Tech: comments please (about recordings)

Subject: Tech: comments please
From: Sir Roger de Beverley
Date: 06 Jun 13 - 02:53 PM

I have just recorded these two tracks. I'd appreciate any comments on the quality of the recording. The first is my mandolin version of "Substitute" - the Pete Townsend song and the second is a guitar backed version of "Cold Hard Town" by Allan Taylor.
Thanks

Roger

https://soundcloud.com/sir-roger-de-beverley/02-substitute

https://soundcloud.com/sir-roger-de-beverley/01-cold-hard-town

Subject: RE: Tech: comments please
From: Sir Roger de Beverley
Date: 06 Jun 13 - 02:57 PM

OOps

The first link didn't seem to work properly. Here it is again:

https://soundcloud.com/sir-roger-de-beverley/02-substitute

Subject: RE: Tech: comments please
From: gnu
Date: 06 Jun 13 - 03:18 PM

Sound great to me. In every aspect.

Subject: RE: Tech: comments please (about recordings)
From: Larry The Radio Guy
Date: 06 Jun 13 - 03:54 PM

Sounds good to me. I like the first one better (the one with guitar), but only because there seems to be less reverb or 'echo'. But that's just a personal bias.

Subject: RE: Tech: comments please (about recordings)
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Jun 13 - 04:22 PM

On CHT I'd like your voice--which is beautiful btw--more up-front. You have a great ear for good songs and you do them well. The Who song is nice but I find the writing itself a bit weak. However, you do bring a new perspective to it and that's a saving grace. Good work, Roger. IMO

Subject: RE: Tech: comments please (about recordings)
From: Nick
Date: 06 Jun 13 - 06:40 PM

Much much too much reverb - every bit you listen to comes back after. Spoils everything.



Good fade out.

Subject: RE: Tech: comments please (about recordings)
From: Nick
Date: 06 Jun 13 - 06:42 PM

It sounds like a man singing alone in a bucket.

It doesn't do you any justice.

Technology getting in the way.

Subject: RE: Tech: comments please (about recordings)
From: GUEST,Ed
Date: 07 Jun 13 - 05:01 AM

Personally, I think that Nick is being a little harsh. Yes, the reverb on 'Substitute' is possibly overdone but certainly not to the extent that it "spoils everything"

Good stuff.

Subject: RE: Tech: comments please (about recordings)
From: Sir Roger de Beverley
Date: 07 Jun 13 - 05:19 AM

I was a bit worried about the reverb myself which is one of the reasons that I asked for some feedback. Thanks for what has been posted so far.

R

Subject: RE: Tech: comments please (about recordings)
From: Nick
Date: 07 Jun 13 - 06:39 AM

Sorry Roger - it wasn't meant to be rude or harsh. I was listening on headphones and it was very noticeable to the point where I thought it got a bit in the way and detracted from the performance rather than adding.

In retrospect the bucket comment was uncalled for :)

Hope you are keeping well by the way. The fingers are obviously still functioning!

Subject: RE: Tech: comments please (about recordings)
From: Sir Roger de Beverley
Date: 07 Jun 13 - 06:53 AM

Thanks Nick - no offence taken.

R

Subject: RE: Tech: comments please (about recordings)
From: Will Fly
Date: 07 Jun 13 - 07:26 AM

I used to use reverb in my early recordings days - now I never use it at all, just adjust the mic/Zoom to get the right balance.

Roger, is the guitar in track 2 plugged in (DI)?, rather than recorded purely acoustically? Sounds like it to me - there's that ever-so-detectable "plasticky" twang to it. I used to plug my electro-acoustic guitars in directly all the time but now I record acoustic guitars totally acoustically.

Having said that, the recording quality itself is fine - my caveats are only with the reverb and the DI.

Subject: RE: Tech: comments please (about recordings)
From: Sir Roger de Beverley
Date: 07 Jun 13 - 11:41 AM

Hi Will

Yes it is DI for the guitar.


R

Subject: RE: Tech: comments please (about recordings)
From: treewind
Date: 07 Jun 13 - 02:28 PM

Will Fly beat me to it.
There's no reason to use a guitar pickup for a studio recording of a song like that.
Almost any mic will give you a more natural sounding acoustic guitar sound.
Agreed about too much reverb too. The rule of thumb for reverb is to have it at a level where you can't be sure it's there by just listening, but if you cut it out you can tell something's changed.

Subject: RE: Tech: comments please (about recordings)
From: Sir Roger de Beverley
Date: 07 Jun 13 - 02:50 PM

I have severe hearing loss in my high frequency range and even with digital aids in both ears I don't hear normally. Hence asking for comments about the recordings so that I know what everyone else hears.

Thanks for the comments

R

Subject: RE: Tech: comments please (about recordings)
From: treewind
Date: 08 Jun 13 - 06:49 AM

I listened again, especially focusing on the HF end after what you said, and I have a more detailed suggestions for things I'd try (note that doesn't mean they'd necessarily work!) if I was mixing this:

I think on both tracks the voice could do with a little more top end for clarity. Having done that, it could be reduced in level. Especially on the mandolin song, I though the voice was a bit over the top when it came in. With more HF on the voice, and maybe a little less on the mandolin which is a very bright instrument, you could get the voice level down without losing clarity of words.

On the guitar song, the balance between the voice and guitar varies, and I think what's happening is the voice is naturally quieter on the low notes - I'd try gentle compression on the voice so it sits more evenly just over the guitar level. But first, record with a mic on the guitar!

Anahata