What's your biggest producing frustration?

[elser]

for me it's overworking my material. I start with all the verve and joy of creation, but by the time I'm ready to master I find myself getting sick of the song. I wish was able to keep that initial enthusiasm through out the whole process.

[ibanez468]

Well, in my experiences, once I have everything mixed in to the point that I can hear all the instruments, then I usually go about manipulating the eq, listening to what instrument might stand out too much, or what instrument doesn't stand out enough. Some instruments don't need any eq at all. It just depends on what I'm hearing (or not) that dictates whether or not something needs to be tweaked using eq. As far as compression, I've been experimenting just using that on bass and drums, so I can get some more low end "ooomph" in there (along with eq). I'm starting to get that bottom that was missing in my earlier stuff. And I use it on the distorted guitars, 'cause those always need taming.Often, it just depends on what instruments are a part of the mix. But in general, bass & drums get the combination compression/eq treatment, and usually everything else gets an eq adjustment (or not) depending on what I hear or don't hear. So my frustrations have subsided somewhat in that particular area. Here's something I just got through workin' on as an example. Didn't really need to do a whole lot to the bass sequence or the kick, because they came through pretty good, I think. Had to apply some eq on the rhythm guitar though because it just wasn't cuttin' through the mix the way I wanted it to. Everything else is just kinda' "as is". Not sayin' this is "great" or anything, but it wouldn't have sounded like this a coupla' months ago.Crank Up the Cardio (Lite Mix)

[elser]

Cool track, kinda reminds of Herbie Hancock 'Dis Da Drum', one of my favorite albums.

[mfowler]

ibanez468.. sounds great! nice job of separating the instruments!I tend to cram too much and have overlap in the frequencies.. I need to practice "less is more".. Marlin

[watksco]

Female vox and szziblanczzze. Trying to get a vocal to sit evenly in the track with riding the fader/compression/eq and making sure there is no szzizzzzle!That and getting the bottom end big enough and with punch! Baby's gotta have back!Scott

[ibanez468]

Oct 15, 2009, 12:32pm, fretnoise wrote:Cool track, kinda reminds of Herbie Hancock 'Dis Da Drum', one of my favorite albums.Thanks elser. Ya' know, I've got that CD and have only listened to it once or twice. I'm gonna hafta' pull it out and give it another listen. Which are your favorite tracks on there?Oct 15, 2009, 12:40pm, mfowler wrote:ibanez468.. sounds great! nice job of separating the instruments!I tend to cram too much and have overlap in the frequencies.. I need to practice "less is more".. MarlinThanks Marlin. Yeah, I initially had a few other things goin' on in there, but I listened to the thing enough times to evaluate and say: "hey, I don't need this, let's mute it. And this isn't really serving any real purpose, let's mute that too." Now things start to open up a little. When I do this I'm trying to put myself in the listener's shoes (to some degree) and get myself out of mine. Not an easy thing to do. Oct 15, 2009, 1:45pm, watksco wrote:That and getting the bottom end big enough and with punch! Baby's gotta have back!Most definitely.

[mazz]

Oct 15, 2009, 12:21pm, ibanez468 wrote:Well, in my experiences, once I have everything mixed in to the point that I can hear all the instruments, then I usually go about manipulating the eq, listening to what instrument might stand out too much, or what instrument doesn't stand out enough. Some instruments don't need any eq at all. It just depends on what I'm hearing (or not) that dictates whether or not something needs to be tweaked using eq. As far as compression, I've been experimenting just using that on bass and drums, so I can get some more low end "ooomph" in there (along with eq). I'm starting to get that bottom that was missing in my earlier stuff. And I use it on the distorted guitars, 'cause those always need taming.Often, it just depends on what instruments are a part of the mix. But in general, bass & drums get the combination compression/eq treatment, and usually everything else gets an eq adjustment (or not) depending on what I hear or don't hear. So my frustrations have subsided somewhat in that particular area. Here's something I just got through workin' on as an example. Didn't really need to do a whole lot to the bass sequence or the kick, because they came through pretty good, I think. Had to apply some eq on the rhythm guitar though because it just wasn't cuttin' through the mix the way I wanted it to. Everything else is just kinda' "as is". Not sayin' this is "great" or anything, but it wouldn't have sounded like this a coupla' months ago.Crank Up the Cardio (Lite Mix)Sounds very good. You've used the kick to provide the bottom and the bass is above it but still providing the bass voice of the mix. They don't interfere with each other which is a combination of well written parts and good mix choices.Another thing that is well done is the sense of front to back space you've created by having some elements bone dry and others with more or less reverb and/or delay.Good work!Mazz

[ggalen]

Nice track, Ibanez. Great low end and punch.

[hurican]

Making sure music is tight to the click.Recording and practise schedules.Acoustic and PianosProgramming keyboards....Well, I'll let you know when something in the entire frustrating process stands out as being worse than the next.

[sgs4u]

I got really bogged down with wishing I had real musicians to record with all the time. Every time I tried to pretend to be a drummer, a bass player.... it just gradually ate at me that my friends play so much better than I could ever program. I spent 20 years getting better at writing & production, but I've let it go because making music isn't something I want to do alone anymore. My plan now is to make oodles of cash doing other things, and then spend lots of money recording the most fabulous musicians I can get together with. Music is one of the ways I communicate and worship. Sitting alone in a studio became something that I felt "not good" about. the change has been good for me.Bruce that piece kicks bro!