Death Metal DEMO Advice PLEASE??

[Waltz Mastering]

Vocals are a bit loud in both. Especially Koala. The instrument mix seems like it has a blanket over the speaker sound. Need a bit of edge on the instrumental mix. Vocal sounds - not bad, need a better blend though. 2 cents.

[ThreeHoursCold]

Originally Posted by Waltz Mastering

Vocals are a bit loud in both. Especially Koala. The instrument mix seems like it has a blanket over the speaker sound. Need a bit of edge on the instrumental mix. Vocal sounds - not bad, need a better blend though. 2 cents.

Thanx for the advice.. im going to lower the vocals but what can i do to make the instruments stand out more

[LdC]

It's not bad for a first attempt. The basic sounds aren't bad, the playing is tight and it sounds like you've wisely resisted the urge to put loads of crazy compression and effects on everything

The mix needs tidying up, mostly in the bottom end. The kick drum is too boomy. Try some low shelf or low cut (aka high pass) filtering to reduce the bass. Also try that on the guitars because they're boomy/muddy in the lows. It might make the guitars sound "weaker" when you listen to them on their own (solo'ed), but the idea is that the real bass beef will come from the bass guitar.

By the way, how have you recorded the bass guitars? Did you double-track them and pan them like guitars or something? It kinda sounds like that. You should really just have the one bass track panned right in the middle.

The drums are also totally mono so the cymbals don't envelop the sound as they could. Try panning the overheads left and right. I think the cymbals sound kinda weak and lacking life, and some of them sound kinda high-pitched. Perhaps some compression on the cymbals can give them some "smash" and aggression.

[AndyHD]

Reverb is your friend!

Compress the vocals more, and use a reverb send to seat them in the mix properly.

Are these drum samples? If so then get busy with the panning of the cymbals, and try and sculpt the mids to allow a little more snap on the snare, and tame the kick.

LdC has a good point about the bass. Keep it central. Also; you'd be surprised how much heavier a song can sound with the distortion backed off on the guitar amps, but added to the higher frequencies of the bass (700+). It gels everything and points down to the bass fundamental, which is sounds great \m/

Also, the bass 'boom' at about 1:12 into Koala falls a bit flat; the bass space needs to be empty for that kind of effect to have any impact

[ThreeHoursCold]

Originally Posted by LdC

It's not bad for a first attempt. The basic sounds aren't bad, the playing is tight and it sounds like you've wisely resisted the urge to put loads of crazy compression and effects on everything

The mix needs tidying up, mostly in the bottom end. The kick drum is too boomy. Try some low shelf or low cut (aka high pass) filtering to reduce the bass. Also try that on the guitars because they're boomy/muddy in the lows. It might make the guitars sound "weaker" when you listen to them on their own (solo'ed), but the idea is that the real bass beef will come from the bass guitar.

By the way, how have you recorded the bass guitars? Did you double-track them and pan them like guitars or something? It kinda sounds like that. You should really just have the one bass track panned right in the middle.

The drums are also totally mono so the cymbals don't envelop the sound as they could. Try panning the overheads left and right. I think the cymbals sound kinda weak and lacking life, and some of them sound kinda high-pitched. Perhaps some compression on the cymbals can give them some "smash" and aggression.

Thanx for all the advice from you guys!! im going to mess around with those things(pan the cymbals and un-double track the bass)...

Do I double track the bass when i have harmonized guitars or no?

If you have any other suggestions just let me know! ill post something up today or tomarrow..

[AndyHD]

Originally Posted by ThreeHoursCold

Do I double track the bass when i have harmonized guitars or no?

No, have the bass play the root note of the harmony. Or, if it sounds cool, any of the other notes

[TranscendingM]

Yeah man, the vocals are the main concern here. They are in comparascent not only louder but more present than the rest of the mix. Keep in mind in this style vocals act as a texture to the general soundscape and should be, although articulate, blended in better. Once you get that right, the rest you can start to tweak.

[ThreeHoursCold]

Originally Posted by AndyHD

LdC has a good point about the bass. Keep it central. Also; you'd be surprised how much heavier a song can sound with the distortion backed off on the guitar amps, but added to the higher frequencies of the bass (700+). It gels everything and points down to the bass fundamental, which is sounds great \m/

How do i add distortion to the higher frequencies of the bass only?

[ThreeHoursCold]

Originally Posted by alehoe

heyyy can you post the tracks for one of em? i could use some practice with this kinda stuff thumbsup

I would love to help you but, im working with audacity and its the biggest pain in the ass to even work with it..

I hope someone else can help you though!

[ThreeHoursCold]

I just posted one my newest recordings.. it sounds alot better.

check it out

Throne of Entrails on MySpace Music - Free Streaming MP3s, Pictures & Music Videos

[ThreeHoursCold]

im having some trouble.. everything sounds wrong?

any other advice?

[ThreeHoursCold]

Originally Posted by ThreeHoursCold

im having some trouble.. everything sounds wrong?

any other advice?

do i pan toms and double track double bass, 1 hard L and 1 hard R?