Feedback on new recordings requested

Posted: Fri Feb 29, 2008 4:19 pm

I turned an 8' x 8' tool shed into a recording studio last April. I bought an Imac and installed Logic Pro. I use a Rode NT1A condenser mic through an Edirol 4FX. I have a midi keyboard. All the drums sounds are from Logic. Almost every thing else is line in or miced. A few songs I have used Logic's bass guitar samples but most are my Fender Mustang line in. I've been doing an original song a month since May and in January I started a gimmick of doing a top ten hit cover song. Please visit my website: www.johnnycovers.net and listen to some of my work and let me know what you think could be improved on from a technical, recording standpoint. Also, and more specifically I'm wondering how, using the eqiupment I have(Logic with Waveburner for mastering) I can get the files to burn above 0db? That seems to be the limit of Logic and Waveburner. And all the commercial stuff seems to be much hotter.

Also, should I post this in the "Home Recording/Home Project Studio" instead of here in the future?

Thanks in advance to any and everyone that listens and especially those that give me feedback. I have gained inspiration and learned much from reading this forum.

Thanks again,
Johnny

Posted: Fri Feb 29, 2008 4:39 pm

I forgot about the one song sticky. I guess just listen to the new song "Clumsy".

Thanks,
Johnny

Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 12:43 pm

I think that the playing outperforms the mixing. Good guitar work, but the positioning and levels of the various guitars ( slide, rhythm, etc.) are all wrong, IMHO. What should have been in the background is too upfront, and what should be upfront is too buried. Especially the lead vocal, which, in certain places, is so heavily chorused and low-level that it's almost impossible to discern. And don't worry about your not having enough level... you got plenty there, man.

Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 12:57 pm

Totally agree with Moon!

I give it 8 out of 10.

Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 1:58 pm

Thanks for the feedback. I understand you on less effects and more volume on the vocals. And I think I know what you mean about the guitars but just to be clear. Do you mean bring the big slide stuff down in the mix(I think its up front now) and bring the flat picking(non-slide) stuff up(I think it's buried now)?

Thanks again. I know I've used too many effects but I need a support group and a 12 step program to kick the habit.

Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2008 3:39 am

Yes. There is one slide part that is so much louder than the rest of the tracks that it hurts. I almost stopped the song and went on, but the playing kept me hooked. And your voice is too good to be buried in effects.

Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2008 10:49 am

Got it. Thanks again for your criticism and compliments.

Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2008 7:19 pm

Crap! I just built almost 800sf on to the back of my house to record in, all I really needed was 8x8! You could have saved me a fortune if you had posted this last year.

I have been considering the Rode mic for a while, it was nice to hear one in action. I liked what I heard, as long as you can filter out all of the chorus trying to cover it up.

It would be great if you could post a studio layout so we could see where you were able to fit the vocal booth, control room, lounge, etc.

Great job
MarkG

Posted: Sat Mar 15, 2008 11:29 am

MarkG wrote:

It would be great if you could post a studio layout so we could see where you were able to fit the vocal booth, control room, lounge, etc.
MarkG

Yeah, where did you squeeze that lounge in?! Ha!

But really, I like hearing about smaller project studios, cause it makes me feel better about using my second bedroom and closet in my apartment as a studio. My neighbors just love me!

As far as the song, I don't think I can add anything that hasn't already been said, but you were talking about trying to get the song to sound as hot as contemporary commercial recordings and it reminded me of this article. You may find it interesting.

http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/17777619/the_death_of_high_fidelity

Posted: Sun Mar 16, 2008 3:58 pm

Thanks for the link to that Rolling Stone article, it should be mandatory reading for all RO members.

Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2008 7:36 pm

Thanks for the feedback MarkG. If you go to my freesongs page on my site and listen to the song "secrets", you may be able to hear the mic performance without as much chorus.

Here are some pictures of the lounge, vocal booth, and control room. I think you may be able to figure out the floor plan by the pictures.

http://johnnycovers.net/img_4309c.jpg

http://johnnycovers.net/img_4312b.jpg

http://johnnycovers.net/img_4313b.jpg

Discrete, thanks for the article. Very interesting. I tend to use compression and effects to try and make up for a lack of a genuinely good performance. I am going to write a 12 step program based on compression and effects addiction. Later.

My next song will have both soft and loud(I promise). And, no chorus on the vox. Just reverb. Lots and lots of reverb. I can't help myself. I wish I was kidding.
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