Why does my tracks sound different on other music system

[Row]

Nobody asking a thing here so let me do it

Why does my tracks sound different on other music system?

Vox to low on other system, instrumental to high,some times no vocals at all, i am getting annoyed, Like finally i made a track that sounds so damn good on my system but then like trash on others.

Software Cubase 5

[stainless]

sounds like a classic example of some acoustical problems in the room you mix in, and or some deficiencies in your monitors.

What are you mixing through?  What's the signal chain from your mixer (or soundcard if you're mixing in the box) tot he monitors?

My guess is your compensating for excessive reflection or standing waves in your room, and when your finished mix is burned to a CD and listened to elsewhere they don't have the same issues and it now sounds all trashed out.

Describe the room you're mixing in? dimensions, windows, and traps, baffles or diffusers?

[Row]

I cant afford real Monitors yet so i mix trough the studio headphones, akg 77, and i record on a regular room with window and stuff but in a corner, using M-audio pro fast track and i use a carpet under the mic while i do REC.





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[stainless]

mixing with cans- most recommend against mixing with headphones, although I know of a couple of folks who seem to do a fine job.

The argument against headphones is in a room, or open space, our ears "hear" stereo, meaning we can usually tell what's coming from the left, right, directly in front (and behind), but we also hear the reflections which gives a natural delay or reverb, whereas in headphones your left ear hears whats coming  panned left, right from the right, and anything in the "center" is coming from both sides (to some degree) so you've taken open space out of what your hearing while mixing.  The headphones to some extent give you almost too good a sound which just doesn't always translate well when you take the mix and play it on another system- the output signal chain is different, the frequency response of the amplification system may be different, they may have EQ cuts/boosts which your headphone mix didn't have, the speakers (or even headphones) probably don't have the same frequency response, and the space you're listening in may tend to cancel some freqs, accentuate others.  And if it's on a computer system, many 'players' have optional sound "enhancements" which may be adding compression, EQ, verb.... on top of your mix. I always set the EQ flat and turn off any options.

This is the biggest obstacle in getting a good mix, that translates well in most audio situations.

Do you have a commercial CD with tunes you're very familiar with and like the sound? How do your mixes compare to those recordings you're using a reference?  Are the drums as clear? Bass? vocals, instruments, etc... everything in it's own sonic "space" and not competing with another track?

I have an assortment depending on the style of music, and I periodically just pull 'em out and listen to them all to kind of remember.

[Row]

Like.. . ehmm.. AH crap  its like problem after problem it never ends never knew it was such a "big" deal and stuff, but yeah.. thats what i like about the creation of music haha there is always something in ur way.
but what would YOU recommend me to do with the stuff ive got to get alteast a nice mix?  any tips and stuff.


There should be some ways.. or am screwd?

[stainless]

as mentioned

"Do you have a commercial CD with tunes you're very familiar with and like the sound? How do your mixes compare to those recordings you're using a reference?  Are the drums as clear? Bass? vocals, instruments, etc... everything in it's own sonic "space" and not competing with another track?" 

Preferably you want to avoid excessive EQ to make it sound good on another system- If this turns out to be the case, then you need to take a serious look at the room you're recording in in regards to some acoustic treatment-

If this was really easy, we'd all be world class engineers and producers!

A lot of the "problems" is (IMHO) due to slick marketing and hype  which causes  many many folks getting into home recording, that all you need it one of these, one of those... and YOU TO can make professional sounding recordings!

There is (unfortunately" a reason the top end equipment is as pricey as it is! Not that you can't get decent results with the entry level (aka inexpensive) hardware and software (H&S) , but you have to learn each piece of H&S's strengths and weaknesses.  Does $1000 Neuman sound 10 times better than a $100 Chinese mic? A $2500 mic pre 5 times better than a $500 unit?  In most cases, it's hard to objectively say Yes, but there's usually a difference, the most noticeable is often the higher end gear is much less noisy and has better clarity.  There's a reason (insert famous musicians name here) has a preference when recording... and it's more than just because "they can afford it"

As to you're room- another "tip" is to try the mic in different locations- there are usually "sweet spots" with respect to mic placement, both to the instrument/voice and within the room, and sometimes moving the mic a few inches will give rise to a "holy $%^@!" moment.  It's easier if you have someone else move it around and play/sing the same thing while you listen through the monitoring channel.  For voice, it's often better to not sing directly "into a wall" . Granted, a bit difficult in a small room, and this is where moving around helps to get the best sound with the least amount of reflections and/or standing waves.

[kip4]

your defo not screwed mate
imho i had similar issues before i got my monitors ( off ebay £30 btw) and i continue to have issues despite the moniters
you might have to try to compensate mean time by gauging whats missing or overdone on the alternate sound systems playback and adjusting your mixes accordingly. Its not ideal
Do not under any circumstances give up keep going and thing will improve

[kip4]

and i forgot to mention i record in a regular bedroom size room too
3m x 3m x 2.2 high
i have to hang sleeping bags on the walls to reduce the room reflections during recording and i record voals with the performers stood about 1.5 mts from a corner with a bookshelf in it and i use a reflection screen around the mic and a rug under the mic stand
and when i microphone record acoustic guitars i put a quilt over the large window to further dampen the reflections
it never ends but i'm getting better i learn something from every recording i do

[Row]

"Do you have a commercial CD with tunes you're very familiar with and like the sound? How do your mixes compare to those recordings you're using a reference?  Are the drums as clear? Bass? vocals, instruments, etc... everything in it's own sonic "space" and not competing with another track?" 

No not really.. i never compare tracks or trying to copy it i just do things my own way, maybe i should look into other tracks i guess.

No no I've got a free 24/7 access to a real high-end studio ,digi rack 003+ newman mic with acoustic treatet room and all that crap
I just want to learn first by using my own little home studio i bought for training my self ,and so i don't have to go to the high end studio and not knowing a thing:)

But now i guess i found the problem it was the room, but that wont happend on the other studio haha!, i can take a breathe now haha i always thought it was the way i mix.

Big thanks really!

[stainless]

yes sleeping bags, quilts, blankets, and I've know a few folks (if there's a bed in the room) to stand the mattress up against a wall! (I don't advise trying to sleep this way unless you're a conehead     )

egg cartons don't do much of anything

don't give up! most all of us home "studio" types have gone through the same struggles.  It seems even those "who know better" try and circumvent acoustical treatment in the beginning.  I know I did, and I interned and worked in a couple of commercial studios... I just wanted to spend the $$$ on gear instead of acoustical material... in the long run... it cost me more money buying more gear hoping "THIS"  would solve my problems, than just addressing the issue of acoustic treatment in the first place.

When I finally got tired of my mixes getting completely torn apart on the forums and saved up enough to buy some rigid fiberglass panels and fabric from the sewing store to cover them that I started making serious headway, kicking myself for resisting not listening to others (and what I actually already knew). Granted , buying a couple hundred bucks worth of acoustic 'arts and crafts" supplies isn't anywhere near as fun as a new mic, or a new plug-in, etc, the difference was astounding! Even my wife noticed the room sounded 'different' and CD's sounded much better...despite thinking I'd gone a bit bonkers when I started to install the squares, rectangles, and triangle shapes in the corners , walls, and ceiling. 

[Row]

"it cost me more money buying more gear hoping "THIS"  would solve my problems" hahah yeeezz i can see my self there... hahahahah I knew i wasn't alone hahaha i miss my money  .

[stainless]

there's a lot to be said for using what others have done before as a reference point. It's not that you're trying to copy or sound like, but rather having a benchmark for what's a great _________.

I listen to different CD's/artists, for different instruments, as well as different genres. Example, I like the sound of McCartney's bass for certain styles (and really not much of anything I write/play is very 'Beatle-ish"), for something else, I might listen to Sting. For guitar's... acoustic - James Taylor, Dave Matthews. Drums- Fleetwood Mac and much of Clapton's music.  Electric guitar... wide open here...and here's where I tend to "go-it-alone" (I'm mainly a guitar player, so I go for a recorded sound/tone that keeps me from thinking I need to buy another amp/guitar... not that it wouldn't be fun... but) Vocals- lot's of folks, butt if I'm working with a female vocalist, I'll listen to Aretha, Sheryl Crow, Chrissy Hines, and anyone else that's similar in sound to the vocalist I'm working with. Male vocalists- Dr. John, Leon Russel, David Byrne, Dave Matthews, Michael Franks, Jack Johnson... Keyboards is more about what kind of keyboard. I have a Hammond M3, a Rhodes 88, Yamaha S08, PolyKorg,  and a Farfisa professional, so it comes down to "what sound do I want"?  Even the keyboards themselves serve as a reference.

and there's just listening to entire pieces to study how everything is placed (panned) and the arrangements and how the piece transitions through the various parts of the song.

And again, I'm not specifically trying to emulate any of these other artists, just get a mental image/sound in my mind that I'm after.