Ideas on how to make a track louder?

[rick-slo]

Another choice for convolution reverb and mac or PC compatible is SIR
http://www.knufinke.de/sir/index.php

[Fichtezc]

Originally Posted by Doug Young

I think that's PC only, right? Zach, if you have Logic (I thought you said that's what you used, but maybe I imagined that?), Space Designer will open the Bricasti impulses. Very nice. Also, the Lexicon reverbs Rick and I both use are now available in "lite" versions, which probably have all the features you need. Not dirt cheap, but a lot less than the original full version was.

Yeah, I use logic! I'll try the briscati impulses for sure and look into the Lexicon as well. I've heard nothing but good things about it.

[rick-slo]

Wow, when linking to the Bricasti reverbs I found out they had different versions. Mine were mono impluse responses and now I downloaded the stereo impulses.
Maybe splitting hairs but I like the them even better now.
These are both the same medium chamber IRs.

The new stereo Bricasti IR
http://dcoombsguitar.com/Guitar%20Mu...HallieMod3.mp3

and the mono Bricasti IR I posted earlier
http://dcoombsguitar.com/Guitar%20Mu...HallieMod2.mp3

I plan to try out these updated reverbs on some of my recordings.

[Fichtezc]

Originally Posted by rick-slo

Wow, when linking to the Bricasti reverbs I found out they had different versions. Mine were mono impluse responses and now I downloaded the stereo impulses.
Maybe splitting hairs but I like the them even better now.
These are both the same medium chamber IRs.

The new stereo Bricasti IR
http://dcoombsguitar.com/Guitar%20Mu...HallieMod3.mp3

and the mono Bricasti IR I posted earlier
http://dcoombsguitar.com/Guitar%20Mu...HallieMod2.mp3

I plan to try out these updated reverbs on some of my recordings.

I'm in love. That sounds fantastic. I've downloaded them, now I just need to get them working!

[Doug Young]

Originally Posted by Fichtezc

I'm in love. That sounds fantastic. I've downloaded them, now I just need to get them working!

Zach, you might find this post helpful:

http://www.gearslutz.com/board/music...-designer.html

Haven't tried it myself. I have the Acousticas Bricasti samples, which come ready to open in Logic. This looks like a bit of work :-)

There is this: http://www.logicprohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=61149

but I'm not clear on what version of the impulses this is for

[Rick Shepherd]

Originally Posted by rick-slo

Wow, when linking to the Bricasti reverbs I found out they had different versions. Mine were mono impluse responses and now I downloaded the stereo impulses.
Maybe splitting hairs but I like the them even better now.
These are both the same medium chamber IRs.

The new stereo Bricasti IR
http://dcoombsguitar.com/Guitar%20Mu...HallieMod3.mp3

and the mono Bricasti IR I posted earlier
http://dcoombsguitar.com/Guitar%20Mu...HallieMod2.mp3

I plan to try out these updated reverbs on some of my recordings.

Wow Derek, that sounds really awesome! The difference is truly amazing, and as you stated, the reverb (the right kind and amount) can have a dramatic affect on the end result. It is absolutely lovely!

[Fichtezc]

Impuluses sound GREAT. Finally got them working, though it's a HUGE pain. I'll post one once I find a setting I really like. They definitely help.

Those Bricasti impulses are something else. http://www.zachfichterstudios.com/media/zach/Hallie.mp3

That's as good as I can get it so far. Derek's still sounds subtly better. A little more defined/less muddy on the low end and not quite as brittle highs. I think I may have accidentally re EQ'd or I'm just not as good! Either way, I'm quite satisfied.

[rick-slo]

Originally Posted by Rick Shepherd

Wow Derek, that sounds really awesome! The difference is truly amazing, and as you stated, the reverb (the right kind and amount) can have a dramatic affect on the end result. It is absolutely lovely!

Thanks Rick. Here there was a nice clean recording, the dynamics were reasonable IMO, the frequency balance was good (no equalization called for). Reverb, volume level adjustments, and sometimes a few other minor tweaks, can do wonders if there is good base material. On a lot of lessor recordings though nothing can help them.

[Ty Ford]

"What's a better way to check for phase when I'm recording than flipping it?"

Listen in mono. You can delay yourself into a mess by not checking the mix in mono. Who listens in mono anymore? Clock radios, AM radio, many FM radios when they have problems getting the signal, elevators, many restaurant overhead systems, lots of other ways.

Back in the day, people were amazed by some of the width of the Yamaha DX7 keyboard patches. Even more amazed when the sounds disappeared in mono. Why? Phase cancellation due to the delay they used to create the width.

Regards,

Ty Ford

[Fichtezc]

I always place my mics in mono, i guess I just don't know what to listen for exactly... It usually sounds fat and full, if a little muddy sometimes

[Ty Ford]

Zach,

If you're using more than one mic, you're probably experiencing phase cancellation. If you're panning the mics and listening in stereo, you can get a very wide sound. If you're using multiple mics and leave the pans centered to mono and experience muddy sound, that's phase cancellation.

Simply put, phase cancellation is usually the loss of high frequencies when multiple mics set at different distances from a single source are combined.

Why? Because of the difference in distance from the mics to the source. Sound travels at 1130 feet per second; about 1 foot per millisecond. Even a few inches difference can result in cancellation. That's not always easy in practical terms because, on a guitar, the sound comes from the face side, back and neck. Even the face by itself is a problem. What part of the face do different frequencies project?

Each guitar projects a signature lobe (or signature lobes) of sound. You usually want to get your mic or mics in those lobes to start with. The best advice I can give is to have someone else play your guitar while you put on a good pair of headphones and move one or more mics around while listening in mono. When you get a good sound, pop it to stereo and don't be too surprised if there isn't a big spread. Try that for your starting mic positions.

I use stereo reverbs (two of them) to create width from a mono source. I keep going back to one example. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWaPRHMGhGA

(Side note: Hey, this video just exceeded the 20,000 view mark. Cool!)

And yes, I did add some phase shift for the C part. Some purists don't like it, but I wanted another texture to break up the monotony.

Regards,

Ty Ford

[redavide]

Originally Posted by Ty Ford

Zach,

I use stereo reverbs (two of them) to create width from a mono source. I keep going back to one example. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWaPRHMGhGA

(Side note: Hey, this video just exceeded the 20,000 view mark. Cool!)

And yes, I did add some phase shift for the C part. Some purists don't like it, but I wanted another texture to break up the monotony.

Regards,

Ty Ford

You're certainly getting a beautiful rich sound and the tune and the playing are also excellent. But one thing that strikes me about a video like this is the disconnect between the video and the sound of the guitar. It seems strange to see the visual image of someone playing a guitar in a living room and at the same time to hear the very majestic, full, wide, rich sounding recording with those great sounding reverbs . . . I guess I've never heard a guitar in a living room sound quite like that!

Just an observation, mostly because I've been thinking about this lately . . . In any case, great tune, playing and recording -- but I think a tune recorded like that sounds much better by itself, without any video . . .

Rick-slo, whatever you did with that track with the stereo impulses -- it sounds really, really good.

[rick-slo]

As far as mono compatibility, making that a priority has pros and cons IMO. It's a pro if your music gets playtime on AM radio. Other than that most listening is done in stereo. Highly mono compatible stereo recordings where more of the frequencies are in phase virtually automatically compromises some of the fuller sound and wider sound stage of stereo. Also stereo simulators applied to mono recordings sound very poor to my ears compared to stereo.
If you take a middle ground, say closely space mikes, you may come out OK. Personally what has usually worked best for me is spaced pair mikes.

[Ty Ford]

"You're certainly getting a beautiful rich sound and the tune and the playing are also excellent. But one thing that strikes me about a video like this is the disconnect between the video and the sound of the guitar. It seems strange to see the visual image of someone playing a guitar in a living room and at the same time to hear the very majestic, full, wide, rich sounding recording with those great sounding reverbs . . . I guess I've never heard a guitar in a living room sound quite like that!"

Hi Rick,

Thanks for that. Yes it is a BIG sound. I usually, don't do that, but wanted to do it to make a big sound.....and apparently I have. I still have the tracks and can remix if I want. I shot that directly from my camera to Quicktime on my lap top. I think, in the back of my head, I was thinking I might make it a music video and use different shots other than me sitting on the couch.

Regards,

Ty Ford