Illinois - Help with a mix for pay?

tcatzere · Post by **tcatzere** » Fri Sep 02, 2005 10:01 am

Thanks, Zumbido, for your input regarding Cre8.

zumbido · Post by **zumbido** » Fri Sep 02, 2005 5:52 pm

Carmichael,

I downloaded the files. They are now in Pro Tools. Everything plays back.

I see you have two lead vocal takes. How are you handling these? Is one 'the' performance or are you building a composite by selecting better performed sections/phrases from each?

I think part of the 'problem' with the piano is that it was played so softly, until the key changes. It's rather dark sounding. I can brighten it up but the mechanics of the piano (pedal, dampers) really start to come out and become distracting. It's as if the played notes are softer than when the damper hits the strings. Another problem I find with 'real piano' players is too much sustain pedal. It creates a wash underneath and is not controllable. But it is live.

I'd seriously suggest getting great piano samples and a high-end weighted controller. The editing ability AFTER is worth the trade-off. You could easily adjust the velocity values to naturally brighten the piano in a sequencer program, And of course remedy 'bad' notes and remove the lead-footed sustain pedal. Nobody besides Mozart and Beethoven will notice.

I inserted auto-tune into 'Lead Vocal A' to see how much is NOT easily handled by the plug-in - quite a bit. Maybe, I'll just let it be as it is. I haven't tried Celemony, yet. Anyways, I'll try several things.

Carmichael · Post by **Carmichael** » Fri Sep 02, 2005 11:40 pm

Yes! That makes sense with the piano. I'm glad you say that about keyboards -- I do have GS3 and a studiologic keyboard but was starting to abandon it, assuming that the Steinway must be better. Sure wish this was a sequenced part now.

I think Lead Vocal A (this was recorded simulataneously with BG vocals and they seem to follow him) whereas Vocal B doesn't seem together with BG. You know, it does seem better without autotune. I've had autotune on so long, that tonight when I turn it off, I'm pleasantly surprised. As an aside, vocal A was an NTK with standard (sovtek) tube. Vocal B was NTK with 1969 Amperex tube. But poor comparison, since Vocal A I also mistakenly set the interface to -10 V (not +4) so the preamp gain had to run really low not to clip. This was corrected for Vocal B.

I wish you were in Illinois -- I have kind of a neat CD to process (~13 songs).

Thanks!
Craig
carmichael5@verizon.net

zumbido · Post by **zumbido** » Sat Sep 03, 2005 12:20 am

Carmichael,

If you have GigaStudio, then you have the GigaPiano.

It's a good one.

I used VocALign on the two girls vocals and aligned them to Lead vocal B. The 'trio' sounds pretty good. I'll try Celemony next. I did like Vocal B, as a whole, better. It does clip (square waves) but it is not too bad. I ran both lead tracks through an Avalon 737 - seems to help.

However, if you prefer Lead Vocal A, let me know.

If your deadline was not 'yesterday' -- I will have something to show you Sunday.

Zumbido

Carmichael · Post by **Carmichael** » Sat Sep 03, 2005 10:11 am

We have plenty of time. Glad you could make use of vocal B. The piano was an overdub because of a loud page turn on the original and to correct that preamp -10 vs +4 issue (didn't seem to matter much though), hence, a couple spots of irregular rhythm in the piano track (but not worth trying to adjust). You are incredibly kind, but feel free to send me your rates.

Thanks
carmichael5@verizon.net