Hot, off the hard drive: All About Me

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ambientNRG
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2009/03/19 19:02:29 (permalink)

Hot, off the hard drive: All About Me

Finally! a tough mix but here it is.

All About Me

Song: All About Me
Artist: Dreamz
Music by/Composer: Kontroversy, Bilal @ 202 Studio
Recorded and Mixed by: Bilal @ 202 Studio
Quality: 256 KB/s MP3

Notes: Biggest problem was that I didn't have access to the individual instrumental tracks. The rapper brought the beat to me which was kinda in ****ty condition mix wise and stereo imaging. The sub boom at 50Hz was way too much and that was about all the bass it had. Some tricky EQ, multiband compression and stereo imaging brought it to life while carving out space for vocals.

Sound Interface: EMU 1616M PCI
Monitors: Behringer Truth Active 8"
Beat/Instrumental: Fruity Loops!
Tracking/Mixing: Sonar 7
Plugs:
Beat/Instrumental: Nomad factory Pultec EQ emulation --> Sonitus Multiband Compressor (Comes with Sonar) --> Channel Tools (from Sonar 8 ) for stereo imaging/expansion
Vocals: M-Audio Luna Condenser mic --> ART MPA Gold with Vintage NOS Siemens 12AX7 tube --> Voxengo Voxformer (my all time fav vocal strip) --> Nomad Factory Blue Tubes Fairchild Compressor Emulation 2.0 --> Waves SSL 4000 Channel Strip --> Channel Tools for hook/chorus stereo imaging
Nomad factory BlueVerb and PSP 84 Delay on vocal reinforcements.
Rhythm Guitar: Fender Protone --> ART MPA Gold --> Waves GTR3 --> Waves SSL 4000 Channel Strip


Mastering: Although not in real sense of mastering but I attempt some level of mastering when there is no budget for it.
Nomad Factory Blue Tubes Pultec Emulation EQ 3.0 --> Cakewalk TL-64 Tube Leveler --> Waves L2


Enjoy
#1

7 Replies Related Threads
    evadianepug
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    RE: Hot, off the hard drive: All About Me 2009/03/19 23:32:56 (permalink)
    I am a seat of the pants player and don't understand a lot of the tech stuff you are saying but I like your tune. I am not a rap fan but this was easy to listen to. Nice music. You managed to do a tune of this genre that I actually like. i was listening for some nasty lyrics and didn't hear any. Did I just miss them and if not, how could you do a song like this without it? I'm listening a second time. Very cool. If you can get me on a tune like this you've done a lot!! One off color word or did I not hear p****. If I did, take that one word out because you are so close to doing a classy tune. It's definitely not necessary in this song. If I didn't hear it then you're there. I might even put this on my mountain climbing mp3 player!

     Fairy tales do not tell children that dragons exist. Children already know that dragons exist. Fairy tales tell children the dragons can be killed. (GK Chesterton) 

    Warren (Pug) Willingham
    THE PUGTONES
    http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=919339&content=music
    SonarX3
    #2
    foxwolfen
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    RE: Hot, off the hard drive: All About Me 2009/03/20 00:20:38 (permalink)
    Nice job. Given you did not have individual tracks to work with pretty much means you mastered it, not doing any mixing per se, is that not so? I would have to say from your description that you did a fine job of whatever it is called. A bit more back would be nice, though.

    A scientist knows more & more about less & less till he knows everything about nothing, while a philosopher knows less & less about more & more till he knows nothing about everything.

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    ambientNRG
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    RE: Hot, off the hard drive: All About Me 2009/03/20 12:41:59 (permalink)
    Its a pretty clean rap. The rapper has a more aggressive style but I had to make it sound smoother as thats the mood of the music. Glad you like this flavor of rap. Try songs by Twista, Roots and Brother Ali, very inspirational rappers.

    Yes, there was lot of mastering that had to be done but the rap vocals are tricky to mix. Each verse has 3 layers, 2 to double track the main vocal part and one layer for reinforcements on certain parts. THis is where mixing is mostly done. I gotta say that doing vocals on a traditional song is way easier than recording rap. Crazy dynamics.
    #4
    evadianepug
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    RE: Hot, off the hard drive: All About Me 2009/03/20 13:23:02 (permalink)
    I just listened to this song on my computer speakers at work. CWS (crummy work speakers). I could hear the vocals better. It's more treble I guess. It's the nexst day and I still like it. I'll check out the people you suggested. Thanks.

     Fairy tales do not tell children that dragons exist. Children already know that dragons exist. Fairy tales tell children the dragons can be killed. (GK Chesterton) 

    Warren (Pug) Willingham
    THE PUGTONES
    http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=919339&content=music
    SonarX3
    #5
    ambientNRG
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    RE: Hot, off the hard drive: All About Me 2009/03/25 18:33:20 (permalink)
    do you mean a bit more bass?

    ORIGINAL: foxwolfen

    Nice job. Given you did not have individual tracks to work with pretty much means you mastered it, not doing any mixing per se, is that not so? I would have to say from your description that you did a fine job of whatever it is called. A bit more back would be nice, though.

    #6
    foxwolfen
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    RE: Hot, off the hard drive: All About Me 2009/03/25 19:50:43 (permalink)

    ORIGINAL: ambientNRG

    do you mean a bit more bass?

    ORIGINAL: foxwolfen

    Nice job. Given you did not have individual tracks to work with pretty much means you mastered it, not doing any mixing per se, is that not so? I would have to say from your description that you did a fine job of whatever it is called. A bit more back would be nice, though.



    A bit more bottom end, bass or drums or synth, it matters not

    A scientist knows more & more about less & less till he knows everything about nothing, while a philosopher knows less & less about more & more till he knows nothing about everything.

    Composers Forum
    #7
    No How
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    RE: Hot, off the hard drive: All About Me 2009/03/27 10:15:12 (permalink)
    This sounds like a very nice mix. Nice and laid back rap.

    s o n g s

      – Beauty lodged in a bad hotel has no value.  Raymond Lull
    #8
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