This is a tough one to mix, any suggestions?

[Hiwatt]

This is my friends band, did the drums in a nice big studio, did the bass in my basement, and retracked the guitars in my new studio. Vox have yet to be done. The band is kinda like korn but in a trippy european kinda way... Anyways it's proving to be a tough one to mix. Any suggestions would be apreciated.

[Jason Poulin]

that nice big studio didn't do too much for your drums.

You'll have to trigger your kick with a sampled kick, it's not there and no comps or eq's will get it there.


redo your guitars, and time your delays to the tempo of the song. The ones you have now throw me off.


Good luck!


Jason

[Jason Poulin]

where from Canada?



Jason

[Hiwatt]

Thanks for the advice Jason. I think we will retrack the guitars since I just picked up a TG-2. Ya the drums sound pretty sad, I don't have much to work with. The kick really sucks. It just goes to show you that sometimes the gear used dosn't magicaly make things sound good. Your gona cry after I list the stuff this studio used... 8 Neve 1073 modules --> Ampex MM1200 16trk --> Radar for digital tranfer. Kinda sucked the house engineer was in a rush to get to a more important gig, when you break it down though we got what we paid for, they only charged us for 2 hrs instead of 4.

[thethrillfactor]

Originally posted by Hiwatt
Anyways it's proving to be a tough one to mix...

Why?

[Hiwatt]

I'm just having trouble getting this one to where I want it. I am currently using the active Event 20/20's to mix on. I find it really hard to get the low end to sit right on these monitors. I just can't get the kick and the bass to sit right. The fact that the bass is a 5string tuned down a whole step isn't helping things for me.

[Jason Poulin]

Good or great gear will only reproduce the sources it was given.

Make sure the source you are recording, sounds very close to what you want it to sound like in the end (at least in the ballpark)

If you like a Metallica type kick (then make sure it sounds somewhat strong with lots of attack ie: Strong hits with well tuned kick and possibly a harder type beater)

If you want something like a Linkin Park type distortion on your guitars well make sure you have a bad ass mesa rig or something that blows your socks off before you even press record.

Time you delays to the tempo of the tune... it will really thicken things and help with dimension and image of the tracks.


Make sure your drums and drummer are great before you even think of putting a mic on it.

A good source, is way better than any piece of gear. Have both? then your talkin

put that in a good room along with a good engineer and a good song that's well produced, then you've got a hit to record or at least something that won't sound offending.

Try to hear your song before to hit tape or hard drive. Then think about what it's going to take to get it there. Try not to think about fixing it the mix (bad mistake)

A well recorded song will almost glue itself together when mixing even sometimes just by adjusting the faders.

Tall, Deep, and wide...

Good luck


Jason

[Cosmonauta]

IMHO what this band needs is a goooood producer before hit the record button. Sorry, I can't see how a mix can make this song sounds good and competitive.
Since they have a serious problem with TEMPO, you could offer them a PT edit service, at least.
Quantize this drum manually, make loops from the best bars and use them. Soundreplace this kick drum, work those out of tempo delays (if it's not printed to disk ).
I wish you all the luck (you gonna need it)

[Hiwatt]

Agreed, they definatly need a producer. Recording the song was simply a favor for my friend. It was done before I moved into my new place. I think they recorded this one a little premature...

However it is a work in progress.

[Hiwatt]

Well been working on it a bit more... I kinda like where it's going now. Check it out if you'd like...

[underworld]

the overall sound is pretty bland - i can hear your mix issues.

the guitar sound is pretty "dark" and may be partly to blame for your kick/bass issue. on the plus side, i like the snappyness of the snare in there. but the track seems really one-dimensional overall.... - largely due to the guitar sound. someone earlier said to retrack the guitars - i agree. they need more mids and highs - let the rhythm section carry itself.

might like the snare a little darker - a lot more of the toms and other drums (maybe some good eq/comp to bring them out.

also, i will echo the "needs producer" sentiment.... definitely.

good luck with it.

[Richard]

Originally posted by underworld


also, i will echo the "needs producer" sentiment.... definitely.

good luck with it.

Ditto

Keep working on it for a few days before you scrap it and try again, then at least you can 'be at one'
with the big spenders.
It's all experience, one day it will count for something.
Good luck.
richard