Another Live Mix

[mikromort]

Ok here's another song we're working on. I think the arrangement is pretty much done on this one so I'd like you guys to focus on the instrument sounds, not so much the vox as I don't think we'll record them live when start recording


Slave Sept 4.wma - File Shared from Box.net - Free Online File Storage

[MidnightBlue]

HEY!! How ya doin'!!?? Having fun recording??

I listened to your song/recording and, in general, it sounds OK. A bit raw, but OK.

The vocals seemed to either drop out or get buried/over-whelmed here and there, but I think that can be fixed.

If you're willing and would like to experiment a bit, why don't you send me your basic tracks and I'll take a stab at mixing your song for you. All I need are the basic tracks in the ".WAV" format. Just let me know your wordclock (i.e. 44.1 or 48kHz) and hopefully you've recorded at 24-bit.

I'm "old-school", in that I have an analog mixing console and tons of outboard gear for my mixing jobs. I use imported DynAudio BM-15A studio monitors and have spent several thousand dollars in acoustic treatment in my mix-room in order to obtain a good-sounding "sweet-spot". However, I use a digital hard-disk recorder for my 24-track recording and playback.

I think it would be fun to work up a collaboration, but I'm sure that you want to do your own mixing. I can understand that. I'm just offering you an opportunity to have some "outside" ears mix your material with probably more and better gear than what you have available. (I have at least 60-microphones in my mic collection!!). Besides, it would just be FUN!! Woo-Hoo!!

If you're interested, you can contact me at: midnight_blue_studios@yahoo.com

Oh, yeah.....I'd be doing this for FREE/ZILCH/NADA/No COST.....Just FUN!!

Happy Recording,

JBWilliams

/

[mikromort]

Originally Posted by MidnightBlue

I listened to your song/recording and, in general, it sounds OK. A bit raw, but OK.

Yeah this is as raw as it gets, we're talking about everything being recorded at once in a small room with the PA on including bleed of the PA and amps through all of the mics

Originally Posted by MidnightBlue

The vocals seemed to either drop out or get buried/over-whelmed here and there, but I think that can be fixed./

Yeah I didn't do any automation on them, also they are gated at times to get rid of the bleed from all of the other instruments, I was more interested in working on live sounds and seing what works as opposed to perfecting the levels on the mix, also the performance is sketchy at best so I wasn't going to spend a heap of time in automation world, it wasn't worth it for this take

Originally Posted by MidnightBlue

If you're willing and would like to experiment a bit, why don't you send me your basic tracks and I'll take a stab at mixing your song for you. All I need are the basic tracks in the ".WAV" format. Just let me know your wordclock (i.e. 44.1 or 48kHz) and hopefully you've recorded at 24-bit.

I'm "old-school", in that I have an analog mixing console and tons of outboard gear for my mixing jobs. I use imported DynAudio BM-15A studio monitors and have spent several thousand dollars in acoustic treatment in my mix-room in order to obtain a good-sounding "sweet-spot". However, I use a digital hard-disk recorder for my 24-track recording and playback.

I think it would be fun to work up a collaboration, but I'm sure that you want to do your own mixing. I can understand that. I'm just offering you an opportunity to have some "outside" ears mix your material with probably more and better gear than what you have available. (I have at least 60-microphones in my mic collection!!). Besides, it would just be FUN!! Woo-Hoo!!

If you're interested, you can contact me at: midnight_blue_studios@yahoo.com

Oh, yeah.....I'd be doing this for FREE/ZILCH/NADA/No COST.....Just FUN!!

Happy Recording,

JBWilliams

That's an interesting offer and could make this a real learning project for me and everyone else. What I might do is set up the files on a file sharing server and make a song open to everyone and make it a contest and a learning experience. There's a couple of questions that could be answered here

- what are the limitations recording with live sources with mic bleed and background noise issues and

- how much will the sound quality change with analogue gear


I just might do this if it's ok with Brandon, but it won't be on this song as it's not mine and I don't know if our bass player would want a bunch of mixes of his song posted everywhere.

[MidnightBlue]

Mikromort:

- what are the limitations recording with live sources with mic bleed and background noise issues?

>>> That all depends upon both the placement of musicians and the microphones. You've got to be aware of both of those elements and also have in mind what end result that you're looking for.

>>> I do exclusively "On-Location" recording with a 24-track MACKIE recorder. I have done several "LIVE" recordings where I simply killed the room-mics, gated all of the remaining channels and then mixed/produced the performance as a "studio" recording. To listen to my end mix, you'd swear that it was originally a studio recording!!

>>> Of course, having excellent vocal mics with a "tight" cardioid pattern certainly helps in reducing bleed into the vocal mics. As far as the instruments go, care in mic choice and placement will keep bleed down to a minimum. These are things you MUST learn about and apply when actually recording your takes.


- how much will the sound quality change with analogue gear?

>>> Nothing that you would obviously notice!!

>>> Should you read the various recording industry magazines (i.e. EQ, MIX, RECORDING, Pro Audio Review, etc.), you'll learn that even the "big-time" engineers and producers will take their digital recordings and either go through an analog summing amp, buss-compressor or mix to 1/4" tape. Any (or, all) of those methods are just to "****-up" the digital sound and/or to remove any digital artifacts from the audio.

>>> When I was designing my recording and mixing system, I decided upon a digital hard-disk recorder as a means of easily obtaining 24-tracks in a small package. I can remember when 24-track recorders were as large as a laundry washing machine!!

>>> Although a part of me wants to venture into the realm of digital mixing, I decided to use an analog mixing console and racks of outboard processing gear. Part of that decision was to "****-up" the digital tracks and another part was.....I like to turn and tweak actual knobs!!

>>> I've had some thoughts about a digital console just for the automation aspects. Right now, by using an analog mixing console, when I'm doing a mix I have to actually rehearse and remember all of my fader moves and knob turns to get my finished sound. While it's a lot of work, I at least feel more connected to the music and feel like I'm really producing something. But, automation would be nice to have.

>>> Does this answer your questions?

By the way.....I also have a "BOX.net" account.

I'm making you the "mixing offer" because I think it would be interesting to mix and produce someone else's material that I haven't heard, instead of my own where I did the original recording, as well as the mixing and producing. It would be fun and interesting, don't ya think??

Just let me know whenever you decide to try this out. But, if you do, just take the time to set up the performance room to minimize the bleed and place the vocalist's so each one of their mics is at a "rejection angle" to the other mics. As an example, if you have three vocalist's, place them in a circle where each one of them is 120-degrees apart from one another (i.e. 120-degrees X 3 vocalist's = 360-degrees). This will put each mic at a maximum rejection angle from one another.

Also remember that the distance from one mic to another mic has to be a MINIMUM of 3-times the distance of one mic to its sound source. Doing this minimizes the phase relationships from screwing up your sound.

Hope this helps!!

JBWilliams

/

[MidnightBlue]

Just so you know, this thread-response for some reason deleted the word.....****.....as in ****-up. I don't know why. I wasn't cussing anywhere.

JBW

[mikromort]

Originally Posted by MidnightBlue

>>> Should you read the various recording industry magazines (i.e. EQ, MIX, RECORDING, Pro Audio Review, etc.), you'll learn that even the "big-time" engineers and producers will take their digital recordings and either go through an analog summing amp, buss-compressor or mix to 1/4" tape. Any (or, all) of those methods are just to "****-up" the digital sound and/or to remove any digital artifacts from the audio./

Except for Charles Dye who mixes in the box and mixes grammy winning songs. Sometimes I wonder if the "big time" engineers don't mix in the box because they don't know how to or are scared to change, but I can't say because I've only mixed in the box.

I'm intrigued by this offer though, but not with this song, I'll try to post something next week

And thanks for the advice, appriciate it

[MidnightBlue]

There are advantages for both systems. Personally, if I could afford it, I would purchase an SSL "AWS 900+" mixing console because it is both an analog desk.....AND.....a digital DAW system. WAY COOL!!

If you would ever want me to work on any of your material, you'd have to upload the individual tracks to BOX.NET or somewhere. They would need to be .WAV file (preferably "Broadcast WAV files" and then let me know what your wordclock rate is.

Keep me posted, OK??

JBW

/

[mikromort]

Ok I took another listen, did some fixes

- cleaned up the bass and kick

- more delay and compression on the guitars

- gated, eq'd and pulled up the vox

Slave Sept 5.wma - File Shared from Box.net - Free Online File Storage