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Post by betowelch on Jan 15, 2010 15:02:22 GMT
Hi All:
I'm trying to record my own CD (not commercial intention......) and lately I'd been involved more learning how to get a better audio recording in my home-studio. And as I don't have so much experience in audio mixing and mastering I'm not so sure that I'm doing right all this final audio processing.
I'm recording miking from amp and using Audacity. After that I save the wave file of lead alone and open it in Adobe Audition 2.0 to process it. What I usually do it's as follows in the sequence:
1) Normalizing it (at 98%...Don't ask me why 98%...just I read on net....); 2) Noise Reduction; 3) Checking if there are some parts that should be recommended to some volume changing to giving more presence (if necessary...).... 4) Checking how it's the spectrum frequency to evaluating if will be necessary some boosting or cutting and defining in what frequency range; 5) Filtering via EQ altering these frequency regions and checking how sounds... and again checking the spectrum. If OK I save the wave file and finish this audio processing. 6) And the last step it's mixing this process lead with the BT and adjust their volumes and save in mp3 and/or in wave.
What do you think about? There are some others recommendations or suggestions?
I'm thanking in advance for the attention and helping me in this thread....
Cheers from Brazil Roberto
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Post by Charlie Hall on Jan 15, 2010 16:42:57 GMT
Hi Roberto, I will comment on each part: 1) Normalizing it (at 98%...Don't ask me why 98%...just I read on net....); 98% will keep the signal just short of clipping. Good advice. 2) Noise Reduction; Should not be necessary all the time unless there is objectionable noise. It is far better to try to minimise noise before it is ever recorded. 3) Checking if there are some parts that should be recommended to some volume changing to giving more presence (if necessary...).... You have to play the recorded lead track against the backing track to see how they sound with each other, then consider making adjustments based on that. 4) Checking how it's the spectrum frequency to evaluating if will be necessary some boosting or cutting and defining in what frequency range; Yes, the suitable response will depend much on what kind of tone balance you require from the guitar. I would do this step and also step 5 before doing step 3. I would also check the frequency response of the backing track at the same time. Many are not well adjusted. 5) Filtering via EQ altering these frequency regions and checking how sounds... and again checking the spectrum. If OK I save the wave file and finish this audio processing. 6) And the last step it's mixing this process lead with the BT and adjust their volumes and save in mp3 and/or in wave. You can and probably should check the overall frequency response as well of this final mix. I would always save as a wav file anyway as a master. The mp3 should not be regarded as a master as it is only for the purpose of having a convenient smaller file that can be more easily transferred by email etc. Regards, Charlie
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Post by betowelch on Jan 15, 2010 20:21:12 GMT
Hi Charlie:
Thanks for your reply. I will take in consideration your recommendation. About that Noise Reduction step, I use it only for the hummmm eliminating and it use doesn't add any change in the tone...
Cheers from Brazil Roberto
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Post by Charlie Hall on Jan 15, 2010 20:29:11 GMT
Hi Roberto, As I mentioned, it is best to try to reduce the noise (hum in your case) to the lowest possible level while recording a track, even if it means you have to play the guitar in an exact room position. The problem with hum is that while it has a fundamental frequency of 50/60Hz, it also contains harmonics of that frequency which intrude into the guitar frequency range. It will always make a recording worse that it might have been even if you cannot really hear it. Regards, Charlie
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Post by betowelch on Jan 15, 2010 23:03:17 GMT
Hi Charlie:
Thanks for your reply and new teachings. I will try to left on minimum these hum by locating a new guitar position (some not easy as my home-studio it's minimal.....) or using a lower amp volume. I think also that still I have some problems with some electrical noise interferences (as hum and others) as I live in building and it don't have grounded electrical installation. Normally the amps have an internal connection to use it as an external ground connector. In the Manual of Heritage I didn't find nothing about. But as tomorrow I will take the amp from Technical Service (one EF84 valve was failed....) and I will check with him to know if it has this ground connection available on it.
Cheers from Brazil ! Roberto
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Post by Charlie Hall on Jan 16, 2010 0:03:38 GMT
Hi Roberto, Changing the amp volume will not help. The important thing is the amount of hum compared with the signal, at the guitar itself. But if your whole system is causing hum because of no ground connection, then that also needs looking at. Regards, Charlie
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Post by martyn on Jan 16, 2010 10:34:02 GMT
Hi Charlie, On the question of hum I did have a problem with this and spent ages shifting position, standing, turning sideways, moving further back from the monitor screen etc assuming I was possibly too close to the computer. I have two low wattage table lights on the work desk and switched these on and off but that made no difference until one day I decided to switch off the main ceiling light - the noise went away. I couldn't fathom why a standard room light would do this but I'm wondering if it's because the light's controlled by a dimmer switch rather than a normal on/off one?
Would noiseless pickups eliminate any or all of these problems? Not sure quite how they work and would they need to be 'standard' ones or Samarium Cobalt ones - I've seen differently labelled noiseless pickup packs so what's the difference other than price?
Regards, Martyn
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Post by Deleted on Jan 16, 2010 11:56:09 GMT
Hi Martyn Here's some causes I found; Old style computer monitor screens...really bad. Cheap Cables... buy best Badly insulated guitar under its bonnet. Powerful amps. Fluorescent lights. Powerful monitor speakers. Placing one piece of equipment on top of or near to another...separate your chain by distance. Before you start thinking of noiseless pickups which will help (but it will change your sound and maybe for the worse) I would address the above. Start with setting up as normal for recording and get out of the room the other side of the door and see what happens to a test recording, it's a starter point. Tony
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Post by martyn on Jan 16, 2010 12:35:58 GMT
Hi Tony, Thanks for the reply. I did narrow it down to the ceiling light and since switching it off I've had no further problems - I was just intrigued as to why it should have been the culprit.
The subject of noiseless pickups is an interesting one as I know of one musician in our club who uses them and his sound's superb. Now whether he would sound any better with other types I don't know and I've often wondered why they seem to be considered slightly lesser a choice than other custom shop types. What is it about the noiseless process that effects the end product?
Cheers, Martyn
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Post by Deleted on Jan 16, 2010 13:17:33 GMT
Hi Martyn, It may have been something to do with Hank using the Kinmans which are noiseless, but the concensus of opinion is they did'nt give him that old vintage sound. Many people tried them including me and they were quite dull compared with the other pickups and so were mostly sold on. That does'nt mean to say other brands of noisless pickups will sound the same I suppose. If your friend's sound is good then the proof is in the eating. One Luthier I know describes them as 'Single coil humbuckers' as they are made like normal humbuckers I think. I have a Yngwie Malmsteen Strat which has di Marzio HS-3, and 2X Di Marzio YJM's and they are single coil humbuckers. That is to say If I was going to be a gigging musician again I would use it because it will do Shadows stuff well and dirty well. Having said that it's sound is not as bright as the CS 54's for instance and the dirty not as dirty as my Ibanez Jem, but audiences arn't Anoracks and they would'nt give a monkey's as long as you sound good whatever genre you do, that is imho. Tony
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Post by Charlie Hall on Jan 16, 2010 13:42:40 GMT
Hi Martyn, Dimmer switches do cause this hum problem. I am not sure if turning the switch to maximum brightness would help at all, unless it was already at maximum, perhaps you could try it. I was impressed with the sound of Johan's Seymour Duncan hum cancelling pickup out of all the hum cancelling ones I have heard. I am not sure if they still make the same model. Regards, Charlie
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Post by martyn on Jan 16, 2010 16:08:24 GMT
Hi Tony, I take your point regarding audiences but my quest is more of a personal and apparently never ending one to recreate a sound I have in my head, futile though that may be. I listen to the sound files posted here and almost inevitably ask what gear the player's using, not out of idle curiosity but usually because it's got close to this elusive tone I have in mind and I'm trying to establish which component/s of the mix is/are doing what. The thrill of the chase is part and parcel of this whole exercise, as has been discussed elsewhere - pathetic though this may seem to many . . .
Charlie, do you know how standard Fender noiseless pickups (and other brands) differ from Custom Shop Samarium Cobalt ones - or are they essentially the same thing? They're all branded and marketed under different packaging, hence my question.
Regards, Martyn
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Post by Charlie Hall on Jan 16, 2010 17:02:39 GMT
Hi Martyn, I'm not sure if they are the same thing or whether the samarium cobalt are a newer version. Regards, Charlie
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Post by zager on Jan 16, 2010 17:31:26 GMT
Hi Martyn. I have a fender ec with noisless pickups. I wouldnt be qualified enough to tell you how there different in comparasion to other pick ups. If my memory serves me right i think you have a vox tonelab. Ive just recently bought a tonelab myself and with some good advice i got from some members ive just starting using it. I havent got around to posting any sound files yet, but if you like i could send you an email with an mp3 using a fender/noisless pickups being played through the tonelab. It might help you decide. Regards Tony
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Post by Deleted on Jan 17, 2010 8:43:07 GMT
Getting back to mixing and mastering, if I am recording a cover song, say of the shadows if you like, I find it helpful to run the original track alongside mine not at the same time but just a comparison as how the lead guitar sits in the mix compared with my track and I do think compression is a real help. It seems old Joe Meek knew this years ago. I then just use my ears to get it as close as I can till it sounds right. I am being somewhat hampered nowdays though as there is more hair growing out of my ears than on top of my head. Tony
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Post by martyn on Jan 17, 2010 12:42:44 GMT
. . . I havent got around to posting any sound files yet, but if you like i could send you an email with an mp3 using a fender/noisless pickups being played through the tonelab. It might help you decide. Regards Tony Hi Tony, That's a great idea and would be most welcome. I'm particularly interested in comparing tones from the bridge pickup since that, for me, creates the most iconic sound of the three. I think my email's listed in my profile but if in doubt it's martynwelch'at' blueyonder.co.uk, obviously replacing the 'at' with @ Any more details of your strat etc would be good too. Cheers, Martyn
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Post by zager on Jan 17, 2010 16:54:27 GMT
hi Martyn. Ive sent you an email. regards tony. ps. Sorry Roberto, seem to have hijacked your thread.
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Post by shadfan4 on Jan 17, 2010 18:04:08 GMT
There is no doubt that dimmer switches do cause hum in guitar PUPs due to radiation from their circutry. I have Kinman HBM pups fitted to my 1976 USA strat and am impressed with the total freedom of noise they give. The tone quality I have found more than acceptable for shads tunes from whichever decade. In most cases some clever tweaking of EQ can restore what may thought to be a difference in tone.
In all my posts I have stated which were done with the Kinmans so examples are available for evaluation.
Cheers,
Mike.
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Post by betowelch on Jan 17, 2010 18:11:27 GMT
hi Martyn. Ive sent you an email. regards tony. ps. Sorry Roberto, seem to have hijacked your thread. Hi Tony: No problem about that. Cheers from Brazil Roberto
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