Posted: 12/18/2009 4:37:44 PM EDT
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Been playing with a new band, most of us beginners, in a basement. Hard walls and floors. Yeah, I know we ought to build a band room, but that ain't happenin' any time soon. We've been recording our sessions with mixed (no pun intended) results. Latest recording was much dirtier than previous attempts, but we were also running 8 mics for amps & vocals.
We're thinking about eliminating the mics fro all except the singers (1 main, 2 backup). Can we feed the mixer direct from amps or pedals? The bass amp has XLR outputs, so that's not a problem. My amp (Marshall AVT-20) has a preamp out, and the other guy's Line 6 does too, I think. Are the preamp out levels too high for board input? Could an effects pedal be used the same way? Oh yeah, the drum kit's electronic, it goes right into the mixer board. I know the amp/speaker combo has a huge influence on the sound, but we're only recording for the purpose of learning and getting better. Not trying to put out a CD on the cheap. We'd also like for our friends to hear the tracks and believe we're rock stars, but that's of secondary importance. |
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Isolate better. barriers between amps and drums to minimize bleed into open mics. Make up some cheap goboes( baffles) .
Leave some headroom on your tracking..Turn down if you have to. Less is more Focus on ONE thing at a time.. Get a good drum sound going for instance. Or guitar balance, vocals, whatever. Just something to get a sense of accomplishment and then add the next ingredient. It is MIXING ya know. Gotta learn how to cook! Do not indiscrimminately add reverb, delay,gating, compression, et cetera, cuz everyone else does it. A little goes a Loooooong way. There is no simple way to make tracking magic.. It takes time. Less is More Going direct might help isolate, but the sound MAY lack guts . I don't like direct save for bass, if I'm tight on tracks,then a blend DI/ Mic'ed if I have enough tracks. Less is More |
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Go to your local library and pick up a book on home recording. There will be far more info in it than could be possibly relayed in an online thread.
One of my favorite tips for home recording is to use a walk-in closet full of hanging clothes as an isolation booth for singers. Works like a charm at $0. |
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Quoted:
Been playing with a new band, most of us beginners, in a basement. Hard walls and floors. Yeah, I know we ought to build a band room, but that ain't happenin' any time soon. We've been recording our sessions with mixed (no pun intended) results. Latest recording was much dirtier than previous attempts, but we were also running 8 mics for amps & vocals. We're thinking about eliminating the mics fro all except the singers (1 main, 2 backup). Can we feed the mixer direct from amps or pedals? The bass amp has XLR outputs, so that's not a problem. My amp (Marshall AVT-20) has a preamp out, and the other guy's Line 6 does too, I think. Are the preamp out levels too high for board input? Could an effects pedal be used the same way? Oh yeah, the drum kit's electronic, it goes right into the mixer board. I know the amp/speaker combo has a huge influence on the sound, but we're only recording for the purpose of learning and getting better. Not trying to put out a CD on the cheap. We'd also like for our friends to hear the tracks and believe we're rock stars, but that's of secondary importance. If you have outputs go directly to mixer no mic for recording and mix in studio later. Record vocals later as well in a quiet area with the singer with headphones on listening to the recording of the song. Mix in afterward. |