You Raise Me Up (Simpler Recording & Mastering Technique)

[des0free]

UPDATE: I also tried using 3 dynamic mics I think I like even better -- I have posted it in a new thread in the "general recording" discussion board:
https://songcrafters.org/forum/index.php?topic=30263.msg358565;topicseen#new

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I got tired of fussing with separated mics for guitar and vocal, and with endless tweaking of mixing/mastering FX.  So instead I tried:

1. recording guitar and vocal simultaneously with the built in stereo condenser mics on the Zoom R24 (see pic below). I put the unit at mouth level with the mics directly pointed at my mouth ~2 feet away.  I stood in front of it while playing the acoustic guitar. 

2. I applied "just" three plugins to the master track, all left at default settings: (a) CLA Unplugged; (b) CLA Mixdown; (c) L1+ ultramaximizer.  (I also set the L1 limiter threshold so that it was only rarely triggered in the loudest passages, rather than "slamming it")

3. I changed the strings on my guitar, which I hadn't done in a very long time... maybe that makes the guitar sound better than applying a million plugins?

Less fuss, less muss?  What do you think, does it sound good?

[des0free]

In this post, for comparison, is the unprocessed recording from zoom R24

(in the next post I only add reverb)

 

[des0free]

In this post I ONLY added reverb (Waves Renaissance Rverb Plugin - "small hall", 35% wet), and increased the volume a little

I do think a touch of reverb is better than the dry version.  And maybe those two CLA plugins in the original post add something, but arguably they aren't really "necessary"... but I don't think they hurt ... what do you think?  (note that those used in the original post have compressors so maybe they mainly even out and boost the volume, and maybe some "eq")

[Jean Pierre]

it's a nice recording console... the sound is very clear, very clean, nice performance...

I have many points of agreement with Desofree.

1/ to record the voice and the guitar simultaneously, that's what I'm trying to do.
2/ the CLA plug ins from Waves are fantastic!
3/ "I change the strings of my guitars, which I hadn't done for a long time,...well me too, the problem is that I have about fifteen guitars, some of them (my 5-string banjo has the same strings for more than ten years a few years ago in my crazy classical guitar period, I changed the strings of my guitars.
 in the 60's, when I was a teenager, I had a Jaguar fender on which I changed the strings every week...at that time, there was no effect available! just reverb...that was before  band echo chamber (the shadows), the pedals wha wha (Hendrick) , distorsion (the rolling stones)

Trans

[des0free]

it's a nice recording console... the sound is very clear, very clean, nice performance...

I have many points of agreement with Desofree.

1/ to record the voice and the guitar simultaneously, that's what I'm trying to do.
2/ the CLA plug ins from Waves are fantastic!
3/ "I change the strings of my guitars, which I hadn't done for a long time,...well me too, the problem is that I have about fifteen guitars, some of them (my 5-string banjo has the same strings for more than ten years a few years ago in my crazy classical guitar period, I changed the strings of my guitars.
 in the 60's, when I was a teenager, I had a Jaguar fender on which I changed the strings every week...at that time, there was no effect available! just reverb...that was before  band echo chamber (the shadows), the pedals wha wha (Hendrick) , distorsion (the rolling stones)

Trans

Thanks for your feedback!  (vocal, not guitar amp feedback)

My trying the condenser mics built into the R24 kind of started because I was watching Josh Turner youtube channel and saw the amazing results he gets with the little zoom H2 recorder (~10 year old version, which I think has 2 mics in XY config).  I found that zoom now has H2N recorder, which has 5 mics (!) and lots of different options like XY config, "mid side" config, "surround sound".  It sounds pretty neat for $170 and I almost talked myself into buying one.  But then I said to myself - you already have R24 with built in stereo mics that you never gave a fair trial.  So I think the R24 sounds pretty good, but hey it doesn't have the XY config or mid-side config, so I wonder what those sound like....so maybe I still do want to buy it.....and it's much smaller than the R24!

Josh Turner also has some videos where he uses "mid side" mics and gets awsome sound, but I think those are more expensive mics and preamps.  But maybe it is mostly because he is a great singer and player....

[StephenM]

First off....great job on this song....really good!!!!! 
I think all 3 recordings are very good... but I prefer the first one... just a little...the dry sounds good as does the reverb one.... but I am keeping the first one for my SC playlist....so thanks for that...
I have to say that I completely got reenergized about using my Zoom when I learned that my approach to mixing had been incorrect.... Essentially I was trying to turn my mixes into masters as far as levels of recordings so I was going for the slammed 0bd versions and this deck is not good at that without distorting... my Boss BR1600 is much better at it...but I am not doing that anymore... Instead I am more correctly going for -6 to -4 db mixes so I stay totally away from distortion...and then I am mastering either on my BR, or using Landr...and sometimes I do remixing on Bandlab before using LANDR mastering... so I started using this zoom again because it is portable and I took it with me traveling so I had no choice but to try the mics...
you did really well with them... you sing very nice and the guitar is lovely as well.... so let me get this straight... you recorded the track onto the zoom using the stereo mics then you mixed them on the DAW and used a plug in for that DAW?  I will have to think about that...Bandlab is what I use but my son says I need to use cakewalk... but bandlab I can seem to use on line on any computer so i can work on stuff at work...and home...
CONGRATULATIONS ON A GREAT SONG AND RECORDING!!!

[Jean Pierre]

Josh Turner youtube channel and saw the amazing results he gets with the little zoom H2 recorder

yes Des0free , Josh turner and first of all a great musician, very talented, multi-instrumentalist but it's true that I was also surprised by the results he has in some videos with an H2 recorder zoom

that said, he also has great equipment both in terms of microphones and instruments.
if you don't know her a very interesting video about how she works here at Starman de Bowie
the making off..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxZqxNjct5E
..and the final result

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxI7QfoCO3s

Ouch!

[Farrell Jackson]

The first version is the winner to my ears. It has more volume, sparkle and is spread across both channels, pleasingly.  You did well at getting the base recording clear and clean which is a great place to start when adding any effects or enhancements. You also sang and played it well. The Zoom mics sound great. Did you record to a click track or some kind of metronome? Your timing and tempo sound very steady. I've done tracks like this before, without a click track, and when done I always regret doing that because my tempo fluctuates slightly. That makes it difficult if you want to add more to it. Well done with this simpler recording approach!

I hate changing strings but they sure do sound good when new. I have a Zoom H2 recorder that I've had about 10 years. I got it to capture song ideas at a moments notice. It's very compact, a little larger than a pack of cigarettes. It does well for my purposes but I've never tried it for keeper tracks. After hearing your recording I might have to rethink that.

Farrell

[Hilary]

It sounds great to me (the first one). Well played and sang too!

[Redler]

I listened to these via JBL speaker and my fav was number two. Anyway, I have faced the same "problem", I can't decide which mastering version would be the best...

But, the performance is the most important thing and it is just fantastic!