How's This?

Prickstein · 27th May 2005

Hi gang

Here's a little something I've been mixing on my 001, not sure if I'm taking it in the right direction.
Would like to hear how it sounds on your system, eg too boomy, not enough lows etc.
Does it sound "finished" to you?
Go on, 'ave a listen!
Rick

Prickstein · 27th May 2005

Oops, I'll bite first at my own work. Just noticed the gate on the kick doesn't always open up the way it should in a couple of places. I'll go fix that now.
So anything apart from that!

weedmaker · 27th May 2005

Hi Rick

I like the song and singer; you are certainly going in the right direction here thumbsup

Snare is too loud for my taste and bass seems to muddy low end a bit.

I would broaden stereo field (It could be that narrowish image is due to Digi 001 converters and mixing ITB, though) and make additional separation between acoustic and electric guitar parts - frequency wise.

Voice is sitting nice (it's on the edge of sibilance which I like here ...)

More general spaciousness would be great (better reverbs maybe?).

I hope that previous critique doesn't sound harsh, because I do like the song and sound/mix...

Cheers

Billster · 27th May 2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by weedmaker

Hi Rick

I like the song and singer; you are certainly going in the right direction here thumbsup

Snare is too loud for my taste and bass seems to muddy low end a bit.

I would broaden stereo field (It could be that narrowish image is due to Digi 001 converters and mixing ITB, though) and make additional separation between acoustic and electric guitar parts - frequency wise.

Voice is sitting nice (it's on the edge of sibilance which I like here ...)

More general spaciousness would be great (better reverbs maybe?).

Exactly : good song, awesome singer, good mix !

Like weedmaker said : a bit muddy in the low end. I hear a slight resonance in the vocal especially in the lower octave.

Drums, guitar and vocal sound a bit to small. I´m sure good reverbs will help. Try a reverberated delay on the vocal. Usually opens up the mix and you get a feeling of spaciousness. Better preamps could make for a bigger mix as well.

Vocals are a bit overcompressed for my taste. I´d try less compression and a bit more manual volume riding (a breeze with PT).

Don´t get me wrong. I really really like production and engineering of this song. All my suggestions are just small steps to make your mix sound even better (to my ears at least). IMO the mix has a very nice balance freqency wise. Good work !

Take care,
Bill

hethaerto · 27th May 2005

Sounds finished to me.
Perhaps my listening skills are not as critical as they should be?
One thing, around the middle of the song, I felt I would like to hear that creamy lead guitar a little more. Also, during the refrain, I felt I was hearing a little too much room ambience. I would say it needs to be quietened a little more in that part.
Otherwise, I like it very much. Great work!
Allen

Prickstein · 30th May 2005

Thanks guys, I'm taking note of what you're saying. I was worried about how the low end was sitting. I can never get this particular bass players sound to do justice to his playing, I think he winds too much low end into his music man. She is a great singer, vocal comp is made up from only two takes. She didn't have too much money to play with so we tracked the band live, 2 takes of each song and picked the best one, there's a few boo boo's along the way. I've got another 4 songs of hers to mix.

NeoVXR · 1st June 2005

great song, great singer, good arrangement. should go charts!
I would like the singer a bit more in the face, the other postings should point a way to get it so.
you might start with shorter reverb durations, and some pre-delays. then automate reverbs to the vocals.
in the case of reducing reverbs, I would reduce more in the vocals than in the band.

Phil Buckle · 1st June 2005

I think you might be mono with this MP3. That's why there's no width.
Nice track. I was about to suggest you go left and right with acoustics in the chorus cos it needs a little lift. Maybe you did but I'm hearing mono.
I like mono kits in the verses and then surprise everyone by going hard L+R with something in the chorus.
Maybe pull some stuff out of the verses and save something for the choruses. It's the same density throughout.
Love the verse vocal line. Very "Fairground Attraction" or "Sixpence None The Richer" ( "Kiss Me" has the same Major to Major 7th vibe)
Good job I reckon.

Phil Buckle · 1st June 2005

Sorry, my mistake. Faulty headphone jack..dohh!!
Just sounds small to me...on the speakers. Looks like your goals are being limited by your gear. Converters etc.

opentune · 1st June 2005

Great singer! Mix sounds close to a finished product. Only some
small details should be changed.
Like mentioned in other posts, i think the bass has a little too
much low end.

The suggestion from Billster ( I´d try less compression and a bit more manual volume riding) will definately help the vocals sound better.
I wouldn´t have had this idea on my own. But i totally agree.

Good song, could be the theme of a TV-series.

just my 2 cents

27th May 2005	#5
hethaerto Gear nut Joined: Nov 2004 Location: Ridgecrest CA Posts: 123	Sounds finished to me. Perhaps my listening skills are not as critical as they should be? One thing, around the middle of the song, I felt I would like to hear that creamy lead guitar a little more. Also, during the refrain, I felt I was hearing a little too much room ambience. I would say it needs to be quietened a little more in that part. Otherwise, I like it very much. Great work! Allen __________________ *I Make Demos, Bitch Studio* Let me turn your dreams into mud.

1st June 2005	#7
NeoVXR Lives for gear Joined: Apr 2004 Posts: 1,230	great song, great singer, good arrangement. should go charts! I would like the singer a bit more in the face, the other postings should point a way to get it so. you might start with shorter reverb durations, and some pre-delays. then automate reverbs to the vocals. in the case of reducing reverbs, I would reduce more in the vocals than in the band. __________________ sorry 4 poor english

1st June 2005	#8
Phil Buckle Gear maniac Joined: Jun 2004 Location: Melbourne Australia Posts: 171	I think you might be mono with this MP3. That's why there's no width. Nice track. I was about to suggest you go left and right with acoustics in the chorus cos it needs a little lift. Maybe you did but I'm hearing mono. I like mono kits in the verses and then surprise everyone by going hard L+R with something in the chorus. Maybe pull some stuff out of the verses and save something for the choruses. It's the same density throughout. Love the verse vocal line. Very "Fairground Attraction" or "Sixpence None The Richer" ( "Kiss Me" has the same Major to Major 7th vibe) Good job I reckon. __________________ _______________________________ http://philbuckle.com/

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27th May 2005	#2
Prickstein Gear addict Joined: Aug 2004 Location: Gold Coast, Australia Posts: 465 Thread Starter	Oops, I'll bite first at my own work. Just noticed the gate on the kick doesn't always open up the way it should in a couple of places. I'll go fix that now. So anything apart from that!

27th May 2005	#3
weedmaker Gear maniac Joined: Nov 2003 Posts: 154	Hi Rick I like the song and singer; you are certainly going in the right direction here thumbsup Snare is too loud for my taste and bass seems to muddy low end a bit. I would broaden stereo field (It could be that narrowish image is due to Digi 001 converters and mixing ITB, though) and make additional separation between acoustic and electric guitar parts - frequency wise. Voice is sitting nice (it's on the edge of sibilance which I like here ...) More general spaciousness would be great (better reverbs maybe?). I hope that previous critique doesn't sound harsh, because I do like the song and sound/mix... Cheers

30th May 2005	#6
Prickstein Gear addict Joined: Aug 2004 Location: Gold Coast, Australia Posts: 465 Thread Starter	Thanks guys, I'm taking note of what you're saying. I was worried about how the low end was sitting. I can never get this particular bass players sound to do justice to his playing, I think he winds too much low end into his music man. She is a great singer, vocal comp is made up from only two takes. She didn't have too much money to play with so we tracked the band live, 2 takes of each song and picked the best one, there's a few boo boo's along the way. I've got another 4 songs of hers to mix.

1st June 2005	#10
opentune Lives for gear Joined: May 2005 Location: good ol´germany Posts: 1,553	Great singer! Mix sounds close to a finished product. Only some small details should be changed. Like mentioned in other posts, i think the bass has a little too much low end. The suggestion from Billster ( I´d try less compression and a bit more manual volume riding) will definately help the vocals sound better. I wouldn´t have had this idea on my own. But i totally agree. Good song, could be the theme of a TV-series. just my 2 cents