First cover band in my studio - Bash away!

[mk3520]

Check second page for a re-do on Can't You See

I opened my studio in June this year. I've been doing some voice over work on a radio spot with a local veteran broadcaster to be syndicated on radio.
However, this is the ifrst band we've had in the studio that I can bust my chops on. Doing a 5 track demo of some classic rock tunes.
Looking for some honest feedback...of course from what I've read here, that's what I know I'll get.

First: Can't You See in Marshall Tucker format
Second: Keep Your Hands to Yourself - Georgia Satellites

Band name: Ain't Dead Yet

Thanks!

Michael

[BushmasterM4]

Need to know your set up. And how your recording. Number of mics, equipment etc...

[mk3520]

Hey, maybe some other info would help:

Elec guitar cab's mic'd with SM57, close up, Royer R-121 about a foot back on center with cab speaker and for grins, threw in my latest addition, the Steriling ST69 tube mic about 5' back 4' high.

Bass: direct in from amp.

Drums: Senn MD 421 snare btm, SM57 snare top, AKG D112 on Kick, MD421 on the floor tom and SM57's on the other two toms, AKG 451B one left one right, over the cymbals and finally AKG C414's as overheads.

Vocals - ST69 and AKG 414's

Lead guitar recorded in isolation room, with second lead part, rhythm guitars and vocal's tracked and recorded post drum/bass.

If someone wants to know more about the rest of the gear, preamps, DAW, etc. Let me know, I'll shoot it to you.

Thanks again,
Michael

[mk3520]

Hey Bushmaster.
Funny I was just posting the info when you wrote your reply....to continue

Mic-pre's converters:
Avalon AD2022, used mostly on vocal's although I did use it on the R-121.
RME FF 800 - main interface to DAW
DAW - Sonar Producer 8
Focusrite: ISA 428 and Liquid Saffire 56
Using Antelope Isochrone as clock master for all the above.

Mastering: some software tools used for stereo sepration and Manley MU Limiter/compressor and Langevin Mini Massive.

Monitors: Main - JBL LSR4328's.

[fHumble fHingaz]

I think you really need to work on the drum sounds on these - there's no real attack happening with them... A good start would be getting some compression happening & eq'ing the kick & snare so that the attack comes through.

[mk3520]

Thanks Fhumble.
I'll give that a try. I appreciate the comments.

[oldmusicguy]

On Can't You See I'd put the lead guitar a bit more in the back and bring out the vocals.

On Keep Your Hands... it sounds like he's singing into a cardboard box or something. It's not crisp and the echo it a bit weird for that tune. I'm guessing, but it sounds like a rather quick slapback and the eq sounds like the high frequencies are cut off. I'd try brightining it up and exeteding the time of the delay on the echo (or depth of the reverb if that's what you're using.)

And, I have NO standing to criticize anyone's vocal, -but especially on Keep Your Hands... the vocal is about what I'd expect from a mediocore bar band during the last set. (Sorry but it just not very good, especially the "growls.")

[jhrichard]

Can't you see @2:46 and 2:56 some weird artifacts mostly in the left channel. Sounds like some adlib vocal that was "almost" edited out. Technically the lead vocal sounds good - but man, no emotion. Actually the whole damn band sounds like they were partyin' on Prozac! Almost fell off my stool when I nodded off ;-) Sorry, I'm a big fan of the original and this one don't do it justice. Nice guitar tones though! Agree with the previous poster about the drums. Definitely could use some snap on the snare and the lead vocal could come down a hair...

[mk3520]

Thanks for the feedback Musicguy.

Yes, unfortunately they don't really have a lead vocalist and are doing what they can. In fact I sang some of the background vocals on Can't You See.

I don't disagree with what you're saying overall but the vocals are a bit further back than what I like because it's what the band likes. Trying to cover up the mediocre vocals.

I appreciate the comments and will re-visit those tracks with that in mind.

Michael

[mk3520]

Thanks jhrichard for the comments. On the "artifacts" it was actually during the backing vocal recording and an attempt to have some fun. The band liked it and wanted to keep it in. Should I bting it out more to be more obvious or take it out altogether?

I'm re-working the drum tracks and will post an updated version to let you know what the "enhanced" version sounds like.

Thanks, Michael