My work

[Kurt]

My band just released our second album, once again I did all the rec/mix/master stuff. I don't know if any of you are interested but you can check it out below (pretty sure you can stream it without having to buy it)

http://futility.bandcamp.com/

[Manning]

The link didn't work when I tried it Kurt.

[Kurt]

Thanks mate, link fixed.

[Drumstruck]

Congrats and good work Kurt - slow DM is a bit outside the norm. I like that you've made the cymbals brighter than the regular DM sound.

Do you just down pitch the vocals an octave (or 2)? I knew a guy could do those style vocals naturally - I tried (once) and it just hurts the throat too much.....

[Manning]

I'm now at work so it's blocked, but I'll listen as soon as I get home.

[Kurt]

That's how his voice sounds right out of the box!

[Julian Nichols]

I think it sounds great. I love the fullness of those guitars, I find a lot of releases in that genre to be a bit anaemic in that department. And it really helps to convey that melodic sound. I don't listen to too much of that style of metal any more, but I'm guessing that yours is a bit more melodic than the norm. Which really appeals to me, at least.

[Manning]

I agree with Julian - very rich sound, always gels (often not the case with the engineering for this style of music). Great mix overall, especially the drums.

I particularly liked the last 3 minutes of Another Black Day, and the drum fills in the middle of "And Still I Hate" are great.

Definitely a listening change from the children's music I've been buried in for three months.

[Kurt]

Thanks guys, the guitars are DI and run through a couple of freeware sims, I'm very impressed with how they came out.
The drums are all "real" no replacement and not tooooo much editing.

Overall I'm very proud of it.

[jkhuri44]

guitar amp sims...damn theyre getting good.

[DwaneHollands]

Sounds great Kurt!

I like the progressiveness of it. And like Julian said, "very melodic". I found the guitar riffs interesting to listen to. I liked the harmonizing of certain parts by the guitars which was refreshing.

I also like the comfortable 'laid-back' feel of it. Kinda feels like it's not in a hurry to get some where. Just takes it time and explores each section carefully.

Thanks guys, the guitars are DI and run through a couple of freeware sims

Damn, I was hoping that you mic'd the cab's up, so that I could ask you your recording setup. (guitar/amp/cab/mics/pre/etc etc)

Yeah, sounds great!

[Kurt]

Guitars were DI into the line input of a be!@#$%^& ADA8000. The sims used were LePou Legion, LePou Le456 for rhythm sounds, Simulanalog JCM900 for leads, Simulanalog Rednef Twin for cleans and a Yamaha acoustic mic'ed up with a pair of NT1s running into a be!@#$%^& ADA8000.

There are two tracks each of two guitars, played on a Schecter and a BC Rich, both 6 strings, tuned down to C#.

[audioio]

Guitars were DI into the line input of a be!@#$%^& ADA8000.

Everyone hates be!@#$%^& of course, but I reckon the converters in these aren't too bad. That probably means that converters have improved to the point where a company really has to be trying hard to make a truly bad-sounding one.

Gotta watch out for those mic pres though. In recording some light opera once (close to a freebie), I got lazy and instead of taking my pres I used what was there. They started breaking up really badly at -6dBfs.

[Kurt]

They get pretty hissy at high gain too, I would rather record a little quiter than optimal and make it up in the box.

[waitup]

Guitars were DI into the line input of a be!@#$%^& ADA8000.

Everyone hates be!@#$%^& of course, but I reckon the converters in these aren't too bad. That probably means that converters have improved to the point where a company really has to be trying hard to make a truly bad-sounding one.

Gotta watch out for those mic pres though. In recording some light opera once (close to a freebie), I got lazy and instead of taking my pres I used what was there. They started breaking up really badly at -6dBfs.

Sorry to derail the thread, but why record anywhere near -6 FS?

[Drumstruck]

Guitars were DI into the line input of a be!@#$%^& ADA8000.

Everyone hates be!@#$%^& of course, but I reckon the converters in these aren't too bad. That probably means that converters have improved to the point where a company really has to be trying hard to make a truly bad-sounding one.

Gotta watch out for those mic pres though. In recording some light opera once (close to a freebie), I got lazy and instead of taking my pres I used what was there. They started breaking up really badly at -6dBfs.

Sorry to derail the thread, but why record anywhere near -6 FS?

Perhaps a new thread would be the place - I'm interested to hear why / why not record at as high level as possible. I"m probably still in the old-school mindset where you record at the maximum level you can before clipping.

[waitup]

Sounds good, I'll start it!

[audioio]

Sorry to derail the thread, but why record anywhere near -6 FS?

Good question. That was the loudest the singer got to well, maybe a couple of dB higher. Most of the time, she was lower. Usual situation: in the take she sang a bit louder than the sound check. (I used to think only drummers did that!)

The point is that the converters in the ADA8000 have higher headroom than the mic pres.

[DrAlienSmith]

Guitars were DI into the line input of a be!@#$%^& ADA8000. The sims used were LePou Legion, LePou Le456 for rhythm sounds, Simulanalog JCM900 for leads, Simulanalog Rednef Twin for cleans and a Yamaha acoustic mic'ed up with a pair of NT1s running into a be!@#$%^& ADA8000.

There are two tracks each of two guitars, played on a Schecter and a BC Rich, both 6 strings, tuned down to C#.

Ha, i love that simulanalog jcm900, its by goto bass distortion plug. Its getting old tho, gotta freeze the tracks i use it on or it crashes my stuff but its worth it.

[Drumstruck]

They get pretty hissy at high gain too, I would rather record a little quiter than optimal and make it up in the box.

b3#^!&63^ - they're whisper quiet....... I can hear them going ssshhhhhhh every time I walk past

[Kurt]

Every track on the album went through them and it's not audibly noisy.

They get pretty hissy at high gain too, I would rather record a little quiter than optimal and make it up in the box.

b3#^!&63^ - they're whisper quiet....... I can hear them going ssshhhhhhh every time I walk past

[Drumstruck]

'tis a joke Kurt - no offense meant ;-)