"While we're waiting for the next one to arrive!"

James Blast · 08 Sep 2006, 23:55

Zuma wrote:It's just me then

Yup!
get a life, FUD!

Syberberg · 09 Sep 2006, 00:03

James Blast wrote:Why, thankee! Syberberg

Only giving credit where credit is due.

Over all, a sound engineer <cough> IZ <cough> would be a good thing, or are we going all mature?

If it keeps costs down, why not? I'd volunteer my services and home studio (for free), but mastering isn't anything I've tried my hand at yet, so I don't have the confidence to get all the EQ'ing right.

TheBoyNextDoor · 09 Sep 2006, 01:24

mh wrote:Status Update
There's nothing wrong with each song being taken more than once, as with only 10 or so to choose from there will be plenty of room for at least 2 versions of each song.

We really need takers for the other 5 before we can consider this a serious project. Anyone interested?

I've started working on Summer.
Do we have a deadline or something?
I can't promise that it will be finished though since I don't want to sing it myself..

Izzy HaveMercy · 09 Sep 2006, 14:26

Syberberg wrote:
Over all, a sound engineer <cough> IZ <cough> would be a good thing, or are we going all mature?
If it keeps costs down, why not? I'd volunteer my services and home studio (for free), but mastering isn't anything I've tried my hand at yet, so I don't have the confidence to get all the EQ'ing right.

Neither have I, Syberberg, but I'm very willing to do a bit of mastering. It's not like this will be a commercial product, so no use to spend 400 pounds on it.

I have the means, I have the equipment, I have some mastering knowledge, I despise the use of compression but limiting, EQ'ing, PQ coding and burning ain't a lot of work!

AND it is fer a good cause, of course!

Just lemme know when all's finished, and you can send the WAVs to me...

IZ.

mh · 09 Sep 2006, 17:03

Welcome to the team, Izzy!

Maybe yourself and Syberberg could collab on some of it???

Just another though - mastering/EQing and the like will necessarily involve a fall-off in resolution, so maybe the WAVs should be at 32 bit?

I've updated the status list again and put it in the first post

Izzy HaveMercy · 09 Sep 2006, 17:17

mh wrote:Welcome to the team, Izzy!

Maybe yourself and Syberberg could collab on some of it???

Just another though - mastering/EQing and the like will necessarily involve a fall-off in resolution, so maybe the WAVs should be at 32 bit?

I've updated the status list again and put it in the first post

Bah, I always work in 24-bit, and my WAV files are 16 bit without the effects on. 24 bit will do, even 16 bit. Never worked with 32 bit FlPt, not worth all the fuss IMO.

But I'd like a standardisation in that, if possible, so that I don't receive all kinds of files in all different formats, like an MP3, a 16-bit wav, a 24-bit stereo Split, an AIFF, an OMF etc...

SO: 24-bit wav, stereo Interleaved 44.100 as standard?

IZ.

Dark · 09 Sep 2006, 17:33

I use 32-bit. It's rendered in 24 or 16, depending on what it'll be used for. 16 for CDs, 24 for instrumental files for live use.

Syberberg · 09 Sep 2006, 19:30

Iz, you said the magic words: "I hate compression". The only time I ever use compression is multiband and only on individual instruments to help settle them in the mix and better define their space. I never add any compression to the final mix as the dynamic range tends to vanish and it's hello clipping. Peak limiting with RMS is deffinately the way I'd go and then normalising.

All files are to be in a 24bit/44.1kHz WAV file then? Not a problem for me at all....right, time to get started then.

Izzy HaveMercy · 09 Sep 2006, 20:51

Syberberg wrote:Iz, you said the magic words: "I hate compression". The only time I ever use compression is multiband and only on individual instruments to help settle them in the mix and better define their space. I never add any compression to the final mix as the dynamic range tends to vanish and it's hello clipping. Peak limiting with RMS is deffinately the way I'd go and then normalising.

All files are to be in a 24bit/44.1kHz WAV file then? Not a problem for me at all....right, time to get started then.

Took the words right outta my mouth...

*WARNING!!!!! GEEK ALERT!!!!*

Slight compression on some tracks ain't bad, but I would rather use a minor normalisation or play with the volumes. Compression is nice on drums, tho, combined with a nice gate for the snares and the kick. For vocals, I use Renaissance Vox sometimes, it is better than those sucking-pump compressors. New Madonna-single anyone?

Talking about dynamic range...

*END OF GEEK ALERT*

IZ.

James Blast · 09 Sep 2006, 21:10

Izzy HaveMercy wrote:*WARNING!!!!! GEEK ALERT!!!!*

I bet it won't be the last

robertzombie · 09 Sep 2006, 21:34

So once we've finished the song. Do you want us to upload the whole thing as one .wav file, or do you want all the separate .wav files (vocals, music, drums, etc) that make up the whole song?

EDIT - also, do you want us to put effects on it? or do you just want the untouched .wav file(s)?

Izzy HaveMercy · 10 Sep 2006, 14:05

robertzombie wrote:So once we've finished the song. Do you want us to upload the whole thing as one .wav file, or do you want all the separate .wav files (vocals, music, drums, etc) that make up the whole song?

EDIT - also, do you want us to put effects on it? or do you just want the untouched .wav file(s)?

Erm... sending me all the WAV tracks in separate files means I will be MIXING as well

although the thought of mixing all you guys' material is oddly pleasing, it will take me a lot more time as well...

I'd opt for mastering, and if I think a certain mix of a certain band/HL member is a bit too sloppy, I'll contact them for the separate tracks.

SO: just 'the whole thing as one WAV file with all FX added etc...' is what I need for mastering.

Mastering (for those not knowing or not arsed to know) involves the 'general' feel of a whole album, so I'm going to:

- fine-tune and watch the overall balance of ALL songs,
- I will decide which song order is most pleasing to me,
- overall equalisation, so as all songs will sound more or less coherent (not one song like a tin can and another like a cement mixer, EQ-wise),
- overall normalisation of volumes,
- pauses between the songs (PQ coding)
- lots of coffee quaffing and fag consumption (because that's what Mastering Studios do to relieve the stress, among other things)

Oh, sorry James... forgot the *GEEK ALERT!!!!!!*

IZ.

robertzombie · 10 Sep 2006, 14:54

okey dokey

Syberberg wrote:All files are to be in a 24bit/44.1kHz WAV file

hmm, Adobe Audition doesn't have 24bit, only 8, 16 and 32 bit

(it's got the 44.1kHz thing though)

what should I do?

Izzy HaveMercy · 10 Sep 2006, 15:23

robertzombie wrote:okey dokey

Syberberg wrote:All files are to be in a 24bit/44.1kHz WAV file
hmm, Adobe Audition doesn't have 24bit, only 8, 16 and 32 bit (it's got the 44.1kHz thing though)

what should I do?

Ditch Adobe

Nah, 16 bit is good enough IMO. Or knock yourself out and save it in 32 bit. I have a converter for all these files anyway

IZ.

robertzombie · 10 Sep 2006, 15:52

What program do you use oh masterful one?

Izzy HaveMercy · 10 Sep 2006, 16:04

robertzombie wrote:What program do you use oh masterful one?

Steinberg WaveLab 4

and

T-Racks 24

Depends on the song/style really which one I use. More fond of WaveLab for the moment, nice balance- and spectrometers...

IZ.

Arrrgh! · 10 Sep 2006, 19:08

Hmm. I'll take Still, cos it does make me happy.

This should be funny.

Izzy HaveMercy · 10 Sep 2006, 20:16

Arrrgh! wrote:Hmm. I'll take Still, cos it does make me happy.

I follow you. 'specially the Pure Pot Still version...

IZ.

ormfdmrush · 10 Sep 2006, 20:35

i take War on Drugs
but, please, provide me listenable mp3 (mine is too bad) and the lyrics, OK?

James Blast · 10 Sep 2006, 21:35

***GRAPHIC GEEK ALERT***
I shall be doing original vector art in FreeHand, copy and pasting into Photoshop, rescaling to screen size and converting to RGB. Bevel + Emboss will then be introduced (I know how much you like them). The image will then be recomposited and further effects/images placed. Once an agreement on the artwork is gained (and there is always bitching), the images will be resampled at hi-res and converted to CMYK for offset litho printing, compiled in Photoshop CS2 on a G4 running OS X.4.7 and assembled for PDF output in FreeHand MX. They will then be sent to Acrobat Distiller for Flightchecking and pre-print production.

thank yew

Dead easy IZ, I can geek with the best of them

aims · 10 Sep 2006, 22:22

Alas, James, I understood a lot of that. Too many hours reading arguments about the GIMP's lack of features, methinx. However, the point stands that I'm not a graphics geek and still go it. So thar

James Blast · 10 Sep 2006, 22:33

Motz wrote:Alas, James, I understood a lot of that. Too many hours reading arguments about the GIMP's lack of features, methinx. However, the point stands that I'm not a graphics geek and still go it. So thar

I never liked you

aims · 10 Sep 2006, 22:50

I'm sorry, Mr Blast. If it helps, I never got why CMYK was so important

James Blast · 10 Sep 2006, 22:58

CMYK is the altar I have to worship at, daywise

RGB is the altar of the evening

Syberberg · 10 Sep 2006, 23:17

ormfdmrush wrote:i take War on Drugs
but, please, provide me listenable mp3 (mine is too bad) and the lyrics, OK?

You can find the lyrics here

I'm sure some one will be along shortly to point you in the direction of a good mp3.

@James Nowt like a good self-fullfilling prophecy is there?

Still, at least I know who to ask for help if I get stuck with anything while working on the artwork for The Hated Reign. You have been warned.