Small Budget Recording

[digitaltaper]

Here are two songs of a recording made in a coffee shop. I wanted to post this for all those musicians on a tight budget. Take a listen and let me know what you think ....

Ill post the gear used later .....

http://cs.sunyit.edu/~murphyb/tunes/...nimastered.mp3 - Ring of Fire Cover

http://cs.sunyit.edu/~murphyb/tunes/...tered-orig.mp3 - One of Johns tunes - Unknown title

Any feedback would be cool ... Im not pro ... Just some sick music freak!!!

-Digitaltaper

PS: Just found this board 2 weeks ago ... I love it!!!

[digitaltaper]

No love?? I guess I should have known better with my title description! Just because it was recorded with a small budget dosent mean it dosent have good sound.

[slobbermonster]

No love?? I guess I should have known better with my title description! Just because it was recorded with a small budget dosent mean it dosent have good sound.

in this case it does. recording stinks but I like your voice, except for the johnny cash tune, your way at the bottom of your range and it ain't pretty

[digitaltaper]

Originally posted by slobbermonster
in this case it does. recording stinks but I like your voice, except for the johnny cash tune, your way at the bottom of your range and it ain't pretty

LOL ... Thanks for your honesty ... Its not me performing ... I just recorded the show for a different performer that night ... For what it's worth ... Im pretty sure the guy singing was missing his front teeth!!! LOL .... Slobber, I could get that kind of feedback from my nephew ... what exactly don't you like ... A little more detail besides 'it stinks' can probably helps up do better next time we hit the coffee shop up .... was it just his vocal range or something else?? This wasnt done in a studio ... so the only gear used was a mixer and a EQ (besides an external pre/AD to capture the recording) .... thanks for the input guys.

[zemlin]

The direct out from the guitar is not a pretty sound. Record level is too hot - lots of clipping - for starters.

What kind of gear are you using? Mics, mixer, audio interface, recording device, etc. and how to you have it hooked up? Do you have any other mics to choose from? Do you have a mic you can use on the guitar?

What are you using for editing / mixing?

[digitaltaper]

Originally posted by zemlin
The direct out from the guitar is not a pretty sound. Record level is too hot - lots of clipping - for starters.

What kind of gear are you using? Mics, mixer, audio interface, recording device, etc. and how to you have it hooked up? Do you have any other mics to choose from? Do you have a mic you can use on the guitar?

What are you using for editing / mixing?

This is just a simple SBD tape out recording from a Mackie Mixer (I can't remeber which model).

Mackie Tape Outs -> Edirol UA-5 -> WaveLab

The output was extreamly low (The performers are more a background performance) so the Pre on the Edirol was maxed out. The total volume was grought up using Waves L2.

If I remeber correctly ... the vocal mic was pluged right into the mixer and a DI was used for the guitar I think. The problem with the location is that it is an awkward setup ... the performers are in a small area at the end of the coffee shop. One speaker sits on a ledge and the other sits on the stairs on the way up to the performing area. We used an Edirol UA-5 (No mods) for the recording via analog in. Ive recorded there 3 times all the same way.

I wanted to use my mics in front of the speakers ... but the area is way to tight ... if you wanted to go up the stairs you would end up stepping on the mic.

Most of the time its just 2 channels ... Guitar and Vocals. Is it possible and would it make more sense to use the 1/4 outs on the mackie .... EX: the Vocals into the Left 1/4 input and the guitar into the right 1/4 input?? Then I could control each instruments level independently and do a mix down after the show??

The Edirol is only $300 ... Like I said a small budget recording. The performers who I have recorded were all happy with the results ... but like all of you ... Im always looking to make things better ... so what do you think ... should I try running Vox and Guitar to seperate L and R channels and mix it after the fact??

Thanks Guys

-DigitalTaper

PS: Like I said in my first post. Im no pro ... I own my gear because I love live music (while having no musical talent myself). So please remember that ... while I do want honest input ... please remeber that my friends and I are feeder fish in your big pond