What's the hardest part to get right?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Doug Hess Jr., Jan 23, 2003.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. Doug Hess Jr.

    Doug Hess Jr. Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Belpre, Ohio
    This is of course a Steve H. question, but I would certainly welcome comments from anyone who works in a studio and produces, mixes, etc. recordings....

    What's the hardest thing to get right?

    All of the recording process from tracking to mixing, etc. has its challenges and of course each instrument and each singer brings a separate challenge...but what is the hardest? The cymbals so they don't splatter...the bass-- so it isn't too heavy or too thin?

    Well...I didn't think of this question when I was talking to Steve on the phone...
     
  2. audiodrome

    audiodrome Senior Member

    Location:
    North Of Boston
    I would say that upright "acoustic" bass can sometimes be a bitch to record, unless someone has a real expensive instrument with beautiful tone. Some of the cheaper ones can have a real "loose, boomy" tone that's very hard to control and fit in a mix.
     
  3. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host

    The hardest part to get right is pleasing the Producer. It's the only part to get right, isn't it? Or am I missing something? Everything else is just recording, mixing and mastering. To do that for someone ELSE'S taste is brutally hard.
     
  4. Jamie Tate

    Jamie Tate New Member

    Location:
    Nashville
    Especially when they don't have a clue. I was once told that my mix was great but they were hoping for something more brown. He also said my mix was more circular than triangular (and that's the way he envisioned it). I forgot how I got out of that one.
     
  5. Todd Fredericks

    Todd Fredericks Senior Member

    Location:
    A New Yorker
    That's really funny. I bet he was completely serious too. :) I wonder if he was ever put in a circular room to rest in (a safe room without corners so he wouldn't harm himself)... :)

    Todd
     
  6. Michael

    Michael I LOVE WIDE S-T-E-R-E-O!

    :laugh: :thumbsup:
     
  7. Jamie Tate

    Jamie Tate New Member

    Location:
    Nashville
    You guys would know who he is. He's written a stack of classic tunes.
     
  8. Grant

    Grant Life is a rock, but the radio rolled me!

    In mixing, the problems I've encountered are:

    #1. Getting the bass just right!

    #2. Getting the vocals just right. It helps to have a good vocal track to begin with (what dream world do I live in?).

    #3. Getting the bass right.

    #4. Hoping that the bass sounds decent on other stereo systems

    #5. Trying to convince the client that the tracks don't need to be compressed.

    #6. Did I mention the bass?
     
  9. Sound

    Sound Member

    Location:
    .
    No problems like that with this producer.
    As I understand, (vinyl) Piano can be the biggest test.
    The Bass (upright) is hard because of the broad s/n ratio.
    (between the low volume for the regular notes, and the loud 'thunk' from an individual strike.)
    Vibes can be a problem, if the polarity isn't correct for example.
    Once you get past any sibilants, vocals shouldn't be a problem.
    Bad miking practices can cause headaches also.
    dennis
     
  10. indy mike

    indy mike Forum Pest

    Yowzaman - get the Nuggets boxed set (just borrow it, the sonics are grrrrrrrrrrrr), find a track by The Bees called Voices Green and Purple and crank it loud - you'll understand how to mix in color and shapes in no time (come to think of it, there's a tune called Optical Sound from the same era - better find that, too)! :)
     
  11. Jamie Tate

    Jamie Tate New Member

    Location:
    Nashville
    You kidding?:) I was first in line to buy them. I know some of those tracks sound bad but it appeals to something in me.
     
  12. indy mike

    indy mike Forum Pest

    Not to thread crap toooo much, but I was verrry disappointed with the sound from that set - toooooo much midrange and treble boost, toooo much mono (sorry Grant) - since a lot of the original Nuggets 2 lp set was stereo, I was unhappy that a lot of grungy sounding mono or apparent stereo fold-downs (hey Grant, do you remember which ones) were included. For a lot of those tracks, that would have been the best/only time to maybe make some unheard stereo mixes up, or include rare stereo from the 60's - can you hear the big sigh from up here in Yankee land??? Anyhoo, go crank Voices Green and Purple again - it's good for whatever ails you!!!
     
  13. The Cellar

    The Cellar New Member

    Location:
    Toronto
    I've recorded many different instruments as an amateur sound technician/engineer, and I had the most trouble recording solo acoustic piano.
     
  14. Jamie Tate

    Jamie Tate New Member

    Location:
    Nashville
    Oh yeah, I agree. Thought the first set was more guilty than the second (which still has that sound). I wish I could crank it more but it hurts my ears. I still love the recordings. Beautifully ignorant recording techniques.
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page

molar-endocrine