Topic: How much post production work does everyone do ?

[wbrisette]

Can't believe I missed this thread before... Me, I do everything! I have to no matter how I record it, I still end up with 4+ separate tracks that have to be mixed down. I could do it "on-the-fly", but guess what, I'm still mixing and modifying so it ain't "pure"... I also compress, limit, eq, (insert plug-in here), to the recording.

I guess I'm not a taper and that's why I hate that label. I haven't considered myself a taper for a long time because I don't just tape. I record, produce, and master.

Wayne
(for the record, my business cards read: On-location Sound Recordist <-- use to be used in the US for film sound mixers, now it seems most of them are called mixers and only in the UK are they still referred to as Sound Recordist).

[Sparge Master]

Compression is a way to keep levels more consistent.

   Compression Ratio basically shows how the input and output will be compared so if the ratio is 2:1 then the output of something 2db will be 1db

  Threshold is the level you want compression to kick in.

  Attack time is how fast the compression will kick in after the threshold is hit

  Release time is how fast the compression will go away after the threshold is met

  Make up gain just boosts all levels by a certain dB after it goes through compression

Thos are just the basic info on some of the settings used by a compressor just play with it till you find a setting you like.

[John Kary]

Depending on the artist, venue, purpose (was I specifically asked to do something vs. taping for personal use), my mood, etc., I will use some, all, or none of the following post edits (typically in this order of workflow, and ALWAYS saving an original in addition to the mastered files):

Right on, this is how I do things and with about the same process and plug-in usage.  I love the Waves RVerb plugin and usually use it on my soundboards to both spread out the soundstage and take a bit of the dryness away from it.  The key is the wet/dryness of it.  I will usually throw it all the way wet and then back down until I get a good part of the attack back, about 15-30 depending on the tape.  About a decay time of 180ms and early reflection of about 10-15ms.  This is actually a HUGE secret for how I get the majority of my recordings to go from nice to WOW.

If I have an audience, I don't need to do it as much.  It's always case-by-case basis.  I don't mind giving an "altered" recording as I think it should sound as good as it can if the person mastering it knows what they're doing.  I always try to stay within the real of it still sounding "LIVE" as opposed to produced.  Most official "live" CDs I hear from bands sound overproduced and do not capture the live feel well enough.

[Geoff G]

Compression is a way to keep levels more consistent.

   Compression Ratio basically shows how the input and output will be compared so if the ratio is 2:1 then the output of something 2db will be 1db

  Threshold is the level you want compression to kick in.

  Attack time is how fast the compression will kick in after the threshold is hit

  Release time is how fast the compression will go away after the threshold is met

  Make up gain just boosts all levels by a certain dB after it goes through compression

Thos are just the basic info on some of the settings used by a compressor just play with it till you find a setting you like.

That is a quick tutorial!  Thanks.

[Sparge Master]

That is a quick tutorial!  Thanks.

Your welcome