Instrumental Pop-punk / Pop-rock mix

[pasquierg]

Hi!

I've just been recording a demo for pop-punk band. The band was not ready to record...I had to edit/resample the drums, I replayed the guitars...This is just an instrumental track, I'm waiting for my new Waves Tune plug-in to correct the vocals...

Sounds quite robotic and I can't give this track the punch I would like to give...I would greatly appreciate knowing what I could improve. I am not really experienced in studio engineering... So feel free to comment this mix!

Recording :

Kick : Audix D6
Snare Top : Sm 57
Snare Bot : Sm57
Hihat : Neumann Km84
Tom : Audix D2
Floor : Audix D2
OHs : pair of 414
Room mono : Royer 121

Bass : Bass PodXT di/preamp outputs

Guitars : Sm 57 Marshall JCM 900 Cab/ Orange Tiny Terror / Peavey 5150

I've used Studer D19 20-bits/48khz A/D preamps/converters recording the band and and a Lake people preamp and Lynx Aurora 8FW when I re-recorded the guitars at home.

Mixed at home using Logic 8 plugins and SSL duende.

Thanks for your replies!

[tommypeskorz65]

Dude. First off, I dig this.
I'm sure that with a catchy melody and lyrics this can only get better. I do agree that things sound somewhat robotic. Maybe bring down the mids just a tad on the guitar tracks. And if you really feel you have the time, I've noticed that when i add a backing acoustic track and just mix it lightly, it tends to add a nice brightness. It also seems to clear things up and make those heavily distorted tracks take a rhythmic form, rather than just having a blaring tone ripping through your ears. However all at the same time, it can still sound just as heavy as what you are looking for.

I think you have the right idea of where to take the song, but that is just a suggestion of how to clear things up a bit. Hope I could be of assistance! Keep up the good stuff!

-Tommy

[Turdadactyl]

Very nice job on the drum mix. What kind of snare is that? Any replacement/sweetener samples, or is it all live?

I'm pretty happy with the rhythm guitar sounds, but the lead guitar tone (starting around 1:42) didn't do it for me. It seemed a little thin. The other lead-type guitars throughout the track sounded fine. How many rhythm guitar tracks do you have on there? Any chance you can double it (or add one more as the case may be) with another guitar/amp combination?

Nice start...

[dysenterygary]

It sounds great to me. The kick is a little too clicky for my taste, and I'd put the snare a little more up front. Those are just personal preferences though, and otherwise it sounds pretty awesome. What is that delay guitar thing that starts at 2:05? Sounds pretty bad ass.

[pasquierg]

Originally Posted by tommypeskorz65

Dude. First off, I dig this.
I'm sure that with a catchy melody and lyrics this can only get better. I do agree that things sound somewhat robotic. Maybe bring down the mids just a tad on the guitar tracks. And if you really feel you have the time, I've noticed that when i add a backing acoustic track and just mix it lightly, it tends to add a nice brightness. It also seems to clear things up and make those heavily distorted tracks take a rhythmic form, rather than just having a blaring tone ripping through your ears. However all at the same time, it can still sound just as heavy as what you are looking for.

I think you have the right idea of where to take the song, but that is just a suggestion of how to clear things up a bit. Hope I could be of assistance! Keep up the good stuff!

-Tommy

Thanks dude!


I don't know if the guitars are the cause of the lack brightness. There are not so distorted, but may be I should have turned down the gain...

I have the feeling that the whole mix is really compact, that the drums have no attack, no presence...I used samples to give more bottom to the snare but I think I didn't choose a sample that fits to the song.

[Turdadactyl]

Originally Posted by pasquierg

I don't know if the guitars are the cause of the lack brightness. There are not so distorted, but may be I should have turned down the gain...

How close was the mic to the cabinet? Could be proximity effect if it's a little darker than you expected/were hearing in the room.

Originally Posted by pasquierg

I used samples to give more bottom to the snare but I think I didn't choose a sample that fits to the song.

Don't overthink that one. I loved the snare sound.

[pasquierg]

Originally Posted by dysenterygary

It sounds great to me. The kick is a little too clicky for my taste, and I'd put the snare a little more up front. Those are just personal preferences though, and otherwise it sounds pretty awesome. What is that delay guitar thing that starts at 2:05? Sounds pretty bad ass.

Thank you! Yeah I think the whole drums needs to come up front, but no louder, may be just more present...I should just stop listening to this song and correct the mix in a few days, with "fresh" ears...
What you ear at the end of the track is a guitar I looped. Then I just put a lot of delay on it, I used a kind of ping-pong preset on Logic's Delay Designer....

Originally Posted by Turdadactyl

Very nice job on the drum mix. What kind of snare is that? Any replacement/sweetener samples, or is it all live?

I'm pretty happy with the rhythm guitar sounds, but the lead guitar tone (starting around 1:42) didn't do it for me. It seemed a little thin. The other lead-type guitars throughout the track sounded fine. How many rhythm guitar tracks do you have on there? Any chance you can double it (or add one more as the case may be) with another guitar/amp combination?

Nice start...

I made only two rhythm guitar tracks paned L-R in the whole song. The verses have the 2 tracks paned 40% L-R recorded with the bridge pick up of my Les Paul Classic. If you are talking about the clean arpeggio guitar at 1:42, it is actually not doubled. There is some delay on it and I just wanted to give some more melodies to this part that is gonna be the chorus. Like an atmospheric thing... But I might have to double it. I'll have to check with the vocals.

Thank you guys for your answers!

[pasquierg]

Originally Posted by Turdadactyl

How close was the mic to the cabinet? Could be proximity effect if it's a little darker than you expected/were hearing in the room.



Don't overthink that one. I loved the snare sound.

The mic was very close (touching) the cabinet. But off axis. That might be a mistake. It was recorded in my bedroom...so not the dryest room...

[dysenterygary]

Originally Posted by pasquierg

The mic was very close (touching) the cabinet. But off axis. That might be a mistake. It was recorded in my bedroom...so not the dryest room...

So you have basically recorded this entire song for these guys?? I hope they're paying well! Try moving the guitars all the way out and maybe slightly boosting 4khz-6khz. I think the snare sounds pretty good, maybe just bump it up a bit. Cymbals are right where they should be. The kick is the most funky sounding to me. Too much click and not enough bump. Bass guitar is right where it should be.

[dysenterygary]

btw what was recorded w/the tiny terror?

[George Necola]

the overall feel is good.

the drums are to klicky.. alot of attack going on.

the guitars sound 2D, very flat, need more mids.. have to jump out of the speaker. the whole thing sounds quite mono to me (I know it0s not mono).

the overheads have funny annyoing frequencies but they are not enough loud.. you have certain ringing frequency you should get rid off..

also the stuff is not placed correctly in depth..

the song rocks!

cheers
G

[pasquierg]

Originally Posted by dysenterygary

btw what was recorded w/the tiny terror?

There are guitars sounding a little like strings at the end of the track before it fades out.

Originally Posted by George Necola

the overall feel is good.

the drums are to klicky.. alot of attack going on.

the guitars sound 2D, very flat, need more mids.. have to jump out of the speaker. the whole thing sounds quite mono to me (I know it0s not mono).

the overheads have funny annyoing frequencies but they are not enough loud.. you have certain ringing frequency you should get rid off..

also the stuff is not placed correctly in depth..

the song rocks!

cheers
G

Thank you very much. You could technicaly express the feeling I have when I listen to the mix. I'll work on that! thumbsup

[luctellier]

Hey man,

You pm'd me to comment your mix. I'm currently at the studio listening on Mackie HR824 and NS10 with a sub so here's my comments hoping that it helps!

-I like the snare but it's a little too dark
-The kick is too clicky and is missing some bottom and low-end content.
-The drums sounds a bit plastic because of the clickyness and mechanical rolls.
-I don't know if what I hear is the bleed coming from the real top snare mic of if it's the overhead that are panned in the center but the drum kit sounds mono. Try hard panning your overheads.
-I like the guitar tone but it's a little bit too dark, try adding some top end at 8k.
-The bass instrument pop out a bit too much in the mix at some place.

I would suggest not to spend too much time on the mix before having the vocals figured out because it could totally change all the moves you are currently doing. The vocals take space in the mix that influences the other elements.

Good job so far!
LT

[pasquierg]

Originally Posted by luctellier

Hey man,

You pm'd me to comment your mix. I'm currently at the studio listening on Mackie HR824 and NS10 with a sub so here's my comments hoping that it helps!

-I like the snare but it's a little too dark
-The kick is too clicky and is missing some bottom and low-end content.
-The drums sounds a bit plastic because of the clickyness and mechanical rolls.
-I don't know if what I hear is the bleed coming from the real top snare mic of if it's the overhead that are panned in the center but the drum kit sounds mono. Try hard panning your overheads.
-I like the guitar tone but it's a little bit too dark, try adding some top end at 8k.
-The bass instrument pop out a bit too much in the mix at some place.

I would suggest not to spend too much time on the mix before having the vocals figured out because it could totally change all the moves you are currently doing. The vocals take space in the mix that influences the other elements.

Good job so far!
LT

Thanks Luc for taking some time to listen to it!

I'm gonna correct these things when I'll mix the vocals. I think the "mono" feeling is because OHs are not loud enough and we mostly hear the room which was recorded mono.

I'll post a new mix soon!

[pasquierg]

Hi!

So I've spend some more time on the mix and here's a corrected version w/ vocals.

They haven't finished writing the lyrics so both verses are the same... I think the singer has to improve his accent too.

It's more like a recording test to see how much they have to work if they want to record an album. It's also a good way for me to get better at mixing.

You can stream the song here

ReverbNation

Let me know what you think!

Greg

[pasquierg]

Anybody?

[George Necola]

the new version has vocals..

writing as I hear it..

the vocals are too low in the mix.. his accent kills.. the kick should have more umpfh.. the guitars are just smearing a bit too much the sound image.. also you can hear the 2bus compression.. limiting.. make it a bit lower..

the kick is still too clicky..

the cymbals are better..

the whole mix suffers from the compression..

but hey.. still.. it's your first mix.. and it's awesome.. plesae get rid of the singer, and put the 2bus compression lower..

[pasquierg]

Originally Posted by George Necola

the new version has vocals..

writing as I hear it..

the vocals are too low in the mix.. his accent kills.. the kick should have more umpfh.. the guitars are just smearing a bit too much the sound image.. also you can hear the 2bus compression.. limiting.. make it a bit lower..

the kick is still too clicky..

the cymbals are better..

the whole mix suffers from the compression..

Thanks for the reply !

Well, these guys are good friends of mine, and that's why I've had the opportunity to record and mix them.

I've sent them a version w/ more vocals and less compression on the stereo buss (I had like 6db comp ). It's never gonna be loud because I kept too much dynamic in the mix. But for a demo it's ok.

Originally Posted by George Necola

but hey.. still.. it's your first mix.. and it's awesome.. plesae get rid of the singer, and put the 2bus compression lower..

Thank you !

[EddieTheRed]

Why can't I see the link?

[pasquierg]

...

[dysenterygary]

Originally Posted by pasquierg

It's a link to my reverbnation page :

Grégoire Pasquier | Fribourg, CH | Rock / Pop / Pop Punk | Music, Lyrics, Songs, and Videos | ReverbNation


There is only one song in the player, it's called GBD preprod.

When you posted the song w/out lyrics I had so many vocal melodies flying through my head, and IMO they were definitely better than what that guy came up with. Anyway the kick needs a little more kick to it like the previous guy said. The vocals..... if you can thicken them up do it. Maybe boost some low mids and push it up a little higher. I would double them and try to get some backups in there to help the poor guy out.