Home recording / mastering tips

[whiskey_face]

*comes into the thread ready to learn*
*reads Cory's post*
*starts "mastering fund" instead*

that's what I heard....

[Kacey Y]

There's nothing wrong with doing it yourself really, but most people don't have any realistic idea of what they're getting into or what their realistic expectations should be. Like how I build a bass body (which is totally in my skill set), but then I decided I would paint it (zero knowledge/experience). I bought HVLP spray guns, filters, hoses, paint, prep supplies, did tons of research, set up everything, spent a few days doing the base coats, color coats, then totally botched the whole thing terrible doing the clear coat and realized I tried to jump into learning a whole new skill/trade expecting to be able to get a real result the first time. Then I thought about how I've been doing the things I consider myself "good" at for over a decade at least and felt kind of stupid.

So if you're getting into it because you want to learn a new skill and really devote time to sucking and slowly getting better, through hard learned lessons, bitter failures and small delightful victories, go for it. If you're doing it to save money or thinking it would be easier or more convenient to do it yourself, skip the torture and just spend money on someone else who's already gone through it.

I'm a glutton for punishment, so I've picked up and honed a lot of DIY skills, but now that I'm in my late 30's and have a kid I'd almost always rather spend money than time on things I'm not already skilled doing. I spend time and save money on the things I already know how to do myself.

[whiskey_face]

>>> not a glutton for punishment <<<

>>makes enough money not to mow his own lawn<<

I think ill hire someone

[horseblanket]

I'm a glutton for punishment, so I've picked up and honed a lot of DIY skills, but now that I'm in my late 30's and have a kid I'd almost always rather spend money than time on things I'm not already skilled doing. I spend time and save money on the things I already know how to do myself.

Amen.

[Vuvuzela]

Finally able to post on ILD again from work!

I just wanted to chime in and say that recording, mixing and mastering my bands stuff has always been the most frustrating at times but most fun and rewarding projects. as far as mastering goes, i agree, getting the recording and mixing done right makes mastering WAY EASIER. as far as mastering the tracks go, i dump all of the final mixes into a new pro tools session, set up some compression, light EQ and check it against other records that I A/B in with the mixes. Always keeping that master fader at 0.

[conky]

I meant to post it in this thread the other day but I forgot. Here's the newest stuff I recorded.

https://deadhandcollective.bandcamp.com ... f-demiurge

[AxAxSxS]

I've been learning a lot just by recording every practice.
It's still a fairly simple setup, but I have an sm57 on each guitar and bass, the drum set is now fully mic'd with el cheapo drum mics, and I have two overhead condensers for the cymbals. mix of audix and 58's for vocals. 16 channel board, scarlett 18i8 and ableton to play with it all in.
Simple right?
So every aspect does something that can be manipulated and it only gets more complex as the signal gets farther from the input. Ableton seems like an endless array of effects and the editing can turn into an art in itself.
So when flux records, I wont be doing it. maybe in a few years when I've spent a few thousand more hours at it and a few thousand dollars more on microphones and gear.

[rustywire]

So every aspect does something that can be manipulated and it only gets more complex as the signal gets farther from the input. Ableton seems like an endless array of effects and the editing can turn into an art in itself.

When tracking, it's wise to run a test vocal take or riff/solo and play it back without any eqing, to find the best possible options for capturing what you want with minimal need for correction.
It's (usually) a lot easier, quicker and cost effective to fix something at the beginning of the process (finding the most flattering mic/positioning) than attempting to "correct" issues arising from poor choices/technique.
Not always an option, but try to *test pan for gold* with different recording setups before committing to dig.

Audio adages apply (garbage in=garbage out.)

[darthbatman]

i think that's the way i'd go about it as well, but i don't play drums - maybe just have to grind it out on some stupdi drum program.

i have all these ideas but i can't get them out properly when i can't play drums and none of the (two) drummers i know would play that kind of music. I feel stuck in the starting zone :/ and click tracks have to be one of the most boring things ever.

any other ideas before I go back to trying to recreate the sounds in my head wiith computer programs?..

i remember danny elfman saying that he just keeps a small tape recorder on him most of the time to quickly capture ideas when they hit.
Try just beat-boxing the basic rhythm into a handheld recorder and maybe singing a little bit of the melodies?

[GardenoftheDead]

My strategies for digital recording:

1.) Aim for recording everything between -18 and -12 dBfs (the digital meter is not the analogue meter, more headroom is more better)
2.) Make the vocals (or whatever your lead instrument is) sound good first, mix everything else around it.
3.) For make louder: EQ to de-emphasize super lows and super highs (HPF on everything but kick and bass, LPF on everything but cymbals), control the 2-4khz range very carefully. The top and bottom of the spectrum can be compensated for with more volume and upper midrange hurts. Apply mild compression (2:1 to 4:1 ratio) to everything in the mix stage and use make-up gain to get their levels to around -6dBds (but your master output should only get to around -3dBfs!)
4.) Mastering EQ is 4-band with wide Qs on the midrange, but that's personal taste.
5.) Use a multi-band compressor set to a really low threshold and ratio (like, 1.2:1 or 1.5:1 and roll it down until it takes effect). Aim for about 3db of gain reduction in each band. Give it about 1-2 db of makeup gain.
6.) Use a brick-wall look ahead limiter set to a -1.0dB threshold and boost until it's just hitting it.

You can also use this trick here to give it more OOMPH without sacrificing ALL of your dynamic range.

Not a doom song, but it ends up sounding something like this:
https://soundcloud.com/westerndesolation/sunken-garbage

I use Logic Pro X but you can sort of make a go at it with Garageband and a third-party AU like the TDR VOS Kotelnikov compressor (which is great AND free).

[D.o.S.]

That sounds really good with some headphones on, GotD.