heres my try

[Sofa King]

Just got the Digi MP3 app.
Not sure what the standard compression choice is when creating a MP3.
ANy suggestions?

thanks

PS the band is Mercury the song "Paralyze"

[doug_hti]

Sean, I have the best luck with constant bit rate 192k, tweakhead...
This is small enough to where it plays on most mp3 players and is sizeably smaller than aif, and probably the lowest resolution without losing tons of quality.

[Sofa King]

Originally posted by doug_hti
Sean, I have the best luck with constant bit rate 192k, tweakhead...
This is small enough to where it plays on most mp3 players and is sizeably smaller than aif, and probably the lowest resolution without losing tons of quality.

Cool,
Ill try that.
Thanks for the help, Im a MP3 virgin!


Sean

[eberrong]

This song rocks! I assume this is pro studio stuff. Can you give some details of how it was recorded, mixed, and mastered. Great job!

[Sofa King]

Originally posted by eberrong
This song rocks! I assume this is pro studio stuff. Can you give some details of how it was recorded, mixed, and mastered. Great job!

Thank you for the compliment, Im glad you enjoyed it.

this song is a few years old, it was the only thing I had at the house, and I wanted to try my new MP3 application.

it was done at my studio.
Recorded onto 16 bit DA88s, mixed off of Radar, through O2Rs.
Mastered by either Stephen Marcussen or Dave Collins, [sorry I cant remember].
Was there anything in particular you wanted details on?

Thanks again

Sean

[Sofa King]

Originally posted by Sofa King

Mastered by either Stephen Marcussen or Dave Collins, [sorry I cant remember].

OOOOPS sorry,
that was the unmastered version, Some one at Marcussen mastered the album, but this version was done before the rest of the record.

thanks

[eberrong]

I would be interested to here what kind of mics & mic preamps were used on the different tracks. Also any compression or EQ during tracking?

[Sofa King]

Originally posted by eberrong
I would be interested to here what kind of mics & mic preamps were used on the different tracks. Also any compression or EQ during tracking?

Like I said, this was done a year or so ago, so ill try and recall.

Drums:
Yamaha 24" 12" 16"
radio king 7x14"

k d112 inside 33114
snr 57 33114
snr bot 460 hv3
ht 391 hv3
rack 414uls fig8 737
flr 414uls fig8 737
ohl 414tl2 737 [pulling a few dbs on snr hits]
ohr 414tl2 737 [pulling a few dbs on snr hits]
mono oh korby stubby v72 160x
mono room korby tube omni summit tpa manley vari mu [set to limit]


Bass:
60s pbass with pick

bass evil twin 160x [catching peaks] summit tla100 [pulling 3-4 db]


Gtr:
les paul soldano slo 100

gtr 57 summit tpa



vocal Korby stubby FET 1272or summit tpa manley, summit tla100





During the mix, ill send different drum tracks to a couple compressed busses.
Typically slower attacks and pretty fast releases for the drums.

The same with the vocal, and ill feather in the amount of squeeze or grunge as needed.

I’ll do mixes through the Manley compressor as well as a direct digital path with no processing on the mix bus, giving the mastering engineer some options.


Hope that helps.

Thanks again for the interest.

[eberrong]

Thanks a lot! It really helps a home studio-er like me to see how the pros are doing it.

[DavidO'K]

My Dear Mr. King;

YOU my good man are a TEASE!! There I was, my fist beginning to involuntarily pump the air and you fade to black on me... SHAME.


It was real good. A couple of questions: Did you use any graphical editing during the post - or mix - phase? There was some ensemble work in there where the musical figures are separated by 1/32nd note rests, which the guitar players all execute with mechanical precision. The kind I can only get by cutting waveforms in Cubase. If it is not edited, then they are one of the most accurate and well rehearsed hard rock bands I've heard.

Also you mentioned compressing multiple drum elements through mix busses. I'm guessing that it's because you don't have enough comps for every drujm individually. Or is it because you want to process the drums uniformly, and what would go on to these buss Toms and Kick? Any cymbals? Snare? Any other tips on recording drums?

Regardless, it was a big league track and you should be proud.

Hope to hear from you soon.

David.

[Sofa King]

Originally posted by DavidO'K
My Dear Mr. King;

YOU my good man are a TEASE!! There I was, my fist beginning to involuntarily pump the air and you fade to black on me... SHAME.

Sorry, it was from my demo reel, [the only thing I had at home]. I only have bits and pieces on the demo reel.

It was real good. A couple of questions: Did you use any graphical editing during the post - or mix - phase? There was some ensemble work in there where the musical figures are separated by 1/32nd note rests, which the guitar players all execute with mechanical precision. The kind I can only get by cutting waveforms in Cubase. If it is not edited, then they are one of the most accurate and well rehearsed hard rock bands I've heard.

I’m not sure which figure you are referring to, but no.
No PT on that track. It was not a big budget thing, and before I got my PT rig. So it was DA88S and O2Rs.
And yes, they are a tight band, and the guitar player is something else.

Also you mentioned compressing multiple drum elements through mix busses. I'm guessing that it's because you don't have enough comps for every drujm individually. Or is it because you want to process the drums uniformly, and what would go on to these buss Toms and Kick? Any cymbals? Snare? Any other tips on recording drums?

This song is not a particularly strong drum mix; I tend to be somewhat over the top with the kit. I feel this track was more about featuring the gtr riff.

But typically I gently compress individual drum tracks.
The kick and snare for tone and control.
And the OHs for control.
Ill squeeze the room mics to again affect the tone.

Then ill have something like a room bus squeezed much harder.
And perhaps a kick and snare bus squeezed harder as well.

These typically will get folded under the regular tracks and this adds a feeling of stability and consistency.

Cymbals rarely get the heavy squeeze, as they don’t react as nicely as the drums.

As far as drum tracking tips, here’s things that always work.
Good drums
Decent tuning
Great player, [i.e. not as in chops, but HOW to hit the drums]
Good room
Print a lot of subtractive eq on the bass drum
As you work, keep in mind what the kit sounds like as if you were sitting right in front of it.

Regardless, it was a big league track and you should be proud.

Im glad you liked it.
thank you for the compliment.

Best