Topic: Mixing - Too much "room"

[mblindsey]

a minute long unaltered flac sample would be nice as well. 

arg...VBR *mp3's just to "hear it".  if a flac is needed...let me know.

[mblindsey]

Not sure what's up with google docs today....so:  http://www.megaupload.com/?d=BH2L1Y36

As I've listened to this several more times.  Maybe, it's not a big "room" sound (reverb-ish)...more "audio bounce around mud".  Hard for me to put into words....

[ashevillain]

Not much you can do about this except EQ out some room resonances,

What is a good method for determining the freq's? (other than just being able to pick them out by having a good ear)

Is there a software method for figuring this out?

[Patrick]

Not much you can do about this except EQ out some room resonances,

What is a good method for determining the freq's? (other than just being able to pick them out by having a good ear)

Is there a software method for figuring this out?

You can use a spectrum analyzer and see if there are extreme notches in the room's graph, but most of them time it's just a matter of cutting frequencies and listening/comparing.  In the end there's really not *that* much you can do about it.  It won't work miracles.

Mark, I listened to the clip and besides the "distance" issue, it's a well balanced recording.  I'm sure an audience recording in the right spot would have been fantastic.  Anyways, there's a pretty noticeable bump around 750hz, when I pulled that out, everything seemed to sound a little better.  I also tried MS processing and it worked well too, if anything just to raise the overall volume of the track.  There's also a good amount of room rumble that was killed with a HPF @ 40hz.  Nothing too crazy.

Here's a clip: http://www.sendspace.com/file/615rlf

I'm seeing/taping Built to Spill tomorrow, as well!

[mblindsey]

I listened to the clip and besides the "distance" issue, it's a well balanced recording.  I'm sure an audience recording in the right spot would have been fantastic.  Anyways, there's a pretty noticeable bump around 750hz, when I pulled that out, everything seemed to sound a little better.  I also tried MS processing and it worked well too, if anything just to raise the overall volume of the track.  There's also a good amount of room rumble that was killed with a HPF @ 40hz. 

Thank you sir for taking the time to listen.  I think you just might be right. 

It would have been really difficult to record with a stand from any other spot in this case.  Possible, yes, but solo without some blockers to help - not something I would attempt.  As I mentioned, I was by the SBD.  I bank on the fact that the sound guy mixes for the room, and his ears are behind the SBD.  So, I try to camp near him/her in the hopes that I get what they think sounds good from where they are, and when solo, to take advantage of the protection that putting a mic stand leg through the cage provides.  You are right, it does sound distant.  But, it wasn't.  That really is the room....weird but true. 

I talked with the other taper that recorded with hat mics, dead center, in the crowd.  He says his recording turned out pretty good and I believe him.  He has recorded at this venue plenty of times and knows the nuances.

thanks again...i really do think your suggestions help.

[admkrk]

I bank on the fact that the sound guy mixes for the room, and his ears are behind the SBD.

if the board is off center of in some other weird place, he will usually wander off to a better location to see how it sounds there and adjust appropriately. in other words, his body might be parked behind the desk but his ears are most likely elsewhere depending on were he is located in the "room".

[mblindsey]

to close this out.  thanks again everyone. 

if you are so inclined, this is what sounds best in my car/mp3 player (i have no "playback" worthy of anything...eq occurs on krk rokit 5's...and eq did occur):

http://bt.etree.org/details.php?id=538996

Update:  I surgically eq'd this via trial and error.  burn a few songs to CD and listen in different scenarios.  lather, rinse, repeat.  i learned a lot.  in this thread + google.  i encourage anyone wishing to improve a recording to experiment/practice.  even now, i think i could make it better, but you have to stop somewhere... no magic bullets for sure...but, you probably can make an "off" recording sound better to your own ears.