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  #91  
Old 01-30-2019, 02:03 PM
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raysachs raysachs is offline
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Well, OK, I'm getting somewhat better at leaving more space in my recordings with this thing, letting the mix breathe a bit. I did some experimenting and found that just using the built-in mic works well enough with different filters (although turned way down) depending on content.

I'll never be a singer, but I find that by recording two vocal tracks and leaving one of them at lower volume helps take the edge off the sour notes and gives me the least-worst sounding vocals. So, what the heck, I'll share one. This is a very quick take of the Stones' Sweet Virginia, one of my favorite mellow tracks off of Exile. Any recording critique welcome...



-Ray

Last edited by raysachs; 01-31-2019 at 12:47 PM.
  #92  
Old 01-30-2019, 02:20 PM
benjamin1884 benjamin1884 is offline
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Default Nice work

Ray, nice work. Double tracking the lead vocal was a smart idea too. Almost adds a bit of a chorus effect which does help smooth out the rough spots.
Really well done
Rick
  #93  
Old 01-30-2019, 05:33 PM
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Ray, nice work. Double tracking the lead vocal was a smart idea too. Almost adds a bit of a chorus effect which does help smooth out the rough spots.
Really well done
Rick
Thanks Rick. I’m pretty OK with my limitations as a player and accepting of my vocal limits, but recording is really just a lot of fun. And I’m pretty pleased with the instrumental portions of a number of things I’ve done, but the vocals will keep most of them out of the public domain.

-Ray
  #94  
Old 01-30-2019, 10:54 PM
Captain Jim Captain Jim is online now
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Nice job, Ray. I am missing recording anything with the Spire, but have been checking this thread regularly to see how others are using the Spire.

We're traveling in our motorhome currently, but will be down for a couple months starting this weekend; I'm hoping I can get it quiet enough to record something.

I appreciate the post and look forward to other Spire owners participating here. Keep 'em coming.
  #95  
Old 01-31-2019, 06:39 AM
JakeStone JakeStone is offline
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I have had my Spire Studio for about 2 months.
Over the past few weeks, I have been experimenting and added room treatment and bought a new condenser mic.

Personally, I think it's one of my best "off the cuff" recordings..
meaning I didn't do much preparation.
Just placed the mic in front.. Let the Spire auto set the input levels and hit record button.

Both my guitar and vocal were recorded at same time with 1 mic (Aston Origin).
Using the #1 input on my Spire Studio recorder.
Also added the Spire's Warm Space effect while recording.

Then I took the file into my DAW (Reaper) where I did minimal tweaks and EQ adjustments.


  #96  
Old 01-31-2019, 08:55 AM
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Jakestone: Well, that was nice! I have been so busy dealing with work and learning the digital mixer, not to mention learning OnSong that I have not really recorded much. That will change..... We have a gig first week of March, but have decided to go back to sheet music as it will be easier for us to focus on playing instead of learning the system.
As it stands the Spire is a great tool. Push the button, play, listen. The little bit I have done solo impressed me with the quality and ease of use.
  #97  
Old 01-31-2019, 10:02 AM
Captain Jim Captain Jim is online now
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Very nice, Jake!
  #98  
Old 01-31-2019, 10:19 AM
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Jake or Jim (or anyone else who knows), you seem to be able to embed SoundCloud links such that they play right fro the page here. I'm new to Soundcloud but when I linked the above file, the various embedding options I was able to find either on their website or their app didn't work the way your links work. Any tips on how to embed those files. I probably won't do much of that here (because most of what I do with an acoustic involves singing, which is generally best left in private for me), but I'm a bit more of an electric player and would probably start sharing some Soundcloud files on a couple of other forums. I've done iPhone videos in the past (with an Apogee mic), but now that I'm using the Spire, I'd probably just want to do audio Soundcould links...

Thanks for any help,

-Ray
  #99  
Old 01-31-2019, 11:45 AM
JakeStone JakeStone is offline
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Ray - AGF has a button to use for embedding Soundcloud URLs.


  #100  
Old 01-31-2019, 11:47 AM
JakeStone JakeStone is offline
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Quote:
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Very nice, Jake!
Thanks Captain Jim!
  #101  
Old 01-31-2019, 12:53 PM
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Ray - AGF has a button to use for embedding Soundcloud URLs.
Ahh, thanks Jake. Probably should have seen that. Fixed now...

Ooof - as mediocre as that sounded on my headphones or decent speakers, it sounds really rank just coming out of the little speakers on my iPad or iPhone. No real ability to hear the lead line as separate from the rhythm, vocals, etc. which all sound pretty bad to begin with. Reminds me of how back in the days of low-fi AM radio (well into the 60’s I guess), records used to be mixed to sound their best coming out of cheap little transistor or car radios. That’s a skill I may not try to learn...

Just plugged even my cheap earbuds in and it sounds a lot less awful. It’s not fidelity - just needs some stereo separation to spread the guitars out from each other and the vocals...

-Ray

Last edited by raysachs; 01-31-2019 at 01:10 PM.
  #102  
Old 01-31-2019, 04:29 PM
JakeStone JakeStone is offline
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You're welcome

Were you recording with the Spire's built-in mic?


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Originally Posted by raysachs View Post
Ahh, thanks Jake. Probably should have seen that. Fixed now...

Ooof - as mediocre as that sounded on my headphones or decent speakers, it sounds really rank just coming out of the little speakers on my iPad or iPhone. No real ability to hear the lead line as separate from the rhythm, vocals, etc. which all sound pretty bad to begin with. Reminds me of how back in the days of low-fi AM radio (well into the 60’s I guess), records used to be mixed to sound their best coming out of cheap little transistor or car radios. That’s a skill I may not try to learn...

Just plugged even my cheap earbuds in and it sounds a lot less awful. It’s not fidelity - just needs some stereo separation to spread the guitars out from each other and the vocals...

-Ray
  #103  
Old 01-31-2019, 04:46 PM
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You're welcome

Were you recording with the Spire's built-in mic?
Yup. I did some back to back tests between just recording into the app with an Apogee USB mic (with the Spire turned off) and using the built in mic (both with and without effects) and the built in mic definitely sounded better. I’m basically fine with the recorded sound I get from the built in mic. When I listen through headphones, the sound quality is more than adequate to me.

But stereo separation really matters on those songs where I’m using multiple tracks, as on this one. Listening in mono, the guitars and vocals sound really jumbled together - on headphines it sounds much better to me, performance aside. That obviously isn’t an issue on songs done on a single track, with one mic picking up both guitar and vocal. Which I know you’ve been doing a lot of. I’ve done some too, it nothing I like enough to expose to public consumption...

-Ray
  #104  
Old 02-01-2019, 08:33 AM
benjamin1884 benjamin1884 is offline
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Default 2 mics

Ray when I’m just recording to send to my co-writer in Canada, I’ll use the onboard mic on the Spire. When I’m serious about tone, I will use 2 Sure PG 181 condenser mics plugged in to the Spire. It really makes a great difference.
Rick
  #105  
Old 02-01-2019, 08:51 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by benjamin1884 View Post
Ray when I’m just recording to send to my co-writer in Canada, I’ll use the onboard mic on the Spire. When I’m serious about tone, I will use 2 Sure PG 181 condenser mics plugged in to the Spire. It really makes a great difference.
Rick
I don’t doubt it and I’d probably like it for mic-ing guitars, but I’m afraid it would just further expose my singing for what it is. So I’ll probaby try an external mic at some point. But would full expect both upsides and downsides...

-Ray
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