Why do your recordings sound like ass?

[Flash Harry]

In front of the tv? If I carry my bass into the living room, I'm immediately challenged with 'you're not thinking of playing that thing in here are you?'

It's good to have flexible technique.

[Speed Demon]

Flash, its good that your technique is flexible enough to get you and the bass out of the living room before the fangs come out. Don't you just hate having to constantly go to the emergency room to have the bass removed from your butt?

[SteveB]

'...If I carry my bass into the living room, I'm immediately challenged with 'you're not thinking of playing that thing in here are you?...'

Ooooh, never!! 
Did we marry sisters??

[AndyR]

I kinda left out the part where she'd gone away for the weekend, didn't I?

She got back while I was doing the "rehearsing" in the studio. She did come in and have a good listen and reckoned it is sounding better (she also got interested in seeing the drum patterns to see what I was talking about on where the part was going to sit!!)

But, yes, in general, getting a musical instrument out just as a film is about to start does generate the odd comment... even with headphones. It's almost like she's expecting me to be fully concentrating if we put a film on. The Grand Prix and stuff like that is OK, as long as she can hear the voices on the telly.

[Flash Harry]

Flash, its good that your technique is flexible enough to get you and the bass out of the living room before the fangs come out. Don't you just hate having to constantly go to the emergency room to have the bass removed from your butt?

Those tuning pegs smart.....

[Speed Demon]

LOL!  I know the feeling.

[AndyR]

Just found today that this Yep bloke on the cockos site started another (shorter!) thread on "producing yourself".

Superb stuff (although some chap from the UK started arguing with him halfway through - that was embarrassing to read ).

I highly recommend this thread, and it's less taxing than the "why do my recordings sound like ass" (or arse, if you're from the UK!!! ) thread.

Oh, I suppose a link might help:

http://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=32580

[T.C. Elliott]

It depends what I'm doing, the most important thing is consistency, control the dynamics, if you're digging in, dig in in a consistent manner, if you're playing lightly, make it consistent. Doing so means that you don't have to compress the bejeezus out of it.

I have a comment on compressing for volume. I think the time spent "riding the fader" or on automation is well worth it when it comes to bass most especially, but vox and sometimes guitar as well. What I mean is that if you have passages or even parts of your bass lines that are lower in volume then manually bump them up on a bounce or if you mix in a DAW as it plays through. Then you can use compression to give it a bit of warmth or to help bring out the sustain a bit or what have you. It takes more time than hitting a preset on a compressor, but probably worth it for anything you plan on sharing to the outside world.