More 70s Berlin - Diva, BlueARP, NI, Vintage Hardware, Guitar, TinyPops, Valhalla, VoS - O Jerusalem

[AusDisciple]

I`m listening on my bedroom entertainment/internet system with the embedded motherboard driver out to an standard home receiver to the Bose speakers. So yes, it`s the conversion at your end indeed. Your particular artistry in the production is maybe a larger part of the good sound...but can`t say for sure which is responsible for what.

I think a large part of it comes down to using good reverbs, good sound sources and good A/D. The Valhalla reverb algorithms are first class and I can't say enough good things about them. Same with the A/D in my new RME. It has really put a big smile on my face and was worth every cent.

No matter on the surround situation, i`m only really set up for the gimmick effect of it.
I do have an RME digi 24/96 w/ADAT to Mackie HR824 mons in my home studio but not listened on that system yet.

Ah, nice. I've heard a lot of good things about the RME PCI stuff. The Mackie's are known to be a trustworthy workhorse too. I'm definitely curious to hear your feedback when you listen on your studio rig.

Yeah, i`ll have to demo the Arts Acoustic Big Rock to understand you. I used to own a 'Small Stone", so I understand somewhat your phase effect, but the Big Rock is a parameter expansion on the Small Stone...as you know...so best demo it.

Yep. Grab the demo and have a play around. It is like a Small Stone on steroids! As you can no doubt see from my initial comments and the usage of this plugin, I am a big fan of Small Stone phasers and have been since I first learned how JMJ got THAT sound (Eminent 310u + Small Stone + Delay).

Interesting setup you`ve got going on there. I was looking for you pet wallaby in that pix. Don`t mind me.

LOL
I live on a 20 acre farm in the hills and we actually DO get kangaroos in our paddocks regularly. They're quite happy to mingle with the cows and eat their grass and the cows don't seem to mind.

Ah, assembling your own crossovers. It`s become 'Show and Tell time in the Cafe. (i`m an old tech, so it`s like..."Doesn`t everyone build their own crossovers?" haha)

We share that in common I guess. I'm a techie too and although not earning a living in that field any more, I am regularly designing, modding and building stuff for my studio.

[AusDisciple]

Great instrumental track with a nice intro and progression. Excellent work!

Thanks heaps SCprogfan

[annode]

Correct me if i`m wrong...your using the Valhalla as your only verb?
The N.Y. Piano hall verb really does sound excellent! Does 'it' have it`s own verb, or is it Valhalla? Are you using verb on the master buss?
Are the verbs being processed in the render at a higher resolution then 44.1?

Yes, I will write back after I hear the tracks on the RME and Mackies.

Maybe the only advice I could come up with on what I would do to improve on the tracks would fall with the levels and the crystalline sounds on some synths on 'Run The Race'.
- O-Jerusalem - The degrees of overall level I felt was a bit too wide.
The intro stays at a nice quiet level for a time then as things are brought in and get busy, I feel it`s too much louder then the intro.

I would bring those two levels closer together. When I bring up my listening volume to a level appropriate for the intro, the loudest section will become excessively loud. Maybe just a bit too dynamically present? (not sure how much this happens off hand, with 'Run The Race'.)

- Run The Race - I feel odd just saying this...but as for this seventies style Berlin electronics, I feel that some of the synths are just too clear, crisp, crystalline.
If I were mixing it, i`d dull it down quite a bit. It`s too ...digital, even though it`s an analog style emulation.

I also feel there could be some adjustment to your 'panning law'. With the Big Rock as your panner, each instrument`s level changes as it phases through it`s range of frequencies...raising and lowering it`s level. They will also change between pan sweeps where the center is different from the sides. It may be causing too much movement?
EDIT - Just listened to 'Run The Race' again...I really can`t say there is anything to criticize...it just sounds great to me!
All this is maybe knit-picking. But I thought it was worth pointing out. A solution might be worth looking into...maybe not.

So that`s about it. I just love both works. Your piano playing on 'O-Jerusalem is beautifully articulated as well as harmonically interesting. (you run a scale with some 'blue notes'...in a Berlin electronica! Haaa. Who does that!? )
Not only do the productions shine, but your playing, sequencing and arrangement artistry make listening a real treat. I`ll be anxious to hear your next addition.

[annode]

Listened to both trks on the RME & Mackies.
Ignore what I wrote above about the panning levels and toning down the high end, it`s just fine in my Mackie near field environment. It must have been a thing with the reflective/coloring of the Bose and their wide separation and such. ( note to self: I have to stop remarking on ppls tunes using these Bose! )

I can expand on the loudness issue I made concerning 'O-Jerusalem'.
The Mackies are notoriously bright in the upper-mids and I have compensated for that with master out EQ on my hardware mixer. The synth horns and guitar during the buildup peak still seamed to be overly blaring. But after cutting 3db at 2.5khz on the output buss board they both fell into place and the apparent loudness I heard leveled off.

Don`t know why it`s like this, but thought you`d want to know what I got at my end.

[AusDisciple]

Thanks again Annode. I truly appreciate you taking the time to evaluate my tunes and post your thoughts. I will make a detailed reply tomorrow but right now, I am exhausted and need some sleep. I have just finished uploading the newest track for my new album though and if you want to download it and read about it, I posted all the details here....

http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic ... 4&t=413920

As I said, I will indeed get back to you with a detailed reply shortly. Thanks again.

[AusDisciple]

Correct me if i`m wrong...your using the Valhalla as your only verb?
The N.Y. Piano hall verb really does sound excellent! Does 'it' have it`s own verb, or is it Valhalla? Are you using verb on the master buss?
Are the verbs being processed in the render at a higher resolution then 44.1?

The primary reverb is indeed Valhalla Room. The NY piano does have its own reverb but I cut that right back. What you are hearing is almost entirely Valhalla.
No reverb on master. I usually either use a send/return or insert a specific verb on a given channel.
All Reverbs are running at 44.1K.

Yes, I will write back after I hear the tracks on the RME and Mackies.

EDIT - Just listened to 'Run The Race' again...I really can`t say there is anything to criticize...it just sounds great to me!
All this is maybe knit-picking. But I thought it was worth pointing out. A solution might be worth looking into...maybe not.

I'm all for digging into details. Funny how our perspectives can change radically so quickly too. That happens to me often!!

So that`s about it. I just love both works. Your piano playing on 'O-Jerusalem is beautifully articulated as well as harmonically interesting. (you run a scale with some 'blue notes'...in a Berlin electronica! Haaa. Who does that!? )

Ha!! I love bending musical 'rules'!! The lure of the F# in C Minor was too great to pass up here, especially with that gorgeous NY grand!

Not only do the productions shine, but your playing, sequencing and arrangement artistry make listening a real treat. I`ll be anxious to hear your next addition.

Cheers again Annode. I appreciate all your feedback both critical and otherwise.

[AusDisciple]

Listened to both trks on the RME & Mackies.
Ignore what I wrote above about the panning levels and toning down the high end, it`s just fine in my Mackie near field environment. It must have been a thing with the reflective/coloring of the Bose and their wide separation and such. ( note to self: I have to stop remarking on ppls tunes using these Bose! )

I still really enjoyed hearing your comments when listening through your Bose speakers. The Bose concept is right up my alley mix wise. I like width and image. The wider and more spacious the better.

I can expand on the loudness issue I made concerning 'O-Jerusalem'.
The Mackies are notoriously bright in the upper-mids and I have compensated for that with master out EQ on my hardware mixer. The synth horns and guitar during the buildup peak still seamed to be overly blaring. But after cutting 3db at 2.5khz on the output buss board they both fell into place and the apparent loudness I heard leveled off.

Don`t know why it`s like this, but thought you`d want to know what I got at my end.

Cheers again. I'm pretty critical on things like this and like to listen to my mixes on numerous systems to check for oddities. I have listened to these tracks on my bedroom system, my iPhone speaker!!, my car system and, of course, my main studio monitors and there's no noticeable 2.5K peaks here so perhaps there is something in the mix that is showing a resonance in your listening environment?
I also run the RME digicheck when I'm making final decisions on mixes. I know people are funny about 'mixing with your eyes' but I find those tools invaluable in fine tuning things and the RME Digicheck tool is REALLY good.

[himalaya]

This is really good.

A beautiful tapestry of sound. More please!

[AusDisciple]

This is really good.

A beautiful tapestry of sound. More please!

Cheers Himalaya. I appreciate your feedback

There's more from this album below....

This one is all u-he Bazille: http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic ... 4&t=412534
and this one is all Yamaha SY77: http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic ... 4&t=413920

I'm most likely going to do some more work on Ghost Train though. Keep an eye out on that topic for updates.

[graywolf2004]

Love "Ghost train", deep and beautiful. Especially intro fx (1st minute) and the 'distant' lead coming in at 1:10.

[AusDisciple]

Thanks Graywolf. I spent quite a lot of time reworking Ghost Train and did a lot on that intro. If you have a surround system, try listening to it in Dolby ProLogic II mode. There's a lot of surround info in this mix.