Mix sounds too good!?!?!?

[opiate04]

I have had a couple clients over the years say that the mix sounds "too good". This seems to happen with punk bands more than other genres. Ever run across that? What do you use to trash out the mix?

[Chris Lago]

Originally Posted by opiate04

I have had a couple clients over the years say that the mix sounds "too good". This seems to happen with punk bands more than other genres. Ever run across that? What do you use to trash out the mix?

Yeah it's happened to me, and it just means too polished (too much compression etc). I just keep it more raw and then they like it again.

[kennybro]

I think that was one of Bob Dylan's occasional complaints

[The Beatsmith]

more distortion/harmonics. recording to digital and tracking well and not adding saturation and harmonic content can make things seem sterile very quickly.

[aclarson]

Turn up the drum room mic, turn down the vocals.

[Bubbakron]

just bounce the final mix through some neves or something dark!!!

[suedesound]

distortion, overdrive, saturation is your friend. if any gating/strip silence type stuff is going on take that off. let it bleed!

[_Ludovico]

Thing with punk bands is that you'll spend alot more time editing and aligning stuff than eq'ing and compressing unless they're REALLY into the "garage" thing.

[Lackatee]

Yup - I've had this complaint before as well. It definitely makes you a do a double take.

Step away from correcting pitch, fine tune editing of instrument parts, maybe take a second look at your reverbs, delays and any other effects you might be using. They might be a little too slick and polished sounding.

In general though, as others have said, a much more "raw" approach usually does the trick. As one guy said to me "It needs to be more roots..."

[Scottn]

If they said it sounds too good then I'd just give them the mix with no compression on it. lol If they're going to complain that it was mixed too well then they might be after that garage band sound.

[ShadowAMD]

Originally Posted by Scottn

If they said it sounds too good then I'd just give them the mix with no compression on it. lol If they're going to complain that it was mixed too well then they might be after that garage band sound.

Add some distortion all the way through it, also record someone who sounds like a dying cat in the background and mix it into the song..

SORTED>

[Sqye]

.

Just run your mix through SATAN - and it will sound perfectly evil...

.

[HiFi Yeah]

Originally Posted by opiate04

I have had a couple clients over the years say that the mix sounds "too good". This seems to happen with punk bands more than other genres

It needs to sound legit. Check out Albini's work.

[The Beatsmith]

And when they say 'good', don't feel too flattered. They mean 'too clean, not right' :-)

[DaveRamm]

add slight (tube simulation) saturation to the master with small amounts of the most awfuly metallic "im in a huge metal box" reverb.

Might do the job

[BillSimpkins]

Originally Posted by opiate04

I have had a couple clients over the years say that the mix sounds "too good". This seems to happen with punk bands more than other genres. Ever run across that? What do you use to trash out the mix?

interns?

[Sqye]

.

The next time someone tells you your mix sounds too good,
just tell them they don't need to listen to it - if it bothers them that much.

It's called a volume knob. Learn it. Live it. Love it.

.

[NathanEldred]

Not all punk bands are that way. The ones that crossover into the hardcore scene don't mind things more hi fi. But there is a certain segment that want things to sound trashier and lo fi in general. As mentioned distortion in the rights places and amounts is a good idea, as is using more dynamics than you would usually use (even sometimes on overheads).

[AllAboutTone]

I have recorded several bands over the years that went that way, they just had perfect attack etc, I could take away the compression and it's still great. Perfect tracking my friend from a great band.
When I get a track like that I just pat myself on the back that I was apart of it.

[tonemaker]

I think when people say it sounds "too good" it reflects their lack of ability to explain what they mean in technical or musical terms. Get them in person and ask them a lot more follow up questions to find out exactly what they mean. Otherwise you risk making the tune more "orange" with your mindreading...

[Maxxxim]

try to attenuate lower mids between 250 and 500 hz! the mix will get more muffled. thats what punk bands mostly want to hear.

[Maxxxim]

sorry, i meant boost...not attenuate

[ajv205]

You have to cater to the genre. Give them the option of a more polished mix if you have the time

[Squidy]

Punk? Just put cardboard boxes over all the mics, they'll love it in no time

[IdiotManchild]

Sum your mixes to mono and run them through a Boss DS-1 or similar harsh-sounding distortion pedal.