This thread is about home recordings..can be anything about them, how they were made, problems with making, and any wisdom or fun things that happen during the experience! Hopefull this thread will end up as a fun resource for anyone who appreciates music!
Entry 1:
On saturday 11/19, Hoagie came over and we recorded a bunch of new stuff in my basement studio . We layered some stuff based on a new bass line, then I added 2 acoustics and hoagie layered some egg shakers...everything was panned hard left and right for a great stereo effect. We had alot of fun but I keep relearning the same painful lesson nearly everytime I record myself on drums,....I NEED A GOOD DRUMMER OR RHYTHM MAKER...without this, stuff can sound really too loose. Unless you want it to sound really loose! I just suck at the drums.
Jeff is our BG drummer extroradinaire, but he can't just dump off Marco tour to lay some beats...What do you do to get around this?
(and drum machines can sound so weak)
The home recording thread
Started by
williscat2000
, Nov 19 2012 07:15 PM
38 replies to this topic
#3
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- VibeTribe
- 2,188 posts
- LocationNorthern NJ
Posted 19 November 2012 - 07:53 PM
That could do it. I use a click track now and try to nail it, but I always seem to flub a bass drum or snare at some point and end up re-recording the drums for 2 hours on a 3 minute song, and still never nail it...If only i could play drums like a real drummer, or have the ryhthm of a young rabit.
#4
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- VibeTribe
- 13,522 posts
Posted 19 November 2012 - 07:58 PM
Try a sequencer style one, with the timeline and boxes into which various sounds and samples are inserted. You can drag stuff around and edit very easily. I've been messing around with a couple of these on the iPad, and they're pretty awesome when you get the hang of it. I've been messing with iSequence, which has some really cool drum sounds and loops. I bought another drum/percussion pack for 3 bucks, and it's even better.
Plus it's a bit of a mental exercise trying to translate what you hear and think of into a "grid". Gonna take a bit to get away from "how do I do this" to being creative.
Plus it's a bit of a mental exercise trying to translate what you hear and think of into a "grid". Gonna take a bit to get away from "how do I do this" to being creative.
#6
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- VibeTribe
- 5,231 posts
- LocationNutmeg State
Posted 19 November 2012 - 08:21 PM
If you do go the synthesizer route to record drums initially you can always go back and re-record the drums as well. True it requires a pretty precise drummer to do that, but if you start out with a more simplified form of the type of beat you want at least then you'll have reference points for your downbeats and accents at the tempo you want. One of the biggest advantages to multi-track recording is that you don't always need everyone there to make progress.
#7
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- VibeTribe
- 2,188 posts
- LocationNorthern NJ
Posted 20 November 2012 - 09:32 PM
Grippo refuses to make recording sessions unless we tell him Bob Weir or someone from Ween is there. its so crazy!
Just kidding!
We may have him come over to re-record the drums, over the click track and drums I laid down....I've also found that I can "hide" errant drum beats by adding a second drum track and doubling it...either pan l or R, or keep it in stereo, adds a cool effect, and helps camofluage the warts! very beatleesque.
Just kidding!
We may have him come over to re-record the drums, over the click track and drums I laid down....I've also found that I can "hide" errant drum beats by adding a second drum track and doubling it...either pan l or R, or keep it in stereo, adds a cool effect, and helps camofluage the warts! very beatleesque.
#8
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- VibeTribe
- 17,194 posts
Posted 20 November 2012 - 10:00 PM
http://www.rinki.net/pekka/monkey/
I have had tons of fun creating patterns on this thing tonpractice bass to. We could probably use it to create drum tracks till jeff can get into the basement.
Its java based (or flash) so no downloading needed. Try it out!
I have had tons of fun creating patterns on this thing tonpractice bass to. We could probably use it to create drum tracks till jeff can get into the basement.
Its java based (or flash) so no downloading needed. Try it out!
#9
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- VibeTribe
- 2,188 posts
- LocationNorthern NJ
Posted 25 November 2012 - 07:53 PM
looking at electronic drum kits that can hold the beat after I set it...anyone have any experience or recomendations?
http://www.sweetwate...etail/DM10XKit/
http://www.sweetwate...etail/DM10XKit/
#10
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- VibeTribe
- 2,188 posts
- LocationNorthern NJ
Posted 08 January 2013 - 06:28 PM
In the early 90's, I learned how to home- record thru experimenting with a cassette 4-track recorder. It was fun times to record all kinds of noises and sounds and just learn how to layer stuff together. It got me started on a quest for recording! Over the weekend I put these up on the archive (along with a collection I recorded in 2006)
This is the "album" I recorded in 1993. I called it DESERT FATHERS. I play all the instruments.
http://archive.org/d...5.DesertFathers
Then I recorded a follow up "album" also on 4 track cassette recorder in 1995, called DIGITAL DAYDREAM.
http://archive.org/d...digitaldaydream
Thanks for listening! Let me know your thoughts! Post some of your stuff! Lets hear it and discuss!!
#13
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- VibeTribe
- 17,194 posts
#15
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- VibeTribe
- 16,764 posts
Posted 08 January 2013 - 06:53 PM
I'ved used all kinds of synth programs to make drum beats. The best one, and the one I go to (I haven't even picked up a guitar in a long while, let alone record anything) is Propellerhead's Reason. You can manipulate teh velocities of the "drum" impacts to give it that natural sound.
The problem with this, and one of the main reasons I stopped making fully songs with percussion, is because the task is tedious and daunting.
I made a whole album in my home studio in 2006.
#20
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- VibeTribe
- 16,764 posts
Posted 08 January 2013 - 07:03 PM
Do you use a tempo ticker when you record? I find it absolutely necessary. If I lay down a guitar track without it, and come back for the drums, it's almost always too sloppy/loose. This also helps if you're laying down drum work from a real kit as opposed to the synthetic route.
#23
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- VibeTribe
- 2,188 posts
- LocationNorthern NJ
Posted 08 January 2013 - 11:21 PM
TASB- let's hear some of your 2006 album!! it can't be any worse than my stuff! please share!
I'll gladly check it out! and no- this thread is not meant to be a spam thread, truly to discuss home recording and share with folks our (collective) efforts. 
one problem I have is that I can record a great take on a riff, but its ultimately not in time- then laying drums on top of it inevitably sounds off time...sometimes I will lay down 2 drum tracks (left and right panned) to cover the drum mistakes or timing issues (with mass psychedelia)...click tracks are great for this, but I find it also ruins some of the feel when trying to nail it on the click..
homerecording and all of its challenges is FUN STUFF.
#27
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- VibeTribe
- 17,194 posts
Posted 09 January 2013 - 01:33 PM
Yeah TASB let's have those #5s.
Listening to BasementSong, digging it. Seems to have a southern rock flair.
i feel that...it really needs a chord change or a bridge or something
Williscat kills that second acoustic riff part tho, love it
#28
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- VibeTribe
- 2,188 posts
- LocationNorthern NJ
Posted 09 January 2013 - 05:28 PM
i think 14 days has a huge amount of potential. Hoagie's bass (1 panned hard left, the other panned hard right) is sweet when played at high volumes, blends nicely with the mellow acoustics, sounds like breathing.
A more slow, experimental tune...really diggin this one...
#29
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- VibeTribe
- 2,188 posts
- LocationNorthern NJ
Posted 09 January 2013 - 05:30 PM
I would have to upload my stuff, and it mostly sucks. I am proud of it though.
The drumming issue was my hardest problem of all. I have a good friend who is an audio engineer. This also greatly helped in my endeavor.
NOW WE REALLY NEED TO HEAR THIS!
#30
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- VibeTribe
- 17,194 posts
Posted 09 January 2013 - 05:30 PM
i think 14 days has a huge amount of potential. Hoagie's bass (1 panned hard left, the other panned hard right) is sweet when played at high volumes, blends nicely with the mellow acoustics, sounds like breathing.
I already think we will have to try a whole new bass track with the 6-string....it sounds WAY different than the 4 string.
#39
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- VibeTribe
- 2,188 posts
- LocationNorthern NJ
Posted 10 January 2013 - 05:54 PM
I'll figure out how to sharea couple of songs I wrote later on. As a disclaimer, I sing in them and I'm no singer. But someone had to do it and when you're your only nearby music friend, well, there it is....
You certainly sound more qualified to sing than anyone in the basement generals!! Lol
