Recording mixed down in the Qu-16

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This topic contains 9 replies, has 3 voices, and was last updated by Profile photo of abzurd1 abzurd1 9 years, 8 months ago.

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  • #40584
    Profile photo of abzurd1
    abzurd1
    Participant

    I thought I’d share an example of master mixing inside Qu-16 and outputting via the 2 track out. It’s nothing spectacular, but it’s so awesome that this kind of result is available for a few thousand dollars. The recording is from a backyard surprise party we did. I recorded this straight into Audacity. Then:

    1 – Amplify the track (I’ll leave about 1 dB of headroom during the recording and then amplify in Audacity)
    2 – Hard limit 1-2 dB (I’ll look at the track to see if there are any peaks that only happen a few times during the song and lop off the tops)
    3 – Amplify again, getting the 1-2 dB back in the overall mix
    4 – Trim the ends (get the start point right and fade out the end)
    4 – Sometimes that’s it, but other times I’ll use the “Leveler” plug in that comes with Audacity and apply the “light” effect to it. It’s a compressor/limiter with not much in the way of user controllable settings. It puts the song more, in your face. Too much though and it causes distortion. In this example I used the Leveler plugin.

    HERE’S THE FILE – TAINTED LOVE (Punk/Pop version originally performed by the Argonauts)

    #40587
    Profile photo of
    Anonymous

    Brilliant
    So was this a live take?
    Why Audacity? Free ware?

    Thanks for sharing

    dave NZ

    #40589
    Profile photo of abzurd1
    abzurd1
    Participant

    Thanks. Yes, that was just a cut from the first set of a live show in someone’s back yard for a surprise birthday party we were hired for. I used Audacity for the same reason as mixing down in the Qu-16. It’s fast and easy. If I put it in Reaper, Garage Band, or Studio One, I find I play around with it for hours, often giving up, or ending up with a product worse than if I just go bare bones and do it with the mixer.

    I mix with the Qu pretty much every weekend, but we mix from the stage so I don’t really get the time to really work on EQ and compression skills until post show. That recording is EQ’d with channel strips only and the main buss EQ flat. So for live work I don’t really need to mess with the channel strips and just need to use the FOH EQ for the room.

    Sometimes it takes me a couple of tries because I’ll mix it down with headphones in the garage (can’t get the mixer in the house as it’s racked) and then run the file upstairs to see what it sounds like on my studio monitors. I’ve really been trying to work on the lead vocal EQ, that’s me signing, and bass guitar EQ, and am getting happier with both.

    Lastly, I’ve found I’ve had better luck NOT using my studio headphones when mixing down. Instead I use the headphones I wear at work, which are decent, but small portable type and not studio phones. It doesn’t matter that they aren’t flat. They are what I’m used to so when I mix down the reference I have is what I’m used to hearing other pre-recorded music sound like.

    #40592
    Profile photo of Lou
    Lou
    Participant

    RE: “I mix with the Qu pretty much every weekend, but we mix from the stage so I don’t really get the time to really work on EQ and compression skills until post show. That recording is EQ’d with channel strips only and the main buss EQ flat. So for live work I don’t really need to mess with the channel strips and just need to use the FOH EQ for the room.”

    I suggest you work with channel EQ and compression ad save the settings, then use those settings on future gigs – it will help the live gigs.

    As a pro live mixer, sometimes I have to mix from the side of the stage and it really is a different experience from being out in the house.

    I shouldn’t comment on the music, but perhaps slow it down a bit like the hit original?
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEh5pWjcWCg&feature=kp

    #40595
    Profile photo of abzurd1
    abzurd1
    Participant

    Thanks, but it’s intended to sound like it does. Of the 100 songs in our play list it’s the only one we don’t do like the original. It’s not an “every show” kind of tune. It’s more for bars and we wouldn’t play it at a wedding. It’s just a fun departure that we call out in our shows and it always gets big smiles and applause.

    Here’s what it’s based off of (and it’s the Hormonauts, not the Argonauts, which I said earlier) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1olWdQ2TMsg

    #40596
    Profile photo of Lou
    Lou
    Participant

    Sorry – I knew I shouldn’t have commented on the music. You did say what it was, but I’m old enough to remember the original… a cover of a cover is a different song, to me. No problem!

    <L>

    #40597
    Profile photo of abzurd1
    abzurd1
    Participant

    No offense taken. I’m 45 so I too remember when it came out. As for saving the settings. Yes, that’s the intention. I like to get the channel strips set in the comfort of my garage then just use the FOH EQ for the gigs. If it sounds good on a recording with the FOH flat, you’ve got it right. Then it’s just “season to taste” with the main EQ at the gig. I do compress the FOH too with a 1.2 – 1.4 ratio and a threshold setting that compresses 3-6 db overall. It glues things together a bit, but still lets the snare pop through. Any more than that and things get mushy and the snare loses it’s pop.

    #40598
    Profile photo of Lou
    Lou
    Participant

    Thankss Abzurd. I like your use of comp on mains – I could have ysed that yesterday with five riock bands outdoors… didn’t think of it in the street though!

    This would also help the vocals cut thru withut losing the guitar power between vocal verses… I know all that but don’t think on my feet sometimes! 🙂 Plus it wasn;’t an option in the analog days without racking up another comp!

    I love the extra capabilities of digital boards!

    #40604
    Profile photo of
    Anonymous

    it’s so awesome that this kind of result is available for a few thousand dollars

    YES IT IS!

    Keep on doing what you’re doing. Sounds fine man!
    The track reminded me of standing in front of one of the stages at Womad here in NZ
    Anyone that plays bass, sings AND mixers the band from the side of stage,
    ALL at the same time?
    I used to do the same, but playing GTR synth, & record onto to cassette :-> (many years ago)
    Tell me… do you use all 16 channels on the QU bottom layer?
    Reason I ask… I spent a few hours yesterday making a template where the QU16 can have 2 subgroups with some return hard wiring.
    Assigned them to the USER layer over on the right next to the master.
    However you loose 2 channels and your ST1/2 in.
    and to be honest, you have your hands full now just doing what you do.

    anyhow food for thought

    cheers

    dave NZ
    where is the next track I can listen to?

    #40625
    Profile photo of abzurd1
    abzurd1
    Participant

    Thanks, but I’m “just” singing, running sound. Sorry if unclear earlier. I was just commenting that the lead vocal and bass on recordings is the most difficult to me. I’m still not 100% happy with the vocal EQ on this, but not sure I can do better within the mixer itself. It’s still a bit harsh. It works well live because it cuts through. On the recording though it’s not ideal. I’d be better with a 31 band on the channel for mixing it down.

    It would be nice if A&H added some other processing to the FX section so it could be assigned to a channel. I’d also LOVE a multi-band compressor. That would be a great way to kill some of the harshness when the lead vocal gets loud. It would also be nice on keys where we’re using 40+ patches a night.

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