Some Hard Rock for you slutz

DP40oz · 27th February 2006

Hey guys, this is a mix of my band. I've been working these mixes for a while and heres one thats coming close to completion. I mix alot of bands but doing my own band has really made me try and step my game up big time. Gearslutz has been my best friend in the last year or so. As far as this mix goes im definitely going for that Chevelle, Alterbridge squashed but rockin sound. Thanks for everyones help thus far.

www.FEFFband.com/TurnToGrey.mp3

By the way the snare in the begining is cut off a bit that will be fixed.

guerillamixer · 27th February 2006

Sounds solid, only problem I can hear are clicks when amps turn off/on
and some clicks on the Bass the most obvious one is @ 2:38.9,
the other in the tail.

Have you mastered it yourself?

DP40oz · 27th February 2006

I mixed with some rencomp on the mix bus, ala Charles Dye SSL type setting taking about 4db off. I did a "quazi" mastering with another rencomp set to the electro firm mastering preset taking a bit off, then T-racks soft clip to maximize volume, and then an L2 attenuating about 1db. I totally agree with you that it has a very boxed in sound, but when i ease off the compressors i lose that "on the radio" sound that is hard rock. I wish I had Andy Wallace's brain for a day and was able to squash like that man, but thats just a dream. I wanna try and open up the mids and top end a bit, just open the mix a little to help the mud/blurry thing you're talking about. Thanks for listening fellas, im trying hard.

AndyL · 27th February 2006

Is it just me, or is the whole mix pumping along with the bassdrum?
Don´t get me wrong, I like that. Just that it might be a little to much?

Otherwise I think you´ve done a great job!
Keep it up!

norman_nomad · 28th February 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by DP40oz

I mixed with some rencomp on the mix bus, ala Charles Dye SSL type setting taking about 4db off. I did a "quazi" mastering with another rencomp set to the electro firm mastering preset taking a bit off, then T-racks soft clip to maximize volume, and then an L2 attenuating about 1db. I totally agree with you that it has a very boxed in sound, but when i ease off the compressors i lose that "on the radio" sound that is hard rock.

I think there's some good stuff goin on in this mix DP40oz, but I agree that it's just way too squashed to really listen to. It's so boxed in, it almost sounds mono to me.

Remember that the radio is going to do exactly what you've already done to the mix, so there's no reason to go so heavy handed with the buss compression.

It'd be cool to hear a version that isn't so squashed...

Just my 2 cents..

allencollins · 28th February 2006

Nice!. I like the sound. Is that the singer from Godsmack?

Jason Poulin · 1st March 2006

The sound is great but man it's really squashed.

There's a bad pumping compression going on that's affecting everything. The guitars are going in and out.

Good concept but I think you went a bit too far... go back to it with a fresh set of ears.

Good job though

but fix the mastering (mixbuss)

Jason

Methlab · 1st March 2006

the kick sounds too clicky to me. the whole track is definitely compressed a shitload..pull all that off and try again..the (chinaman) rencomp is not the issue here.

DP40oz · 1st March 2006

Thanks for the feedback guys. Ahhhhh i knew i squashed it, i tried so hard this time to minimize pumping (although i do love a little bit), I creep the threshold down ever so slightly and then i hear "THAT SOUND" and i stop, once again just too much. My major comparison for this mix was definitly the Alterbridge album which to me sounds amazing (not the songs but the sound). Alot of people would hate the sound due to the squashedness but im a sucker for that stuff as you see. I totally agree this mix is too squashed, its sounding boxy and monoish as you said. Im digging the tightness the mixbuss comp is giving me but on the same end im losing depth, width and strength i would say.

As far as the clicky kick drum you may be right but i tried extra hard to have a nice lowend to click ratio, im not hearing to much clickyness compared to other stuff in this genre but as usual i may be wrong.

As far as me doing all this extra mixbuss processing (wannabe mastering) i feel it helps me learn more about the mix process, I just find it very difficult with hard rock to not understand the mastering process and try and create that modern sound, when alot of that modern sound is mastering. I dont know if that made any sense but thanks for the comments and suggestions you guys rule!!!

Absolute · 1st March 2006

This type of music has tighter guitars from left to right. Its a big part of the produced sound to be very tight with them and also them with the kick and bass.

So its loose in places where you would have gotten more impact.

About Dye's Bus setting. I believe it works for him because of how careful he is with his levels going into the bus. These settings dont work for rcomp on the bus for me and that maybe whats happening here. I bet the waves ssl would work for those setting though.

I like the vox sound. The last thing on the musical side is the singer sounds like he pretending when going into the heavy part. I know..because I pretend too. He is good but his natural voice is the first one not the second but I only noticed the pretending when he starts the chorus(as he goes on I accept him.) So just when he builds up and tries to get mean I would help him on the transition. In fact..its best to sing all the clean parts by themselve--then the mean parts at another time with careful attention to the first few notes.

anyway..I hate when people give me advise like this...so I'll stop

Nut · 3rd March 2006

Whoa ! The radio stations multibands will have nothing to do ! :P

I'm diggin' the mix in general, but the super compressions sound just annoys the crap out of me,

e. The snare is particularly noteworthy.

The panning with the guitars is also a little extreme at times.. it seems to stretch them out too much.

Close, but it aint quite there.

flanger001 · 14th March 2006

I'm a big fan. I hear the supercompressed sound and I mean, it's a little too much. Everyone's already said that. But I can offer this: the performances are hella tight and that's awesome. This song would be great if it was just a little less squeezed. I mean it sounds like the quiet parts and the loud parts are the same volume, the only thing that changes is the density of sound.

The guitar tone is a little intense on the mids. I like it, at least it's not super-scooped, but you might try backing the midband down a bit. Unless of course you are going for a super-produced sound, which this does have. Whatever man, I dig it.

lordnielson · 23rd March 2006

All things taken into consideration. What you are achieving with the tools at hand, I think you're doing a great job. The mastering may be a bit unforgiving, but if you ask the punter on the street he wouldn't know, it sounds true to form.

The chord progression with guitar picking is (to me) original and special, I really, really dig it. On the other hand the singer holds the end note of every phrase for an hour w/ super slo mo vibration. I you're the singer I hope you don't take offense but to me that makes the track sound a bit sedated (Subjectively, not a big fan of old skool heavy metal singing)

Productionwise you're on the right track

27th February 2006	#1
DP40oz Gear addict Joined: Jul 2005 Posts: 410 Thread Starter	Some Hard Rock for you slutz Hey guys, this is a mix of my band. I've been working these mixes for a while and heres one thats coming close to completion. I mix alot of bands but doing my own band has really made me try and step my game up big time. Gearslutz has been my best friend in the last year or so. As far as this mix goes im definitely going for that Chevelle, Alterbridge squashed but rockin sound. Thanks for everyones help thus far. www.FEFFband.com/TurnToGrey.mp3 By the way the snare in the begining is cut off a bit that will be fixed.

1st March 2006	#7
Jason Poulin Lives for gear Joined: Sep 2003 Location: Sudbury, On. Canada Posts: 1,780	The sound is great but man it's really squashed. There's a bad pumping compression going on that's affecting everything. The guitars are going in and out. Good concept but I think you went a bit too far... go back to it with a fresh set of ears. Good job though but fix the mastering (mixbuss) Jason __________________ If it don't sound like a record... don't press record

1st March 2006	#8
Methlab Lives for gear Joined: Jul 2004 Location: Orlando Posts: 3,686	the kick sounds too clicky to me. the whole track is definitely compressed a shitload..pull all that off and try again..the (chinaman) rencomp is not the issue here. __________________ Professionally played Basslines for $35 a Track. www.professionalbassguitar.com

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Hard Rock mix	ChrisM	Work In Progress / Advice Requested / Show & Tell / Artist Showcase / Mix-Offs	10	17th August 2006 01:20 AM
Hard Rock Tracks.	Maverick	Work In Progress / Advice Requested / Show & Tell / Artist Showcase / Mix-Offs	3	17th June 2006 01:46 PM
Hard rock tune	tnelson494	Work In Progress / Advice Requested / Show & Tell / Artist Showcase / Mix-Offs	4	28th October 2005 08:43 PM
it hits hard as a rock	cypocryphy	The Moan Zone	2	13th September 2004 01:26 AM
Hard Rock Song	JohnMcD	Work In Progress / Advice Requested / Show & Tell / Artist Showcase / Mix-Offs	6	7th September 2004 03:56 AM

27th February 2006	#2
guerillamixer Gear nut Joined: Jun 2005 Posts: 139	Sounds solid, only problem I can hear are clicks when amps turn off/on and some clicks on the Bass the most obvious one is @ 2:38.9, the other in the tail. Have you mastered it yourself?

27th February 2006	#4
AndyL Gear interested Joined: Jan 2006 Posts: 8	Is it just me, or is the whole mix pumping along with the bassdrum? Don´t get me wrong, I like that. Just that it might be a little to much? Otherwise I think you´ve done a great job! Keep it up!

28th February 2006	#6
allencollins 3 + infractions, forum membership suspended. Joined: Oct 2004 Location: Rosedale Cemetery Singing Beach, MA Posts: 4,873	Nice!. I like the sound. Is that the singer from Godsmack?

1st March 2006	#10
Absolute Lives for gear Joined: May 2003 Location: NY Posts: 1,142	This type of music has tighter guitars from left to right. Its a big part of the produced sound to be very tight with them and also them with the kick and bass. So its loose in places where you would have gotten more impact. About Dye's Bus setting. I believe it works for him because of how careful he is with his levels going into the bus. These settings dont work for rcomp on the bus for me and that maybe whats happening here. I bet the waves ssl would work for those setting though. I like the vox sound. The last thing on the musical side is the singer sounds like he pretending when going into the heavy part. I know..because I pretend too. He is good but his natural voice is the first one not the second but I only noticed the pretending when he starts the chorus(as he goes on I accept him.) So just when he builds up and tries to get mean I would help him on the transition. In fact..its best to sing all the clean parts by themselve--then the mean parts at another time with careful attention to the first few notes. anyway..I hate when people give me advise like this...so I'll stop

3rd March 2006	#11
Nut Gear nut Joined: Jun 2005 Location: Waterloo, Sydney, Australia Posts: 114	Whoa ! The radio stations multibands will have nothing to do ! :P I'm diggin' the mix in general, but the super compressions sound just annoys the crap out of me, e. The snare is particularly noteworthy. The panning with the guitars is also a little extreme at times.. it seems to stretch them out too much. Close, but it aint quite there.

14th March 2006	#12
flanger001 Gear interested Joined: Mar 2006 Posts: 11	I'm a big fan. I hear the supercompressed sound and I mean, it's a little too much. Everyone's already said that. But I can offer this: the performances are hella tight and that's awesome. This song would be great if it was just a little less squeezed. I mean it sounds like the quiet parts and the loud parts are the same volume, the only thing that changes is the density of sound. The guitar tone is a little intense on the mids. I like it, at least it's not super-scooped, but you might try backing the midband down a bit. Unless of course you are going for a super-produced sound, which this does have. Whatever man, I dig it.

23rd March 2006	#13
lordnielson Lives for gear Joined: Apr 2004 Location: C o p e n h a g e n Posts: 865	All things taken into consideration. What you are achieving with the tools at hand, I think you're doing a great job. The mastering may be a bit unforgiving, but if you ask the punter on the street he wouldn't know, it sounds true to form. The chord progression with guitar picking is (to me) original and special, I really, really dig it. On the other hand the singer holds the end note of every phrase for an hour w/ super slo mo vibration. I you're the singer I hope you don't take offense but to me that makes the track sound a bit sedated (Subjectively, not a big fan of old skool heavy metal singing) Productionwise you're on the right track