Engineering for Dummies question

[brock]

This is an open question to anyone who cares to answer:I have a problem which I'm pretty sure is common to more than a few people:How do you record quality music that is good enough to be cut and/or placed in a music library when you are not a good engineer (and without going broke)?Before you answer, let me explain my situation:I've been writing for quite a few years now. I get a decent amount of forwards from TAXI. I've had a few songs placed for various projects. Unfortunately, the problem I always run into is that it takes me FOREVER to finish a new piece of music. This, of course, drastically reduces the number of songs I have to pitch. The reason for this is that I am a bad studio engineer. I have my own home studio that I spent a modest amount of money (as far as studios go) to build, but I lack the skills to make professional recordings. I'm also not much of a "gearhead". I have read some books, forums, etc, but I'm just not that good at it.A number of years ago, I decided I was better off letting true pro's handle the recording side of things. Therefore, I send my country demos to Nashville and a use a friend's studio to record my rock songs.Unfortunately, this creates two problems:1. I'm "trapped" by their availability and schedule2. It costs me several hundred (or more) dollars everytime I record a songI don't do music because I think I'm going to get rich. However, I would like to make a living from it and recording a handful of songs per year at high expense is not the way to make that happen.I know the "dumb" answers to my situation; ie "go to school for engineering" (I have neither time nor money to do that; Im married and have 2 jobs), "don't do pro demos of country songs" (If I do that I cant pitch them to libraries).So, for the people who do their own engineering/producing: Do you have any advice for someone in my situation? Is there a "holy grail" of audio engineering books? Or a course I can take? How did you learn to make demos that were pro level? Is it realistic for someone in my situation to assume I can learn "on my own"?I realize this is a hard question to answer and I appreciate any help you can give. For reference, here's a quick breakdown of my studio:CuBase 2.0AT 4030 MicFocusright Voicemaster Pro Pre-ampEvent monitorsMackie 1402 VLZ-Pro mixing boardRoland XP-30 keyboardA variety of samples, loops, SFX (mostly older)multiple guitarsThanks for your time

[mazz]

This is what I did and continue to do:To learn it yourself, you need to learn how to listen with an engineers ears (it's a different way of listening from the way a songwriter listens). Isolate different aspects of your favorite artists' recordings (bass, drums, vocals) and be able to articulate the different qualities you hear (bright, dark, warm) and then figure out how to get that on the gear you have. Then listen some more. Read everything you can about the basics of recording and how the equipment works, from mics and amps and cables and compressors and reverbs and then try it out on the gear you have. Then listen some more. Talk to your gearhead friends and gather as much information as you can about how to mix and use the gear you have and then go home and do it. Then listen some more. Listen intensely to your mixes on many different speaker systems and try to articulate why they don't sound the same and then try to get a mix that is pretty consistent on all of those different systems (it'll never sound exactly the same on them all). Then try it again. Then listen some more. Learn as much as you can about the acoustical properties of sound and how it changes in different rooms, learn about the acoustical properties of different instruments and how they generate their sounds. Listen to them solo, listen to them in a group. Get as much as you can from the gear you have. Listen some more. Analyze, listen, mix, repeat.....To be a composer/songwriter/engineer, one needs to be as passionate about engineering as they are about songwriting/composing. It's just like learning any other instrument. Since you are already a songwriter, you have a headstart as the best engineers are generally also musicians.The hype these days is that you can buy some relatively inexpensive gear and produce great demos in your spare bedroom. Well, yes and no, depending on your engineering chops. This is the part that is left out in those glossy ads in your favorite gear mag. There's no holy grail book. There's lots of great books and courses out there but you still have to practice and learn the language and aesthetic of the craft. I bet you didn't learn guitar or songwriting completely from a book.The good thing about all this is that it's fun to learn how to make your music sound better. After all, it's your life's work, right!?!You can do it!Mazz

[zink]

Lots of good advice up there.A couple of things....Do some deconstructions-take a song that you think is mixed well. Load it into your DAW. Move around with the eq so you can see what instuments lay in what frequencys. Do this for several songs.Remember when you mix, that your mixing frequencies, not just instruments. Use a frequency analyzer. See if you notice any holes in your mixes (while your mixing).One thing that took me a long time get was that not every instrument has to sound big and full when soloed. Don't be afraid to cut out low frequencies or to "punch holes" in a track (with eq) to make room for other instruments.just some ideas

[brock]

First, let me apologize for not putting this thread where it belongs; ie the Technology, Recording and Production folder. Too late now! Sometimes the answer to a question is so obvious it's staring you right in the face.I think you guys hit the nail on the head: It's JUST like learning an instrument; ie tons of practice and listening with "engineer" ears (as opposed to "songwriter" ears or "fan" ears, etc). It truly is an art, as opposed to just a "skill" and it takes a long time to learn and a ton of practice.Thank you all for the advice and I will try your suggestions out.P.S. Mazz, you are correct: When I learned guitar (actually, I'm still learning) I never once opened a book for it. I just listened to records and copied what I heard. There is no reason not to apply the same methodology to engineering.P.P.S. Songwriter: If you are getting 8's and 9's on your engineering I would say that's pretty good. As stated, I have my recordings done by pro's and I've never received a 10 on anything I've submitted for engineering. They usually get 8's and 9's as well. I still often get forwards anyways.

[gitarrero]

what also can be a help - once one got the basics of engineering/producing - are the following points:* well organized environment (does the technical stuff detain you from your creativity because there's too much hassle? eg. do you need to handle wires, adjust parameters, turn knobs while you're creative?)* templates: if you're not really interested in all gear-parameter, do templates where the most common parameters that always appear are already set up.* production process: think about which steps you need to go through until the final master. a well organized process can not only save time (which you can use creatively) but also be motivating because you get to a result within a short timeframe....just a note @brock: if your stuff is recorded by other people and you submit it to library listings, make sure that you own the master rights of the recordings - because library deals take the track "as is", and you state in the contract that you own the recording.cheers,martin

[brock]

Gitarrero:Thanks for the advice. My main problem is just not having a good grasp of miking, mixing, EQ etc as opposed to "too many buttons/knobs/wires" etc. For example, no matter how I position my mic when I record acoustic guitar, it always comes out "boomy" (ie lots of bottom end) and tinny on the top.Thanks for the heads up on the masters issue. I actually found that out recently, but it shouldn't be a problem as my local source is a friend and my Nashville source indicated he would get me a signed release if I needed one

[crs7string]

Brock,As already mentioned, this is stuff you learn "on the street" and by doing alot of recording.One of my favorite sources of information and ideas ( in addition to gear reviews, etc.) is Sound On Sound Magazine. This is a British publication with IMO alot of credibility.There are regular articles on recording guitars etc. There is also an online e-sub of the magazine and the ability to retrieve articles.They also archive the magazine in, now, DVD format. You can buy the last four or five years of magazines on the one DVD. (this is very valuable, the magazine is a keeper and they tend to pile up)There are also various other magazines address this as well:Electronic Musician, Keyboard, EQ etc.I think its also important to pay attention in conversations with other musicians. I learned from the jazz guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli, a great and one of the last rhythm guitar players, that his "acoustic" rhythm sound is frequently 1/3 amp and 2/3 guitar miked. Chuck

[gitarrero]

Quote:Gitarrero:Thanks for the advice. My main problem is just not having a good grasp of miking, mixing, EQ etc as opposed to "too many buttons/knobs/wires" etc. For example, no matter how I position my mic when I record acoustic guitar, it always comes out "boomy" (ie lots of bottom end) and tinny on the top.Thanks for the heads up on the masters issue. I actually found that out recently, but it shouldn't be a problem as my local source is a friend and my Nashville source indicated he would get me a signed release if I needed oneac guitar recording: how's the sound of your guitar? what mic do you use?try to position the mic 20-30 cm away from the guitar, in the heigh of the 12th fret. it shoudn't be boomy then.release form: if I was you I would get it as soon as you can.

[wheelingwv]

Brock:Lots of good advice here. Not much to add except a couple of random thoughts: Although it's breaking your bank to send your tunes out to be produced, maybe you could still afford to hire a trusted engineer to sit in with you on some sesions in your own studio and give you some pointers. When I was starting out as a studio intern, I learned some really simple, basic concepts & tricks from some great engineers that made a huge difference.Also, don't be afraid of EQ. If your ac. guit is boomy no matter what you do with the mic, and making an extreme EQ move makes it sound great, don't be afraid of being an extremist! Good luck and keep at it.