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Hi, i'm looking for a few expert recording engineer sugguestions on how to possibly improve a guitar sound a bit. Firstly, i'll give a little background on my setup. I'm running three mics: One cardioid to isolate the sound, one condenser for a little bit of crispness and a tube in the room. I am happy with the initial sound i'm getting running two of these mics (one compressed) from a processor into two separate analog mixer channels and one mic directly(condenser) to a mixer channel. I then send all three of these mics out together bused (one line) as a stereo pair (L&R), compress again, then to an external converter and go optical into a single track into my multi-track software. My question is would I be better off running more than one stereo pair to my converters (separate for each mic) into my software, recording more than one track simultaniously? I'm wondering if i'll achieve a slight bit better edge on my sound somehow that way.. or perhaps I should also compress the other two mics and stick to running them all together as one line into a single track. Thx for any helpful sugguestions, opinions or info from any knowlegable engineers. ~Jp, "The Box", Minnesota, US

Comments

anonymous Wed, 10/05/2005 - 09:19

Davedog wrote: By the Powers of my Office Of Moderaterous I have (due to many requests) made this thing a sticky.

It's hard to argue with a view count reading 30,000. Now, if only I could get that 30 grand when I post my tracks for comments in AUDIO PROJECTS.

Perhaps we could hold a sort of "Jp22 Tshirt design" contest? Voidoid Surrealist's sure is a nice start. I might have a crack at something tonight myself.

:twisted: if you've even bothered to read my initial posts i'm not dealing with "tape"! :twisted:

Brian S Wed, 10/05/2005 - 10:11

Davedog wrote: By the Powers of my Office Of Moderaterous I have (due to many requests) made this thing a sticky. Reply at will and enjoy. I am going to leave it up for a couple more weeks and then it'll have to die a good death. Peace recordists.

Unbelievable thread

I haven't been in here for a couple of years. Out of respect for JP22, Davedog, and RO, I'll be checking in on a regular basis.

This is the ultimate example of why it's better to read than write, to listen rather than speak, and how a little bit of knowledge is very dangerous.

Someone mentioned earlier some sort of scale using JP22 as a reference point. Here is a proposal:

The JP22 IgB (ignorance is bliss) scale. A scale of 100 units. Where 100 JP22 IgB = JP22 himself. Anyone else on the planet who ever plugged a microphone into a Tapco Spring EQ feeding a Bogen hooked up to a pair of Voice of the Theaters would fall somewhere under this number of 100. I could then use this scale for personal reflection to help me decide if it's best to speak or keep silent.

For instance if I assigned myself a JP22 IgB value of 75 on a certain topic. Then there would be 74 people more qualified than me to speak on that given topic. I could then weigh if it is worth my effort to try to help the other 24 people who are higher on the JP22 than me. 24 people beccause obviously the 25th person higher than me on the JP22 scale is JP22 himself, and we now know there is nothing that can be said or done to treat this level of IgB. In this instance it might be to my, and everyone elses, benefit to wait for someone with a lower IgB to enlighten us.

If I have a proper understanding of where I fall on the JP22 and decide that I might be able to help those who have a higher JP22 by responding to a post, I should do that with the hope that someone with a lower JP22 will come to the rescue and help those of us who are higher on the IgB scale.

Brian S

anonymous Wed, 10/05/2005 - 12:06

I must

I just wanted to be one of the posters on "THE" thread... kinda like being at Woodstock. Years from now when my boy is a world famous producer, in an interview for a magazine he will say "My dad was actually on THE jp22 thread." and the journalist will be like "No way!" And my son will be like "Way!!" and the guy will be like "NO WAY!!!" etc...

anonymous Wed, 10/05/2005 - 12:55

Jp22 wrote: ...and my woman says...

If his absolute misunderstanding for how compression, limiting, EQ, mixing, and socializing work was not enough of a clue, now we know for certain this guy's making shit up. Females are not generally refered to as women until they turn 18... and they cannot be made of latex or live in a barnyard.

-@

anonymous Wed, 10/05/2005 - 12:57

Mr-Nice wrote: [quote=AndrewMoyer]...and last but not least, his DAW with all the latest pimp fresh software by Adobe:

WOW! Where can I get that computer? I want to get rid of what I have now and cop me one of those. Is it Cubase SX compatible? If not i'll have to switch recording platforms.

His stuff is so advanced, our children won't even be able to buy it. Cubase SX? That's for noobs... he's rocking Adobe all the way. If only Microsoft made studio software as advanced as their famed Paintbrush...

-@

anonymous Thu, 10/06/2005 - 13:58

What a thread!

JP, we need some more of your advanced techniques!

My self-esteem has been lifted considerably by the realisation that there are some people in the world whose lives are considerably more troubled than mine. In fact, the more I think of you the happier I feel. No more constipation either... I've loosened shit while farting as I laughed at this thread.

On a more serious note: I've learned that there are indeed some wonderful people in this world with the patience to try and make sense of the shit in other people's lifes, even when those concerned are so far beyond hope.

Respect to everyone who bothered, particularly TheArchitect and McCheese for perserverence.

anonymous Thu, 10/06/2005 - 15:49

Hilarious

I got forwarded to here from a swedish soundengineering forum and as i read through Jp22's "I YAWN AT YOUR INSULTS MORTAL" attitude, whilst yet beeing severely outprooven, i cant help wonder if people like him are the reason why the world needs psychologists.

Anyway. Its going to take me a while to wipe this grin off my face. I think it might take the rest of the week to make my facial expression look less smiley.

But to Jp's defence (in all fairness) His talk about Eq making his track more dynamic could in theory work if his "intricate" chain of equipment sorta looked like this

Guitar -> Mixer (with eq) -> Compressor -> Computer or whatever.. If the signal was being affected by the compressor, then cutting with the mixer's eq would lower the amount of signal going above the set threshold, thus eventually lessen the compressors workload, making the signal more dynamic.

But still. Thats sounds kind of stupid. I might be wrong, i'm as amature as can be, be i think thats what Jp22 meant be making it more dynamic by Eq.

Oh, and i joined this forum just because of Jp22. Rest assured that Swedens audiojockey's are laughing at you.

anonymous Fri, 10/07/2005 - 04:38

tube amp

I am so..... amazed, delighted.... impressed.
:)

Jp22 made my day (and all of you that made this possible)...

Fortunatly all the death metal people is not like him... (I ASSUME that Jp22 is one of them... becouse of "the Gods" " you mortals" thingy)... but I might be wrong.

When it comes to the T-shirt... the sentence should be as JP said it:" I don't own a tube amp! Ha ha"
It is much stronger and funnyer then with the Ha ha in front...

Go JP22!!!!

anonymous Fri, 10/07/2005 - 06:12

Even I would have known to shut up after the first page...

This is the classic line for me....

Jp22 wrote: [quote=pr0gr4m]

Then I go into the control room and do whatever I can to reproduce the sound that I heard out in the studio. I may need to change mics, move it around a bit, possibly add some EQ.

Sounds too artificial to me. Thanks again, but no thanks.

Cucco Fri, 10/07/2005 - 07:02

Dark Fader wrote: Perhaps we better build a bigger computer called earth to work out what the question was. :wink:

And instead of mice being the dominant species - it would be JP22!

All of us humans, 3rd most intelligent species, are wrongly under the impression that:

compression doesn't affect dynamics
EQ does
Tube amps SUCK (ha-ha)

Hell, even the dolphins know that!

(This whole post has been totally improbable.)

J.

anonymous Fri, 10/07/2005 - 07:53

HaHa! (Sorry, can't help myself now) :D

I haven't laughed like this in ages, thanks JP and all the other posters you've brightened up my (dark, dark) world!

I wonder, how many other people have joined this forum because of this thread?

Oh, and hats off to Davedog for letting this thread just run. Wouldn't have happened in other fora.

Right, I'm off home to print my 'HaHa! I don't own a tube amp' t-shirt.

Kind regards,

Jim

anonymous Fri, 10/07/2005 - 09:11

Jp22 wrote: i'm sorry but I don't care how right you think you are, your completely wrong, since the dynamics of an overdriven guitar (hence higher peaks) are at a lower threshold, naturally there needs to be more compression. People who say "don't compress distorted guitars" are idiotic. Thats completely false.

Great thread people. Just had to chime in :)

JP22 - I hope you aware that by now, the entire online audio community is laughing at you. Not just at your stupidity, but also your insults and the refusal to accept the wisdom of your peers. Just be a man and accept that you are wrong.

I would hope that people looking for an engineer in Minnesota see 'The Box' and look elsewhere (unless they want an amazingly dynamic recording that is :) )

This has been the best read in the history of reading.

anonymous Fri, 10/07/2005 - 09:51

What a priceless thread!!! :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

I was linked here via the Cubase Music Lounge over an hour ago.

I haven't laughed so much for decades!!! Tears in my eyes and a tissue to blow my sodden streaming nose!!

My ribs hurt too. :!:

But well worth it. :mrgreen:

Thankyou JP22 for most dorkish example of noobness I've ever seen.

I now gotta go and find my ass. I laughed it off so much it's gone missing.

Paul

anonymous Fri, 10/07/2005 - 10:33

thanks to JP22 for making a wonderful thread, I want that shirt, we should talk to the guys from south park see if they will do an episode about this.

i love it

if someone actually gets these t shirts for sale please email me! i want one! or atleast post it, seriously 10 bucks a shirt 30 000 views, hmm

thanks jp22 it was the best, i was in a session when i stumbled on this , and i had to call the session so i could finish reading it

anonymous Fri, 10/07/2005 - 11:15

Cucco wrote: [quote=Dark Fader]Perhaps we better build a bigger computer called earth to work out what the question was. :wink:

And instead of mice being the dominant species - it would be JP22!

All of us humans, 3rd most intelligent species, are wrongly under the impression that:

compression doesn't affect dynamics
EQ does
Tube amps SUCK (ha-ha)

Hell, even the dolphins know that!

(This whole post has been totally improbable.)

J.

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

what a thread! or threat?
I hope that man does not own any firearms?!

:shock:

anonymous Fri, 10/07/2005 - 11:33

it's been some time since I posted on this forum, and today I found a link on the SOS forum and I have read some 6-7 pages..
it has been great fun!
JP22, it's not a shame to have little knowledge of the stuff discussed here. It's not a shame to ask a question like you have asked..But I do think you should have listened to some of the guys who reported in YOUR topic..
2 years ago I didn't have a clue about any of these things, but today, after spending months and months reading SOS, various books and internet forums /and also after having graduated from SAE/, I feel like I have learned a lot. and I can say that you really don't know what you are talking about..
my advice is go back to the basics, it will open new horizons for you...
Don't take this as an insult as insulting you is the last thing on my mind, you have all had enough of that in this thread already..

pmolsonmus Fri, 10/07/2005 - 11:43

Always one to jump on a bandwagon, I'm going to run with this thread. I will be producing bright green wristbands that say

"WWJP22D?"

I know its kind of a Christ/Lance Armstrong mix, but hey... we're dealing with greatness here.

They'll be available on ebay for $30 each in a few weeks, keep tuning in. I will accept PayPal and credit card orders only.

pr0gr4m Fri, 10/07/2005 - 12:21

Dark Fader wrote: Does anybody actually know what his question really was cos' none of the answers seemed to fit! Perhaps we better build a bigger computer called earth to work out what the question was. :wink:

42

The synopsis
Jp22 had a guitar sound that he liked and a method of getting that sound. He was told by other "engineers" that what he was doing was wrong.

The question
Jp22 was asking what he could do to improve the sound he had.

I supplied him with many suggestions that he didn't like and eventually I replied with an answer that he did like and he actually acknowlegded that answer without any venom.

Everything else was him being highly non-receptive to any suggestions/criticism.