Last week I could not hear the hard limiting happening to one of TR's songs as pointed out by Moonrider. The host app was clamping it down when streaming it.
My untrained ears were obviously at fault. I also got a free plug-in and watched a tutorial using another I already had. It was somewhat along the same line of compression and such.
I applied some to a song I'm nearing completion, at least a first version, and have two 1-minute clips. Please forgive my noob studio skills. I bit off more than i could chew. 14 audio tracks so far in a cover of REM's, "Everybody Hurts". This is the most energetic section and I didn't do vocals yet.
Basically stated, I want to see if there's any difference between these two tracks to your ears. I think I hear something, but I am wayyyy to close to the project, so to speak. I'll write what I did below. Let me know what you think?
version 1: http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=11918215
version 2: http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=11918211
On the version 1, I left it alone, except to raise the volume a little bit to match the next version, just to take the volume factor out of the equation.
On the version 2 track, I added a bit of a Maximizer/limiter effect and a 'Saturation" effect. The goal was to provide some clarity between instruments and be a better sounding mix.
Roy
"I wonder if a composer ever intentionally composed a piece that was physically impossible to play and stuck it away to be found years later after his death, knowing it would forever drive perfectionist musicians crazy." - George Carlin
There's more guitar in the tweaked track. The guitar in the un-tweaked track is a bit "weedy", the tweaked guitar is "fatter".
"Be good at what you can do" - Fingerbanger"
I have always felt that it is better to do what is beautiful than what is 'right'" - Eliot Fisk
Wedding music and guitar lessons in Essex. Listen at: http://www.rollmopmusic.co.uk
I'll give a listen at home Roy. I'm filtered here at work and can't do sound click. I ended up putting my songs on there and I think they sound better. I just listed them under "covers" as they are covers.
Everybody Hurts .... can't wait to hear it! 8)
"Work hard, rock hard, eat hard, sleep hard,
grow big, wear glasses if you need 'em."
-- The Webb Wilder Credo --
Everybody Hurts .... can't wait to hear it!
Maybe you should. :lol: :lol:
It is an awfully difficult part.
There's more guitar in the tweaked track. The guitar in the un-tweaked track is a bit "weedy", the tweaked guitar is "fatter".
Thanks, Alan. I think sometimes I hear some differences and then I don't all of a sudden. I'll get these ears trained eventually. :)
Roy
"I wonder if a composer ever intentionally composed a piece that was physically impossible to play and stuck it away to be found years later after his death, knowing it would forever drive perfectionist musicians crazy." - George Carlin
Yup, the 2nd track the guitar comes through better. Sounds good!
"Work hard, rock hard, eat hard, sleep hard,
grow big, wear glasses if you need 'em."
-- The Webb Wilder Credo --
Track 2 still seems a tad bit louder, towards the end when it swells up. Everything is a little cleared in the 2nd one.
Thanks guys.
A follow up question, if I may. Should I take the compression technique a little further, or is what I did pretty much as far as you'd go? (I know that's a tough one when you're not able to fiddle with the faders in person.)
Roy
"I wonder if a composer ever intentionally composed a piece that was physically impossible to play and stuck it away to be found years later after his death, knowing it would forever drive perfectionist musicians crazy." - George Carlin
Last week I could not hear the hard limiting happening to one of TR's songs as pointed out by Moonrider. The host app was clamping it down when streaming it.
Roy, I'd really recommend you get Reaper. It will make it easier to experiment without actually having to "apply" the effect and actually change the original sound file. You can tweak, then listen as much as you want then revert back to the original with a mouseclick
The best way to learn what compressors do to sound is to abuse them.
Put a drum loop in a track, and use a compressor in the FX chain. Apply extreme parameters, then play back and listen, Try a different setting and repeat.
Playing guitar and never playing for others is like studying medicine and never working in a clinic.
Doug, I think you are mixing Roy up with me. Roy has all the toys! Here is his list from another post.
Roy's Studio:
Mobile:
laptop running Windows 7, Reaper, Blue Yeti USB Mic, Guitar Rig LE, A guitar with a USB output that I pick up with Guitar Rig
Home:
- Eleven Rack(11R) for Guitar, a mic pre, line Ins for drum audio and bass audio and a M-Audio Axiom keyboard
- Several nice amps to use, but mostly use the Eleven Rack for guitar recording.
- Sans Amp DI box for bass -> 11R -> DAW.
- Pro Tools 10 DAW. (Came "free" with the 11R and I fell in love.)
- M-Audio Axiom 49 key MIDI controller / keyboard (I was using an old Casio until a couple of weeks ago)
- Shure Beta 87A condensor mic
- Studio One B1 condenser mic
- the afformentioned Blue Yeti USB mic
- Guitar Pro for drum and other instrument MIDI file generation to use with Pro Tools Virtual Instruments
- Band in a Box software for backing track generation as well as some generic MIDI file generation for similar use as the Guitar Pro software
- Mackie 8" monitors (the "cheap" ones)
- Audio-Technica ATHM50S headphones
I did by the way download Reaper and at first look I am impressed!
My studio pales in comaprison to Roys. I do need to upgrade a lot of stuff. I need a decent condenser mic for starters (I'm using a cheap dynamic) and a decent pair of head phones. My studio monitors are in rough shape but were once upon a time a nice set. (Got dropped and casing has a crack) Audio Technica US powered 20 watt speakers I got way back when I got my 4 track cassette studio. They do still work OK though.
"Work hard, rock hard, eat hard, sleep hard,
grow big, wear glasses if you need 'em."
-- The Webb Wilder Credo --
I figured once was enough for the above post. It did a double. :oops:
"Work hard, rock hard, eat hard, sleep hard,
grow big, wear glasses if you need 'em."
-- The Webb Wilder Credo --
The best way to learn what compressors do to sound is to abuse them.
That's good advice as I can tell what's going on when it's abused. It's the borderline stuff, like with TR's Cold Gin where what was obvious to you was lost on me. I'm that way with the comp on tutorials and such as well, unless it's obvious. I can make something sound decent enough - I think - but am unsure if there's anything popping through that I can't tell yet.
My studio pales in comaprison to Roys. I do need to upgrade a lot of stuff.
I might have some shiny new stuff, but without the skill you and others have, I ain't nuttin'.
I'm getting there slowly, but surely. It's been a fun learning process so far. :D :D
Roy
"I wonder if a composer ever intentionally composed a piece that was physically impossible to play and stuck it away to be found years later after his death, knowing it would forever drive perfectionist musicians crazy." - George Carlin
