http://thehipcola.com sound design in mind Tue, 26 Aug 2008 01:28:03 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en I've been having much fun with Song 2 today.  It's quite tricky to reproduce these flawed performances of mine. :)  I've spent a pile of time getting my Mellotron sounds right...which ended up being a blend of 2 strings and a flute...but I got there.   Also trying out some other ... http://thehipcola.com/soundtrack-day-5/2008/08/25/ In a better researched and better written article on in-ear headphones comparisons over at Gizmodo , the Shure SE110 took the cake, same as I found in my tests .   Nice.  I still rock these headphones, no visible signs of wear and tear. http://thehipcola.com/shure-se-110-win-at-gizmodo/2008/08/24/ I just have to ask...why, when I decide to hit www.metallica.com to check out the new single, does the mp3 sound like total ASS to me?  How does the biggest metal band of all-time sign off on an mp3 conversion that sucks so badly?   http://thehipcola.com/metallica-mp3-quality/2008/08/22/ Finally found a sample set for the Mellotron bits in the next song, and I was able to find the original drum kit from Battery.  Nice.  Now I just have to learn the performances, which is the interesting part, because they are terribly played on the original.  I have this ... http://thehipcola.com/soundtrack-miscellany/2008/08/22/ Well a client no-show this morning for meeting gave me a little extra time, so I have started song 2.  This one is probably going to be one of my bigger challenges I think.  The demo track I recorded about 2 years ago, maybe longer.  Subsequent equipment failures and general ... http://thehipcola.com/soundtrack-day-4/2008/08/18/ I've spent this morning adding the outro electric guitar parts and finding the right amp/settings for them.  Think I've got it...nothing layering 5 guitars from some lush strumming.  I'm using a combination of my Traynor YCV50, my Epiphone Dot, using a Shure SM62 microphone on it, through my ART tube ... http://thehipcola.com/soundtrack-day-3/2008/08/15/ Things are rolling along nicely!  I've tweaked the snare drum a little more to get it to sit a bit nicer without taking over the upper mid frequencies too much.  I also ran the acoustic guitar stereo buss through PSP's Vintage Warmer2 which really brought them forward, along with a ... http://thehipcola.com/soundtrack-day-2-b/2008/08/14/ The acoustic guitar tracking has gone rather well.  The performances are not bad, but the mic placement and sound is fantastic, which really is the tricky part.   I've found a sweet spot with my old MCA SP2 large diaphragm condenser microphone that's giving me really nice body and lush strumming ... http://thehipcola.com/soundtrack-day-2/2008/08/14/ More for me than anything, I've decided to blog about the recording process for this album's final phase, so I have a record of it years down the road as I remember what might be my only finished project. :)  I say that with a bit of sarcasm, as I ... http://thehipcola.com/soundtrack-day-1/2008/08/13/ After many hours working on my studio tan, I'm happy to report both Brad Sucks and The Peptides albums are mixed and mastered and completely finished.   I'm super excited for both releases as I think they sound awesome, and a big tip o' the hat to both artists for working ... http://thehipcola.com/done-and-done/2008/08/12/