Any advices on this metal mix ?

[seth666]

Hi,

i'm finishing the mix of a 3 songs album for my band.
I work on Protools 7 LE.

I would like to have ur opinions on this mix (still too much frequency masking ? snare too loose ? etc...) and what are ur advices to make it sound better.

Here is the url where u can download the mix : Download

The first link is the mix with a mastering done with Vintage Warmer to see what it'll look like. After having done this pseudo-mastering, i've put a high pass on the guitars Bus at 400Hz and a cut of -5db with a Q of 5 from 800Hz to 2500Hz (a bit to wide ?) on the Bass bus because guitars was really fighting with bass and bass was masking the voice.
And it sounded better ! (perhaps i'll have to automate the on/off of the high pass on guitar in order to make the guitars no sound too thin on passage where guitar is alone)
I'm still not happy with this snare. It lack a bit of mid-high end. I want it more snappy and in ur face.
SO if someone as cool snare samples (in the vein of Deftones, Incubus -Science album- snares), thanks to share them


Peace

[Almost Human]

Listening now...

First thing I notice is that the kick is very "boomy" sounding, especially when the double kick sections come in. I think the guitars sound a little thin. But, once I read that you had the guitars routed to a bus with a HP of 400, it made sense. I think that's a bit extreme for heavy guitars and metal. My advice would be to HP a lot lower. I would try from 60 - 80 if possible, and about 100 - 150 max if you necessarily must have the extra room for the bass. Those extra lower frequencies really help fiull out a guitar sound.

The snare does leave a little to be desired. It's not bad, but could be a little better. I saw that you were inquiring about snare samples in another thread. I've attached both a kick and a snare sample for metal here for you. There's multiples samples in each, so you'll have to cut it apart yourself. I'd try keeping what you have and just tucking another track with sample up under what you have.

The vocals do sound nice. Overall, I think it's a good job...thumbsup As part of the age old Gearslutz question...can you post your signal chain used for recording everything? I'm definitely interested to know you recorded the vocals...mics, pres, how many tracks, processing, panning, etc.

And here's those samples for you...

[seth666]

All has been recorded with a digi 002R except the drum which was recorded with the DIgi002R and the Ada 8000 for extra tracks.

The signal chain for recording was reduced to the max. (no compressor) :

Drums :
mic (akg) --> preamp of digi002r or preamp of ada 8000
bass ----DI------> preamp digi002r
----mic(D112)--> preamp digi002r
Guitar :
gtr --> studioProject TubePre--> Brunetti XL head
The output of the TubePre was going to the amp and the DI output of the TubePre was going to the digi002r
Guitar was recorded with StudioProject C1, Senneihser E609 and sm57 mics. Mics were the nearest possible to the guitar cabinet.
The DI signal was used next to reamp (thru a Radial X Amp) in a Engl head.
The tracks I keeped for mixing are :
for the Brunetti > C1 and SM57
for the Engl > E609
and the DI

The voice was recorded with the C1 plugged in the TubePre.

I've for the voice:
one "no processing" bus with nothing on it
one "over compressed" bus with a RComp working hard
one "reverb" bus for the reverb
one "FX" bus for the delay and fx

Download the schema of the protools session (i've not finally used Bottom, Mid and Top busses)

If i don't cut at 300-400hz my guitars, it sounds to muddy. Don't know how to fix that.

Thanks for the samples, i'm gonna hear them tonight

[Almost Human]

Thanks for the rundown...when you refer to the TubePre, are you talking about the Studio Projects VTB-1 or the Presonus TubePre mic pre?

Hope you enjoy the samples! thumbsup

Also, about the guitars...I would try tracking with less bass when you record. Losing that much of the low's and low mid's really eats at the thickness of the tone. You should be able to HP around the 60 - 80 mark and still get the bass in there with no trouble. I would definitely not recommend going over 100 - 150 max, and even that is stretching it. It may have just too much bass when the guitars were tracked. Just a thought.

[seth666]

sorry, it's the VTB-1

I used the TubePre for another record and it blown in my hands :(