How to check studio quality sound? Advice needed...
- Thread starter konsandy
- Start date
bernardgoh
New member
i think the only way to check it is by your friends and your research.... listen to the album you like and compare it with your recording. see what is lacking. is it the studio problem or the producing? recording doesn't depends on studio alone. everyone in the production line play a part. if the source is wrong, you can never get it right later. 
even if you can, it wouldn't be the highest standard.
even if you can, it wouldn't be the highest standard. quality
You cant expect album quality before mastering.
As long as you can hear the guitar sound balanced with a weebit of reverb, it should be ok. How did he record you. With one mic 2 or even 3? Standard would be a mic at the sound hole and the other along the fret board somewhere along the 12 fret. If you want reverb or dynamics some might go to even stereo mic'ing you up.
You cant expect album quality before mastering.
As long as you can hear the guitar sound balanced with a weebit of reverb, it should be ok. How did he record you. With one mic 2 or even 3? Standard would be a mic at the sound hole and the other along the fret board somewhere along the 12 fret. If you want reverb or dynamics some might go to even stereo mic'ing you up.
bernardgoh
New member
yup, performance is always the first thing to check out. ofcause what guitar you use. i love recording a taylor acoustic with a 451, 57 and 414. simply get everything out from the taylor. i think micing is important lor. you can follow the book but never always follow it cause every song and every requirement differ.
i think micing is important lor. you can follow the book but never always follow it cause every song and every requirement differ. bernardgoh
New member
you can't check a sound quality if your performance isn't there.... if you find anything wrong, always check the source... in recording... source is the musicians, if the musicians is good but the engineer can't give you what you want... mmm... then the engineer isn't doing his job lor. different people like different sound so is very hard to say something that is so subjective.
different people like different sound so is very hard to say something that is so subjective. teraslasch
New member
i guess he knows performance is the key, but now hes talking abt sound quality. stop harping on "performance".
I suggest after listening to the final mix, listen to ur fav. CDs that is related to your music (e.g same genre).. then compare. But if that studio has lousy mics or wad.. or the engineer very inexperience, then i suggest u change a studio ..
I suggest after listening to the final mix, listen to ur fav. CDs that is related to your music (e.g same genre).. then compare. But if that studio has lousy mics or wad.. or the engineer very inexperience, then i suggest u change a studio ..
regarding the quality of recording, i think can break down into a few points:
1. quality of microphone
2. room acoustic (noisy or not)
3. signal chain (noisy or not)
4. recording board (noisy or not)
5. recorder - digital or tape (resolution/signal-to-noise ratio)
6. microphone placement
most important - you must like what you hear.
while most studios can use similar equipment, the sound do come out different. this is because of the little details like gain structure and room acoustic.
if you want, you are most welcome to let me have a listen to it. though i am no pro, but i will give you my honest opinion. :wink:
1. quality of microphone
2. room acoustic (noisy or not)
3. signal chain (noisy or not)
4. recording board (noisy or not)
5. recorder - digital or tape (resolution/signal-to-noise ratio)
6. microphone placement
most important - you must like what you hear.
while most studios can use similar equipment, the sound do come out different. this is because of the little details like gain structure and room acoustic.
if you want, you are most welcome to let me have a listen to it. though i am no pro, but i will give you my honest opinion. :wink:
bernardgoh
New member
yup, Mr Jame have very good point there. every single details on your signal chains do affect your final product. and ofcause you must like what you hear.....
every single details on your signal chains do affect your final product. and ofcause you must like what you hear.....My personal suggestion is to find out what are the bands that the studio has done recording for. Go and buy a few and listen to the sound. It helps to get the same genre you are going to record. If possible get in touch with the band and find out more info from them (like cost, experience).
You can also get these 'samples' cd from the studio direct. But always bear in mind, if someone were to sell you something, he will surely show you the 'best side'. Again cost is often tied to what is to be produced. If the sample actually cost $20K to produce and you are looking for $5K package, obviously you won't get a $20K quality job.
Lets say you done your research and you negotiate the sale (this is still like buying something). Always cover all the grounds, especially the costing, the work involved and the final sound you are expecting. It also help to let the engineer hear some demos you done to guage if he can do what you expect.
Different engineer will give different output, some good, others not so good. Sometime raw sounding album could suit the music after all too. It's all very subjective. A dirty sound is not necessary a bad sound, just look how dirty guitarists want their sound to be, infinate possibility.
It's just another life experience, sometime good, sometime bad. So be pragmatic and realistic, just like buying durian.
You can also get these 'samples' cd from the studio direct. But always bear in mind, if someone were to sell you something, he will surely show you the 'best side'. Again cost is often tied to what is to be produced. If the sample actually cost $20K to produce and you are looking for $5K package, obviously you won't get a $20K quality job.
Lets say you done your research and you negotiate the sale (this is still like buying something). Always cover all the grounds, especially the costing, the work involved and the final sound you are expecting. It also help to let the engineer hear some demos you done to guage if he can do what you expect.
Different engineer will give different output, some good, others not so good. Sometime raw sounding album could suit the music after all too. It's all very subjective. A dirty sound is not necessary a bad sound, just look how dirty guitarists want their sound to be, infinate possibility.
It's just another life experience, sometime good, sometime bad. So be pragmatic and realistic, just like buying durian.
soft said:
ok i'm a bit "hearing impaired" no lah i just want a second opinion as everybody will say their music is VERY Good ... nobody wants to say their "cooking" is lousy ...
also my hearing is not so sharp... actually i already went to many popular studios but i just hated the sound quality eventho they were "pro" studios,,, muted, can also hear breathing... so far my present studio i think quite ok but i want to be sure before i start making like 1000 copies for sale...
thanx for help it's very constructive ... how many trax would u like, in MP3 or music format? raw or with some reverb made by the studio?
Hihi
i want ot hear the demo also. Can i? I believe what james had mentioned. The type of mics used and the room accoustic is a very important factor for recording. I also believe that there is no ideal sound or best highest good sound in the world. Everyone has their own point of view. As long as more than 80% like the sound that u had created you are the winner!
Shawn
Pls send me at shawn040@singnet.com.sg if possible. I would like to give u some comment too
i want ot hear the demo also. Can i? I believe what james had mentioned. The type of mics used and the room accoustic is a very important factor for recording. I also believe that there is no ideal sound or best highest good sound in the world. Everyone has their own point of view. As long as more than 80% like the sound that u had created you are the winner!
Shawn
Pls send me at shawn040@singnet.com.sg if possible. I would like to give u some comment too
