Recording and Production tips

[stoman]

@dasilvasings:

Is it worth to add reverb to highly compressed guitars to put them at different depth?

It depends on the song, but I personally use little (if any) reverb on electric guitars - usually only a very tiny bit to glue all the tracks together. I prefer delays on guitars - especially on the lead guitar to make them gel with the mix without making them sound like they were recorded in a bath tube.

Guitars usually play an important rhythmic role in the song, so they should not be playing at the back of the stage IMO - which would be the effect of adding (too much) reverb. Usually the volume faders and the EQ will do the job.

I'm now working on a lead, and it overlaps the rythm guitar big time

That's most likely a frequency collision problem, and the rhythm guitar may simply be too loud.

How do you find the "characteristic frequencies of an instrument"?

The easiest way is to use a graphic EQ, set it to a medium "Q" and then sweep through the frequencies until you find a range that seems to be important for the characteristic sound of that instrument. Then increase the "Q" until you have isolated that frequency range. On the other (the disturbing) instrument use the same Q and frequency to lower the amplitude of that range. Try this with your lead and rhythm guitars!

One more word about reverb: A common mistake is to use much too long reverb tails. A good recipe is (IMO) to start with a length of 0 ms and then increase it slowly until it seems to be just perfect. Then reduce it a tad again.

A reverb is used best if you don't really notice it but would immediately notice if it isn't there.

Regards,
  Steffen

[Geir]

Thanks T.C. and Steffen for more eloquently describing what I meant

As a trial-and-error newbie in this field I find it reassuring that I've been on the right track. My drawing in the previous post was the X-Z "plot" in T.C.'s description (it's not readable but the Z-axis is actually marked with "near" and "distant"). The next drawing I was gonna make was the X-Y plot.

Thanks Tony and Andy for explaining the "complementary EQ" principle, I'll have to try that one.

Steffen, that was really some great advice you posted. Thanks !!!!

[Vanncad]

Wow - great post guys!

I've been lurking over this for a wile and while I don't completely understand all of the technicalities of the recording and mixing process, I do appreciate the formulas.

I am hoping to have some studio space in my home soon and will definitley be coming back here once I get some gear to go in it.

For now my method is this:

1. Record  instruments using default effect settings and pan appropriately to great separation. I usually put the lead guitar on the opposite side of the b/u vox at about 15-20%. Bass and lead vox in the center.
2. Leave the Reverb (Sorry guys!) for each track at it's default setting (10).
3. Add the BR600 default Delay setting (usually 10 for instruments, 15-20 for vocals).
4. Bounce the tracks down to track 7/8.
5. Use the BR600 Master Tool Kit (MTK) effect (my favourite is P13 "Acoustic") and master the song to another 7/8 track.
6. Save as a .wav to my hard drive using the BR Wave Convertor.
7. Open the .wav in Audacity. Trim the beginning and fade the ending, and then export as an .mp3


I record, mix and master everything through headphones (sorry again guys!), but this will change once I get some proper monitors.
My stuff sounds okay to me, but I have heard a lot of stuff posted on here recently that sounds phenomenal, and would like to hopefully use some of your guys advice to improve my recordings.

Thanks for all the great information guys.

This is great stuff!!

[stoman]

Here is a list of topics that may be of interest:

How to set up a mix
Introduction to mixing and mastering
What (not) to use a compressor for
How/when to use reverb and delay
Mixing drums
Mixing vocals
Mixing electric guitars
Mixing acoustic guitars
Dynamic range and loudness
Advanced mixing techniques

If anybody would like me (or other volunteers) to write something about one or more of these topics, just say so!

BTW: How about establishing an FAQ thread with all the common questions in the first, sticky post and links to the answers?

Regards,
  Steffen

[Geir]

If anybody would like me (or other volunteers) to write something about one or more of these topics, just say so!

Yes PLEASE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BTW: How about establishing an FAQ thread with all the common questions in the first, sticky post and links to the answers?

If someone could volunteer to draw the essence out of this thread, and structure it maybe it cuold be posted under the guides section? Would that be ok 64G (or Mike)?

Songcrafters.org > Guides > Home Recording

[T.C. Elliott]

There is a mixing/recording thread on the Reaper forum that I started to put together, but it's super long... like 42 pages of posts long all included. I think someone else put a pdf together, and I'm trying to put a word doc together. And there are other discussions I've found that I can link, if I find my cheat sheets. So I will try to link and post some stuff as I find them. So far, this is a pretty good discussion. Just hearing what other people do, even beginners or almost beginners like me, is a good way to analyze what I'm doing. Sometimes doing something 'wrong' is a good way to break a habit. You never know until you try.

[henwrench]

DON'T FORGET YOUR EARSDON'T FORGET YOUR EARSDON'T FORGET YOUR EARSDON'T FORGET YOUR EARSDON'T FORGET YOUR EARSDON'T FORGET YOUR EARSDON'T FORGET YOUR EARSDON'T FORGET YOUR EARSDON'T FORGET YOUR EARSDON'T FORGET YOUR EARSDON'T FORGET YOUR EARSDON'T FORGET YOUR EARSDON'T FORGET YOUR EARSDON'T FORGET YOUR EARSDON'T FORGET YOUR EARSDON'T FORGET YOUR EARSDON'T FORGET YOUR EARSDON'T FORGET YOUR EARSDON'T FORGET YOUR EARSDON'T FORGET YOUR EARS DON'T FORGET YOUR EARSDON'T FORGET YOUR EARSDON'T FORGET YOUR EARSDON'T FORGET YOUR EARS DON'T FORGET YOUR EARS  DON'T FORGET YOUR EARS  DON'T FORGET YOUR EARS  DON'T FORGET YOUR EARS  DON'T FORGET YOUR EARS  DON'T FORGET YOUR EARS  DON'T FORGET YOUR EARS  DON'T FORGET YOUR EARS  DON'T FORGET YOUR EARS  DON'T FORGET YOUR EARS  DON'T FORGET YOUR EARS  DON'T FORGET YOUR EARS  DON'T FORGET YOUR EARS  DON'T FORGET YOUR EARS DON'T FORGET YOUR EARS   DON'T FORGET YOUR EARS   DON'T FORGET YOUR EARS  DON'T FORGET YOUR EARS.

                                 that really is enough. Goodbye. henwrench

[Oldrottenhead]

i must admit that most of this thread is in a foreign language to me but i understand hennys post best.

[OsCKilO]

Always press record!!!!!

[Wartime Novelty]

Another point i forgot to mention is if you are grouping tracks.

say 4 guitar tracks (2 left 2 right)

to there own bus and you are EQing dont just put the fx on the bus header do it to each track individually it will sound far better that way