A french heavy rock band _ mix in progress

[krucifyx]

Hi guys,

Here's a mix I would like some advises on.
It's a french band I'm demoing, and I haven't finished the takes (misses the solo parts and the vocals) but as I manage to help them rearanging the song, I wanted the singer to have a nicely sounding song to work on his new vocal part.

Almost no compressors used (one of the first time I didn't feel the need to compress this kind of music) except on the top of the snare (-3db with a 160A), the basse (slightly compresses through a TfPro P1, then sidechained with the kick).

Any advice would be a great help

[kats]

I don't like it. Either you have to get the drum sound to be in the same world as the guitar sound(the heavy part), or vice versa. The way it is now sounds very unnatural. The snare sound isn't making sense to me either....it sounds like a bad sampling mix.

[krucifyx]

thanks for the advices !

This is a raw mix, hot from the takes.

I really would like to stick to that drum tone I have on the less heavy parts... What kind of suggestions could you make for the guitar tone ?

Thanks

Other comments from anyone would be appreciated !

[guerillamixer]

Listening on crap computer speakers here..

I think the raw tracks are workable for a demo, I don't mind the kit sound, but I think the guitars reeeaaally need to come up. You've got the classic scooped mids sound in the heavy parts, which means that the clean tones sound louder.

As a stab in the dark, I think you should investigate parallel compression, and try side-chaining off the kik/snare to get the last bit of level.

Maybe try listening to an Andy Wallace heavy mix. It may cause tears of despair, but it should give you some ideas about solid heavy distorted guitars.

[krucifyx]

Thanks a lot for the comment !

I do think the guitars need to take some bite ... They feel too scooped for me, but as a matter of fact, that's not a sound I like. (the band asked for it, so ... )

For the snare, I kinda like the way it sounds ... yes, a bit cheap, but it was quite made for it (to sound a bit hip hop'y sounding ... ). No samples used on this one (MD421 on the top, and SM7 on the bottom). Samples only used on the tom, triggered through drumagog.

The sound I posted was "mixed" during the takes, and after a small ear break, I think that the problem is the kick ... may sound too loud ...

But if you guys have any other comment, i would really appreciate it !