Topic: Mixing a Live Show via Audacity - Room mics only?

[HarpNinjaMike]

I have a recording of a live band that used the internal mics of the recorder (Zoom H4n).  For those of you recording shows, what is some advice for "mixing" the show when all you have is the room recording and not separate tracks?

Specifically:

I am totally new to this whole recording thing. I recorded a live show of my band (vocals, harmonica, guitar, bass, and drums) using a Zoom H4n in stereo (internal mics). I would like to use pieces of it for a demo of the covers we do. Right now, I am trying to mix with Audacity.

I was under the impression that that stereo mics would give me two separate tracks to work with, but what I have is one stereo track. I am looking for help/plug ins/eq settings to try and accomplish the following:

1. The bass and bass drum might be "ok" in the mix, but I'd like a little more if possible.

2. The guitar is very low in the mix (biggest issue)...I had one internal mic aimed pretty much right at it and was hoping to isolate that track and make it louder, but I am looking for a relatively easy to do fix.

3. I'd like to add a very subtle reverb to the overall mix - especially for the vocals. I briefly tried the included verb and found it difficult to use. I might just use the "Echo".

Really, if I can use any effects/plugins to try and balance the mix a little better, I'd be golden for this.  I added a tiny bit of compression, but the vocals and drum kit are pretty high in the mix compared to the bass, bass drum, and guitar.  In hindsight, I had the recorder too close to the PA mains (hence the mix issue).

Thanks!

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Right now, I am trying to mix with Audacity.

I was under the impression that that stereo mics would give me two separate tracks to work with, but what I have is one stereo track.

In audacity, on the left hand side near the volume controls, there is a drop down menu, near the bottom of it is the split track function (I'm at work so I'm going by memory).

1. The bass and bass drum might be "ok" in the mix, but I'd like a little more if possible.

EQ, add maybe 0.5-1db under 300hz. As with all EQ, adjust to taste and use sparingly (and listen to your adjustments on multiple systems, they will likely sound different).

2. The guitar is very low in the mix (biggest issue)...I had one internal mic aimed pretty much right at it and was hoping to isolate that track and make it louder, but I am looking for a relatively easy to do fix.

roughly 200hz up through 2khz with 200-900hz has been the meat of a guitar with stuff I record. Unfortunately, you will probably have a lot of other stuff (vocals to name one) in that band as well.

3. I'd like to add a very subtle reverb to the overall mix - especially for the vocals. I briefly tried the included verb and found it difficult to use. I might just use the "Echo".

When you add reverb and just have two tracks, it's effecting all or nothing.

Really, if I can use any effects/plugins to try and balance the mix a little better, I'd be golden for this.  I added a tiny bit of compression, but the vocals and drum kit are pretty high in the mix compared to the bass, bass drum, and guitar.  In hindsight, I had the recorder too close to the PA mains (hence the mix issue).

EQ and compression are basically what you are after. Audacity has a multi-band compressor and some documents related to it.

[HarpNinjaMike]

Thanks!!!  If I split the track as suggested, I should have the separate tracks then...so in theory, if I take the one aimed towards where the guitar was, I can work with that track to bump up the guitar, right?  The two separate tracks should sound a little different...I am not just making a copy of the original WAV am I?

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Thanks!!!  If I split the track as suggested, I should have the separate tracks then...so in theory, if I take the one aimed towards where the guitar was, I can work with that track to bump up the guitar, right?  The two separate tracks should sound a little different...I am not just making a copy of the original WAV am I?

Went and looked, it's Split Stereo: screenshots and more info. http://audacity.sourceforge.net/onlinehelp-1.2/reference.html#menu_track

[HarpNinjaMike]

That appears to be good news.  I am away from the file/computer, but I might be able to make something work.  The more I think about it, if I brought down the vocals, the other stuff may not need to be bumped up.  I read where you can invert audio, etc, to try and take out the vocals - so there must be a way to do that to a lesser extent and essentially take them down in the mix a bit...maybe. 

[absnj]

Audacity also has a bass boost function under the EFFECTS menu, which lets you choose the amount of boost and the max frequency you want to boost.

[HarpNinjaMike]

http://mikefugazzi.com/files/Embassy3 for Demo.mp3
http://mikefugazzi.com/files/Embassy3 for Demo2.mp3

Here is my first attempt at mixing...Demo2 has the bass boost.  I don't think there is anything I can do for the weak sounding guitar.  The stereo tracks sound nearly identical in this instance.  All I did was add a bit of reverb and compression.  I then made sure the volume from song to song was close.  Other than the bass boost in Demo2, I didn't eq the track as I found the built in eq difficult to tweak - unless I wanted to make huge changes.

***Please note that 1.) I am brand new to this 2.) I wouldn't use these clips from these songs as a demo, but it served as good practice.  I have another set of better song selection, but it has a stereo and line in of the vocals and harmonica (which are already plenty hot in the mix rendering their track useless).

I am really just trying to get the hang of Audacity and hoping to make a tight "clip" demo of popular cover songs for clubs and bookers. Thanks!

[dorrcoq]

Just a thought, but using the internal mics, since they are only an inch or two apart, would you really expect one track to be totally different from the other?