This is where it all began. This song was originally recorded back in 2007 featuring ‘mashedmitten’ on lead guitar. More recently I re-worked it to better suit my live stuf I’ve been doing with fellow ‘Straggler’ Shayne. That “stragglere’d” version was heard by a local producer (and friend) with a noteworthy international reputation. He offered to do a mix for me - at no cost I might add! Actually there was a cost introduced later because the drummer, also someone with a noteworthy international reputation was recommended, - so I indulged! As a result of this exercise I was then offered the opportunity to take a bunch of other songs into studio for live recording and professional ‘makeover’. See here for the background:
Anyway this song “Insanity” has been given a professional ‘makeover’ and features the following artists:
Vocals, guitars and lead synth - me
Bass - Shayne Williams
Drums - Michael Barker
Production, mix, and additional keyboard wizardry - Eddie Rayner
I can’t help it, I somehow feel there is a big hump in the midrange here.But I am mixing rightnow and could be due to earfatique. Sometimes there are very little tempo artifacts, is that in the original or did they force/ stretch the original into a timetrack?
I can’t help it, I somehow feel there is a big hump in the midrange here.But I am mixing rightnow and could be due to earfatique. Sometimes there are very little tempo artifacts, is that in the original or did they force/ stretch the original into a timetrack?
The was essentially rebuilt from scratch but used some of my original parts. While all done to a click track the drummer will of undoubtably ‘humanized’ the feel generally. A new bass track and vocals etc were then recorded over the mix with these new live drums.
Easy. I’ll just upload them to a bunch of music hosting websites where they can be ignored alongside everytheing else I’ve ever done! What else is there?
Finally got a chance to listen to a few of these tracks on my daw set up. This one is my favorite but I have to say your voice sounds so much better on these new versions. Don’t know if it’s the recording chain or the mix but it’s good.
Cheers Dave. I’d like to be able to say my voice sounds so much better on these because it had a lot to do with the recording through an impressive chain of high-end gear but my long-held skepticisim regarding the importance ofsuch gear etc etc was completely validated by this exercise, and in particular this song. Producer Eddie found the sonic character of the vocal on this particular track “Insanity” to be the best of them all and the best overall result. drum-roll - This vocal was recorded on a $75 Chinese-made small diaphragm condensor at my home!! All the other vocals were done at the studio through ‘state-of-the-art’ gear.
Very much a gloat-worthy “I knew it!” moment for me!
So, yeah…it’s all about the mixing it would seem. Cheap, modest gear or the best money can buy, when in professional hands it seemingly doesn’t matter.
For sure different gear is only a small part of the equation. I have said before that I have heard comparatively few true ‘pro’ sounding mixes here. These tracks do sound professional and show the quality of your song writing at it’s best.
Beautiful song and recording, Ian! Love it, man – even the snare sounds good!
The “quality of gear” subject IS an interesting one. I maintain that the primary reason these tracks sound a notch above the originals is that they just sound smoother, noticeably so. And yes, there are a couple mixing related improvements – like how the vocal sits nicely in the mix and has just the right touch of reverb on it. I’ll bet you’ve learned enough from this to see big improvements in your own mixing in the future
Yes, the sonic character of these is noticably different, which I guess comes down to a combination of factors, but clearly not the vocal mic in this case! ) It may well be worth looking into the Steven Slate plugins that have been used on these (FG-X compressor, virtual consoles), but I think the major factor is the experience and general skill-set used on the mixes!
Actually there was a cost introduced later because the drummer, also someone with a noteworthy international reputation was recommended, - so I indulged! 
As a result of this exercise I was then offered the opportunity to take a bunch of other songs into studio for live recording and professional ‘makeover’. See here for the background:
What else is there? 