Pro tools sounds thin and brittle. Need warmth!!!

[rushmpeg]

Hi,
Have you tried your mix with other speakers before mixdown? I know the rockit's are rather boomy and are a bit too generous with the low frequencies.
This would explain the thin sound on other systems that have less bass response.

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[Negyuh]

Hi, the answer to your question is: it depends, as posted in the previous post, it could be your monitors but personally i think i will be something else.
I also record like you do (i think) i put my instruments through my analog mixer right into the record track(direct out), then mix them right back through the mixer with effects gates and compression and master the track with another program ( i record with logic pro and master with garageband on a Mac Pro, interfaces used are focusrite saffire pro 40 and mastering done on my old m-audio fast track pro)
Question, do you use compression on your tracks like drums (by the way how do you do drum tracks?) i know from my personal experience this can make a huge difference to the overall sound of your recordings.

[Stackx]

The 003 sounds pretty dull and gloomy as well. But it sounds like your monitors or room is fooling you.

Are your monitors against a wall?

Do you have room treatment?

[XxFeendogxX]

Thanks guys. My monitors are against a wall. Well about a foot away. I do have room treatment as well. No bass traps. Some foam. However the mixes do not sound as dull when I listen in headphones either. Do you think it could be the conversion during or after the bounce? Have you guys ever had this problem? It's only after the bounce do they sound different.

[XxFeendogxX]

I think staxx is right it may be my room. But it sounded the same on other mixes I have done with the same equipment in a different room as well.

[Stackx]

Originally Posted by XxFeendogxX

Thanks guys. My monitors are against a wall. Well about a foot away. I do have room treatment as well. No bass traps. Some foam. However the mixes do not sound as dull when I listen in headphones either. Do you think it could be the conversion during or after the bounce? Have you guys ever had this problem? It's only after the bounce do they sound different.

After you bounce it down keep your session open. Play it threw your session then play the file you just bounce in windows media or whatever media player you have and see if they sound the same threw the same monitors and gear. If they don't then it's somewhere between the conversion. It it does sound the same but not the same out of the studio then it's your room. Foam doesn't do anything to bass. Matter of fact you might be hurting yourself with all the foam catching all the high frequencies but nothing catching any of the low frequencies. But then that would result in a mix with no bass and brittle and thin.

[XxFeendogxX]

I only have about 12 pieces of 1' X 1' foam in the room not too much. More or less to control the sound not deaden it. Do you think recording at a higher sample rate would help the brittleness stax?

[baskervils]

Perhaps hang a quilt behind your speakers and on the opposite wall? I had a 003 until last August and had similar mix translation issues until I treated the room. No problems now! Also, try to position your speakers in an optimal spot where they sound best, even if it seems like they are in a weird place.

[IMG] room-treatment by baskervils, on Flickr[/IMG]

[wwittman]

the easiest thing to do, and one of the most effective, toward making your recordings sound less 'brittle' is to keep all the internal levels LOW.

that is (in Pro Tools) well in the green, never into the yellow)

it's the most common beginner mistake

[Stackx]

Originally Posted by baskervils

Perhaps hang a quilt behind your speakers and on the opposite wall? I had a 003 until last August and had similar mix translation issues until I treated the room. No problems now! Also, try to position your speakers in an optimal spot where they sound best, even if it seems like they are in a weird place.

[IMG] room-treatment by baskervils, on Flickr[/IMG]

Nice treatment. How did you hang those up?

[XxFeendogxX]

@wwittman have you had that issue before? So keep the levels below -16 when tracking or mixing? Or both? I do try to get a good level going in usually between -10 and -6.

[baskervils]

Originally Posted by Stackx

Nice treatment. How did you hang those up?

Ah! I found the perfect item. Art stores (and sometimes Home Depot) carry large picture frame hangers (Hangman), which attach to the back of the box and to the drywall.

[wwittman]

Originally Posted by XxFeendogxX

@wwittman have you had that issue before? So keep the levels below -16 when tracking or mixing? Or both? I do try to get a good level going in usually between -10 and -6.

absolutely have.

the lower the better. you want to keep even the peaks WELL below headroom ceiling.

-10 is way too hot.
-20 is more like it.

[Adam Dempsey]

The most important thing is this: have you clocked up lots of hours listening to music you know well in your monitoring environment?

[XxFeendogxX]

Wow. I think everyone is right on target. Wwhittman I think I have found my problem. You guys are great! Thank you!!!

[Stackx]

Originally Posted by baskervils

Ah! I found the perfect item. Art stores (and sometimes Home Depot) carry large picture frame hangers (Hangman), which attach to the back of the box and to the drywall.

Omg. Ur a genius! Thanks for sharing.

[Ragan]

First thing first, have you imported your bounce back into the session and listened to it side by with the live session? Do that first. Blind, if possible.