3 Extreme Sports forwards and a question

[fusilierb]

I was utterly shocked over this one. Sent in 3 and 3 were forwarded. This was the listing.HIGH ENERGY INSTRUMENTALS FOR EXTREME SPORTS PROGRAMS are needed by an established Production Music Library/Publisher with tons of TAXI signings over the years. Fast paced, exciting, adrenaline-pumping music in styles ranging from Pop/Punk, Hard Rock, Alt Rock, Electro-Rock, Psychobilly, Guitar/Heavy Synth-featured D&B, Industrial Rock, etc. will be consideredHere's my dilemma. I'm trying to deal with some engineering insecurities and I'm just not sure what broadcast quality means, when it comes to rock/metal. I'm pretty confident when I write orchestral stuff, because my samples are all "pre engineered" to sound great and already mix together magically write out of the box. All I have to do is write good music and the engineering takes care of itself.But when it comes time for me to plug in a guitar and bass and start rocking, I personally feel that my engineering skills blow. Which is a bummer, cause I love to write and play that kind of stuff. Two of these exact tunes were returned a few weeks ago because of "broadcast quality" issues. Which I really wasn't that surprised by. But now forwarded?? Taxi is still a mystery to me.Do these sound good to you all out there? Please be frankly honest. I'm not doubting the writing or the playing, I'm doubting the quality of the recordings. Am I being to critical? Where's Big Blue out there? How come your rock stuff sounds so incredibly well produced?? What knobs am I not turning?Don't get me wrong, I'm utterly elated that these were forwarded along. And I will write much more stuff like this from here on out. But I really thought that 2 of these didn't have what it takes "production wise" and apparently they do(?). In fact I was planning on canning the last two of these till I could get the sound to pump like I want it to. But now it looks like they're ok (?)...Any Opinions or thoughts. Here are the tunes:Metallic Orchestra - Extreme Sportshttp://www.taximusic.com/song.php?song_id=1762 ... =trueThese last two are the ones that I'm underwhelmed by the quality of the recordings.Head Pounderhttp://www.taximusic.com/song.php?song_id=1847 ... =trueHeavy Ridehttp://www.taximusic.com/song.php?song_id=1847 ... anfusilier

[bigbluebarry]

Hey Bryan! Congrats on the forwards man! That's great! I listened to all 3 of your songs. Some GREAT playin' on there.The one thing that stood out to me while listening to "Head Pounder" was it seemed that all of your guitars were panned to the center of the stereo field. I could be wrong, because I wasn't listening to them on my main studio speakers, but my smaller computer speakers instead. If that's the case then I would suggest panning one rhythm track hard left and the other hard right and leave the "lead" track in the middle.Here's my general recording process for guitar:EDIT: Forgot to include this originally...For my rock/metal tracks, I use a Schecter C-1 guitar that I then plug in to a Line6 GearBox as a DI box into the back of my Digirack 003. I don't have to use the GearBox but I do so because it has a nice built-in tuner in addition to allowing me to split my signal and run one signal direct to the 003 and simultaneously run the same signal into my B-52 half-stack. But I've yet to take advantage of my half-stack. All of my guitars are recorded direct using the Guitar Rig 3 plug-in.1) Record a rhythm track and pan it hard left2) Record that same part again on another track and also pan it hard left3) Record another rhythm track using a different pickup setting and usually amp model setting and pan it hard right. If it's not a completely different rhythm part, then I'll just use a different chord voicing for a few of the chords.4) Record that same part from #3 and also pan it hard right5) Record my "lead" part and pan it dead center6) Sometimes I'll double the "lead" part but an octave higher. If I do that, I usually pan it at around "1:00" or "40" if you're using Pro Tools 7) Apply a group EQ setting to all my rhythm guitars (roll off some highs and lows and boost the midrange - hat tip to AllenDS for some recent help with this) BUT NOT my Lead Guitar. I use a different setting for it, usually a bit more aggressive on what I roll off and boost.Then after I have my mix finished, I then export a stereo wave file of the mix and run that through about 5 different steps in a Mastering process that I use involving EQ, compression and limiting.Re: the songs got returned last week but forwarded this week situation... I had a song ("Dark and Overcast") that got forwarded on Friday but then got returned for this listing because of the mix. Seems like that stuff can vary from screener to screener.If you want to discuss in more depth let me know and I'll share whatever I can to help you. Just be warned, I may ask you questions about orchestrations - Big Blue

[audiorayne]

Bryan - I love your sound... "Heavy Ride" brings me back to old school Metallica days, but almost sounds new in a way. Well, that probably doesn't make any sense, does it? At any rate, you've definitely got some talent, so please please please keep at it. "Metallic Orchestra" just blew me away and I was forced to listen to it five times so I could get my head around the awesomeness of all the elements (what's that "ka cha" sound in there???)... Man, this rocks (yeah, I'm listening again, couldn't resist...)Keep it up, you rock!-ARP.S. By the way, I too am in awe of Big Blue's chops. I'm starting to think they should start a separate category called "Big Blue's School of Rock."

[jeffgreenleaf]

Killer sound Bryan...congratz!

[fusilierb]

Hey AR, thanks man. I still remember my first Metallica show, houston Texas - monsters of rock tour. I was 17 and actually talked my parents into letting me drive their car to another state. Van Halen Headlined, then Scorpions, then Dokken (sound was awful which was a tragedy for me as Goerge Lnych was the third leg of my holy trinity of guitarist at the time), then Metallica (Metal up your ass tour, which is a name that is forever engraved in my skull) then, there waws this band that I can't remember their name? Huge Led Zepplin rip off! Loved them!Anywho's nice to see some old metal heads on the boards. And thanks for the words. And yes, Big Blue is my hero here. Damn that sounds good!

[fusilierb]

Oh big blue, I knew you were out there somewhere. That is fantastic guidance. And I also exclusively use Guitar Rig 3 so I know it's possible for the grasshopper to achieve the sounds of the master. This conversation will continue in a more private manner for a while, but you sir could teach many young children of rock how to achieve that most glorious sound of yours. We should start a metal engineering thread somewhere and get to the bottom of this mystery.And you still have yet to reveal the subtle magic behind that "oh so kick ass drumming" you have going on.BAnd yes, I will trade orchestration propaganda for the inner secrets to a sweet sounding metal life.

[bigbluebarry]

The secret to the drumming is EZ Drummer and Superior Drummer 2.0 combined with me having been a drummer for about 20+ years. As much as I love EZ/SD and how easy it is to use, I have a KILLLLLLLEEEERRRR set of Cherry Red DW Custom drums set up about 8 feet in front of me right now. I think I may finally have all the mic's I need to actually record them but I'm gonna need someone here to help "engineer" the session while I play. So for now, I'm just gonna stick with SD 2.0 until I learn how to clone myself or get a wireless mouse/keyboard and 2nd monitor. Whichever one of those comes first - Big Blueps - send me a PM and I'll give you my email address and we can chat more in depth about the wonders of Guitar Rig 3 and the non-ending search for the Ultimate Tone!

[fusilierb]

You sir must record that cherry red set of DW Customs so that we may all enjoy their loveliness. And you should do us all a gigantic drum solo for like twenty minutes. i'm serious! And send it to your Taxi friends so we can all have something special (that we can sell to the highest bidder) when you become huge.B

[fusilierb]

Hey Jeff thanks, I've been checking out your stuff. I really like it. I used to be a part time "neighbor" of yours for about 7 years starting in the late 90's. I lived in Hermosa and had a bike that I'd take to the Santa Monica Mountains on the weekends for some great rides!! Malibu is awesome. You must really hate it there. It completely sucks. Well done!B

[georginasaint]

Hi Bryan, Well... I don't particularly like or understand this type of music, but I listened to all three tracks and I'm blown away... your musicianship just comes soaring through these - by the third one, I had the thought that these are like orchestrations but on guitars - I love how on the third track you bring in harmonies on the lead guitar. I know nothing at all about recording this type of music but I could hear that the first was superior quality to the others, recording wise. I think the first track is my fav musically too. I love the way it changes all through - really kept my interest. BRAVO! You've got some help here with improving the recording quality, so you're on your way. Big congrats on those well earned forwards.I'll tell you what I think the reason for the return-then-forward scenario is - some listings are for companies that deal with much higher quality requirements than others. There are some music libraries who will consider a border-line recording quality - I might be wrong - but I too have had pieces rejected as "not broadcast quality" on one listing and forwarded on another. Also, it's subjective from screener to screener. Don't ever dump a track because it was returned once or twice... I think you have learned that now!Anyway, I'm just amazed that you can do this type of music this well AND all those brilliant orchestral pieces - wowie!!!Georgie