What will make the biggest quality improvement

[Stevedresser83]

Here is a link to 2 songs I've done for an all girl group ages 11. See Jane Rock music.wav or if your lazy and want mp3 ... (There are clips of 2 songs in both the wav and mp3)
Here is what I'm working with. PC, 003, UA-2192, Central Station, Yamaha HS80M's, Pacifica, LaChapelle 583s, Retro 176, Tele Ak-47, SM7B, 57.
This is our process. Record drums with V-drums, triggering various samples, BFD, reason drum kits, layering more samples . Mic up some amps, record vox, add strings piano whatever (programmed). Then i mix in the box running some stuff back through my retro 176. When I feel like I have a good mix i print a bunch of stems take it to work and fine tune the mix on an SSL G series and click on the quad comp. The first song someone else mastered the 2nd is a temp job by me.
Im curious to hear whats gonna help improve the quality. I don't wanna hear anything about the songs or my mix thats not gonna be constructive. For now the way we do drums is going to stick. My rooms while not good... are treated enough for now.
Heres some of my thoughts.... Royer 121, D-112 or some mic for bass, 1176 or type comp, Distressor and or Lileq, bricasti M7 maybe... 1073 to also have a good eq. I do have a couple 500 slots open also.

Let me have it... Thanks

[Stevedresser83]

someone has to have some input ...

[Croaker]

improve the quality of what, the sound? sounds pretty good to me listening on headphones

[bforest4]

Waves studio classics plugin bundle, Massey plugins(tapehead, Ct4), URS saturation plugin. As far as hardware, get a more high end vocal mic, and API 512C pre for guitar and bass, and a royer 121 for micing amps.

[electropoet]

Firstly...you should be proud i think...the music sounds great. Very well produced. I thought the guitars sounded right...and the drums worked as well...i use a similar process with e-drums. The bass seemed to work...but certainly didn't have a lot of definition..just kinda sat in the mix anchoring down the low end. Might combine a direct in if your micing the bass...countryman or sansamp work good for me...a 57 should work...don't think you need a new mic for that. Since your guitars on the first track really take the spotlight...might look into the royer...that'll open some avenues. Overall it does have a bit of a digital sheen...certainly doesn't sound like you used tape. But thats a common sound on the radio...most people probably wouldn't give a shit...and I could definitely hear this on the radio. Save using tape...the next step would probably be a nice outboard mixer to give some depth...my 2 cents.

[Croaker]

Originally Posted by electropoet

Overall it does have a bit of a digital sheen...certainly doesn't sound like you used tape. But thats a common sound on the radio...most people probably wouldn't give a shit...and I could definitely hear this on the radio. Save using tape...the next step would probably be a nice outboard mixer to give some depth...my 2 cents.

agreed good job...dam they are 11 years old?

[Stevedresser83]

i appreciate the kind words. I'm happy with what we did but its time to improve . Compare my recordings side by side with the new ACDC album or a JET CD or any disney band and theres def a quality difference. I'm sure the budget was 10x what i have but im looking for anything that will give me a little more overall quality. Maybe its mostly in the mix i dunno. Royer 121 is pretty high on my list right now. Also considering a chandler summing box and a nice stereo comp rather then summing through the SSL at work.

[RedWallStudio]

Not my cup of tea music, but the mix sounds good and all the pieces are there. If you asked me to be ultra critical I would say that the bass is kinda lifeless (mentioned above as well). And on the first song, it feels like the guitars, crash cymbals and harmony vocal in the chorus are competing for the same frequency space. Otherwise, sounded nice...

[bforest4]

Originally Posted by Stevedresser83

i appreciate the kind words. I'm happy with what we did but its time to improve . Compare my recordings side by side with the new ACDC album or a JET CD or any disney band and theres def a quality difference. I'm sure the budget was 10x what i have but im looking for anything that will give me a little more overall quality. Maybe its mostly in the mix i dunno. Royer 121 is pretty high on my list right now. Also considering a chandler summing box and a nice stereo comp rather then summing through the SSL at work.

Definitely stick with the SSL if you have that luxury for modern rock/ pop.

[Audio Enginerd]

The voice sounds a little sibilant. Good job though... Those kids are rockin'!

[Stevedresser83]

thx guys, i think i will probably get a royer 121, and another comp 1176 style. Maybe the bricasti M7 if i splurge.

[TacosWhenTwisted]

Do something to bring the drums out more into the mix, especially the snare, I feel its muffled or passive in the background. Maybe the console your summing through or some EQ would help there? Other than that it sounds good, well like someone said, changing the vocal mic or the room the vocals are recorded might be needed, but sounds 90% good as it is.

[Stevedresser83]

Thx for the tips taco. Yeah, I wish I had a nice room but this is all in my basement with 8 foot ceilings lol. I do have some treatment up but I think I will get some more bass traps. We did have her right up on the mic i'm wondering if having her farther back would produce a better end result.

[Big Tim]

To my ears, it sounds finished. Maybe that snare could pop more in the second track, but it doesn't have to. The bass could certainly be different, but it doesn't have to be. I think you've got a finished "thing" there. Nice work.

I'd just compare it to whatever you want it to sound like and work on the areas that don't stack up.

[badboymusic]

IMO the vocal sound you have in the verse of the first song is spot on for her voice and the style, I wouldn't change that at all. You need to clear out some of your mids in the bass and drums. When the band kicks in after that first verse it muddies up a bit and loses power. Clear that up and you will be able to get the drums louder and the bass tighter. It's sounding really good, just needs to be opened up some more with EQ.

Curious what was the vocal chain and processing you used on her in that opening verse?

Cheers,
Bad Boy

[Stevedresser83]

thx for the advice bad boy. Its a tele ak47 -> la chapell 583s (just a little tube) -> Sta level -> UA 2192 mixdown i ran back through the sta again plus some L1 i think. I now have the retro 176 but miss the sta, i need both

[Roland]

Originally Posted by Stevedresser83

Here is a link to 2 songs I've done for an all girl group ages 11. See Jane Rock music.wav or if your lazy and want mp3 ... (There are clips of 2 songs in both the wav and mp3)
Here is what I'm working with. PC, 003, UA-2192, Central Station, Yamaha HS80M's, Pacifica, LaChapelle 583s, Retro 176, Tele Ak-47, SM7B, 57.
This is our process. Record drums with V-drums, triggering various samples, BFD, reason drum kits, layering more samples . Mic up some amps, record vox, add strings piano whatever (programmed). Then i mix in the box running some stuff back through my retro 176. When I feel like I have a good mix i print a bunch of stems take it to work and fine tune the mix on an SSL G series and click on the quad comp. The first song someone else mastered the 2nd is a temp job by me.
Im curious to hear whats gonna help improve the quality. I don't wanna hear anything about the songs or my mix thats not gonna be constructive. For now the way we do drums is going to stick. My rooms while not good... are treated enough for now.
Heres some of my thoughts.... Royer 121, D-112 or some mic for bass, 1176 or type comp, Distressor and or Lileq, bricasti M7 maybe... 1073 to also have a good eq. I do have a couple 500 slots open also.

Let me have it... Thanks

IMHO there is nothing wrong with the recording. If these girls are genuinely only 11 years old it is remarkable!

What is wrong with it? In my opinion it tends to sound all a bit 1 level, no dynamics. The song's are so so, pretty forgettable. Everything is a little smoothed out, quantized, tunned vocals etc. It's a little had the life squeezed out.

Often it's an assumption if nothings wrong it must be good. One of the most famous session players I know (this guy has played on over 1,000 top ten hits over the years) told me that it's your mistakes and errors that make great music.

Good luck!

Regards


Roland

[Stevedresser83]

Thx for the critique. I've found that unless you have amazing musicians your probably better off going with the edited tight approach to recording. Sloppy just won't cut it if you are trying to do something with your music today. Now if you have a full band of amazing musicians then you can get away with live takes more. Some of my favorite bands have that feel. I just think its hard to semi edit stuff into that category. That being said I think we can do some stuff on the next few songs we do to improve that. I agree 100 percent with the dynamics and that was a learning process. Vocals are very slightly tuned in the first song the verses are untouched. When I do use melodyne i almost never change the curve of the pitch but manually move it up and down to fit.

[Stevedresser83]

I dont know if this will help people suggest more equipment specifics but I have a dollar amount that I will be investing. Gonna spend 5 g's to get some more toys. I'm thinking a REDDI cause I was not happy with the bass tone. Maybe a d112 and 421 for some more mic variety. I still want another compressor im think BAC Petes Place or an 1176 or maybe distressor with brit mod. Royer 121 or R84. Maybe a lil freq. Maybe the bricasti m7 (is this really worth it will it make the vocals/drums sound that much better)? I guess only 1 way to really find out... get it. I want it all blah...

[Roland]

As I said before, I don't think that quality is the issue here. Looking at the list of kit you have talked about purchasing, I can't see anything on there that is going to make it "better quality" sounding. The reason that AC/DC latest album sounds good, is that it is top pro musician's, doing their thing that they have done over the last 30 years.

Often when people talk about their favourite drum/vocal etc, sound, it's nothing to do with quality, everything to do with performance. Nat King Coles records don't sound great because they were the best recordings or not, they sound great because Nat's voice was special. I've sat many times in the control room and suddenly the sound quality improved without me doing anything, all down to the players playing with more groove and feel.

Regards


Roland

[Baz]

Originally Posted by Stevedresser83

I'm happy with what we did but its time to improve . Compare my recordings side by side with the new ACDC album or a JET CD or any disney band and theres def a quality difference.

Ha, well don't let it get you down too much. AC/DC was tracked and mixed at Warehouse by Fraze, so they were in pretty capable hands. Have you seen Warehouse? Their main tracking room filled the void left in Vancouver when Little Mountain Sound closed - which was really popular for it's drum room [loading bay].

Man, admirable that you're trying to compete but unless you're working in that kinda space, with the years of experience Fraze has, you're pissin in the wind my friend. No freekin preamp, mic or other piece of OB gear is going to help much

[Stevedresser83]

Yeah i know Im not gonna get the quality of the new ACDC record but if I keep making improvements maybe 5/10 years from now I will