Indie-Rock Song - Is it ok?

[samzamir]

This is about my 10th mix of it.. and I'm still unsure if it's ok. Would you please give me some inputs?
samzamir

[jeremy.c.]

It sounds like you're driving the entire mix pretty hard, everything element of the mix sounds like it's about to burst out, it makes the entire thing sound thinned out and fragile... it is a good song though and is almost there...
I would maybe start by bringing down the levels on every track and start by compressing, gently at first, every single track and doing some EQ to scoop out each instruments section so everything has some breathing room... be sure to take all frequencies around 150 out of the guitars and vocals and any element that isn't bass guitar or kick... have fun!

[samzamir]

Hi olivia_nb!
Thanks for your inputs. The guitars, vocals and keys are allready low-cut at 200. It's not that easy to clean up the sound. The bass is often playing guitar-like riffs in the upper frequencies-range and then there is also the keyboard. My main problem is to separate the keys and guitars more.

Do you think it's overcompressed?

[jeremy.c.]

Originally Posted by samzamir

Hi olivia_nb!


Do you think it's overcompressed?

Are you using group compression on the guitars and drums? It sounds like everything is getting smashed and running way too hot, group compression will do that... or maybe you're running a master bus limiter really hard?

sometimes I use group compression on the drums if I want them to pump, but in all honesty it kind of kills guitars and vox to do that...
I would definitely recommend more individual track eqing, everyhting sounds pretty smooshed together (really technical term - "smooshed")

I would pull all of your levels down and try to get the mix to run at unity gain by pulling back elements or eqing them up and down, try more movement in the stereo field too, if you have multiple guitar parts move a few out to the side and spread your drums out a bit more if you have enough of a stereo source... I think the mix just needs breathing room and more subtractive rather than additive EQing... my 2 cents (even though you only offered a penny for my thoughts... )

[BouncyJones]

I definitely think it's way over-compressed. It sounds basically fine during the beginning and the verse, although by the :42 second mark it's getting hairy, and then the :47 seconds and on it's really distorted.

I should add that the vocals sound great! Maybe it's too late, but wouldn't "frickin' paper mill" sound tougher than "f**kin"?

Seriously though, there's no need for those guitars when they come in to be so

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.......GRERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Unless you're trying to make the guitars sound like the mill?
It's hard to make sense of the piano in the background during those parts.

Why destroy a good song?

Jon

[jeremy.c.]

Originally Posted by olivia_nb

try more movement in the stereo field too, if you have multiple guitar parts move a few out to the side and spread your drums out a bit more if you have enough of a stereo source...

I'm an idiot who has listened to too many posts today, your stereo field is pretty good, just work at that compression...

[samzamir]

yep, I compressed the guitar- and the drum-subs. I'll check that again. So far thank you guys! thumbsup

[samzamir]

here's the new version!

Less compressed during mastering now. Maybe that was the point.. ?? It's kinda smoother now. The guitars still sound GRRRRRRR... but that happend at recording.

[BouncyJones]

Well,
the new version is definitely more listenable now.

Would it not possible to just turn the guitars down a little bit when the chorus kicks in?
Then things could be a little more compressed overall, if that's what you wanted.

By the way, the statement I made about the paper mill wasn't a joke, I was thinking about how it might be misinterpreted as being sarcastic. I really thought there might be a chance you meant it on purpose as a sonic effect or something.

I'd be curious to know what other people on here think.

Great vocals, and a great ending.

Jon

[treymonfauntre]

ah man, i expected a lot more low end once the drums kicked in. the distortion sounds like its a condenser mic a few feet from the amp. not in-your-face at all.
you gotta get more bass into this! master it quieter and give it plenty of room for it!

[huarez]

Where is the Bass ? Perhaps you try other ways to get some transperancy in the mix, but the mix sound very bottom light and a little harsh(got no subsonic woofer). Like mentioned before, I don´t like the git sound. Vocals sound great ! Good luck!