HoboSage

The 32-Bit Float audio recording revolution and its HUGE headroom before clipping (making clipping and gain staging for it a thing of the past) is underway. DAWs and VSTs have been using it a long time for internal processing. Zoom may have have been first out of the gate with a consumer audio interface - this one:. https://www.amazon.com/Zoom-UAC-232-Converter-Interface-Headphone/dp/B0BW1VDHNS/ref=asc_df_B0BW1VDHNS/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=647293221758&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=9200862543381157809&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9009415&hvtargid=pla-1968708094295&psc=1&mcid=df63d616fb4f3e5bbf09b08b69b770d6

LOL No, John I was just giving a good-natured ribbing to the OP by pointing out that he might try to drive traffic to his music on those sites by posting links to it in his profile and posts posts here (i.e.via his profile signature) on Songstuff. I guess my intended humor missed the mark.

Seriously? There is nothing in your post - and nothing in your profile here at Songstuff - that even has a link to your music on Spotify or Apple Music. Can you even find your music there?

Hi, Mark. I'm David. Welcome.

LOL Sorry, but I really thought that was pretty funny.

If you do get that guitar, get the see-thru purple sunburst version of it. I think it looks the coolest. it may also be the least expensive of the colors available for it. Double-plus!! ++ ++

Wes. Dude. There is only one Bruce Hornsby. Listen to him . . . do it multiple times a day if need be. Ignore all the rest. The rest pale in comparison.

WTF? I'm supposed to be having fun doing music? Hmm. I must be doing it wrong. Welcome to my nightmare, Palmiro. David

Video killed the radio star. I have a Youtube music channel that I do not upload anything to. f*ck Youtube. That's my "strategy."

The Google app for Android or iOS has Google Voice Assistant that you activate by clicking the microphone icon in the Google search window, or by simply saying "Hey Google." After that, ask "What song is this?" or click on "search song" if that icon comes up. Then hum or sing da-d-a-das (that's what I do) of the melody in question for 10-15 seconds. After "listening," Google Voice Assistant will display known songs matching that melody. It can be pretty useful.

Save your Vocaroo recording as an .mp3, then upload that .mp3 file as an attachment to a post you make in a forum here on Songstuff.

I just finished watching a documentary on Gordon Lightfoot. I had forgotten what a truly great songwriter he is, and I've been listening to his stuff again. In my opinion, this is still one of the best songs ever recorded.

He's a musical artist. If you're a musician, record producer and songwriter - you're a musical artist. https://artists.teamwass.com/music/rick-beato/ So, let's agree to disagree about that. I have watched and liked many of his videos. I think he crossed the line here - regardless of whether he did it to make money.

He's entitled to his opinions. But, I think he should have kept them to himself and to private discussions with others. This went way beyond analysis: He was trashing these songs. I personally find it very distasteful when a musical artist publicly trashes the creative works of other musical artists. Millions of people love these songs. He's insulting them too. The world is full of non-artist art critics. We shouldn't be criticizing the works of each other unless criticism by peers is being asked for. Anyway, that's how I feel.

No worries, Greg. I just wanted to clarify why I am not posting for critique, and I appreciate you clarifying what you were saying. You were talking about . . . for lack of a better term . . . drive-by-posters looking only to get without giving back. David

Your mixes sound damn good, Bro. You don't need a "mentor" for mixing. Your ears are all you need. Trust them. Your sound choices though are another matter - a B3? WTF? <heh-heh> I couldn't resist. What's next, a Fender Rhodes? <ducking while yankin' your chain> David

For those of you who don't know, this is my second go round as a member here. I was a very active member here years ago. and I can't help but be surprised that many of you seem to think that the critique forums here are currently quite "active." From my perspective, compared to how they used to be, the critique forums seem like graveyards. Anyway . . . I feel I need to address this from Greg. I am only posting my stuff in the Showcase. I am not posting my stuff in a critique forum But, Greg, I am not an "elitist." I am simply being true to myself. I have been writing, playing, and recording music for a long, long, long time. When I first joined here, I was just starting to re-engage with music after a long hiatus from it. All I had in terms of gear back then was a cheap acoustic guitar, a mic, and Reaper to record. I was still able to write good songs, but my arrangements and recordings were rudimentary. Over time, I steadily upgraded my guitars, my DAW, my mic, etc. I'm not in band where I have the opinions of bandmates to consider. I don't collaborate, so I don't have the opinions of collaborators to consider. I am now at the point where music, including the recording of it, is something that's solely between me, my muse, and the universe of sounds. I don't post in the critique forum, simply because I have also come to the point where I can be honest with myself, and know that I sincerely do not care what anyone else thinks of my work. You think I should change this part of my lyrics? I don't care. You think this aspect of my arrangement or this mixing choice I made is problematic? I don't care. It would only be counterproductive for me and for the critique forum to post my stuff in a critique forum here. However, if I think I might have something constructive to offer, I will still comment on stuff others post in a critique forum here. I will also participate in discussions of things here if I think I might have something to contribute. But, for my work, all I want to do is archive it and share it. I don't think that makes me an elitist. I certainly don't feel that way or have that mindset. However, if John/Songstuff thinks I come off that way and that's not the type of member it wants, that's cool. I will understand. Just let me know, and I'll stop Showcasing my stuff. Thanks, David

I suspect that Lou Reed has inspired other terrible singers to not let that shortcoming stop them.

It kind of depends on what your final recording is intended for. Some final mastering is always a good idea if you're doing a CD/album/EP of multiple songs so that all songs end up in the same general volume and EQ ballpark. Otherwise, the listener will want to be making volume and/or EQ playback adjustments from song to song. Even with single songs though, if you'll be uploading to online streaming platforms, you'll want to be sure that your final mixes don't much exceed -14 LUFS on average, and don't have too many true peaks above -1 db. Otherwise the platform's algorithm will f*ck with your mix. Because, like you, my track mixing makes the overall mix pretty much already there, that's usually all I do for final "mastering" - and that's typically accomplished with one plugin using presets. The exceptions are those recordings where I have lost the DAW mix files and only have a stereo rendering to work with. Then, I might have to get much more creatively involved in doing things to the stereo track to get it to a point where I'm content to live with it. But, always keep in mind, the most important person you need to be satisfied with your mix is you. David

Yeah. Ricky Nelson said it Garden Party back in 1972. But it's all right nowI learned my lesson wellYou see, you can't please everyoneSo you got to please yourself Of course, The Bard said it way back when: "To thine own self, be true." It took me awhile to get to this point as an "artist."

Though I am not such a member, I do believe other members here do more creative works than just write a song or write song lyrics, or record music and music videos. I for one would like the Showcase to be opened up to let members post their other works of art to share without looking for a critique - their paintings, poetry, photographs, non-music videos, short stories, pottery, jewelry, candles, and other fine arts and creative "stuff." But please, for the love of god, ban slide shows of family vacations! Those might give me bad flashbacks of being forced to sit through my dad's boring slideshows as a kid. David

If you missed anything, John, it was probably only my lame attempt at sarcasm.

What a coincidence that someone intentionally posts here to come across as being a misogynistic troll, and does so using a Muslim-Iranian name.

I wouldn't buy a car without first taking it for a test drive. I don't know why you think it's a good idea to agree to do a multi-song recording project with this studio without first recording one song there to see how it goes. But, I hope it works out for you.

Not surprising advice coming from a "music production course." I personally think it's kind of sad that they seem to want to convince you that an "impartial mix" by someone feeling no personal connection with the music is somehow a good thing, and that you shouldn't trust your own ears.