I feel my mixes sound off for some reason....

[RARStudios]

I just started mixing...i dont even own monitors yet(will hve them by the end of the week), so i mixed this in some headphones, and compared back and forth on my macbook speakers. I am self taught at recording, but have been in studios to record with my band before. (I am on satellite internet so i cut the song into 1/3rd, its not the FULL song, upload time was taking a year)

I am using Logic Pro 8
An Edirol FA-66 and a Motu896 HD
A 57
An M-Audio Sputnik.
Programmed drums, but i tried to mix them to sound a tad more realistic.

I feel like I could be getting better results. Everything was done in 1 take so its more of a scratch track, but i try to even get my scratch tracks to sound as good as possible.

Any suggestions on how the general sound could be improved?

Thanks!
Evan

[imixrecords]

Using only headphones is tough!

Even if you find some KRK ST-6 speakers (under $200/pair) and a half decent amp (Mcintosh 2100 = under $500) the solution will become much more clear. If that''s outside the budget then go to the music store and try out some powered speakers. Bring some music that you know well and ask to demo them.

Be careful with those headphones. Having a speaker pressed up against you ear for a few hours may not be that easy on the hearing.

[BLUElightCory]

My first impressions:

- The drums kind of dominate the mix; it didn't bug me till the second part of the clip, where I felt they became overbearing.

- What's going on for bass? I couldn't hear any bass but I'm not sure if you tracked/programmed any in the first place.

- It wouldn't hurt to completely lose the Auto-tune. Sing until you get good takes and the song will be come off as being much more tasteful. If you leave the AT on it'll sound dated in no time.

[chris carter]

Honestly, you can't mix on headphones. Checking a mix on headphones is great, but you can't mix on them.

Wait until you get your monitors, then try again. Mixing on headphones and asking what's wrong with your mix is like trying to run a marathon on one leg and asking why you aren't in the lead.

[Gandy]

The drums are too loud, and they are ahead by a bit. Really, the drums are completely off, they don't suit it whatsoever, unless it's meant to be a hybrid of metal and the beginning style.

Yeah, the AutoTune is overdone a bit as well, and are the vocals double tracked? If so, try only one, it may be the AT, or it may be phase or something but they sound too electronic.

[ohmicide]

ttttttttoooo mmmmuuuuchhhhhh aaaaauuttooo ttttuuuuuuunnnnneeeeeeee

turn the drums down and throw some buss compression on them

[ofutch]

i get your vocal sound but it needs to be more prominent!
maybe lose the autotune but i see what your going for!
Turn the drums down and get some compression on them!
Not a bad sound for programmed drums though, also there are some timing issues with the piano which could be EQ'd a little less harsh in the top end maybe.

[corey.schroeder]

Are you using one of Logic's samplers for your piano? It sounds too... Thin..
Cut back on the upper end eq of your piano to try and warm it up a bit. Also try using the slightest bit of stereo delay on your piano track. That will actually help give the illusion of it being more full than it really is.

Your cymbals (especially the crash you have panned L) is way too loud. Try approaching your mix a different way... Start out with your kick, snare and hats. Once you get those where you want them, add in your vocals. Then add in your piano. Mix your cymbals in last. Try this technique as it will most likely help you find the gap that your cymbals fit in more naturally.

Bring up the background vocals a bit, and make them a little more wet..

It doesnt sound bad at all man, just little things

[synthdude]

hey man, beofre I get into the critque kind of stuff you can mix on headphones it just takes some learning, and it helps if you have calibrated ones which even out the extra lowened headphones can have. I know of many pro jazz guys who insisit on headphones as well as some other mixers, but anyways.

The first thing I noticed was check the pian\oo to vocal level where it first come in and match it more ot how it is though the rest of the song, may just need to knock iot down 0.7 to 1.5 db's down.

second thing the drums are way hot and maybe add some slight room verb with a medium pre delay, i=i rjustbad some light er's to the drums and pull them down they just sound too harsh and dry compared to how the piano is. I can;tm say anythign about the choice of autotune really tillt he other things are changed.

later.

chris

[Weasel9992]

Originally Posted by synthdude

hey man, beofre I get into the critque kind of stuff you can mix on headphones it just takes some learning, and it helps if you have calibrated ones which even out the extra lowened headphones can have. I know of many pro jazz guys who insisit on headphones as well as some other mixers, but anyways.

I disagree. Chris Carter is right...you really can't mix on headphones. They're made for checking mixes. All headphones introduce low end and stereo field distortions by their very nature.

Frank

[goldenlotus]

Originally Posted by etcd32

I just started mixing...

There's the problem. It just takes practice do it for a couple more years and then see where you're at.

[Karloff70]

Originally Posted by chris carter

Mixing on headphones and asking what's wrong with your mix is like trying to run a marathon on one leg and asking why you aren't in the lead.

LOL.....tempting to nick that one for my sig.......

[synthdude]

This may be true but have never noticed it even when working in nicely tuned rooms. The imaging on phones is different but in most cases wider then most studio monitors I have tried in the 1-3 k category. Just my 2 cents I guess.

Had I realized he was newer to mixing i would have not said anything but I didn't see that.

peace

chris

Originally Posted by Weasel9992

I disagree. Chris Carter is right...you really can't mix on headphones. They're made for checking mixes. All headphones introduce low end and stereo field distortions by their very nature.

Frank

[kostianix]

it's the arrangement, not the mix in the first place. play a bassline. play the piano chords higher, experiment with the voicings and check the timing. use something to go with the energy of the drums in the chorus, like guitar or organ or strings. don't overdo it with the crash cymbals in the verse. your autotune is neither nor - either go for 100% synthetic sound or just bypass it, i think your voice would sound good without it. that last point is just my opinion though.

cheers.

[Chris Lago]

Wow, you got a great voice going

I think the thread should be changed to:

I feel like my voice sounds off for some reason... But then I added auto-tune to sound like Medic Droid and to cover the fact that I can't actually sing.

[mark.james]

Originally Posted by chrislago

Wow, you got a great voice going

I think the thread should be changed to:

I feel like my voice sounds off for some reason... But then I added auto-tune to sound like Medic Droid and to cover the fact that I can't actually sing.

I didn't read where the OP was asking for vocal lessons.

I don't like the sound of any of the samples being used. You should put a bus compressor on the drums and on the master. I agree with the others - play a bass line lose the autotune.

Good luck!

Mark

[ohmicide]

Originally Posted by chrislago

Wow, you got a great voice going

I think the thread should be changed to:

I feel like my voice sounds off for some reason... But then I added auto-tune to sound like Medic Droid and to cover the fact that I can't actually sing.

THE medic droid

but i doubt he has any idea who they are so i would say t-pain and kanye west

[KEYBEEETSSS]

truth be told, mixing/tracking etc. doesn't come with software, meaning just b/c one has bought a piece of software they can do it, beit headphones, monitors or whatever...

[AnthonyRochester]

I'm curious to know if the intention was to go for a crazy robot-like obvious vocoder-type effect, or if he expects people not to notice the autotune and think he is a good singer.

[Chris Lago]

Originally Posted by beebay007

I'm curious to know if the intention was to go for a crazy robot-like obvious vocoder-type effect, or if he expects people not to notice the autotune and think he is a good singer.

LOL.

All in all, Mass Auto-tune is overrated.

[Gharper23]

Buy you a pair of decent monitors. diy treatment for your room you can find all kinds of videos online on how to do this cheap. Lose the auto-tune, keys need to be higher, and add a bassline. pretty much what everyone else said

[Topgear]

Originally Posted by Gharper23

Buy you a pair of decent monitors. diy treatment for your room you can find all kinds of videos online on how to do this cheap. Lose the auto-tune, keys need to be higher, and add a bassline.

Yeah, and work more on the timing.

I'd say the potential improvement isn't just found in mixing, but in the performance (timing issues, the need for autotune etc) and the arrangement (no bassline, no high notes on the piano etc).

[KEYBEEETSSS]

Originally Posted by Topgear

Yeah, and work more on the timing.

I'd say the potential improvement isn't just found in mixing, but in the performance (timing issues, the need for autotune etc) and the arrangement (no bassline, no high notes on the piano etc).

Originally Posted by KEYBEEETSSS

truth be told, mixing/tracking etc. doesn't come with software, meaning just b/c one has bought a piece of software they can do it, beit headphones, monitors or whatever...

[RARStudios]

Okay, hahah, i keep forgetting gearslutz is a flame fest to newbs haha!

Reason for auto-tune =YES I WANTED TO SOUND LIKE LIL' WAYNE, THE MEDIC DROID, and KANYE. DEY BE MAH Her-Ohs. translation (They are my heroes)
No....... i just did it because its a demo take and wanted to see what itd be like to rape my voice in auto-tune and get a feeling for what its like to be Enrique (Spelling?),
Its not even real autotune...its Logics plugin
listen to
HighlandCircus[chck out HEEDLESS RECORDS on top 8] on MySpace Music - Free Streaming MP3s, Pictures & Music Videos where autotune isn't used if you want to critique my voice.

jackasses


To everyone else:
I was planning on adding bass, guitar, etc, this all i did in one take, this isnt close to the finished product, just a demo reel more or less. But i did have a question, how can i make the piano sound more full? Is it just logics Steinberg sampler, or all of them that sounds like shit or what? If i need to buy more plug ins, or record on a real piano, any tips?
And when corey was talking about cutting the upper end, where at? or just whereever it sounds good.


Thanks
Evan

[Draw the Moral]

Logic's plugin's should be fine for now.

You have to make a place for the piano in your mix.

I would carve out (meaning cut certain bands) space in the mix for the piano, and then situate the instrument (EQ wise) there.

Always begin by cutting freq's from instruments that are greedy for the EQ spectrum, and put them in their proper place.

This advice, of course, is assuming that you have good source material to begin with.

[kostianix]

flame fest? what are you talking about?

how can i make the piano sound more full?

play more notes. see my reply above. try different voicings.

you were asking about the mix in the first place and now you're saying, the arrange wasn't ready yet? what are you mixing, then? just stay with the usual order: 1.) songwriting - 2.) arranging - 3.) mixing.

k

[imixrecords]

Originally Posted by chrislago

Wow, you got a great voice going

I think the thread should be changed to:

I feel like my voice sounds off for some reason... But then I added auto-tune to sound like Medic Droid and to cover the fact that I can't actually sing.

WOW!

He was asking about the mix sounding off, not vocals.

Didn't i see you posting about people always get on your case? And now here you are getting on this guys case and basically making fun of him. I don't get it chris lago. Grow up!

[rty5150]

Originally Posted by Weasel9992

I disagree. Chris Carter is right...you really can't mix on headphones. They're made for checking mixes. All headphones introduce low end and stereo field distortions by their very nature.

Frank

[rty5150]

Originally Posted by imixrecords

WOW!

He was asking about the mix sounding off, not vocals.

Didn't i see you posting about people always get on your case? And now here you are getting on this guys case and basically making fun of him. I don't get it chris lago. Grow up!

watch out, man, your probabaly about 2 posts shy of being put on his ignore list.


lol

[solomix]

do what you want with the vocals. just make sure the drums don't drain you out. a hi hat too loud can ruin a song or beat. be different dont follow others