Pop punk - Boys like girls / All time low / ABBA

[theBackwardsman]

This band recorded this by themselves with some really cheap ass gear, no preamps or outboard whatsoever just everything straight into the sound card. Been doing what I can to save it ITB with Waves SSL, API and UAD plugins. Its not mastered yet, Ive just put a 2500 on the 2bus.

Please share any thoughs and tips on how to get it to sound somewhat professional!

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2069824/HATE_V1.mp3

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2069824/HATE_V2.mp3

[sam guaiana]

Wow really really good job. The vox are a touch loud, but its very first Panic! album loud, meaning you can kinda get away with it.

[pfosk]

this is very good.

The guitars are slightly thin. What is your chain for them?

Also, some of the drum rolls are a bit mechanical. What are you using?

The vocals could use a some de-essing.

I love it when someone does an good mix with nothing but software, it proves not everything has to go through an SSL G-series console.

[sam guaiana]

Originally Posted by pfosk

I love it when someone does an good mix with nothing but software, it proves not everything has to go through an SSL G-series console.

Agreed! It's not the gear, it's the skill

[theBackwardsman]

Originally Posted by sam guaiana

Wow really really good job. The vox are a touch loud, but its very first Panic! album loud, meaning you can kinda get away with it.

Thanks !! Yea I like them as loud as possible, would probably mix them even louder if is was recorded a little better and without that harsh top..
i might reamp it though my pre-73 .

[theBackwardsman]

Originally Posted by pfosk

this is very good.

The guitars are slightly thin. What is your chain for them?

Also, some of the drum rolls are a bit mechanical. What are you using?

The vocals could use a some de-essing.

I love it when someone does an good mix with nothing but software, it proves not everything has to go through an SSL G-series console.

Thanks! Yea thats true, I tried though with waves deess but it didnt really do it. This guy has such a bright voice and in combination to whatever cheap condenser they used and no preamp it gave me a loootta work.
I havent boosted a single frequency :P

The de-esser just removes the things I want from vocals I want the sibilance and attitude, but I would like to get rid of the harsh top without making it dull. Antares mic modeller helps a lot!

Yea I know, have had a hard time with them...
1. Tele -> mesa rectifier x2 - L/R
2. Stratocaster -> Orange AD30 x2 L/R
Soo, single coil party ..

Ive put a SSL EQ and a touch of PSP vintagewarmer on the git busses,
I thought Ill maybe demo UAD La3a to see if it can save them..

The drums were very lifeless from the start, great drummer though so it wasnt fair.
Ive run Kick, snare and toms through drumtracker and bussed the toms to superiour drummer.
There was just no way I was gonna get those right, though its blended 50/50 with the original signal.

Kick and snare have 2 samples each that I have collected/created, dont have any fancy library and the
track snare wouldnt have done it as supporting sample either.

Its bussed and compressed on serveral levels and theres a parallellcomp with
1176 all buttons in followed by a saturation plug on it set 50/50 with the clean bus.
Theres also a sonnox transmod om the snare bus and drumbus,

Any ideas?

[theBackwardsman]

Ive uploaded a new version, took a few things you said in consideration ..tried to make the vox less harsh and been working a little on the OH and bottomsnare to make it less machine gun in the fills.

Let me know what you think!

[seanierawks]

Great Mix, although some of the harmony vocals seem to be a little hidden at times.

The song is very catchy! any chance I could get a link to the bands myspace? I'd love to hear some more of them!

[theBackwardsman]

Thanks!

Yea, it's kinda on purpose.
Bands tend to complain on that but then they should have put a little more effort on the backing vox IMO. I just ride them after how I think it helps the track the best but always end up having to have them right up there in the end anyway.

Yea they're up on Break Your Frame [New EP Up!] on MySpace Music - Free Streaming MP3s, Pictures & Music Videos
There are the "masters".

It's a shame I had to do the mastering myself but they didnt want to pay for a masterin engineer.

[dmbandtimmy]

Dang man! You are a stud. That sounds phenomenal for having them record it through a sound card with no preamps and cheap gear.

[theBackwardsman]

Thanks alot !

[the_Chris]

Wow... with the gear I have, there is no excuse why I can't have something sound great. I can't believe what you did with what you had to work with! This is simply amazing, great job!

[theBackwardsman]

Thanks again! Actually I don't think the actual gear makes that much of a difference as long as you have the SSL, API and UAD emulations it feels like you can get the same vibe going..I don't think normal listeners can tell the difference from the hardware anyway.
just wish I had better recordings to work with as half the work is rescue and polish

[drumrec.com]

Grymt bra jobbat, låter topp

[theBackwardsman]

Tusen tack!

[stew]

very nice work! I would be curious to hear how it sounded before you got it! I just gave a quick listen in my headphones and it sounded very full, just thin mechanical drums... other than that, great work!

[mitchk]

Sounds amazing! This is an inspiration for sure.

I checked out their myspace though and it says in their blog that they tracked it at a studio? the guy from Kid Down's

tell us a bit about the reverb used on the main vocals! and the group vocals on some of the other tracks (i listened to them on the myspace) they sound like distant (in a good way) did they record them in a big room with a lot of people or is that your handywork?

[theBackwardsman]

Thanks!

On the gang vocals there was just some random IR room

Yea the last demo was, but not this one.

[theBackwardsman]

..and no reverb on the lead vox, just so good ol delay