Newbie questions

[LaurieWinn]

Dear fellow taxi members, love Taxi and have learned so much from Taxi TV.
I am an amateur vocalist/songwriter looking to eventually turn pro.
I'm sharing what I have so far, if you are so inclined let me know what you think and answer some very beginner type questions.
I have started a website (very rough draft) I have vocal samples for anyone interested in a vocalist but they aren't the best videos. Should I try to make a more professional video? Should I only post actual pro-recorded song audio samples? The video I just did is far from impressive. And I thought I was singing different styles but most of them sound the same to me when I watched it. Let me know what you think, recommendations for how to showcase vocals properly, suggestions for song samples that will show what types of vocals I can provide…. There are 2 original songs on my website but they were recorded with archaic equipment before I learned Cubase. I am now recording my first original song with cubase and the music seems to sound ok but the vocals are so low. I added the maximum amount of gain, still low. I'll keep trying and consult my "Complete Idiot's Guide to Recording with Cubase" book. Ok ,so if I collaborate with someone, record a rough draft of an original song and vocal, how do I send it to them? What is the preferred file to save it as? Mp3? Do I send it through email? Is dropbox or something else preferred?
If I collaborate or hire someone to fix, mix, and master my song, they send it back to me as a what.. mp3 or whatever.. I then upload it to my taxi artist page and then I can submit it to a listing? Sorry to be long and really under-educated. I have learned a lot so far but I am trying to piece things together. I'll start searching through the forums also. I just joined the forum. I had an account from many years ago but it was disabled until yesterday. Thanks so much for any and all guidance you can offer. https://sites.google.com/view/winnchimeshome thanks, Laurie Winn

[burpo]

HI there, Laurie!

Welcome aboard!

I think your samples are just fine for finding Taxi collaborators.
Whether or not you are hoping to go beyond that, I don't know.

Cheers!

-b

PS: I may actually contact you in the future for a project. : )

[LaurieWinn]

Thank you Stephen!

[GuitarKit]

Hi Laurie.
Welcome aboard. I'm a pretty new member to Taxi as well.
Noticed you are a Cubase user as I am. What version are you using? I am just on elements 9.

The reason your recordings sound too low is that you need a limiter on the master bus to boost the low end (by clamping down on the loud parts)

In your dynamics list, you will have a plugin called a maximizer. Open this on the master bus.

The rule of thumb is to set your out put to -3db so nothing goes out louder than that. Drag the threshold down till the music starts getting louder. Don't over do it, other wise the music will start to pump. This is a very basic explanation.
There will be some other members that can explain this better than me.

Any other questions, just ask.

[LaurieWinn]

Thank you Guitarkit, I'm on elements 8. Your message looks very helpful,
but I'm exhausted. Long day, so I will read it again tomorrow. Thanks so much!

[hummingbird]

Welcome Laurie.

I have started a website (very rough draft) I have vocal samples for anyone interested in a vocalist but they aren't the best videos. Should I try to make a more professional video? Should I only post actual pro-recorded song audio samples? The video I just did is far from impressive. And I thought I was singing different styles but most of them sound the same to me when I watched it. Let me know what you think, recommendations for how to showcase vocals properly, suggestions for song samples that will show what types of vocals I can provide…. There are 2 original songs on my website but they were recorded with archaic equipment before I learned Cubase. I am now recording my first original song with cubase and the music seems to sound ok but the vocals are so low. I added the maximum amount of gain, still low. I'll keep trying and consult my "Complete Idiot's Guide to Recording with Cubase" book.

- if the vocals are too low, check the input gain on your microphone. How did you record the vocals, do you have a vocal booth or a treated room (to get a clean recording). I will also sometimes double the vocal (copy the existing vocal and put it in another track).

Ok ,so if I collaborate with someone, record a rough draft of an original song and vocal, how do I send it to them? What is the preferred file to save it as? Mp3? Do I send it through email? Is dropbox or something else preferred?

-for feedback an mp3 is good, once the vocal is approved, you are going to need to send the best quality recording possible so that would likely be a wav file that can be imported into the mix. Drop box is ok but fills up fast if you have the free account. Google drive works better as it allows more GBs. However you can discuss that with your collaborator.

If I collaborate or hire someone to fix, mix, and master my song, they send it back to me as a what.. mp3 or whatever.. I then upload it to my taxi artist page and then I can submit it to a listing?

-if you pay someone to produce your song they should send it to you as a wav or aiff, best quality possible. You will need to get a signed work for hire from them before pitching the track (so you own the master). You'd then convert it to mp3 and can submit. Before paying someone to produce a song I would strongly recommend you create a worktape/scratch demo of your song yourself, and post it in P2P here for feedback, and possibly also get a custom critique from TAXI. You want to make sure your song is commercially viable before spending money to have it produced.

-if you collaborate with someone then you want to sign a co-writing agreement specifying shares etc.

-in terms of your website and samples, imo you want to present yourself as well as you possibly can, and also you want to understand the business enough that you can protect yourself and also appear to be professional. Read up on things like the legalities of pitching and signing music, what your goal is, what genres you fit in, etc.

Are you coming to the Rally? It's a real education

cheers
H'bird

[Len911]

If the vocals are recorded low try normalizing them.

I really like your vocals on the two original songs, they sound authentic. The other two videos, not so much, they sound like too much thought was on the melisma and not enough soul. I guess thinking comes from the brain and soul comes from the heart. I wouldn't do a video to showcase a voice, it seems too much trouble, syncing the lips to the final audio track.

[LaurieWinn]

Thank you all, I feel like I have the info I need to get unstuck now.
Although I did have to google a few terms, like melisma. Had never heard that word before.
And no, I want to but I don't think I'll be able to make it to the rally this year. I'm going to try but I don't predict having the funds this year.
Thanks everyone!

[LaurieWinn]

ok, doing better, ..music is good,..vocal is good , but so much static / white noise comes along with the vocal. I thought if I set input level low I would boost later. but normalizing at any level, adding gain, making several copies of the vocal track...etc boosts vocal and the static too. I've tried it with mic on my desk in the open, and in this padded booth I made and I don't hear a difference at all. I'm going to search the archives here with how to get rid of the static/white noise/hiss/hum...whatever you call it....if that's a setting you configure before recording or a cleaning up that's done after.... .. I'm a slow learner but I'm getting there. ....laurie

[Len911]

Laurie, that's correct, normalizing will not help, if you are getting a lot of noise.

I would look at the vocal chain. Primarily mic, cable, preamp... What are you using now?