Ramona - A Way Over (original)

[revolver]

From our debut EP "Mornington Crescent Now Open".
Mostly recorded in my bedroom

http://soundcloud.com/ramonahq/a-way-over

[beatbyrd]

You've got it all down; great song, performance, recording, mix, and master. This is one of the most pro sounding tunes I've heard on this forum. Now please post a 4 page report on instruments, equipment, and techniques that you used. That soundwave is maxed out for nearly the whole song and there's no clips. How the heck did you do that? Very nice work. Tom

[revolver]

That soundwave is maxed out for nearly the whole song and there's no clips. How the heck did you do that?

Haha! Thanks for the kind words Tom. The overly compressed soundwave completely lacking any dynamics is courtesy of OZONE mastering software by iZotope. The presets are a good place to start, you can tweak from there to suit your own track. The manual is fantastic and is not overtly technical, a good read actually!

The recording of the track is a real DIY hodgepodge. Most of the guitars (330 Rickenbacker, 71 SG & Hamer Special) were actually tracked with a V1 POD in my bedroom. BG vocals and bass guitar (MIJ Fender P-Bass through Bass POD) also tracked at the foot of my bed through an Mbox 2 to Pro Tools.

In true DIY guerilla style, the drums were recorded on the tail end of a proper recording session through an SSL console with some pretty serious microphones and outboard gear (U87s, C38s, D12, 1176s, LA2As). The drummer did me a favour and layed down a few options which I edited together later. Took about 20 minutes to record!! (I think it was a Yamaha kit, I can't remember)

I tracked a couple of live rhythm guitars using a 5 watt Fender Champ clone. I think PODs sound great but adding some takes with a real amp adds some depth and air to your tracks. Recorded with an AKG 414.

Lead vocals were recorded with a borrowed U87. All mixed and mastered at home on my iMac with bargain KRK Rockit monitors. At the time I did all of my mix checks in my 1998 VW Jetta! I listened to so much music in that car I could tell if I was getting close with my own stuff. Sadly the car is gone....I should have kept it for the stereo!

Even the artwork for the EP was DIY. Friends' photographs and I did the artwork. Released in North America, Europe and Japan on indie labels. DIY - the future of music?