Our first foray into the studio...

Jonathangus

So, last weekend we had a couple of days in a local recording studio laying down a few tracks.  See what you think:

https://theghostnotes.bandcamp.com/album/the-first-ep?fbclid=IwAR0KFXNf32I2c6nNfvykHa0ix4iYh-6S1cqx6fruYLwuHUz_2-Tarqg8waE

spark240

Ok…maybe it’s me but a few things…so …I like all those songs….but honestly….those styles don’t do it for me.

Id also have to question the studio as the recording quality seems a bit basic to my ears, I’d have expected better assuming you have paid for it.

anyhow….you did ask !…Good luck going forward,

Cookiemonster

Thought it was good well done 

Jonathangus

Thanks, chaps.

@spark240 - styles aside, what do you feel could be improved about the recording?

spark240

Jonathangus said:

Thanks, chaps.

@spark240 - styles aside, what do you feel could be improved about the recording?

I just felt that in a reasonable studio environment I would expect the guitars and vocals to have been better, maybe its just me  but the guitars sound a bit weak and the vocals in particular just doesn't sit well in the mix, I would need to EQ those a bit more, if you had said these were one take live recordings done in half a day then fine, but if its a 2 full day thing, Id be expecting better results from the studio engineer. 

Get the tracks and dish them out to the forumites to remix for Xmas ...;-)

theatreanchor

Sounds like you had a good time! My only critique would be that the mix could be better. 

mrkb

Ive had a listen through them all and this is my constructive feedback.

Dakota (I didnt find the ska style added to the song, but thats personal taste as i like the original)
Drums - the kick rhythm seems wrong, its slightly out of time and doesnt match the guitar rhythm.
Guitars - like them - different sounds L and R
Vocals - good delivery 
Backing singer - didnt seem high enough in the mix (I think theres one on the chorus, but cant hear what they are adding to harmony - perhaps main singer dominates that freq range)

Think Were alone now
I think this suited the singer (more spoken style) - but would have been good to up the energy more on choruses)
Bass was a bit quiet
The middle arrangement was different, but I thought it could build in energy more to launch into last chorus

Luka
Suited singer style again.
Good textural guitar parts and different guitar sounds
Drums - again I noticed lots of kick rhythm timing issues (on the &3 kick parts) - perhaps they should simplify the pattern.

How was the experience? I bet you learnt alot! Did you enjoy the day?

LuttiS

The kick is really offputting on Dakota as Mark says.. 

Out of interest was this done on an electric or an acoustic kit? They don't sound quite right, more like triggered samples? Sound a bit more open Luka, but quite compressed on the others.

I liked the singing & guitars, particularly the singing on Luka.

Danny1969

Luka is my fave of the lot, not a bad job at all. 
I imagine from what I hear it's quite an affordable studio and 2 days in such a place won't produce a radio ready professional sound. Especially when the band aren't used to being in a recording environment. 

Jonathangus

LuttiS said:

The kick is really offputting on Dakota as Mark says.. 

Out of interest was this done on an electric or an acoustic kit? They don't sound quite right, more like triggered samples? Sound a bit more open Luka, but quite compressed on the others.

I liked the singing & guitars, particularly the singing on Luka.

Yes, acoustic kit.

We had the drummer in the studio and the rest of us in the control room, and played through the tracks 'live'.  Intitially we used amp sims for the guitars, and the singers put down some guide vocals.  Once the drum tracks were down, the kit was dismantled and they set some cabs up, then the guitars were re-amped with our respective heads (Orange one side, Marshall on the other). Day 2 was mostly about the vocals, and the odd guitar overdub.

And yes, I agree about the kick drum timing.  Annoying.  But it identifies areas that need work.

It was great fun, though.

LuttiS

Jonathangus said:

It was great fun, though.

And that's the important bit

Good work in all!