My Song! (Continuation of "Frustrated")

Kurt_ · Post by **Kurt_** » Thu Jun 05, 2008 1:53 pm

This is more of a joke song. It's supposed to suck. That's what makes it funny.

It's supposed to be really garage-bandey.

However, the distortion isn't supposed to sound like dirt. What gives?
Recording from a Fender Strat to a Boss G6 to the Line-In on a computer (also, from the G6 to an amp with all settings on 10 to replicate a speaker better for troubleshooting why it sound like dirt going to the computer only.)

Any ideas what gives?

Any comments? It was fun screaming. The timing may be a little off, but hey, all of those were me playing over myself. (I tried before many times and it was all epic phail. But then I learned that's what the Foo Fighters did for an entire album, so I figured I'd give it another shot, and it turned out pretty alright.)

http://www.purevolume.com/Kurt_

The soft part and beginning are UN DISTORTED. WHAT THE HELL!

I have some serious songs I wish to record, and that simply WON'T DO.

Also, keep in mind the vocals were recorded straight to the Line-In and they sound fine. This is confusing me to no end. Too many wires, maybe? Then why does it sound fine through the amp?

ghosstt · Post by **ghosstt** » Thu Jun 05, 2008 4:39 pm

I could help you out on the recording aspect. If you really need that much help, send me a PM.

HotDog-Cart · Post by **HotDog-Cart** » Thu Jun 05, 2008 7:26 pm

Its a good song but very staticy.

Kurt_ · Post by **Kurt_** » Thu Jun 05, 2008 7:44 pm

I'm thinking the loss of quality is nearly completely due to clipping.

Now, one more problem to solve: Noise cancelling.

Like most things, the whole system of wires and electronics emits a buzz. It doesn't change the pitch or tone or anything, ever, and should be easy to cancel out. What program will do that for me?

Post by **bicostp** » Thu Jun 05, 2008 8:07 pm

Kurt_ wrote:Like most things, the whole system of wires and electronics emits a buzz. It doesn't change the pitch or tone or anything, ever, and should be easy to cancel out. What program will do that for me?

Audacity.

Record a few seconds of "silence" (just the noise). Then select it, and select "Noise Removal" from the Effects menu. Click "Get noise profile". Now select the track you want to remove noise from, and select "Noise Removal" again. Keep the slider fairly low to preserve as much of the recording as possible. (I generally stay less than a quarter from the left.) No more noise!

Of course, make sure all your equipment is properly grounded to minimize incoming noise in the first place.

I made that mistake with a preamp and got the 60-cycle hum caused by AC current. The noise removal tool cleaned it right up, but that was still one extra step. (Gotta remember to ground the turntable to the preamp, then ground the preamp to the power strip.)

ghosstt · Post by **ghosstt** » Thu Jun 05, 2008 8:33 pm

bicostp wrote:
Kurt_ wrote:Like most things, the whole system of wires and electronics emits a buzz. It doesn't change the pitch or tone or anything, ever, and should be easy to cancel out. What program will do that for me?
Audacity.

Record a few seconds of "silence" (just the noise). Then select it, and select "Noise Removal" from the Effects menu. Click "Get noise profile". Now select the track you want to remove noise from, and select "Noise Removal" again. Keep the slider fairly low to preserve as much of the recording as possible. (I generally stay less than a quarter from the left.) No more noise!

Of course, make sure all your equipment is properly grounded to minimize incoming noise in the first place. I made that mistake with a preamp and got the 60-cycle hum caused by AC current. The noise removal tool cleaned it right up, but that was still one extra step. (Gotta remember to ground the turntable to the preamp, then ground the preamp to the power strip.)

Well, if you were using the preamp for a guitar, That would of been a nice little bonus right there.

The 60's fuzz and Feedbacks are very cool.

Extreme_Jesus · Post by **Extreme_Jesus** » Fri Jun 06, 2008 5:24 am

Thats realyl good, i like it

A word of advice: for a better Distortian sound that sound less dirty invest in a Microphone. Mic-ing up an amp thats distorted will give a much fuller sound than Using Direct input.

Shure SM57's are great for mic-ing amps, but are costly.
http://www.thomann.de/gb/the_tbone_mb75.htm
This is what i use, its a cheaper different brand but the sound quality is hardly noticiable.

Yours has inspirered me to put my songs on the internet too

http://www.purevolume.com/cazz117

Also what drum machine are you using?

Kurt_ · Post by **Kurt_** » Fri Jun 06, 2008 7:05 pm

I tried a few drum machines out, and the best by far has to be (cracked) Beatcraft. You can adjust the dynamics of a song too, and it's got a simple interface:

Set the tempo and beat
Double-click to add an instrument to the kit.
Single click to make an instrument play at a point in the beat
Create a new beat, repeat.
Drag-and-drop into the right order.

Re-recording Zombies! next wednesday.

And why would going through a microphone be better than direct input? It's just one more thing to mess up the sound along the way.

Also, a note about music online. COPYRIGHT IT! Maybe once every album, but still, get a copyright for your songs. It will save trouble down the line if you make it big, or if someone big steals your work.

ghosstt · Post by **ghosstt** » Fri Jun 06, 2008 11:58 pm

Because when you use a mic, it is capturing the noise from the amp, sending it, then compressing it. When you use line-in, it compresses it while/before it sends it, so you get a muddy crap sound. Trust me, it may sound dumb, but its true. (I use a $10 radioshack microphone[for a PC{for voice chat stuff}]) and it works great. Just put it straight up onto the amp, and put something heavy over the whole thing (even a northface jacket works decent).

Extreme_Jesus · Post by **Extreme_Jesus** » Sat Jun 07, 2008 3:56 am

Kurt_ wrote:I tried a few drum machines out, and the best by far has to be (cracked) Beatcraft. You can adjust the dynamics of a song too, and it's got a simple interface:

Set the tempo and beat
Double-click to add an instrument to the kit.
Single click to make an instrument play at a point in the beat
Create a new beat, repeat.
Drag-and-drop into the right order.

Re-recording Zombies! next wednesday.

And why would going through a microphone be better than direct input? It's just one more thing to mess up the sound along the way.

Also, a note about music online. COPYRIGHT IT! Maybe once every album, but still, get a copyright for your songs. It will save trouble down the line if you make it big, or if someone big steals your work.

I use Hyrdogen, best open source one ive come across.

Sounds similar set up to yours, just select the amount of beats per pattern, the resolution of the beat (eg quarter beats, eights, sixteenths up to 32).

Only thing i wish it would do is let you change tempo for different patterns so i can have time changes. The only time change you can really have it, half speed or double speed.

Not entirely sure why mics aound better, but they just give a much fuller warmer sound, with a a lot more frequency range than DI'ing things. DI is fine for Bass, but never sounds quite right for guitar.

ShockSlayer · Post by **ShockSlayer** » Sat Jun 07, 2008 7:38 am

mesh ryhmes with flesh

Also, you should totally make a music video!

SS

ghosstt · Post by **ghosstt** » Sat Jun 07, 2008 10:33 am

Extreme_Jesus wrote:
Kurt_ wrote:I tried a few drum machines out, and the best by far has to be (cracked) Beatcraft. You can adjust the dynamics of a song too, and it's got a simple interface:

Set the tempo and beat
Double-click to add an instrument to the kit.
Single click to make an instrument play at a point in the beat
Create a new beat, repeat.
Drag-and-drop into the right order.

Re-recording Zombies! next wednesday.

And why would going through a microphone be better than direct input? It's just one more thing to mess up the sound along the way.

Also, a note about music online. COPYRIGHT IT! Maybe once every album, but still, get a copyright for your songs. It will save trouble down the line if you make it big, or if someone big steals your work.
I use Hyrdogen, best open source one ive come across.

Sounds similar set up to yours, just select the amount of beats per pattern, the resolution of the beat (eg quarter beats, eights, sixteenths up to 32).

Only thing i wish it would do is let you change tempo for different patterns so i can have time changes. The only time change you can really have it, half speed or double speed.

Not entirely sure why mics aound better, but they just give a much fuller warmer sound, with a a lot more frequency range than DI'ing things. DI is fine for Bass, but never sounds quite right for guitar.

Ya, If I use it for my guitar, its always a lower frequency too.

Kurt_ · Post by **Kurt_** » Sat Jun 07, 2008 4:50 pm

Okay, some responses.

Ghost: If this is the problem, I can just input the sound (quietly, of course) into the mic jack, can I not? With this pedal I can adjust the volume many times, and I can run it through two amps at full to get a louder real-time sound.

XJesus: You can change the tempo at any point in the song with Beatcraft. Once everything's lined up in the right order, you can make "Tempo Flags" that start a new tempo. Of course, you need a new one to stop the change, and one at the end if the tempo at the beginning and end of the loop are different, if you're not making a one-shot entire-song drum line in the first place.

SS: Who was that at? No zombie music video, it'd just be clips. Get Minkster to make it!

ghosstt · Post by **ghosstt** » Sat Jun 07, 2008 4:58 pm

Kurt_ wrote:Okay, some responses.

Ghost: If this is the problem, I can just input the sound (quietly, of course) into the mic jack, can I not? With this pedal I can adjust the volume many times, and I can run it through two amps at full to get a louder real-time sound.

XJesus: You can change the tempo at any point in the song with Beatcraft. Once everything's lined up in the right order, you can make "Tempo Flags" that start a new tempo. Of course, you need a new one to stop the change, and one at the end if the tempo at the beginning and end of the loop are different, if you're not making a one-shot entire-song drum line in the first place.

SS: Who was that at? No zombie music video, it'd just be clips. Get Minkster to make it!

No if you use your mic slot, you will get even more dirt and feedback. Have you tried running just the guitar, with no amp or effects or pedals to the line in? Record that and upload it

Kurt_ · Post by **Kurt_** » Sat Jun 07, 2008 5:38 pm

Well that's just contradictory...