Bash this: amateur hour

[ethrbunny]

Ive read most of the way through the 'killer home recording series' and wanted to try a submission to this forum. Compared to other postings this will seem extremely amateur but I'd appreciate suggestions all the same. We all have to start somewhere.

[PeterSimonRussell]

Hi Ethrbunny,

It sounds like you have made a competent recording of all the tracks. Then you just set the faders and mixed it together without any fx or anything.

I asked myself why it sounded to empty as an arrangement - well I think the song needs a separate rythm guitar track - even if its just a D D UDUD strum - but no so stacato as the guitar tracks you have. While we are on those guitars - you really need much more sustain on them - or you gate it off?

It might be helpful to others who might like to comment to list your equipment as say something about the band and the recording environment.

[ethrbunny]

What sort of equipment list should I be including?

The truth is that I have compression and EQ on almost every track. I haven't edited anything (clearly) so its all pretty rough.

No gating on the guitar. The lack of sustain is probably just playing style (or absence of..)

[PeterSimonRussell]

Well, I don't think you need it all listed for general comment but something like:
"I recorded this in my bedroom with a Alesis I02 and a laptop, using a pair of SM57 mics. The DAW was Cubase LE4, drums are samples, guitars from mic'd cabs, bass DI".
Would give people an idea of what to expect quality wise. (Obviously if you list a whole load of top kit and it sounds crap I'm goin to be inclined to take the piss a bit.)

If you want specifics on a guitar sound you might list the whole chain
"Epiphone Les Paul > Boss Fuzz > Marshall 50W MV > AKG D190 close up > etc"
Or a drum sound you might list the mics used, with placements
"Snare was mic'd with a D70 on the top skin and AT2020 on the snare itself"

If you want comments on the song or arrangement, then ask for that, or just techy stuff then ask for that.

Hope this helps..

[ethrbunny]

Ok!

Drums are recorded with one overhead condenser into an M-Audio 'Audio buddy' preamp and one SM57 on the kick. The bass is via SM57 on a PA speaker and the guitar via the 57 on the cabinet. All input goes to the PC via a Lexicon Omega into Ableton Live. Vocals are done with an SM58. All recordings are done in my living room.

Guitar is an Ibanez Prestige -> TC Electronics G-Major -> Carvin V3.

Im hoping to learn how to record simple demos. Its mostly helping me to organize musical ideas.

Any suggestions on the recording, the music or whatever is helpful.

Thanks for your time.

[PeterSimonRussell]

Well I see that 63 people have listenned and only, like 1 has commented.

Should I send my further coments direct?

Well, OK no then.

OK now I see where your sound should be good and where it is going to be limited.

Lets start with the guitar. There are some excellent sounds available from just the Ibanez / V3 combination without the fancy fx box. I suggest that you spend 2 / 3 weeks just playing the guitar through the amp. Yes, I can hear you're not the world's greatest guitarist but then you're not a complete novice either. I think you need to explore what the amp can do - you play as if our afraid of it - either turn it up or get some phones and / or a power soak so you can hear it loud and your neihbours can't.

The drums with 2 mics are going to sound, well, like you have them, so OK I guess that's it. - unless you recorded them one at a time?

The vocals with 58 are OK,but its really a mic for PA work. If you were to looking to buy anthing then I would suggest a mid price (or even a cheaper) large diaphram condensor mic should be your next addition. This will give you much clearer vocals and be usefull on drums and if you want to record any acoustic instruments.

For the bass I'd try just plugging it straight into your interface. Your not really adding any character with the amp / cab anyway so you might as well let the DAW do all the work.

The song I like, and you have some original tunes, like I said before I see it more with a rythm track and a tag faster in the tempo - more drivng but still blue if you see what I mean.

Cheers.

[ethrbunny]

Thanks for the advice. Im a novice on all of this and it shows. The recording process has been great for exposing the flaws in my playing.

I'll see if I can rework this and try again... oh.. and practice!