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Post by Jeff on May 13, 2006 10:37:53 GMT -5
I just wanted a thread to keep track of these resources. I do almost all of my audio self-education on the internet. I find two or three interesting things a week. I'll just post them here. Feel free to post the things you find. 1. www.masterdigital.com/24bit/images/rdioproc.pdfThis is a nice warning about how radio signal processing doesn't like supercompressed sources. 2. Sound Performance Labs Tube Vitalizer This is supposed to be "god-like gear." I am always skeptical. 3. www.fmraudio.com/RNC1773.HTMThe Really Nice Compressor. Justin and I have been talking about this unit since 2002. I will have one someday. |
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Post by ryan on May 15, 2006 13:14:06 GMT -5
Great idea for a thread, Jeff. Recently, I've been using the Waves C4 Multiband Compressor in my mastering setup, and finding some great results: www.waves.com/content.asp?id=144Multiband compressors are standard gear in most mastering-facilities, but until recently they were so unreasonably expensive that most home-users could never afford to touch one. Multiband compressors are dangerously powerful tools that can subtly beef-up the sound of any mix or totally ruin a great mix. They work by breaking the audio frequency-spectrum into four or more user-definable "bands," allowing you to compress each band to different specifications. This means you can squash the hell out of the bass-end, leave the mids a bit less compressed, and put a bit more gain on the high-end, for example. Not that you would necessarily want to do that, but you could. Recently, I've been mixing-down my songs in Sonar, then opening the resulting stereo WAV file in Wavelab. Wavelab is where I do my mastering. Here, I usually insert the C4 Multiband into the effects-chain, then turn it on, and listen for the difference. I haven't really established any specific formula yet; I just trust my ears. I start by playing with gain settings and the individual frequency bandwiths, then I move to the Threshold settings, Range, Attack, and Release. Sometimes I'll start by flipping through the presets, seeing which one sounds best, and then modifying that preset. Usually, while modifying the C4 settings, I'll get to the point where I can no longer really hear it in the mix. At that point, I'll turn it off and back on several times to see if I can actually hear any difference. Usually, I'll notice subtle changes, and then I'll know that I'm close to the right settings. Basically, what I'm trying to say is, I aim for transparency, using the C4 to make only very minor adjustments to the sonic coloration of the overall mix. But I think these small changes can make the difference between a mix that sounds "okay" in "many" stereo systems and a mix that sounds "good" in "most" stereo systems. For a great article on mastering, including the use of multiband compressors, check out this article: www.tweakheadz.com/mastering_your_audio.htm |
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Post by Jeff on May 15, 2006 15:17:29 GMT -5
I haven’t written anything like this since 2002, but I thought I might describe the software I am using in my recording process this year. This will be brief because I don’t want to bore anyone and because I still have some work to do to finish up my teaching year.
1. I start by recording a midi performance in Cakewalk’s Project 5 or Propellerheads’ Reason. Midi files are small even if you record yourself for hours. I usually record a totally blank improvisation, starting with no idea at all about anything. I tend to record about 5 minutes or so of performance. Then I get a beer or a cup of coffee and play it back. Sometimes there is nothing there. Most of the time, I can hear a kernel of something that I’d like to hear more of. If you’ve listened to any of my recording since November, this original performance is usually retained in a piano or string line.
2. Next I start to build up parts. Almost all the sounds I use are generated in the computer these days. The virtual instruments that I turn to again and again are these: Spectrasonics Atmosphere, Edirol Orchestral, Lounge Lizard EP, NI: Absynth 3, Battery 2, B4 2, Cameleon 5000, Imposcar, Minimonsta, Octopus, Ultranalog, Vanguard, and Z3ta+. Of course, there are others that I use for parts here and there, but these are my favorites right now. I usually build up three or four related loops. Then I mix down the individual parts associated with each loop.
3. Next I do some live recording. As you know I am using Tracktion for this. Sometimes, though, I will just go straight to Acid, which has minimal, though sufficient, tracking capabilities. At this point, I sometimes sync Reason to one of these programs. I don’t use Reason nearly as much as I used to, but it has a nice new device called the Combinator, which offers some really complex and compelling sounds. For example, the final section of Datta was built almost entirely within Reason and transported to Acid as individual parts for mixing.
4. While I am doing all this tracking, I use Waves plugs extensively, especially the L3 MultiMaximizer. Like Ryan, I used to use the C4 all over the place. And I still use it a whole bunch, but I can fix many of my headphone errors easier in the L3. Don’t know why. Other tracking plugs that I use: Nomad Factory’s Blue Tubes Bundle, Izotope Ozone, URS EQs (especially the BLT), and PSP Vintagewarmer. For vocal tracking (with my aging and unstable voice) I use Antares Tube and Autotune. I am getting better about hiding the defects in my voice, but there is still a long way to go. There are two aspects to this problem: 1) I write many of the vocals as I record them. So I am not practicing and learning the parts. 2) I build complex mixes most of the time, and sometimes the various parts of the mix distract me as I am creating the vocal lines. I sometimes use the Antares Filter for vocals, but I am moving away from highly effected sounds these days, especially effected vocals. For guitar tracking I use NI’s Guitar Rig and Nomad Factory’s Rock Amp Legends, and Amplitube. It is hard to get good guitar sounds—only vocals are harder in my opinion. And I haven’t been sharing much of my guitar work with the group because I am so terrible at writing and playing guitar parts. Still, these plugs are good, even for a novice like me.
5. Mixing takes a long time. And it can get pretty boring. A little tweak here can affect a hundred things there. Besides levels and panning—which are built into your audio software—I tend to focus on EQ, compression/leveling, exciting, stereo imaging, and reverb. Ozone 3 is a nice plug that allows you to play with all of this at one time. The Waves plugs are the ones I use the most.
I haven’t talked about Reverb. Reverb. Such an important component of sound, and so hard to get right. The reverb I like the best is TC Native Reverb Plus. It is warm and less harshly metallic than most of the software reverbs on the market. I’ve gotten good results from the Garritan Ambiance plug, which is included (for free!) in the Personal Orchestra software. I don’t like the Waves TruVerb. I’ve played with it for years hoping that I could figure out its tricks, but I find it finally unconvincing.
6. For mastering I like the Waves L3 Ultramaximizer and Multimaximizer. In fact, the Ultramaximizer is useful for avoiding clipping in submixes, too. The Blue Tubes Stereo imager is better than the one by Waves, in my opinion.
Okay, I am out of time. If I get some freetime later, I will find links to all these plugs and post them here for your perusal.
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Post by Jeff on May 15, 2006 17:34:41 GMT -5
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Post by jtmx1 on May 24, 2006 21:31:35 GMT -5
A magazine that I like to leaf through, though I've only ever found a single copy of it, this month's (April-May 06) issue: Virtual Instruments Magazine: www.virtualinstrumentsmag.com/ |
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Post by Jeff on May 28, 2006 13:58:38 GMT -5
The silly folks at my bank upped my credit limit, so I finally broke down and ordered the old FMR RNC (Again: www.fmraudio.com/RNC1773.HTM ). That should give me something to play with during the next month. I looked all over the internet, even on ebay. I think these folks have the best deal: www.humbuckermusic.com/1001.html2 free mic cables, the compressor, no tax, and free shipping: $175. I've wanted to track my voice with a compressor just after the preamp for a long time. At this point I don't mind using the EQ on my board, but really that is the only piece of gear I need to complete my gold channel. And I even know the one I want: www.rane.com/pe17.html But that is $400 I don't have right now. Jeff BTW: Here is my preamp: www.studioprojectsusa.com/vtb1.htmland the one large diaphragm mic that I own: www.studioprojectsusa.com/c1.html |
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Post by ryand on May 28, 2006 14:57:35 GMT -5
I've read great things about the RNC from more than one source. I started to buy one a few years ago, right after Idiot Plot had finished recording our album and I saw how useful an inline compressor would have been. The RNC isn't an expensive piece of equipment, but somehow I've never gotten around to acquiring one. Let me know your opinions on it.
And by the way, have you heard about the Really Nice Preamp? It's gotten high marks as well.
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Post by jtmx1 on May 28, 2006 15:23:03 GMT -5
I’ve looked at it, and read a little about it, e.g., here: www.mojopie.com/rnp.html , but I’m not looking for a new pre right now. I’ve barely done any real exploration of my current one. In 2003, when I got the VTB-1, Justin and I did some tests. But other than using it on the Christmas Song I did last year, it has hardly left its box. Truth be told, I am not very skilled at discerning the subtle differences of color that preamps give you. I am really just learning how to hear the more subtle aspects of audio engineering and make reasonable guesses about how to reduplicate them. I’ve got a long way to go. But someday, when Rose Rock Radio takes off and we are all millionaires, I look forward to sipping a few Guinnesses with you while we A/B our modified Neumann U-87s through our Massenburgs and our RNPs. Jeff |
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Post by Jeff on Jun 2, 2006 13:00:34 GMT -5
Holy shit! I now realize you should use a compressor for just about everything. Tracking between any source and the board and in mastering. OMG. All the work I did last night I'll just have to throw away. The mixes sound SO much better if I compress them as they go onto the harddrive.
Jeff
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Post by chris on Jun 2, 2006 15:57:03 GMT -5
Don't you hate realizing shit after you've already done tons of work on it? I feel your pain, my man.
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Post by Jeff on Jun 2, 2006 23:23:55 GMT -5
www.savefile.com/files/3752728I did a test with the RNC for anyone who wants to hear it. I did a one take vocal for an old tune that I had never finished. I kept everything the same way that I usually do on my one take vocals: A little EQ and a tiny bit of reverb. But the vocal sounds so much better. The difference is the RNC. I was even trying to psych it out. I purposely varied the dymanics of the performance so that I was almost whispering at times and yelling in other sections. I also danced around the mic, sometimes singing directly into it sometimes looking sideways at it. And the RNC really came through, I think. I am amazed at what this thing can do. Again, this was just another one take scratch vocal, and you guys all know how those sound. But parts of this are pretty decent sounding. PS The lyrics are about 14 years old--though they seem timely. I think it was the relevance of the lyric that made me pick this one for the test. (Oh, I was dancing too much during one section of the song and forgot the lyric. I sang something even more fruity, if you can believe it.) Not My Enemy You’ve packed up your little things And left all this space behind Now the place is all mine And with my circuits patched You can barely walk through my living room But since you’re not coming back I’m not letting you I know want me scared But you’re not my enemy Though I may not need you here You’re still not my enemy You can’t make me hate You are not my enemy You can be almost anything But never my enemy Maybe we’ll meet somewhere Maybe we’ll talk again Maybe we’ll just wait and see I don’t pretend to know How everything should be I just don’t need to fly To such great extremes With my circuits patched ‘Can barely walk through my living room
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Post by jtmx1 on Jun 3, 2006 3:47:35 GMT -5
Tomorrow I might try to do the vocal without the shouting...maybe rewrite a few of the more banal lines...see if I can get a more pristine sound instead of just a really squashed one.
I am still up because I tried to go to sleep at 1 while watching a movie, but it was a horror movie and it woke me up pretty good near the end. Blood is like coffee.
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Post by jtmx1 on Jun 3, 2006 18:34:15 GMT -5
Not My Enemy with the final vocal: www.savefile.com/files/7960788Okay, I've done all the work on this song that I plan to. As I was going through it I thought, I could make those drums sound less puny and I could clean up that bass that has bleed all over that 14 year old Type I cassette tape. And those stupid lyrics could stand just a touch of subtlty. Etc... But you know what. I ain't gonna do it. For all these old songs, if I can remember the lyrics I'll record them, and if I can't then I won't. But I am not going to do anything else to these old recordings. Well, I might give Sinking Island a real drum track. |
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Post by Jeff on Jun 3, 2006 22:47:28 GMT -5
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