Does this mix sound like CRAP through a nice monitoring chain in a treated room?

[u2bonoman]

I could really use some help here. Could those of you with nice monitoring chains and treated rooms (not headphones) download this tune, and then tell me what's wrong with the mix? Possibly what's good with the mix too, if anything?

Download Rescue Me.mp3 from Sendspace.com - send big files the easy way

[Mesa4x12er]

Originally Posted by u2bonoman

I could really use some help here. Could those of you with nice monitoring chains and treated rooms (not headphones) download this tune, and then tell me what's wrong with the mix? Possibly what's good with the mix too, if anything?

Download Rescue Me.mp3 from Sendspace.com - send big files the easy way

I'm not listening to this through a nice monitoring chain and I'm in an office not a treated room, but..... Most people buying your music probably won't be listening in a treated room through nice monitors either.

I'm at work listening through some 6in computer speakers so take what I say with a grain or 2 of salt. I'll just give you my first quick impressions.

Sounds to me like the claps are sticking way out from the rest of the mix. Too loud and too bright. They don't sound bad, just completely seperated from everything else. Vocals I feel the same way about. They seem to sit on top of the mix rather than IN the mix.

I saw your other thread where you were asking about it being thin. It doesn't sound thin to me but it does sound like all of the bright elements are dominating your mix. Bring them down a bit and maybe bring down a little bit of the highs and I think overall it would fit together better.

Sounds like you're well on your way to a great mix though.

[u2bonoman]

Thanks. I dunno what it is, but I always have trouble getting vocals to sit right. They always sound good to me, but nearly everyone who critiques my stuff says the vocals don't sit right.

I'm not sure how I can fix this. I've got a short delay on there, some plate verb, it's EQed, comped, all the tricks I know to do... wish I could get it right.

I'll keep working on it. I sure would love to get a great mix out of this.

Originally Posted by Mesa4x12er

I'm not listening to this through a nice monitoring chain and I'm in an office not a treated room, but..... Most people buying your music probably won't be listening in a treated room through nice monitors either.

I'm at work listening through some 6in computer speakers so take what I say with a grain or 2 of salt. I'll just give you my first quick impressions.

Sounds to me like the claps are sticking way out from the rest of the mix. Too loud and too bright. They don't sound bad, just completely seperated from everything else. Vocals I feel the same way about. They seem to sit on top of the mix rather than IN the mix.

I saw your other thread where you were asking about it being thin. It doesn't sound thin to me but it does sound like all of the bright elements are dominating your mix. Bring them down a bit and maybe bring down a little bit of the highs and I think overall it would fit together better.

Sounds like you're well on your way to a great mix though.

[Russell Dawkins]

I think the vocal is a little lacking in detail. I would try adding a little in the 2.5 - 3k range, then drop the level in the mix slightly. I'd bring the snare down a touch, but that might just be my taste. I think I'd try for a little more bass/kick energy but, again, that's a personal taste issue.

[u2bonoman]

Originally Posted by Russell Dawkins

I think the vocal is a little lacking in detail. I would try adding a little in the 2.5 - 3k range, then drop the level in the mix slightly. I'd bring the snare down a touch, but that might just be my taste. I think I'd try for a little more bass/kick energy but, again, that's a personal taste issue.

Ok, will try. Guitars and such sound good? Not too thin?

[Pschelfh]

I think the guitars sound fine.

As the others said, the vocal is too much on top of the song. Maybe some more compression and equal level to the instruments for this genre.

It also needs a bit more energy : try to make the snare 'slam' more (compression + reverb) + make the kickdrum a bit louder.

A tip if your vocals are always too loud in the mix : set their volume when listening through headphones. If they sound right in headphones, they will be a couple of dB lower through monitors (might depend on which headphones though).

Great song BTW!

Peter.

[Russell Dawkins]

another tip for judging mixes is to check by turning levels down to inaudible then very slowly bring it up and notice which element you hear first and how much you have to turn up to hear the other elements.
Another related trick is to leave the room completely while the mix is playing at moderate levels and notice the mix aspect of the sound from outside and also as you return.