and his subdivisions aren't great, but I didn't feel it was too noticeable (though I've listened to it for three years now, maybe I'm immune).[/quote]

I meant the timing. Everyones ears are different and my tuning is pretty poor but that was the one bit that stood out as being ahead of the beat. We had similar problems with an ex band member who I suggested should actually play with a metronome who of course just laughed as me as that was for drummers and bass players.

Steve