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Recording question

Operation Skye

Operation Skye

Jul 15, 2011
51
0
CA
www.reverbnation.com
#1
Can clanking or fret buzz be removed during editing? I am getting ready to lay my first track down and we plan to send the finished song out to be mixed and mastered. Is this something that we can address before we send it ( within protools) or is it something the engineer can address? My playing is getting much cleaner but I am still getting a clank here and there!

Thanks so much:)
 
#2
Yes, it can be removed. It might take a while for the Engineeer to EQ out all of it if there's too much though. Unless you're digging in like Steve Harris most of the fretting and clanky noises won't be very noticeable after being mixed with the rest of the instruments. So don't worry much about it.

...waiting for the "try Flatwounds" comment:hiding:
 
#4
It can be removed with EQ to an extent, but it will also change the tone of your bass slightly. A bit of a hassle, but not the end of the world. Just try and play as cleanly as you can. If you turn up fairly loud in the headphone mix, you'll be less likely to play hard, reducing clank.
 
#7
i use CoolEdit for stuff like this, the noise removal abilities are very good, you can isolate that fretnoise and remove, or if there just a few you can go in and just draw them out.......not eq though, as has been said, too broad a brush

once it gets in the mix it probably wont be as bad as you might think on a solo listen....
 
#8
Clank and buzz are part of a lot of players' sound. John Entwistle, Geddy Lee, Steve Harris, are 3 guys who have lots of it. The key is making it consistent so that it doesn't stick out. Taking it out in post-production is the worst idea. Either embrace it, and make it part of your sound, or play it totally clean. The only thing I would do to try to "mask" it is run an amp emulator on the track.
 
#10
guroove said:
Clank and buzz are part of a lot of players' sound. John Entwistle, Geddy Lee, Steve Harris, are 3 guys who have lots of it. The key is making it consistent so that it doesn't stick out. Taking it out in post-production is the worst idea. Either embrace it, and make it part of your sound, or play it totally clean. The only thing I would do to try to "mask" it is run an amp emulator on the track.
Click to expand...

Definately not consistant lol! Guess I'll just keep practicing and hope the few clanks don't stick out in the mix.
 
#11
simmerdown said:
i use CoolEdit for stuff like this, the noise removal abilities are very good, you can isolate that fretnoise and remove, or if there just a few you can go in and just draw them out.......not eq though, as has been said, too broad a brush

once it gets in the mix it probably wont be as bad as you might think on a solo listen....
Click to expand...

Thanks! I will go check out CoolEdit!
 
#13
I always have some clanking and fret buzz, as I have always had poor technique. As has been mentioned, the best way is to minimize it, best you can, and then do some minimal "smoothing" of the track during the mixing process. You probably won't want to EQ to the point of removing it, as you are likely to affect the tone too much doing that (that's been my experience, anyway). Also, as others have mentioned, once it gets mixed in with everything, it probably won't be too noticeable. The track below had a good bit of buzz, and you can still hear it in there a bit, but once things were mixed and mastered, it didn't bother me. Your standards may be different than mine, but I've been recording for a long time, and unless the buzzing is so bad that you can't make out the notes being played, the engineers should be able to make it work. Good luck.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
 
#15
Curmei said:
I always have some clanking and fret buzz, as I have always had poor technique. As has been mentioned, the best way is to minimize it, best you can, and then do some minimal "smoothing" of the track during the mixing process. You probably won't want to EQ to the point of removing it, as you are likely to affect the tone too much doing that (that's been my experience, anyway). Also, as others have mentioned, once it gets mixed in with everything, it probably won't be too noticeable. The track below had a good bit of buzz, and you can still hear it in there a bit, but once things were mixed and mastered, it didn't bother me. Your standards may be different than mine, but I've been recording for a long time, and unless the buzzing is so bad that you can't make out the notes being played, the engineers should be able to make it work. Good luck.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
Click to expand...

I just listened very closely and couldn't hear one single buzz or clank! Thanks for sharing! Cool bass line btw! I love songs that are driven by a strong bassline!
 
#16
Also, are you listening to your track soloed? Too much of a microscope : ) Good to do for what it is, but what sounds like objectionable clanks when soloed often is really not objectionable fret sound in the mix, if that. Same way a soloed good kick drum is pretty odd sounding but is right in the mix.

If you're talking about the odd fret sound "here and there" in a mix...i thought we were allowed 10 or 12 of those per song. What's wrong with a few fret noises? : )
Those pesky guitarists get to make crazy, buzzy fret sounds and use up most of the buzz quotient. Not fair.
 
#17
I agree with the earlier posts. Listen to it in the mix, if you can barely hear it, forget about it. You can hear it more cuz you're looking for it. If you can hear it, try ducking the EQ on those parts only, not the whooole track, you'll ruin the take. If that doesn't work, practice like hell and do another take, get it right :)
 

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