Zoom Gear & Home Recording Forum

www.homemadehitshow.com for the show

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Back for more heavy breathing and incessant home recording and songwriting babbling, it's Tony "Vader" Butterworth and Dave "Skywalker" Criddle.

Remember to send an email to homemadehitshow@gmail.com with Contest in the subject if you want to win a Korg Nanopad (winners announced next time).

This weeks subject matter include

* Check the mastering thread on the forums
* No show next week
* www.homerecordingweekly.blogspot.com, make sure and visit to the songwriting contest
* Dave's a street performer
* Dave's bands plays Baby Doll
* Polly on speed
* Tony has been listening to The National
* Dave has been listening to Super Furry Animals

This weeks songs

* Randall Hill - More Than Friends
* John Poulton - Gravity
* Leisure - Baby Doll
* James Bryson and Steve Nylander - The One Who Owns My Heart

The National

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IprgVNlFIqM

Super Furry Animals

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BANdftxuqlM


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Tony Butterworth
www.homemadehitshow.com

* Randall Hill - More Than Friends
Nice rocker to bust open the show. Good luck with that more than friends thing. Fun tune. Sounds like a real band.

* Check the mastering thread on the forums
It would be nice to have someone pop in that actually knows how to, you know, master. Oh well. I like Tony's idea about getting a pro master and comparing to our own efforts.

* www.homerecordingweekly.blogspot.com, make sure and visit to the songwriting contest
Hm, I noticed there's an EZmix review there. Which I'm too lazy to read.

* Dave's a street performer
The Violent Femmes used to play outside in Madison (and Milwaukee of course, but I never saw them there) back in the day and the acoustic bass was fine.

I'll be back for more later.

Randall Hill - More Than Friends - Cool rocker. Reminds me of the Knack or someone. Good one.

New format. Less typing and more listening.

I don't enter contests in general. I'm like you, Tony. It's a hobby/art/craft for me.

I've thought about doing a "tour" where I tape live performances in front of well known places or at least outdoors. Living in this area, I am fairly close to everywhere between D.C. and New York City. I would put the tapes on Youtube. I probably won't though. It makes me tired just thinking about it.

* John Poulton - Gravity - I don't remember hearing this on the forums. This is a very good song. Well written. I like the strings/synth
addition. This is a pro quality song.

I think the fast version is the more likable one.

Wow, Dave. I dig the band version. It doesn't take anything away from your version. Much looser than the studio cut.

See, Tony said "looser" too.

I mentioned Beach House last week and that lead me to listening to Cat Power this week (similar styles). It's good, but after you've heard one or two, you kind of heard them all.

I just got finished watching "The Stones in Exile" on Jimmy Fallon. Cool movie. Great outtakes of great songs.

* James Bryson and Steve Nylander - The One Who Owns My Heart - I reviewed this one on the forum, so I won't repeat it here. This baby rocks. I love that guitar riff. Is this an extended version? Seems like a lot more to it this time around. In any event, outstanding song. Outstanding recording.

Randall Hill - More Than Friends. This is a neat rocker which works for me as it rests on a good riff. It is pretty Stones-like because of that. It stands on the riff like Brown Sugar and those late 60s early 70s tunes did. I've never heard Kiss but I've seen their make-up and, didn't they stick their tongues out? And you can use Cubase!

John Poulton - Gravity. My usual trepidation and toe curling as this started. Funny how on your own songs all you hear is the flaws - is that just me? There are some superb bum notes in the first verse that are so bad I started to enjoy them.

Thanks for being critical Tony! You've shown me the way forward, as I was tempted to ditch this song. It just needs better vocal track, as the song went on I decided I still like it. And I'm gonna use the slightly faster version. Thanks fellas.


Leisure - Baby Doll. Point taken. There's nothing wrong with the solo version but the band give it so much life. It really lifts off. Do you think there might be a lifelessness caused by following a metronome when recording? Playing live we keep time but it's a flexible time that flows more with the song I think. That, for me, is the trouble with drum loops. They have a kind of relentless feel to them. I must explore ways of shifting that around a bit. If you tap out stuff on the keyboard, even along with a drum loop, you can give some differences of expression I think. Hmmm

James Bryson and Steve Nylander - The One Who Owns My Heart. This is excellent. I love the space you create, it's so airy. TELL ME HOW YOU DO THAT! If you know? When I use reverb it gets muddy, you have created space without the fog I seem to get. The whole sound is rich and succulent. The guitar solo (as usual bastards) is knockout. I dare say that's achieved by a combination of practise and skill. Is there an EZSolo out there for the like sof me?

Actually, having decided against EZmix I'm having 2nd thoughts. Its not that I can't do a decent mix, I did one once, but I make so many mistakes.

In two weeks I'm going to Southampton on the train. I booked a seat with a table and a plug socket, I intend to mix on the journey there and back. 4 hours each way. I got some good noise cancelling headphones. My 'new' laptop now works.
Should be fun.

Enjoyed the show, thanks for airing my ditty and the encouragement has been a boost. I must work on a birthday jingle of some kind.

All the best.

Thanks for the comments folks!

Polly - Mixing on noise canceling headphones? Yikes. That makes me worry. I will sometimes do some mixing on my laptop with cheap headphones and find the mix to sound horrible on other systems. You probably want to do the final mix and eq on your best system with your best speakers or headphones. Speakers are best but I sometimes mix on my nice headphones.

It is fine to do some chopping and cleaning up on the train but the final mix? Hmmmm. I have tried this with very bad results.... At least give it one last listen at home on your best stuff.

Thanks for the props on Baby Doll! Yup, looser is good. I really want to record a lot of my songs with our real drummer some day. The metronome can definitely stop a song from breathing.

Random Hill - More Than Friends - Kisstastic! I am clapping with my hands over my head "MORE THAN FRINDS"!!! Definitely a Bic lighter moment.

John Poulton - Gravity - Really strong theme! Really strong chorus. Great writing John! Love the line "It can keep you steady on your feet or throw you to the street". Fantastic!

James Bryson and Steve Nylander - The One Who Owns My Heart - Great, lush bg vocals coming in there. Rockin' guitar lines! Love that riff everyone plays in unison. Love the feel on the guitar solo too. Full on rock and roll!

* John Poulton - Gravity
I'd love it if a cello would come in on the second verse. Do we have any closet cellists out there? Nice job on this one. Lots of emotion.

* Dave's bands plays Baby Doll
I still like this one. Devo-liscious.

* James Bryson and Steve Nylander - The One Who Owns My Heart
Nice job on this. For a moment it reminded me of Mudhoney's "If I Think".

Great show gents. Happy 200 - 1.

Well. When I say noise cancelling headphones I mean my Sennheisers which are my current standard at home. They seem to cut out most background noise, with any luck the train should be quiet enough. I'll load Scrabble on my laptop just in case.

I'd love it if a cello would come in on the second verse Zoetrope
I'll look into that. A friend of mine does play cello, but a VST would be a simpler option. I nearly bought a cello myself once, then I realised that of all the dumb things I've bought, and sold on at a loss in two months, this would be the dumbest.

mixing on the train - Actually, a train is probably a lot quieter than my bus. It would be a really challenge to mix on there. You will probably do fine.

I hear some drums on Gravity coming in about half way. Just a great song once again. It is inspiring me to write something!

Polly, I really don't think EZMix is the answer. It really is not that easy and it's pretty limited.

Maybe you want to setup a dropbox account (Free, I can send you a link for some extra space for me ) and post the original files, I'd be interested in trying a mix on this one.

I'll take you up on that! I took Dave's advice and added cello and a bit of drum

I just bought ezmix this afternoon!

Gotta shoot, ballroom dancing classes.

Thanks for another good show, guys.

I have yet to catch up on the mastering discussion from last week.

Did a little recording today. Nailed an acoustic guitar track four times out of five attempts. It was probably the best I'll ever be.

Good show this week, I really don't have a lot of time anymore like I did (working for a living sucks....).

More Than Friends: Good song, the singer sounds just like Paul Stanley (KISS), great job on this!!!!

Gravity: I liked the faster version, but both versions are really great. You're coming right along with your mixing/writing Polly, keep it up!!!

Baby Doll: Not my cup of tea so to say, but still a good song. No offense meant, good job on a good song!!!

Cracks: Thanks for the kind words again, spent a long time on that one, so thanks!!!!
Zoe: Thanks for the listen & review, never heard the song you compared it to until you linked it, thanks again!!!
Polly: Thanks John for the kind words, I guess the "airy" thing would be a reverb by Cakewalk, & trying to have a space for each instrument/voice in the mix. As far as the lead guitar, there were many, many takes before I thought it was "right", & still not satisfied.....This collab was over 3 months in the making, btw. Many, many e-mails, a few phone calls, & many hours were spent on this by both Steve & I. Steve doesn't wanna take any credit for this song, but honestly, it wouldn't sound anything like what's uploaded without him. Very talented man, not just on guitar/bass/vocals, but he's really slick when it comes to mixing/editing/production. I've learned tons from him over the past few months, just wanted to commend Steve again for all his hard work & great ideas on this song.

Thanks to everyone who listened to my song!!!


I

Good show

Darth Vader was from Bristol, originally

More than Friends - catchy hook, stuck with me Who doesn't empathise with this sentiment?!

Even now, the concept of "mastering" a single song bemuses me - where does mixing end and mastering begin? Thats not to say I don't do it, but I just run the final mixed wav file through a preset on T-Racks, with maybe a couple of EQ tweaks. I just don't understand what its doing that better mixing couldn't. Answers on a postcard please..........................

"Home Recording Weakly" - that sounds like my kind of blog, I'll check it out Is there one called "Home Recording Infrequently"?

Gravity - Lovely song JP, vocal recording doesn't sound quite right though? I could see this building with drums and more orchestration towards the end, but understand that John likes to play his stuff live too.

Baby Doll - I might be alone here, but I preferred the solo version I'm sure the band version will get the audience going though

Yay, I was delighted to hear that I'm cool for the first time in my life, as I've listening to "The National" for a while Yes, they're songs are simple, but interesting at the same time - wish I could figure that equation out!

I too watched "Moon" the other weekend, superb. Loved every minute.

The One Who Owns My Heat - Loved this! James has a great rock voice I like the way it reduces to a more simple feel at the end. Great work fellas

Gary

I think he's a pretty strong guy actually.

Interesting show guys, thanks. Which link is this particular Mastering thread at, please ..?

I also prefer the band version of Baby Doll (though I also quite like the demo). I dont think it's the lack of click track that makes it come alive though -- its just what you get when people are playing WITH each other. There's nothing like it. There's just all this other stuff that happens that you can't replicate.

I imagine the comparison of the 2 versions is good to hear for some of us who have never been in bands -- and maybe wonder why they cant get that feeling.

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However, I also think that click tracks have robbed us of a lot of feeling in modern recorded music. I dont think its a coincidence that most music that is sampled is from before click tracks were requisite.

Mastering Master Thread.

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