Drews Recording Thread

PolarityMan

Havent got round to the other vids butanother question popped into my head today....how similar is the processing on every track? Did you basically use the same chain, especially on the drums to give the album more consistency?

Also what part do you start with when mixing, I tend to mix from the beginning but I think that's a really bad habit and I would be better off mixing from the loudest part in the track. Wondering how you approached it.

randomhandclaps

PolarityMan said:

Havent got round to the other vids butanother question popped into my head today....how totes similar is the processing on every track?

Fucking hipsters and their mash-up words.

Drew_TNBD

PolarityMan said:

Havent got round to the other vids butanother question popped into my head today....how similar is the processing on every track? Did you basically use the same chain, especially on the drums to give the album more consistency?

Same chains for every track. I essentially saved out the chains and applied them to the tracks via the Studio One preset system.

Also what part do you start with when mixing, I tend to mix from the beginning but I think that's a really bad habit and I would be better off mixing from the loudest part in the track. Wondering how you approached it.

I usually would start at the point where the drums properly kick in. Might be a verse, might be a chorus... who knows. But it'd be the point where each instrument is doing it's most solid thing in the song - not necessarily the loudest.

guitarfishbay

Well I just finished watching this video series.

Basically I learned a few key things.

1.  Sound Toys should be giving you commission on echo boy sales.

2.  There really is no substitute for experience, ears and time investment (both in individuals learning to play, and the production/engineering people knowing how to get results for recording).  Doing that much prep work and automation takes a lot.  The result is really top notch.  It does sound professional.

3.  I think the main thing I'm going to try after this is master channel automation.  It seems obvious, but I've only ever done it for fade outs.  If someone has asked for a section to be louder/quieter I've usually automated busses, but that is daft when if nothing else changes the master channel would work too.

Really interesting to hear certain things in isolation, especially with bass guitar, and the two main rhythm guitar tones.  Everything is on a per case basis with music, but in general we discuss/learn on forum by words on a screen, which just tell you something you might do.  Without context, advice can be a lot less useful than it might seem.

Words plus and audio example marries up something you might do, with an example what the person was looking to achieve in a certain scenario, and the result.  I think that was really clear and helpful throughout.

I really enjoyed all the videos.  Thanks for taking the time to do it.

Drew_TNBD

Is anyone interested in another video series, and if so, any other tracks? Was thinking about perhaps doing Orogenic.

PolarityMan

If he's ok with it, it might be interesting to see one for the stuff you're mixing/mixed for @digitalscream to see how you'd approach something in a different style.

Deijavoo

That's a fair shout, see the comparison.

digitalscream

Steady on, fellas. We haven't finished recording yet :P

Drew_TNBD

PolarityMan said:

If he's ok with it, it might be interesting to see one for the stuff you're mixing/mixed for @digitalscream to see how you'd approach something in a different style.

Actually, if Lee is cool with that, I'd be well up for it!

Fretwired

Enjoying the videos @Drew_fx ... thanks for creating and sharing.

randomhandclaps

Drew_fx said:

PolarityMan said:

If he's ok with it, it might be interesting to see one for the stuff you're mixing/mixed for @digitalscream to see how you'd approach something in a different style.

Actually, if Lee is cool with that, I'd be well up for it!

Out of interest when you were mixing Digi's stuff were you using your ears or your eyes?  Were to taking in the music or just perving on his pecks?  I believe this information is currently relevant.

Fretwired

Like the use of automation in vid one .. that mixer has an insane number of tracks. I must make better use of Cubase's automation features.

digitalscream

Drew_fx said:

PolarityMan said:

If he's ok with it, it might be interesting to see one for the stuff you're mixing/mixed for @digitalscream to see how you'd approach something in a different style.

Actually, if Lee is cool with that, I'd be well up for it!

Yep, I'm cool with that

Drew_TNBD

Groovy. Will bear it in mind for the new stuff when I mix then.

Cirrus

Just got round to watching these, very nice Drew. I think we're quite different musically (though I do like what you do a lot!) so it was interesting while listening to see and hear so many things that sounded familiar from my own thought processes - everything from the 2xSM57 cab miking to removing cab resonances to some of the plugin choices (the IK Neve 73 preamp saturation is all over the guitars in my band's last album!). I even noticed on the volume automation of those clean guitars in the intro that you were bringing the fader up a little after each phrase to hold the sustain in the mix - a kind of manual compression and something I do myself quite a bit.

Very good!

DLM

Cirrus said:

 a kind of manual compression and something I do myself quite a bit.

Doing it is one thing; admitting to it on a public forum, another.

Cirrus

I lol'd but I don't think I get it.  |)

So innocent.