SkylessLimits

Every time I upload a song to Soundcloud, YouTube, and Reverbnation (The only places I upload my songs) my sound quality goes down. The sounds isn't really distorted, it's just like it gets way quieter than the original. I upload my songs in WAV format. Is there any way to fix this problem?

Okay, whenever a band releases a new song from an album, I always see them post it on YouTube and make it look all cool like this: What software is being used? Can someone tell me what software (preferably free) I can use to make videos like this?

If you want to become a good singer just practice. The voice is just like any other muscle in the body, work it out and learn your limits. When I started, I just started off singing along to songs I like trying to mimic the singers voice until I eventually developed my own voice. It also helps out if you know how to play some sort of instrument. That way you can sing in tune with it or harmonize with it. Unless you're gifted with a godly voice, it's going to take a long time. It took me about a year or more. I'm not professional nor do I have the best voice out there, but I know I'm listenable and that all I really aim for. If you want to learn how to become a professional singer, the obvious course of action would be to find a teacher and take classes.

It's funny how I posted this about exactly a year ago. In fact, this thread was the big stepping stone to everything I know how to do now and I've been doing pretty well for myself. (: As for that trick, I picked that myself awhile back when I recorded my first song using what I learned here. I really like it as well, but sometimes it just depends I guess. Sometimes I feel like recording two guitars for a more natural sound, or just doing what you said cause it sounds nice + saves time.

I don't think you can release too much music. Lol. Releasing an EP every few months isn't bad. Personally if I could record music that frequently without getting bored, I'd do it. If you're trying to build up a fanbase, I'd say put a good amount of your songs up online. About 10 at the max is good, or more if you want. That way, your potential fans will have something to listen to when they check you out. It'll help them decide if they like you or not. Build up fans on the main social networking sites like YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, and Tumblr. There are different approaches for using each site, but once you know the different approaches, they come in very handy. Once your fanbase seems like it's starting to grow, release a string of SINGLES before you release your EP or album. It's a strategy to build up hype for your big release. For example, I'm recording an album that's set for release sometime in Feb. Right now I'm in the process of "building up hype" by releasing singles, and doing other things. Building up enough hype will end up growing your fan base too because more people will want to know what all the commotion is about. So in short, no, having a lot of music isn't bad, but save some of your songs for that potential fanbase.

And I believe that's where a press kit comes in, right? I read that some gigs prefer physical press kits, and some like electronic press kits. I'm not exactly sure of what a press kit is though and what I need to make one.

I'm a new musician...well, not new..but new at trying to actually break into the scene. I have a few (or a lot of) questions that I haven't been able to find on Google, lol, so here they are: 1. How do you book gigs? 2. What's required to book a gig? 3. I've heard that bands need "press kits", what is that and how do I make one? Can I use a digital one like the one on Reverbnation? 4. In three months I plan to release an EP. How do I find people who can write stuff like this on the day I drop it? ( http://bit.ly/MwPCIL ) I really hope someone sees this and replies. I feel like the section of the forums doesn't get a lot of attention.

I was also about to recommend this advice. Well, the youtube channel part. I'm a beginner, and I've been watching his videos for a while. Though I'm only on lesson 3 because I like to practice his lessons over and over again until I can play it without thinking, like I can w/ guitar. http://www.youtube.com/user/lypur

If you upload a video or the audio of an original song by you, is it considered copyrighted? I ask this because every video on YouTube shows a publishing date.

Thank you so much. (: You don't know how much you guys have helped me now. Now I can make my music a lot better and actually be proud about my work.

Yes, that will be great. (:

It does sound like a good solution, but I don't really understand what you're saying. All of this terminology is like a whole new language for me. So dumb it down a little ? Lol. You guys are going that far from my request. I'm really new to all of this, so all of this extra information is good for me. As far as I'm concerned, I won't be able to get any real education on this stuff until I go to college, which I'll have to wait 2 years for. So that's why I'm glad I found this site. I can get what I want to know, and learn what I didn't want to know for future references. BUT! Keep in my mind that my main goal is to just get my soundtracks to have similar quality to the song by Halfway Deserted in the original post. I wanted to know some recommended panning settings (which you guys have given me, I've tested out, and liked the results). I mean, he records from his laptop, with one mic, and a DAW. So I'm just thinking I should be able to sound as good as him, if not more or less. I'm not going for a natural sound really, I just want things to sound good to the point where someone is like "Hey! This Skyless Limits guy is pretty awesome. I want to download and listen to him over and over." With my equipment, I know I won't get that much of a professional sounding mix, but I know I can get something similar to Halfway Deserted's. (: OH! Earlier, one of you said for me to add a little touch of gverb to my guitar tracks. What settings do you think a "touch" would be? Btw, I don't know what a "dry" track is. On my gverb settings, it gives me the following: Roomsize, Reverb time, Damping, Input Bandwidth, Dry Signal Level, Early Reflection Level, and Tail Level. I already have settings I use for my vocals. But what would be good for a "touch" on the guitar?

Okay... I don't have two microphones. So with using one microphone, lets say I record my guitar one time, then duplicate the track. Is there ANYWAY to get a false stereo effect? I think Rex kinda contributed the an answer to this question, but I'm not sure. So if I duplicate a guitar track to make a double track, can I pan one left (50) and one right (25). Add a little high end EQ on one track, and a little low end EQ on the other track, and add reverb (it's called gverb in audacity) to one track, will that give me the false stereo effect I'm trying to achieve? Is the left (50) and right (25) a good slight difference between the L and R stereo fields?

Wouldn't that sound odd though? (Sorry for all the questions, I'm learning here. ) If I made a second take of me playing guitar, and panned it to to the opposite side of the original side, it would sound like I'm playing 2 guitars, and sound more natural, well, to you it would. But if doubled ONE track, and panned it left and right, you'd hear it through both speakers/headphones, and it'd still sound like I'm playing 2 guitars wouldn't it? (Cause that's how you said it sounds when I do it to my vocals). When I listen to professionally recorded music, let's say Cady Groves for example (I'm listening to her right now actually), Everything that's played in the left headphone, I can hear it in the right headphone..and when I have both headphones on, it sounds like everything is centered, and obviously louder. Nothing sounds "unnatural" to me (besides her occasional auto tune). I had always been stuck on the idea that panning left and right was supposed to give the music/sound a more wider sound.