HMHS 213 - Subject Deficit (4/15/11)

[tonyoci]

http://www.homemadehitshow.com for the show

Balance the budget by listening to this excellent songwriting and home recording podcast with your power broking hosts Tony Butterworth and Dave Criddle.

This weeks discussions and "stuff"

• Making home music videos
  We need inspiration
  Getting the Pro Sound
  Tape Saturation
  Does listening to commercial songs help or hinder ?

Songs:

• Andrew Spicer - Artificial Love
  Grandma Melonhead - Maisy
  Steven "Kern" Ramsdell - Kicking It Forever http://www.homerecordingweekly.blogspot.com/

Visit http://www.humblefly.net for a copy of Andrew's album.

and here's the video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-o2j5bH ... r_embedded


--
Tony Butterworth
http://www.homemadehitshow.com

[ferret]

Another enjoyable show.
Yours in haste,
Tim

[lucas]

good show!

I listened last night at work, so I'm trying to do this from memory.

This weeks discussions and "stuff"

Making home music videos
Cutting out all light to control the light seems to me to be analogous to cutting out the room for a mic to control the sound into it.

We need inspiration
sometimes you just need to sit down and do it (Dave) & sometimes you just need to go do other things (Tony).

Getting the Pro Sound
I was listening back to the newer mixes and the vocals just weren't there like before, just as tony mentioned.
what I really like about the new versions is the snare, but I think that's just a matter of no compression and using a smaller room reverb.
I was using Kjaerhaus' 'Church' and switched to 'Small Club', so I will probably go with one of the previous mixes and just change the snare.
my main frustration is that I feel like I have all the tools I need to make it sound 'Pro', some diagrams to get up and running, but no clear explanation on how to use them properly because the instructions are written in a foreign language.
I always feel I'm just missing a couple of things that will make it all fall into place. Like I'm really close, but take 2 steps forward and one step back or vice versa.
I think I'm probably going to just go with Tony's suggestion of trying a mastering studio to get it to the final stage. I found a guy that actually consults on a tiered basis.

I'm going to have my bass set up professionally, since that is one of my biggest issues. The previous bass had a better sound than the current one, so I'm taking the current back to the same guy when i get a chance.
The other issue is vocals. I switched mics and saw an immediate improvement, but the new mic seems to accentuate a problem in my voice and it also sounds a bit thin.
I picked up a Studio Projects B1 and an Audio Technica AT2020 today along with some Auralex Mopads. I went in thinking I would buy one of those and the MXL V67g that gets really good reviews and is on sale at Samash for $80. The sales guy let try them out briefly and I liked the fullness from the SP and the AT better. I will be testing them at home tomorrow.
I actually went in to get one of the Auralex room treatment kits with the LERND bass traps, but both GC and Samash were out of them. When I did the walk-up tests I got from somewhere, I found I had huge jumps in the 140-200Hz range. I'm thinking that hurting my ability to mix the bass properly. I'll start with the MoPads and go from there.


Tape Saturation
neither of the two I tried got me excited, so not worth the management of them to me.

Does listening to commercial songs help or hinder ?
It supposed to help, but think only works if you're getting a decent recording in the first place, I don't think I am, so it just adds to the frustration.



Songs:

Andrew Spicer - Artificial Love
- I liked Andrew Spicer's video, I thought his use o the light bulb as both the light source and a fake microphone was inspired.

Grandma Melonhead - Maisy
- sorry, but the little kid saying 'this is boring' was my favorite part.

Steven "Kern" Ramsdell - Kicking It Forever
swear I heard this or something like it before, somewhere, in summertime. (irrelevant joke).

Thanks for the show!

[davecooper]

Really enjoyed the show - loved Andrew Spicer's Artificial love and Kicking it forever both catchy well produced songs.

Grandma Melonhead was a bit too weird for me.

[MGJR73]

Always looking forward to new shows. I enjoyed the grandma melonhead conversation... not much for the song though, not my cup of tea but this is what this show's all about. Everybody gets a chance to come on and be heard.

Please be always in the mood for producing the show. More power to you guys and keep up the good work.

[The Cracks]

Andrew Spicer - Artificial Love - great guitar riff. Cool rocker. Reminds me of the Billy Squire era type song. Good one. What is neat about this song is that I've listen to it twice now and really couldn't tell you what they lyrics are about - perfect for this type of song. Many of the best rockers have lyrics that can't really be explained simply.

I'll have to check out the video at the end of the show.

I personally find videos to be a drag. I like having the songs on Youtube though. So I post what I can and forget about them. I have found actually putting me in videos is just too much work.

I'll have to give Submarines and Field Music a listen. Never heard of either.

My comfort zone is based on my ability and talent. If I understood music better and could actually play an instrument with some degree of mastery, I'd probably expand my comfort zone. But, alas, it is not to be.

Yes, I agree. I think a lot of the pro quality sound the pros are getting is because they and all involved in the projects are pros.

The song is 90% of the game for me. I do want the best sound I can get, but that always equals about 10% of what I produce.

I have interest in writing new songs, but I just don't have any enthusiasm on figuring out new chord progressions, etc. I mean, I sit at the piano while my Rooksby songwriting book, which is choked full of all kinds of chord progressions, sits on the floor next to me. I just don't have the energy to open it up.

I find playing open mics keeps me in the game. The big problem there is lugging my piano back and forth. I need a great, mini-keyboard, that doesn't cost a month's pay. Can't seem to find one.

Grandma Melonhead - Maisy - Another interesting offer here. Easy to say it reminds me of Zappa (lyrically speaking). Hmm...maybe musically speaking too.

I've never had an urge to use any Vst's, that I can recall. Maybe that's part of my sound problem. Maybe not...

I don't really understand Classical music. Do chord progressions play a part? Yes, I think conveying emotions in music is an important part of Classical, from what little bit I know about it.

RPM show - I commented on most or all of the songs on the blogs.

I am still interested if you know how many actual listeners you have.

You know, you could put the show on blogtalkradio.com and actually have people call in during the show and make $$$ - (probably just pennies, but who knows?). (http://www.blogtalkradio.com/)

Yes, I would like to use loops (more? - have I ever used a loop?)

Steven "Kern" Ramsdell - Kicking It Forever - Yea, this works. Good dance number, for sure. I like that lead guitar part. It gives the song an extra dimension. Good song.

[The Cracks]

Bravo on the video!

Well done, Andrew. That really is a great song.

p.s. Sure I've done some loop songs. "Rose Hill" was a piano loop. I like working with loops. As mentioned on the HMHS, one can focus more on lyrics when using loops.

[criddlerus]

Thanks for the posts folks! Feedback is always very welcome.

As Cracks says, I now need to muster the life energy to start working on songs. I love the result when I get one done. I know exactly what you are saying when you say you sit at your piano with your Rooksby book but don't have en energy to open it up. Before kids I didn't have motivation to songwrite either though. I think it is all about focusing...

[Polly]

I have the last 2 shows downloaded but been too busy to listen! Work. However, one of the things I've been working is a CD of the kids from school.

Making home music videos. Not something I plan to try. I recently got a good HD camera though...
We need inspiration. I've been inspired by collaborating with young people recently. Nice to have a good voice on my cans! Later this week I gotta mix my first rap song... Oh dear... What the guys did for me was good though. Lets see how I can kill it
Getting the Pro Sound. There's a reason why they're pros, (money, equipment, training, even talent) I don't beat myself up over this.
Songs:

Grandma Melonhead - Maisy. My ex girlfriends planned to do the same but couldn't find venue big enough to meet up. Good idea for a song and I liked the track too. Out there.
Steven "Kern" Ramsdell - Kicking It Forever. Love those brass sounds! Cool song, quite danceable at Roxy Music pace.

Good show guys.

[chckn8r]

Sorry guys, been out of comission the past few weeks - haven't had time to peruse the sites and comment. Contrary to my comment on the IHR section, I actually HAVE been listening to the HMHS religiously.

A great bunch of tunes - I like the relatively up-beat submissions the past weeks. It's a great energy going on.

Only comment I have is on the saturation (distortion) stuff - it's going to be subtle and it's not going to be immediately noticeable. However, whatever you use, it'll add something to the sound and will probably roll off the highs a bit (that muddy sound). If not driven too hard, what you'll most likely get (again probably not immediately noticeable) is a bit of "natural" compression and if you're using something that's tube or transistor, you'll also get some added harmonics to the sound.

Again, a lot of this is subtle and arguably in the realm of psychoacoustic stuff, but when applied nicely, it takes off the "edge". It's not for everyone and it's not something that I use all the time, but it comes in handy in certain like rock-based drums, vocals and guitars.

Cheers, Dave

[Polly]

IMaking home music videos. Not something I plan to try. I recently got a good HD camera though...

And I videoed myself singing last night at my local folk club. How's that for consistency?

[Great Constantini]

Lucas,
Man whats going on here. I mean I'm pissed. How did you get in my studio? You've got my mic's, my plugs. How dare you. Seriously though, I use both those mics to great advantage. I have run into some moisture issues though on the SP B1 capsule. Perhaps I drool when I sing. So my advise to all who will listen....place the mics in your collection in a plastic bag with silica gel when not in use. Works wonders. I probably would not recommend this on older ribbons and antique condensers like a U87. Might dry out delicate rubber. Just some thoughts

[lucas]

Lucas,
Man whats going on here. I mean I'm pissed. How did you get in my studio? You've got my mic's, my plugs. How dare you.

I only took the stuff I loaned you.

I have run into some moisture issues though on the SP B1 capsule. Perhaps I drool when I sing. So my advise to all who will listen....place the mics in your collection in a plastic bag with silica gel when not in use. Works wonders. I probably would not recommend this on older ribbons and antique condensers like a U87. Might dry out delicate rubber. Just some thoughts

Sounds like a good tip. Makes sense, since they come packaged that way. I think it really depends on where you live though. I need to leave my mic set up, but it's pretty dry here, I use a pop filter and usually cover the mic with a small, dry wash rag or towel (more as a dust cover than for moisture). Also, these mics are very inexpensive, if I need to replace one, it won't be much of an issue.
BTW, the AT2020 has been returned. It's decent mic but I liked the B1 better.
hopefully I can get the vocal booth done soon and start recording again.

[Grandma Melonhead]

Better late than never

Kicking It Forever
I really liked this one. Catchy and somehow human. By that I mean pleasingly lo-fi or not overly cleaned up. Does it for me.

Maisy
The funny thing is, I thought this one was relatively accessible for me. I guess that none radio, isn't enough radio for me to be listening to (all these years).

Tape Saturation
Okay, so not many of us care about as subtle a thing as tape saturation plugins, but does any one else miss the sound of tape like i do? I guess there could be lots of other factors, but when I listen to music I recorded on tape -- even cassette tape -- it has much more presence than I can ever get out of my digital setup. I think that I find the same for commercial music. I can listen to a modern recording that I find really well produced and then Dione warwick or something will come on and the sound just has twice the life. I suppose this could have to do with lots of other things though like the way they used to record rooms, or all the tubes in the chain back then, or analogue outboard gear, etc..

Tony, I've had the same experience with PSP warmer. Pushing that drive up really seems to destroy a lot of the clarity (particularly the bass guitar) without being very musical either.

---

Regarding getting bored with the recordings you're doing, I think that's a real downside of recording alone. In a band, everyone brings something to the song and this generates excitement and competition. The excitement generates more excitement and you end up with something that is greater than the sum of the parts. Well, unless you hate your band. And even if your not excited about playing with your band, just having a different guy playing that second guitar and that bass is gonna spice it up for the listener.

[tonythetech]

Very far behind on my podcasts. But I *did* listen....

Love the Andrew Spicer song!