Please someone tell me why this mix sucks :(?

Dj Shaw-t · 20th November 2009

Please can someone help me out with this mix. It is bugging the life out of me. For some reason I just feel like the mix overall has a lack of energy and I have no idea how to fix this? It's suppose to be an upbeat type of pop/dance track but the energy just simply isnt there.

Let me know what you guys think I can do.

raggedman · 21st November 2009

well...other than that the whole thing sounds like it was squeezed out of a toothpaste tube (is there any actual audio in this piece?) I'd say the simplest fix would be to speed the tempo up.

lettenmusic · 21st November 2009

I agree with the "speed it up" advice. The song really goes nowhere so going faster may help "energize" the song. Add a bass line, change the kick sample for something with a bit more 4K to it, maybe add that standard dance offbeat hat thing in the chorus, add a conga loop somewhere, add an arp loop somewhere, lo-fi the drum loop in the middle break...

..otherwise this song does nothing for me.

ohmicide · 21st November 2009

it sucks because you suck

OOOO SNAAAAPPPP

raggedman · 21st November 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by alehoe

it sucks because you suck

OOOO SNAAAAPPPP

soooo constructivedfegad

ohmicide · 21st November 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by raggedman

soooo constructivedfegad

oh i wasn't trying to be constructive

i didn't even listen to the track

Dj Shaw-t · 21st November 2009

Yeah the arrangement needs work. I agree with adding a congo loop or something and possibly changing the kick. Any mix advice? more compression on the synths, less? anything like that?

SPatrick · 21st November 2009

Listen to your "shaker" sound that comes in at about 00:17, it's way behind the beat and it's dragging the whole thing down. Either quantize it or fix the sample.

Dj Shaw-t · 21st November 2009

Thanks. Think I am going to replace with a hi-hat loop or something. Any mix suggestions or is it just arrangement problems?

kafka · 21st November 2009

None of your instruments have any kind of attack to them. There's just no dynamics at all. Also, all of your lines are very repetitive and predictable.

Dj Shaw-t · 21st November 2009

Thanks for checking it out. Is it over compression? Or is it just sound choice. How do you think I can fix it?

ohmicide · 21st November 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dj Shaw-t

Thanks for checking it out. Is it over compression? Or is it just sound choice. How do you think I can fix it?

use slow comp attack on the drum buss and synths

buddy · 21st November 2009

Choose a better kick sample. Add an offbeat hat in between the kicks and the claps. Bus the kick, clap, and hats, and compress the snot out of that bus. Then speed the whole thing up.

ohmicide · 22nd November 2009

agreed on the better kick sample

also, you are probably comparing this mix to commercial stuff which has been mastered to be pretty damn loud

limit your mix until it's just as loud as the commercial stuff you're comparing it to if you want to have a fair comparison

Dj Shaw-t · 22nd November 2009

Thanks guys. Appreciate the feedback. When I do throw a limiter on with a lot of gain it sucks the life out of the track even more so I do not think that is the problem. I think the synths are lacking some attack as mentioned earlier, not sure how I can achieve this. And I defnitely agree with everyone about a new kick sample and speeding it up a little bit. I will post round 2 soon

. Thanks a lot guys

ohmicide · 22nd November 2009

if you can you send me the midi so i can remake it and let you know what i did

Dj Shaw-t · 22nd November 2009

Yeah I can do that. You have an email I can reach you at? I am going to upload a new version later on today let me know what you guys think

ohmicide · 22nd November 2009

alehoeatgmaildotcom

kafka · 23rd November 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dj Shaw-t

Thanks for checking it out. Is it over compression? Or is it just sound choice. How do you think I can fix it?

Sound choice. Tweak the attack on your synth to something shorter.

The Recordingist · 24th November 2009

if my more electric mixes sound like this, a little bit empty and not really full, i usually speed up the tempo or add some background sounds like strings, muffled pianos or some hi hat rythms. The hi hat rythms dont have to be a constant ticking but just a rythmic thingy, it usually gives the song more speed, energy, vibe or whatever you can call it.
Combine that with a more powerfull bass kickin in after a while which doesnt just zoom but also does some rythmic stuff and i think the song will start to roll.

i'd try that and also what the rest of the guys say of course

mranderson1983 · 25th November 2009

I'm with everyone on this one, speeeed it up!!

Also, if you throw down some basslines it's always worth popping a bit of side chain compression to get that classic dancy pumping sound. Doesn't always work for everything but worth a try.

Hi Hat Grooves and percussion will definitely add some life :D

musichopper · 26th November 2009

Why are your 2 and 4 beats all like lagging 30 ms? LMAO Considering this is clearly all digital it should be quantized lol.

I am sorry. I don't know why but this song is making me laugh very hard here. LMAO There are too many things off time and its just very "soft" sounding

patrickg · 27th November 2009

My 2 cents are

speed it up

dont put that 'ping' on the quarter note backbeat it sounds cheesy, if you wanna use that sound, use it less often, like once per four measures

i guess there's some stuff going on with sixteenth rhythm, but its too quiet and not doing much, I'm just getting this slow four on the floor on the pulse, some hihat can really breathe life into it

that main 'bassline', I would say take out. Mute everything except your drum track and put in some new bass. I think you'll get a lot more space to work with if you take that midrangey stuff out and do a remodel

I don't know if its the pads, the melodies, or just the whole major chord vibe but it sounds like it came from yoshi's island or something.

21st November 2009	#2
raggedman Gear maniac Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 184	well...other than that the whole thing sounds like it was squeezed out of a toothpaste tube (is there any actual audio in this piece?) I'd say the simplest fix would be to speed the tempo up. __________________ Why the hell would I wanna emulate THAT???...I have two of them in the rack behind you

21st November 2009	#10
kafka Lives for gear Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Maryland Posts: 3,970	None of your instruments have any kind of attack to them. There's just no dynamics at all. Also, all of your lines are very repetitive and predictable. __________________ - It looks just like a Telefunken U47 - with leather. You'll love it ... - Jazz is not dead - it just smells funny. - It doesn't make much difference how the paint is put on as long as something has been said. Technique is just a means of arriving at a statement.

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21st November 2009	#3
lettenmusic Gear addict Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: WI Posts: 400	I agree with the "speed it up" advice. The song really goes nowhere so going faster may help "energize" the song. Add a bass line, change the kick sample for something with a bit more 4K to it, maybe add that standard dance offbeat hat thing in the chorus, add a conga loop somewhere, add an arp loop somewhere, lo-fi the drum loop in the middle break... ..otherwise this song does nothing for me.

21st November 2009	#4
ohmicide Lives for gear Join Date: May 2009 Location: HELL Posts: 4,822	it sucks because you suck OOOO SNAAAAPPPP

21st November 2009	#7
Dj Shaw-t Gear maniac Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 195 Thread Starter	Yeah the arrangement needs work. I agree with adding a congo loop or something and possibly changing the kick. Any mix advice? more compression on the synths, less? anything like that?

21st November 2009	#8
SPatrick Gear Head Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 42	Listen to your "shaker" sound that comes in at about 00:17, it's way behind the beat and it's dragging the whole thing down. Either quantize it or fix the sample.

21st November 2009	#13
buddy Gear maniac Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Mesa, AZ Posts: 185	Choose a better kick sample. Add an offbeat hat in between the kicks and the claps. Bus the kick, clap, and hats, and compress the snot out of that bus. Then speed the whole thing up.

22nd November 2009	#14
ohmicide Lives for gear Join Date: May 2009 Location: HELL Posts: 4,822	agreed on the better kick sample also, you are probably comparing this mix to commercial stuff which has been mastered to be pretty damn loud limit your mix until it's just as loud as the commercial stuff you're comparing it to if you want to have a fair comparison

24th November 2009	#20
The Recordingist Gear nut Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 91	if my more electric mixes sound like this, a little bit empty and not really full, i usually speed up the tempo or add some background sounds like strings, muffled pianos or some hi hat rythms. The hi hat rythms dont have to be a constant ticking but just a rythmic thingy, it usually gives the song more speed, energy, vibe or whatever you can call it. Combine that with a more powerfull bass kickin in after a while which doesnt just zoom but also does some rythmic stuff and i think the song will start to roll. i'd try that and also what the rest of the guys say of course

25th November 2009	#21
mranderson1983 Gear interested Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: UK Posts: 14	I'm with everyone on this one, speeeed it up!! Also, if you throw down some basslines it's always worth popping a bit of side chain compression to get that classic dancy pumping sound. Doesn't always work for everything but worth a try. Hi Hat Grooves and percussion will definitely add some life :D

26th November 2009	#22
musichopper Gear interested Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 24	Why are your 2 and 4 beats all like lagging 30 ms? LMAO Considering this is clearly all digital it should be quantized lol. I am sorry. I don't know why but this song is making me laugh very hard here. LMAO There are too many things off time and its just very "soft" sounding

27th November 2009	#23
patrickg Gear addict Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 314	My 2 cents are speed it up dont put that 'ping' on the quarter note backbeat it sounds cheesy, if you wanna use that sound, use it less often, like once per four measures i guess there's some stuff going on with sixteenth rhythm, but its too quiet and not doing much, I'm just getting this slow four on the floor on the pulse, some hihat can really breathe life into it that main 'bassline', I would say take out. Mute everything except your drum track and put in some new bass. I think you'll get a lot more space to work with if you take that midrangey stuff out and do a remodel I don't know if its the pads, the melodies, or just the whole major chord vibe but it sounds like it came from yoshi's island or something.