imposing limits on recording?

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T-rex
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Post by T-rex » Thu Feb 26, 2009 9:11 am

Good stuff so far, especially about knowing when to break the rules you set and how it is a time saver. I thought I sucked at eq until I got a few eq plug ins that were not parametric. Just boost or cut and click through the different frequencies - it either sounds better or it doesn't and you know pretty much right away. Such a time saver as opposed to fiddling with a million parameters.

The last couple of mixes I have done have been super simple, maybe one or two compressors, a reverb and a delay and that was it.
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capnreverb
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Post by capnreverb » Thu Feb 26, 2009 9:58 am

Without sounding like a complete jerk, but wern't the majority of records recorded before the mid 60's done in mono? Your Howlin Wolf's, Duke Ellington's, Elvis's, Hank Sr's, Charlie Parkers etc?

I have a mono button on my stereo and used to have one on one of my boards. I used it all the time to check my mixes.

I prefer my mono jazz records over my stereo ones usually. (Especially those crappy ass Atlantic attempts at fake stereo imaging...yuck!)

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JGriffin
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Post by JGriffin » Thu Feb 26, 2009 10:44 am

you don't sound like a jerk necessarily, but what is your point?
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capnreverb
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Post by capnreverb » Thu Feb 26, 2009 10:49 am

dwlb wrote:you don't sound like a jerk necessarily, but what is your point?
I guess it's a long winded way of saying that recording in mono is not really that experimental or restricting.

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Post by chris harris » Thu Feb 26, 2009 11:35 am

capnreverb wrote:I guess it's a long winded way of saying that recording in mono is not really that experimental or restricting.
Well... it's not experimental or revolutionary... but, it's certainly limiting and restricting.

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JGriffin
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Post by JGriffin » Thu Feb 26, 2009 11:43 am

capnreverb wrote:
dwlb wrote:you don't sound like a jerk necessarily, but what is your point?
I guess it's a long winded way of saying that recording in mono is not really that experimental or restricting.
Aha.

It may not be "experimental" per se, but not using the pan knob in 2009 is a "restriction." You are limiting your palette of options.
"Jeweller, you've failed. Jeweller."

"Lots of people are nostalgic for analog. I suspect they're people who never had to work with it." ? Brian Eno

All the DWLB music is at http://dwlb.bandcamp.com/

objektivone
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Post by objektivone » Thu Feb 26, 2009 11:57 am

dwlb wrote:
capnreverb wrote:
dwlb wrote:you don't sound like a jerk necessarily, but what is your point?
I guess it's a long winded way of saying that recording in mono is not really that experimental or restricting.
Aha.

It may not be "experimental" per se, but not using the pan knob in 2009 is a "restriction." You are limiting your palette of options.
Beatles were in Mono even. In fact Revolver, Magic Mystery, and Sgt Peppers were even released in Mono editions.....

Also, it is restricting but not only that you have to be able to EQ and mix good to get a mono mix to sound good. Panning can move sounds in the same frequency range away from each other.... in Mono you have to fix it.... If it sounds good in mono it will just sound good.

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Post by objektivone » Thu Feb 26, 2009 12:05 pm

ysyrtypy wrote:After about 2 years of continuous options-OD'ing with DAW and plugins galore I am using cassette 8-track with a mixer (mixer has spring reverb with a send knob for each channel) and the only insert I use is a memory man on vocals, and I am in HEAVEN because I am getting things done in 6 hours that used to take 6 weeks and the results actually sound better from not being tortured through a bunch of plugs and editing events.

So, yes, limit yourself. EDIT: that is, if the above scenario appeals to you and fits with your overall plan.
I am literally one step behind you right now.... I switched to making all of my music on analog sequencers, etc and now am switching to an 8 track with a mixer.... when I switched my workflow from plugins, and softsynths, etc to analog my workflow went from 20 hours of composing a simple song to about 2 hours (these are for basic beats for emcees not anything too advanced) and now I want to do this to my mixing and recording workflow.

Also, my music sounds more full, etc, and I love being more hands on and not staring at a screen. Not to mention you feel so much better pushing buttons, and twisting knobs instead of turning miaginary ones with your mouse.

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Post by mhuxtable » Thu Feb 26, 2009 12:58 pm

brian wilson produced every beach boys record in mono due to his own limitations: a deafness in one ear. listen to pet sounds. extremely complex instrument arrangements, all mixed in mono and fit well together with mic placement and mix it well in the room first.

if the band you are recording is a 3 piece minimalist rock group, just listen to pet sounds and say to yourself...if THIS can be done, a 3 piece in mono can definitely be done.

good luck!

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Brian
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Post by Brian » Thu Feb 26, 2009 1:39 pm

I record with only me playing everything, that's as mono as I get. I always mix in mono and pan after.
Harumph!

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Post by drumsound » Thu Feb 26, 2009 1:43 pm

Brian wrote: I always mix in mono and pan after.
Huh?

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Brian
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Post by Brian » Thu Feb 26, 2009 2:00 pm

drumsound wrote:
Brian wrote: I always mix in mono and pan after.
Huh?
The mono button.
Left in mono,
Right in mono,
Then both up in mono,
Then in stereo, and push things around if they need it. Every mix is different, but, sometimes this shakes things up when I'm BORED.
Harumph!

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johnny7
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Post by johnny7 » Thu Feb 26, 2009 2:19 pm

This is a cool topic. I recorded a 3 piece last weekend and was planning to go this route. They wanted to use my 1 inch, so i had fun planning out how to attack this. i particularly wanted to do the drums with one mic...but when push came to shove the band announced they were gonna double all the vox and gtrs.So we went a different route...

kayagum
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Post by kayagum » Thu Feb 26, 2009 2:32 pm

RefD wrote:
ysyrtypy wrote:I am using cassette 8-track with a mixer (mixer has spring reverb with a send knob for each channel) and the only insert I use is a memory man on vocals, and I am in HEAVEN because I am getting things done in 6 hours that used to take 6 weeks...
you lucky bastard.
No, ysyrtypy was smart to make an unsolicited offer for my Tascam 238s!

(Glad it's working out! :D )
Last edited by kayagum on Tue Mar 03, 2009 9:45 am, edited 1 time in total.

kayagum
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Post by kayagum » Thu Feb 26, 2009 2:34 pm

It took me a while to dig out the Brian Eno quote, but here it is (empahsis is mine):
Mm, rock musicians or pop musicians in general have forged tremendous technological advances by their lack of courage. [laughter] It's true, really. If you think about 24-track studios, the only reason you need 24 tracks is 'cause you can't make up your mind in the first place. Well, that lack of resolution is what I think led to a new way of making music, which is what I call the painterly style of recording - where you go in and you try that sound and then you put that one on next to it and then you put that one on next to it and you think, um, that doesn't look quite right. Scrape a bit of that off and add another one up here. You are composing empirically. Empirical composing is something that has been lost from music for quite a long time.
http://music.hyperreal.org/artists/bria ... ondo4.html

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