Weathervane Multitracks - Filthybird

[bdmctear]

Happy New Year, folks...

I'm so glad we're doing this again! Volume 3 of Shaking Through starts Tuesday January 24 with the band Filthybird, from Graham, North Carolina. The band is headed up by singer and songwriter, Rene Mendoza, with her husband, guitar luthier Brian Haran (Brian owns an awesome guitar shop in North Carolina called Fret Sounds). Both as people, and as musicians Filthybird has a vibe that makes us so, so happy.

The recording is super cool, too. Drummer James Wallace brought with him a 50 or 60 year old kick drum, and an old 15" WFL snare (yes, that's 15" NOT 14"). They also had KILLER vintage amps, and every guitar in the room had Brian's custom touch on it.

On our end, the final mix is crazy saturated with our bizarro chain of guitar pedal effects, re-amped and super-reverbed. But don't worry so much about that. You guys go nuts, just like you always do. Get your experimentation on, whether it's crazy and unlistenable to anyone but you (sometimes I think that's what our mixes verge on), or it's the pinnacle of professional elegance. You are the boss! Questions and conversation are encouraged, as is all sharing below!

Love,

B

NOTE: ALL FILES BELOW ARE UPDATED. VIDEOS ARE LIVE, TOO! Please let me know what you think!

SHAKING THROUGH:
FILTHYBIRD - I'D LIKE TO KNOW
(Final Mastered MP3 will be posted Tuesday January 24)

MULTI-TRACKS | MIX-STEMS | TRACK SHEET | EPISODE PAGE + VIDEOS

http://soundcloud.com/wvmusic/id-like-to-know


Shaking Through - Filthybird: Brian McTear and Rene Mendoza by wvmusic, on Flickr

[Grin-go-go]

Great ! Downloading tracks at the moment.

[Grin-go-go]

I was looking at Track sheet and there is section called: MIX. There are only few processors (distressor and API EQ). Is that really everything mixer used or I didn't understand the tracksheet ?

[bdmctear]

Originally Posted by Grin-go-go

I was looking at Track sheet and there is section called: MIX. There are only few processors (distressor and API EQ). Is that really everything mixer used or I didn't understand the tracksheet ?

Sorry, the "Mix section" is mostly for the purpose of keeping track of outboard chains in the mix, especially effects. There's definitely plugins and such that aren't listed... probably a LOT of them.

[svealey]

Hey guys this is my first post ever on gearslutz! Check out my mix and let me know what you think!

I'd Like To Know-Filthybird by svealey on SoundCloud - Create, record and share your sounds for free

[fretsounds]

this looked like too much fun... i had to register... svealey, i love the bounce you got out of the kick and bass. my first post too

[uakeen]

Here's my mix: FilthyBird I'd like to know by JoaquinGonzalez on SoundCloud - Create, record and share your sounds for free

[yazoo]

Filthy Bird 01_23 by bennypersson on SoundCloud - Create, record and share your sounds for free

here is my mix.
really like feedback!

cheers
benny

[Serpico]

Another newbie here I'd seen some of the previous Shaking Through threads and thought it was about time I got in the game and threw a mix to the wolves.
I'm a live sound engineer, working with mostly corporate gigs, so I don't mix bands that often these days, so these tracks have been a way of trying to keeping my ear in - thanks for that Brian.

http://soundcloud.com/arrand/filthy-bird-id-like-to-know

Cheers,

Arran

[svealey]

thanks fretsounds! yeah i really just had to find the right compression scheme to make that happen. i ended up using a puigchild on the bass then bussed it to the same output buss as the drums and had a ssl comp just getting about 1db of quick/grabby compression.

serpico, i love how you got the acoustic to cut through! i was havin some issues with that

[DustinThomason]

I really enjoy mixing songs like this one because of how natural you can leave everything and still get a fantastic sound.

I'd like to know mix 1 by DustinThomason on SoundCloud - Create, record and share your sounds for free

Btw Brian this whole thing you've started has helped improve my mixing drastically. Thanks for everything.

[manuke]

Hey guys, welcome back....a straight mix for now, might revisit it for something bent later on.

[jackadawson]

I'm back........

My attempt...

What y'all think?

FilthyBird-I'd Like To Know by overbias on SoundCloud - Create, record and share your sounds for free

jack

[fretsounds]

Dustin, that sounds just plain dope... Jack, love the breakdown with the drums cut. You guys are getting great guitar sounds with how the two electrics play in and out of each other. It's what we intended.

[Serpico]

Originally Posted by svealey

serpico, i love how you got the acoustic to cut through! i was havin some issues with that

Thanks for that! I really tussled with the acoustic trying to turn it into something it wasn't, I even considered ditching it as I wasn't sure that it wasn't just a scratch track, but I really wanted the midrange it added between the vocals/electric guitars and bass. In the end I bypassed a lot of the things I'd tried and just used a little bit of high mid cutting, some compression and reverb.
I generally find that the least I mess with something the better it sounds...

[sethn27]

and me...

still working on learning compression.

I especially like the breakdown section to the end.

http://soundcloud.com/sethn/id-like-to-know-filthybird

[projectelroy]

My attempt:

http://soundcloud.com/ssterk/filthybird-id-like-to-know

[bugscoe]

Here is my mix down. Another great recording, great song and performance. Love the bands you guys find!

http://soundcloud.com/bugscoe/filthybird-id-like-to-know-mix

[DustinThomason]

I enjoy getting critiqued as much as the next guy posting on here, so I figured I'd do my duty and contribute my opinions. Besides, I wouldn't have improved myself had it not been for people like you do doing the same thing for me.

Svealey - Overall well balanced and I liked the reverb on the vocals. A tiny bit much compression for my taste... but nonetheless it still works.

Uakeen - Also a nice contribution. I would say that some reverb actually would be useful on the vocals in this instance. The guitars and drums have that room mic to add that liveliness and when the vocals are dry, they just feel like they are seperate from the rest of the mix for me. I guess too intimate? is the best way I could describe it. Also could be a little brighter.

Yazoo - Just too much compression. I don't know if the intention was to make it loud as possible but it is very washed out sounding.

Serpico - Nice job as far as overall balance. I think the mids are lacking and too much in the high mid section around 3k - 7k for the whole mix. The approach might be better suited for a different kind of song though.

Manuke - I'm diggin it. Sometimes strait forward mixes have wonderful results. Kinda like let the music speak for itself. I would like to hear a bit more snare too.

Jackadawson - Lots of clarity in the high end... Lacking in the low. Not enough body or warmth.

Sethn27 - Compression can be a tricky thing to get right. One thing that could help this mix is to give it more spread. Give each instrument more room to breathe.

Projectelroy - Another case of lacking low end. You got the guitars to come through nicely.

Bugscoe - Nicely balanced. Everything has its place. Could use a bit less compression to my ears. Perhaps just a slower attack time on snare/drums?

Originally Posted by fretsounds

Dustin, that sounds just plain dope...

Greatly appreciated words Fretsounds.

I hope this helps and gives anyone reading this some insight.

[uakeen]

Thanks Dustin, I think you're right. I put some reverb on the vocals and made the mix a little brighter. Hope I didn't mess it up. Cheers.

FilthyBird_I'd like to know by JoaquinGonzalez on SoundCloud - Create, record and share your sounds for free

[Serpico]

Originally Posted by DustinThomason

Serpico - Nice job as far as overall balance. I think the mids are lacking and too much in the high mid section around 3k - 7k for the whole mix. The approach might be better suited for a different kind of song though.

That's a pretty accurate description of my master buss EQ. It wasn't to my taste, but I find that most commercial tracks fit that profile. That you picked up on it shows that it's not universal, and in this case at least I should have trusted my instincts.
If I was to mix this again (which I might do), I'd lose the high mid boost, lose the tambourine (combined with pick noise from the acoustic it sounds a bit like the artifacts you get with a low rate mp3 conversion), and spend more time on the vocals; I think they sound a little reedy (not helped by the master EQ), and they needed automating; the EQ in the parts where the backing vox comes in, and the vocal level throughout the track to even out syllables that compression wasn't working for. Fader riding is something I'm really poor at, you just don't do it live - there's too much else to do and you're reacting to level changes that have already occurred. How do people normally do it? I was thinking write the lyrics out with annotations for level corrections where needed?

I hope this helps and gives anyone reading this some insight.

Definitely, thanks for taking the time.

[Serpico]

Originally Posted by DustinThomason

The approach might be better suited for a different kind of song though.

Actually I think you've hit the nail on the head there - what I need is a reference track, what is everyone else using?

[bugscoe]

Originally Posted by Serpico

Actually I think you've hit the nail on the head there - what I need is a reference track, what is everyone else using?

You'll have the perfect reference in a short bit when the Weathervane boys post their mix.

It's always nice to have a 'rough' mix to go off of so you can keep the vision of the band and producer in mind. Although with all these mixes I think the main point is to be more experimental and have some creative fun.

[projectelroy]

Thanks Dustin...I appreciate the feedback.

Looks like the Weathervane mix is up:

I'd Like To Know by wvmusic on SoundCloud - Create, record and share your sounds for free

[manuke]

I'm sorry....

[bugscoe]

Originally Posted by manuke

I'm sorry....

The very last part you have a sweet groove going.

[fretsounds]

manuke... that's what i've been waiting for... love it

[Dean Roddey]

Thanks for getting the videos up. I always enjoy watching those.

[andystates]

This song is great! Brian, could you enlighten us on the production techniques for the vocals? It looks like you reamped them along with effect pedals based on the track sheet. In the final mix are the lead vocals were hearing all reamped? Did you reamp the doubled voices through the effects on the tracking sheet together or separate. The end result is beautiful. Another job well done from weathervane.

[Brent Hahn]

Wow -- just discovered this. Fun. Great song, too. I gave it a go... didn't spend much time trying to sort out the guitars at the end, but what the hey.