What do you prefer, the creative challenge, or the technical challenge?

[gemini8026]

Im not sure about the rest of you, but I'm on the quest to be able to plug in my guitar, and have "that sound" in my mixes.

I'd like to be able to plug in all my sounds, and have a mix that sounds like an Opeth album, or name any recent andy production.

I still enjoy finding the little gems in EQ or compression tips that take my mixes to the next level though. It's a puzzle we are all trying to piece together. I do find the puzzle seems to be extra tough because the sounds we try to emulate are all on albums that not only are mixed properly by a professional, but also mastered and refined to take them to the next level.

My personal quest is to have a template that I load up in Cubase that has all the mixing, mastering, etc. done, so that I just hit the magic button, and have the sound I crave. I want to be challenged to create good music.

Whats your verdict, do you enjoy takingt the material, and making sound fantastic and taking it to the next level from the writers mind? Or do you prefer writing material, and hope that it can come out sounding like what you think it should?!?

Food for thought from a new member who has already learned WAY TO MUCH by using the search function!!!

 

[Sloan]

I like being able to not be completely embarrassed by shit I write/create.

 

[[UEAK]Clowd]

I sort of have this - I set up my cubase template so that I can record and the sound is like probably 75-80% of the way there, then with the mixing and etc it gets it almost all the way there - though I'm nowhere near good enough to reach my 100% yet.

 

[gemini8026]

Sloan, its funny you say that. When I first started mixing. I was kinda "blinded" by what I thought were worthy mixes. That was a few years ago. Now when I listen back to them, I am embarassed in both creative and technical aspects! Nowadays it's getting better, and that comes from feedback from some of the guitar boards I frequent, but coming to a more technical forum such as this one really raises the bar in terms of what others out there are capable of in their humble home studio arrangements. Some of the stuff I hear from this board is tough to distinguish from pro quality recordings.

 

[gorath23]

There are elements of the recording process that I love, and other sections that I hate. Obviously the actual creative side of writing your own material and hear it coming together is great. However the tracking phase always frustrates me, as its a constant battle to continually play the role of guitarist, vocalist, bassist, drummer, keyboards etc and keep it all tight and interesting. Couple that with mic positions, amp settings, input levels, phase, unwanted reflections... (I could go on). I love playing guitar, and I really enjoy mixing, which is one reason I don't have a template yet. I always relish the idea of trying something different, or starting from scratch each time, just to see what will happen. I just wish I could skip the technicalities of tracking.

Saying that, its those technicalities that have vastly improved my mixes in only a single year.

 

[Pot]

"My personal quest is to have a template that I load up in Cubase that has all the mixing, mastering, etc. done, so that I just hit the magic button, and have the sound I crave."

I think u eventually will reach the conclusion that this is not possible because there are too many variables......although a template is helpfull, one with everything set up from the get go doesn´t seem to be (to me) the best approach. Stick with some simple templates which includ routings etc, don´t strap on plug´s on inserts from the start becuase u will eventually change them.

 

[SocialNumb]

+1 one internet for you. No magic button.

 

[SpewChunks]

If there was a magic button then this forum wouldn't exist, and that wouldn't be any fun now would it

 

[SoundSpiral]

I kind of have two differend "modes" when I record/mix

1. Making music at home
2. Recording music at the studio

When I write music I couldn't care less about the quality of the demo recording. I usually record with a pod to my home computer. Sounds like shit!
But it really doesn't matter if you can clearly hear what the guitar is doing. Some Fruity Loops drums on top of that and I'm done... I don't want to be working when I'm making music. If you know what I mean.

When I'm recording the final version of the song it turns the other way around. Hours and hours of tuning the drums, tweaking the amps etc. And there really is no way around this. There isn't anything that would even remotely remind you of "a magic button". And if there was I would never use it. My impression of good sound changes every day. I want to mix according to my current mood, preference and situation.

And I never ever record anything final at home. I lose focus when I'm not in the correct environment.

Anyone who feels the same?

 

[Ihsahn1981]

Definately the creative challenge.. It usually just takes brain power to solve and no $$$$

 

[Machinated]

Yeah, what would be the point in having a template for everything? The recording will be different every time (different players, instruments, gear etc) and the mix should be looking to bring out the best of these. I like trying to capture different moods on my mixes.

 

[spioraid]

Being a stage tech and heavily involved with show pro I truly love taking something that is excellent both in talent and creativity, and presenting it to others by better lighting, sound and/or backdrops. The same applies to music recorded in my studio. Original or not I love being able to take excellence and bring it to another level.

Being a musician as well this has pushed me to being a better musician; so that I can create music that could be considered excellent or talented, and then taking it a step further with the production.

Being a videographer has made me scrap music all together because I'm stuck on my mac rendering all live long day

 

[Chryst Krispies]

I like being able to not be completely embarrassed by shit I write/create.

I agree,

And to the TS

If there was a plugin that emulated certain albums I would prolly use it, but be TOTALLY against it, cause then Johnny Engineer over here would sniping people that work really hard at this shit, and that's just lame.

 

[JBroll]

My personal quest is to have a template that I load up in Cubase that has all the mixing, mastering, etc. done, so that I just hit the magic button, and have the sound I crave.

Even if this were possible, how would it be any fun? You're robbing yourself of plenty of chances to really pull things together and truly perfect something when you write, and you're limiting yourself a lot by such a template.

Jeff

 

[[UEAK]Clowd]

Yeah, what would be the point in having a template for everything? The recording will be different every time (different players, instruments, gear etc) and the mix should be looking to bring out the best of these. I like trying to capture different moods on my mixes.

I think he is referring to having a template for writing his own stuff - not for recording other bands(or even recording his own band for real). Of course you won't have a template for other bands - but when you are writing a new song, it is a much more pleasurable process when everything sounds good right as you are recording it. You can just open up cubase and start recording right as inspiration strikes, as opposed to getting inspired, then spending half an hour setting up all your shit, potentially losing your inspiration.

That's what I was talking about in my post, at least.

 

[gemini8026]

I should have made myself more clear. Yah, I wanted a template for "projects" .. For example, right now im doing a certain "style". Id like to have an "ideal" template based on projects. Not just a one trick pony. I realise that a mixing approach is always variable.... BUT.... in this new world of digital guitar amps and drum sample librairies, it's pretty easy to dial in some settings and get very consistant results.....

It's interesting how styles come and go and change as tech and tastes evolve..... How back in the day, there was some headroom in mixes, and nowadays you look at how maxed out tracks can get. Ive got albums where the meters are pretty much peaked the whole time.

Im also frustrated and fighting a losing battle. Im aware that for a pro mix I need a lot more then my humble setup and virtual VST instruments. However, some of the results I have heard on this forum are starting to blur that vision a little.....

 

[if6was9]

yeah I see where your coming from- seems possible to me to have that set-up for when writing and recording your own stuff.
like if your playing an electronic kit and recording the midi out- you can have it saved so that when you hit playback its all your favourite samples playing with their mix eq's and compressions already applied. Same with guitars- if your recording then you can have your amp sim already set-up with it low and high passed already.
The only problem would be that everything you record would have an identical sound to it- but for writing and recording your own stuff thats not so bad for getting it down quickly, you can always tweak it later.
Obviously you'd not do this with other bands but for your own stuff its a good idea, nothing worse than having a riff and loosing the feel of it because you spent ages getting the gear set-up

 

[scorpio01169]

a template for routing is always good. as each band comes in you'll have to make changes according to the drumkit, and so on. but that starting point makes it faster. i used to start at an empty project in Nuendo but have stopped cause templates work for me. creative challenges are my problem, sometimes i write something and then i realize that it totally sounds like the shit i was just listening to. so i find that i have to clear my mind of any influences. then i have to stop every five seconds to tell my three year old to not touch that button. boy i cant wait till i find my own studio space.

 

[Noumenon]

I rely heavily on templates for writing music. I usuakky record one song for a project of mine, mix it until I'm satisfied and save it as a template to use when writing more music for that project. But if/when stuff is to be released I'd probobly tear the mixes down and start from scratch, or let someone else do it

 

[Aaron Smith]

I'm pretty much in the boat with everyone else- don't use templates for "real" sessions, but for your own songwriting endeavors, I would recommend it. I write everything into a template, of which I have spent considerable time tweaking over the last year or so. It definitely helps a lot with what you're talking about- being able to focus on the music I'm writing, and having fairly decent to great sounding production elements is not only fun, but it helps get the vibe out and spur on my creativity!