Pop Song (Zoe Stevens)

Posted: Sun Sep 09, 2007 2:24 am

*Link removed until re-recorded.*

Hey all, another song i've been mixing.
This was recording by my girlfriend (Zoe Stevens) bar the vocals which I re-recorded.

Main vox recorded with a KSM44 today through a Valve Pre on an Allan and Heath desk into a M-Audio Fast Track Pro.

The piano and guitar are slightly out of time (problem when recording).
The first chorus's multiple vocals were copied from the 2nd chorus so they are slightly out of time in some places, kinda suck.
Id love suggestions about fixing that if possible...

At any rate, please comment even if its just to say you like the song... (or don't like it!) and if possible what I could do to make it better.

Thanks in advance, Alex

Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2007 2:49 pm

Funny that I got more comments on my metal song that people didn't like than the more "commercial" pop song!

Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2007 4:40 pm

I won't comment on that...
Alex, you can't judge a mix by using headphones...PERIOD. You need to get a NEUTRAL monitoring system that will be HONEST and show you when you've got problems. On my JBL studio monitors, the violin IS too loud, I can barely hear a guitar, the piano is muddy, there is some sort of horrible knocking noise I can't identify (foot-tapping on a mic stand? noisey piano pedalling? fiddle bow hitting a mic? ). And then there's the timing and doubling issues. You need to re-record the song properly if you want to present it as a credible production...

Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2007 6:55 pm

The timing probelms lead to the singer sounding very 'iffy' in her approach to the song. Everything else is a mess as far as the sync of things. She has a nice tonal range in her voice and this could be something if done properly. The mic technique leaves something to be desired.......you can hear bthat shes really close and then she fades away form the mic at times. Fortunately the KSM44 doesnt have a real pronounced proximity effect so the tone stays fairly level.

The trick to using KSM44 as your vocal mic is to use a micpre with some attitude. The KSM44 is way to accurate to be a GREAT vocal mic on its own. Paired with a substantial mic pre however, these things get really nice.

Im with Moon....do it again.

Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2007 7:03 pm

Cool well thanks for the input anyway.
As i said I didnt record it (apart from the vox). Being a poor student I can't afford monitors let alone microphones / pres etc etc.

Next week Ill post another mix of hers using drums etc etc which was recorded by me which imo sounds way better.

This was just a demo for an assignment of hers.

Thanks again.

edit: "Paired with a substantial mic pre however" What would you reccomend?

Edit2: Do you think something like the AKG C 414 II would be any good for her type of vocals?

http://www.akg.com/site/products/powerslave,id,782,nodeid,2,_language,EN.html

Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2007 7:48 pm

I'd say this:
IF I had , say, $500 for a piece of gear, I'D spend it on a pair of monitors that didn't LIE about what's being tracked...They're worth a rack full of Neves. Go to NHT ("Now Hear This") and buy a pair of MOO's. They're small, they're not full range. BUT a mix on them sounds GREAT across the board (pun intended!)...Get your priorities straight!
P.S.: Zoe is cute! She has the same sexy overbite and pierced ears that my significant other has! Get it together, dude! Make her shine!

Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2007 8:11 pm

Haha

Ok ok! Im going to re-record the song for her and mix is properly!
Ive got 6 exams next week and a big assignment due on friday so.... soonish.

Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 3:15 am

Oh, and by the way...
IF the KSM44 is yours, ask the Dog what pre is good for it. He has intimate knowledge of this sort of thing. If it isn't yours , maybe he can recommend a mic more suited to Zoe's voice. He steered me towards a Vienna a while back...no complaints here. And finish school cuz the music business is nothing to rely on...

Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 2:35 pm

Im studying audio engineering haha Smile

So the KSM44 isn't mine....
http://www.mainz.ac.nz/mainz/facilities1.asp?id=2
If you scroll down to the bottomish you can see the list of mics available Smile

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