Old 12-26-2013, 03:00 PM   #1
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Default What did you learn in 2013?

Looking back over the last year, what was a single lesson that you learned which improved your audio?
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Old 12-26-2013, 05:11 PM   #2
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I need to learn ALL my software thoroughly.
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Old 12-26-2013, 09:18 PM   #3
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Single Best lesson:
-Trying/switching to Reaper (Best decision yet)

Other lessons:
-Reading more into LUFS and other measure of loudness
-More knowledge of acoustics
-Clearing out my plugins folder
-Field recordings
-Sampling from vinyl


Hmm probably a lot more, but yeah. Been learning a lot!
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Old 12-27-2013, 01:32 AM   #4
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The most important thing I learned was something I once knew but had forgotten:

Quote:
If you wait for inspiration before you start creating something be prepared to wait for a long time. Do, do more and then some more and inspiration will find you.
The more I did the better the results, although the pile of discards is growing as well, of course. But it really helped that I decided on a goal around August, to release an album.

Technically the most important thing I learned were actually two things: I learned a lot about sound synthesis so I'm much better at getting the sounds I want from my synths. Additionally I'm getting better and better at working with Reaper!
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Old 12-27-2013, 01:58 AM   #5
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Small room acoustics. No matter what you do, no matter how often you may tell yourself "now, that's it" - they're not suited for mixing music.
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Old 12-27-2013, 02:00 AM   #6
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I learned :

-Less is more and am using Reaper stock plugs only for my eq , compressor and delay needs.
-Better to have a few tools and master them then many and not knowing them inside out
-sometimes you have to spend money to get what you want (Alchemy, Jamstix, the ethnic sample libraries, Roland audio interface)
-its fun and rewarding to support and interact with small developers
-Reaper now has a killer drum machine = jnif seq + new RS5k
-Kuwait still sux for finding jam mates / band mates
-there is fine line to walk between music and work / family
-i still crave the bi annual drugz n alcohol binge

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Old 12-27-2013, 04:38 AM   #7
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That Music/Daw is going to be my active! hobby again, starting 2014 for sure.
So much! cool stuff out there to try, we are really spoiled silly nowdays aren't we?
Think i even developed a mild headache in attempting to try them All! at once.. just not possible.
So ive learned that i just need to enjoy the ride and there is more days tomorrow.
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Old 12-27-2013, 08:24 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NowoTone View Post
The most important thing I learned was something I once knew but had forgotten:



The more I did the better the results, although the pile of discards is growing as well, of course. But it really helped that I decided on a goal around August, to release an album.

Technically the most important thing I learned were actually two things: I learned a lot about sound synthesis so I'm much better at getting the sounds I want from my synths. Additionally I'm getting better and better at working with Reaper!
Wow that quote really hit close to home. Very inspirational and will definitely motivate me this year. Thanks!
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Old 12-27-2013, 09:53 AM   #9
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I learned that even though I learned a TON of things about Reaper and its capabilities I have only scratched the surface of what Reaper is FULLY capable of.
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Old 12-27-2013, 10:48 AM   #10
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That I would rather have crap gear in a great room than great gear in a crap room.

And that some people will never, ever, no matter what, be able to make that connection.
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Old 12-27-2013, 11:01 AM   #11
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Just do it.....

Quit making excuses & just get on with it....

Freeware is NOT equal to good pay-for stuff 90% of the time.....
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Old 12-27-2013, 11:23 AM   #12
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Also, remember to squeese in some fun somewhere in your busy schedule people! that's an order!
Stay curious and keep learning, or you will get bored and grumpy.
This is Peter Pan speaking!
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Old 12-27-2013, 01:45 PM   #13
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MiniMoogs are legendary but I don't need one.

A Juno 6 does not sound 'fatter' than a Juno 106. They sound almost exactly the same.

I've spent FAR too much time on the REAPER forum!!! I need to spend more time using the tools I have and less time talking about them.

Running two instances of REAPER on two different computers at the same time works FAR better (timing is much more accurate) using LTC SMPTE sync than using MIDI SPP. (and yes, I have two REAPER licenses)
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Old 12-27-2013, 02:02 PM   #14
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I learned how important gain staging is inside the box in order to properly drive certain plugins.
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Old 12-27-2013, 02:22 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jerome_oneil View Post
That I would rather have crap gear in a great room than great gear in a crap room.

And that some people will never, ever, no matter what, be able to make that connection.
+10000000000
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Old 12-27-2013, 02:44 PM   #16
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three big lessons for me
and 2013 was a breakthrough year learning about music and recording -
(1) sit down and don't get up until you FINISH a piece,
(2) finishing a piece works better when you work fast, make decisions and don't fuss,
(3) let the music - the notes and chords - tell you what to do.
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Old 12-27-2013, 03:05 PM   #17
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Using parallel processing is way more faster, easy, natural and great sounding than Chaining 5 plugs per tracks
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Old 12-27-2013, 04:42 PM   #18
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I really always knew this but this year it really hit home.

Recording good quality raw tracks is all that matters!!

Find the groove and capture it, thats where the music is.

No matter how tired, frustrated, at the verge of breaking point you are, don't settle for a take you know in your gut dosen't quite cut it, it will haunt you till the end of time


Trying to edit this out, patch this up, can this bit and copy and paste that bit to here just dosen't do it, for me anyway.

As always, ymmv.
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Old 12-27-2013, 04:42 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jerome_oneil View Post
That I would rather have crap gear in a great room than great gear in a crap room.

And that some people will never, ever, no matter what, be able to make that connection.
Yes, that's a good one.

For me it's just learning more and more of the possibilities that Reaper gives us. Although it's not entirely true, I feel almost like there's nothing I can't do with Reaper. I haven't even dug into the scripting yet.

A week ago I recorded a fiddle player for an old client of mine. He did okay but the timing was not too good. Actually it was really bad.

Anyway, I remembered something about one of the recent updates, Stretch Markers. I dug into the manual, finally figured them out and within 3 hours I turned an unusable fiddle into something that was usable.

Heh heh, every day is a learning process with Reaper.
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Old 12-27-2013, 09:35 PM   #20
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Dsp distortions/saturators/compressors/limiters can really mess up the clarity of recorded tracks. If I learned anything, it was more confirmation of what I already knew: use as few of these types of plugins as possible.
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Old 12-28-2013, 01:52 PM   #21
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The fact the compressor lights the shit of "gain limiting" indicator won't kill you. Also high pass filtering is a thing.
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Old 12-28-2013, 03:11 PM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tod View Post
Yes, that's a good one.

For me it's just learning more and more of the possibilities that Reaper gives us. Although it's not entirely true, I feel almost like there's nothing I can't do with Reaper. I haven't even dug into the scripting yet.

A week ago I recorded a fiddle player for an old client of mine. He did okay but the timing was not too good. Actually it was really bad.

Anyway, I remembered something about one of the recent updates, Stretch Markers. I dug into the manual, finally figured them out and within 3 hours I turned an unusable fiddle into something that was usable.

Heh heh, every day is a learning process with Reaper.
Indeed! I frequently get guitar tracks from Eddie Van Stoner, who refuses to record with a click track because "It's gotta be like organic man! Can you drop a drum track on this for me?" So I learned what a tempo map was, and now the dude is deliriously happy with the EZDrummer (named "Larry") or Reason Kong drum modeler. It takes me about 10 minutes.

He thinks I'm a genius. I'm pooling up percussion tricks in the mean time.
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Old 12-28-2013, 04:11 PM   #23
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How to clean up my mixes and make them more crisp and sharp without sounding shrill and lifeless.
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Old 12-29-2013, 04:43 AM   #24
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I started up my Music this year after a decade's pause. In the bad old Days, I hated the work with recording where every take had to be perfect, since I had a mixer board and one (1) reverb for the whole mix.
Now with the VST's and powerful computers, I can record without effects and finish it in the mix. I don't have to redo a perfect take because of too much reverb or bass.
Basically, I learned to enjoy the mixing and mastering (even though I suck at it
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Old 12-29-2013, 03:59 PM   #25
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Quote:
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Heh heh, every day is a learning process with Reaper.
Actually there's a little more to it than that.

If you use Reaper a lot (or any audio program), you're going to come up against challenges.

The thing about Reaper is that there are ways to overcome many or most of those challenges. Heh heh, if it doesn't exist now, it might in the next update.

It might not be easy and you might have to dig, but either you'll get there, decide it's impossible, or dig in deeper, maybe see if a friend can make a script to do it.

Reaper has so many possibilities and they just keep growing.
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Old 01-02-2014, 03:59 PM   #26
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I learned about proper ITB gain staging using VU meters. (been recording music for 14 years and am just now figuring that part out... i have no hardware background or any kind of formal training)

I learned that marijuana, while fun during the songwriting process, can be rather detrimental to the mixing process.

I learned that buying plugins is addictive and, most of the time, unnecessary for me. In particular, I've come to the conclusion that EQ plugins are more about GUI/comfort/ease-of-use than the actual "sound."

I learned that being somewhere that doesn't have an internet connection makes me far more productive (and more prone to social outings). Of course, now instead of spending all night playing League of Legends, I spend all night with my girlfriend instead...
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Old 01-02-2014, 08:12 PM   #27
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Lesson 1: Finished is better than perfect.
Corollary: It's not finished until you don't have to explain it to a random listener.

Lesson 2: Musicians/singers > song/arrangement > room > equipment

Lesson 3: Really coming to grips with parallel compression. http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/feb1...st-squeeze.htm
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Old 01-02-2014, 08:19 PM   #28
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Adrenochrome View Post
Lesson 1: Finished is better than perfect.
Corollary: It's not finished until you don't have to explain it to a random listener.

Lesson 2: Musicians/singers > song/arrangement > room > equipment

Lesson 3: Really coming to grips with parallel compression. http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/feb1...st-squeeze.htm
Yes, yes and yes! Well put.
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Old 01-03-2014, 02:21 AM   #29
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I learned to actually use Reaper

Switching back to a dual-screen setup (had moved one of them out of the studio a while back) and going full-on with the Imperial theme made all the difference for my workflow.

Now I'm cooking like crazy
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Old 01-03-2014, 09:30 AM   #30
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Quote:
Originally Posted by technogremlin View Post
I learned to actually use Reaper

Switching back to a dual-screen setup (had moved one of them out of the studio a while back) and going full-on with the Imperial theme made all the difference for my workflow.

Now I'm cooking like crazy
The Imperial theme is beastly. I also found it improved workflow dramatically!
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