Im the new guy looking for LOTS of advice...

[garagebandguy]

ive been playing for years, but ive just started doing my own recordings over the last couple of years. Im still using garageband for all my projects. i use a motu 828 interface. id like someone to tell me whether or not and why i need to upgrade to a better program. id also love ANY advice. here is a track i recorded with some other musicians i play with now and again. im already aware of the note clashing between the guitar and keys in the "verse."

[DemonicTempest]

This is a pretty cool little track.
From what i could tell, all was going well untill about the 1.00 mark, where everything came in thick and strong, turned to mud, there was clashes specially between the bass and kickdrum.
I would reconcider EQ between mostttttt instruments to make everything fit better.
great song!

[pdalmolin]

I like it! Drums sound cool for a machine (loop) I agree with the demonic guy about bass and kick...I think the kick needs more attack (add some 2K-5K Hz. on top with about +6db of 50ish Hz on bottom). The bass needs some 500-1K Hz. This is a starting point for giving them each their own "place" in the mix. I like to sweep the freq range and Q while the track is playing to find how each instrument sits.

[garagebandguy]

Originally Posted by pdalmolin

I like it! Drums sound cool for a machine (loop)

no drum loops here...
matter of fact, there is nothing synthetic except maybe if you consider the keyboard not being a real piano...

so the bass and kick clash, eh? ive always had the natural tendency to add low end to both instruments, but not learning to just separate the 2. thanks for noticing, itll help me not "overlook" the problem next time

[pdalmolin]

wow...my bad! On a second listen, I hear that's no loop(s). The drummer is really good. Most guys who post on forums don't have that skilled of a drummer. Upon the first hearing I just assumed it was a loop without really listening because the playing was so good. You got me bro! keep your drummer.....

[lolzgreg]

It sounds good. Your drummer is great, good snare sound too. I agree with everyone about the kick drum, I would also try to bring up some of the low mids in the guitars a bit to add some thickness.

Nice work.

[pdalmolin]

...you know, wherever the guitar is playing power chords....Also the riff during the piano solo. In the future get him to double that. Then pan the two tracks hard left and right. Try to get him to play EXACTLY the same on both tracks. Sonically it will not be EXACTLY the same, but so close that it will sound huge in the mix.

[archiegood]

Wow, GBG, this is pretty cool! I think what DemonicTempest means is to use EQ to make the various instruments sound "smaller" within the mix, e.g., give each one its own particular space (am I right DT?). That way, you can "pocket" them in certain parts of the east-west and north-south arcs of the stereo spectrum.

"Smller" may also involve compressing each sound a bit more, as well.

This is a cool piece! I'll have my sons listen and give you an opinion from much younger ears!

[rsadasiv]

Well performed and arranged. Not crazy about the piano sound - it works, but I think the skills of the performer deserve a slightly more realistic piano patch. Outside of the guitar/keys clash at 1:00 (which has been mentioned before) I don't hear any real problems.

Good job.

[brandondrury]

I like the music. I HATE the fact that the drums sound closer than the piano, guitars, and everything else. This may be okay if you are the drummer and want to hear music like this, but this is not something I can remember ever hearing on a recording I liked.

So I'd use some creative ambiance to pull the drums back enough so that is not distracting, dry up the rest of the tracks, or a combination of the two (most likely).

Other than that it sounds pretty cool to me. I don't love the electric guitar sound. Most of that is the distance in it, I think.

Brandon