first time in studio with band, your thoughts? (recordings inside!)

[visa]

hey guys;

my band recently stepped into the studio for the first time to have a go at recording a couple of our original songs, multi-tracked. we're all really new to the process, we're all 17 and it's our first serious band and our first time in a studio, et cetera.

it was an interesting experience. first of all my drummer is self-taught and really new to drumming and music altogether, so he was completely unsettled by having to play along to a metronome, which he never did before. it took him quite a while to get it, but he did in the end. (he's now getting himself a metronome to practice with on his own)

we're a 3 piece band, guitars, bass and drums.

can you guys give a listen to our two tracks and give us your feedback on how to improve them? Like what should we add more of, what should we step away from, etc.

We realise for some reason now that the snare sounds really hollow and reverby, like "TONK!" instead of what we'd prefer, which would be something more crisp and compact, we hope to rectify that the next time we record something.

any criticism or insight on the tones or the mix or the playing is greatly appreciated =)

the tracks in question are the two tracks with "NEW" next to them.

www.myspace.com/armchaircritic

thanks guys!

[Pugz]

I don't know if you've ever listened to The Libertines before but I couldn't help notice a very strong similarity in the song Tainted Tuesday to a Libertines song called What Katie Did. The vocal lines are very similar in places and the intervals used seem to be almost exactly the same at points from what I can remember. Don't want to sort of burst your bubble a bit there but I wanted to point out the fact that it's worth checking out.

Also I highly recommend the Libertines to you (and everyone else) I think they will very likely be your sort of thing. They are a British band, and the lyrics are just works of a genius. Though unfortunately the lyricist (Pete Doherty) has very got himself messed up now in drugs and sadly most people just dismiss him as a drugged up rock star and miss some of the amazing work he once did.

If you do want to look into them get the album 'Up the Bracket'. That album is just perfect.

The tracks sound good. I can offer a bit of reassurance for the drummer as it is a common thing for drummer's to get thrown off by click tracks. Any studio engineer will tell you that. You get some incredible drummers who come into a studio for the first time put the headphones on and try and play to the click and they get thrown by it. As long he practices regularly with a metronome next time you go to the studio to do recording you'll be able to save yourself lots of time from drum takes as he will be more prepared.

[visa]

never heard of the libertines =\ i know of pete doherty and the babyshambles. will check them out!

thanks!

EDIT: just caught the song on youtube, DAMN! it's similar! but they've got a a more melancholy feel to it with the minor chords and a better vocal melody hook =\ for us tainted tuesdays is more of a live song focused on the drum/bass groove to get people dancing