Solo of the Month (SotM) #34 - Chat

DulcetJones

Sent.

fastonebaz

I guess its bad form to vote for your item entry hey. 

Loving the playlist,  makes my drive you work go by in a flash.  Quite a range in scales being used here. 

stratman3142

fastonebaz said:

I guess its bad form to vote for your item entry hey. 

No you can't vote for yourself.

stratman3142

DulcetJones said:

Sent.

Added to playlist. That makes 8 entries so far.

Rowby1

Well 8 entries isn't too bad but there must be some more people up for this surely?

Just had a quick listen through and we've certainly got a nice variety in approach and tone this time though.

Regarding final processing (I won't call it mastering, that's a whole different level of treatment) I've not tended to eq the backing tracks on any of my entries or add reverb or delay. I've just run it out through a limiter and pushed the level up a bit on this one (probably a bit too much in this case). 

fastonebaz

I've remastered mine (again!) but this time i got myself some proper studio monitors instead of using my headphones.  Makes a big difference i think.  I'm still not very pro at it, but now at least it sounds a bit more balanced.

I recorded mine with:
1990s Epiphone les paul + SD alnico pro IIs => marshal dsl40R => HOF mine reverb => Cubase 5

flying_pie

Rowby1 said:

Well 8 entries isn't too bad but there must be some more people up for this surely?

Just had a quick listen through and we've certainly got a nice variety in approach and tone this time though.

Regarding final processing (I won't call it mastering, that's a whole different level of treatment) I've not tended to eq the backing tracks on any of my entries or add reverb or delay. I've just run it out through a limiter and pushed the level up a bit on this one (probably a bit too much in this case). 

I'll apologise again for adversely influencing the rest of the mix volumes. Next month I'll try to remember to set the limiter with fewer decibels. 

flying_pie

fastonebaz said:

I've remastered mine (again!) but this time i got myself some proper studio monitors instead of using my headphones.  Makes a big difference i think.  I'm still not very pro at it, but now at least it sounds a bit more balanced.

I recorded mine with:
1990s Epiphone les paul + SD alnico pro IIs => marshal dsl40R => HOF mine reverb => Cubase 5

Sounds good.

I have no option but to use headphones for the time being. I listen to my recordings in other settings such as the car to get an idea of what it sounds like through other speakers or different headphones and send private soundcloud links to friends for their opinions before finalising a mix (but that's for full songs and not ROTM or SOTM). 

Gear used was a 2009 Fender USA Std Tele (stock neck pickup) into a Boss GT 100 using a David Gilmour Shine On You Crazy Diamond patch I found online. This is the first of these I've done using a modeller rather than a real amp as a preamp. 

Rowby1

Oh yes, forgot the gear. Gretsch 5420T into 65 DRRI through a Cali76CD into Protools.

Brad

The whole mixing/processing thing is something I need to learn about and work on, so any tips will be greatly appreciated! I just record, add a some onboard reverb and try and balance things out a little with the track. But I think I could be missing a trick somewhere...  

I used an Eastman T486 into a Kingsley Harlot and Neunaber Iconoclast speaker simulator, into Garageband via a Focusrite Scarlett Solo. 

stratman3142

There's a limit to what can be done in terms of mixing with SotM because the solos are over an existing backing track. But it's interesting to know how entrants create their solos and solo tones, so thanks to those that post info on this.

I think Riff of the Month (RotM) or the other ...otM challenges might be the best place to discuss overall mixing and mastering, because then there's a whole bunch of instruments over which entrants have control.

If everyone's OK with it, I'll post the other '...of the Month' challenges as I receive them, as that might help to promote those discussions.

With SotM I leave 3dB headroom over the backing track. Perhaps if entrants just added their solos without adding extra gain to the overall track that might create a more even set of entries. But it's just for fun so I'm not going to stress about it.

stratman3142

fastonebaz said:

I've remastered mine (again!) ...

Updated in playlist.

flying_pie

stratman3142 said:

With SotM I leave 3dB headroom over the backing track. Perhaps if entrants just added their solos without adding extra gain to the overall track that might create a more even set of entries. But it's just for fun so I'm not going to stress about it.

That's a good idea. For those starting/unsure that guidance in the intro post would be really useful. 

I was wondering if we should post the SOTM playlist with a link to the voting thread in the Guitar forum.There may well be potential future entrants who've never ventured into the forums further down the list. 

mudslide73

I'll do that next time.. there's a bit of softening on mine using an Ozone preset. I used my MJT Strat (with SSL-5) + Barber LTD into an Amplitube HiWatt model then a bit of delay and reverb to cover up the flubs. I have had to resort to mixing with headphones because my old Mission 760s don't tell the truth.

markv

I have decent headphones (Shure) but no monitors, just some B&W speakers which are good, but not monitors. When I remember I like to try the old trick of listening to the track from another room, sometimes that's a good way of finding imbalances.

stratman3142

One from @ChrisRG added to the playlist, which makes a total of 9 entries.

Just a reminder that entries will be closed tomorrow 24th March at 11.30pm.

markv

Sent mine in.

I spent a little while playing round the notes in the chords and while doing so hit on the idea of playing in octaves. From there I constructed the solo, mainly letting my ear guide me between specific notes I wanted to hit on the changes. I think I'm just using G natural minor throughout - which in my head is Gm pentatonic with a couple of extra notes. It took a couple of hours once I had the idea, dozens of run throughs and several takes.

Yamaha SA2200 neck pickup, through my Tubemeister with no effects and straight into the AI. In Reaper I added a bit of compression, a touch of reverb on the harmonies and a smidge of a limiter on the master channel - didn't want to compete in the loudness war :-)

ChrisRG

Great to see a load of entries this month. It’s been a while since I last sent one in. 

Didn't really mess around too much sound wise with this months entry. I don’t really know what I’m doing sound/mix wise at the best of times!!!

I used a PRS SE on the neck pickup straight into my interface and into Studio One. I then used S-Gear for the amp and speaker sims and the Studio One plug-ins for effects, EQ and compression. I tend to stick fairly closely to the presets provided. That’s pretty much it. 

I really should learn learn more about mixing and producing tracks properly!!!

DulcetJones

stratman3142 said:

If everyone's OK with it, I'll post the other '...of the Month' challenges as I receive them, as that might help to promote those discussions.

I'm OK with it.    I'm not into all of the techie stuff and tend to use what's handy at the moment, my entry this month was a tele through a Fender Mustang series amp with one of the big distortion/reverb/delay etc, settings.  The only mixing involved adjusting volume levels so both the solo and backing track can be heard.  I do pay more attention to detail when I'm recording original music for release but still not as much as I see people talking about here.

stratman3142

DulcetJones said:

stratman3142 said:

If everyone's OK with it, I'll post the other '...of the Month' challenges as I receive them, as that might help to promote those discussions.

I'm OK with it...

I propose to start that approach for the next set of monthly challenges, as the current challenges will be posted for voting very soon (probably tomorrow).