rock tune, what do you think

[DirkB]

Hi all,

This is one song of an album I'm recording and producing.
I'm kinda feeling it's coming together, what do you think can be added / changed to improve?

Thanks,
Dirk

[Beezoboy]

I like it. It kind of sounds like the newest Alien Antfarm, but. . .

I'd get the singer to do something over the bridge to make it a little more cohesive. Think Brandon Boyd type Incubus soulful singing.

Whats with the ending? It doesn't fit and messes up the flow of the song. Cut it and end after the chorus. It sounds like at the end of the song they suddenly discovered Rage against The Machine and want to honor them or something.

I think (from production standpoint) you could some more stuff going on to create more energy and impact. That lo-fi guitar that leads into the chorus is a bit anti-climactic. Maybe have it swell more and start coming into the right side on the first time. Then go right to left on the second.

I'd put a lead guitar line on the second part of the last chorus and bring the piano in. Then end it at 3:37. That ending part is lame. Seriously.

Lastly this mix is good, but overall a bit sterile. Put it on a an analog console and pump it a little. Even an RNC on the 2 buss can bring a mix together and make it just pump a bit more.

O yeah and turn up the cowbell

Beez

[DirkB]

Ok,

Here's an update. I got some cool critiques from guys in the chatbox and throuhg PM's, so here's what I did.
kick: more click, less low mids to make a more subby ( ), less compression
bass: took off almost all compression, little 1.5dB gain at 200
snare: had to put a limiter on it to get it to si t, but I think it muixes better now.
vocal: took away the -1.5dB cut at around 1K to get the vocal a little fuller.
I took off the bus compressor...

What do you think?

Greetings,
Dirk

[jazzius II]

!

[Gie-Sound]

Originally posted by Beezoboy
Lastly this mix is good, but overall a bit sterile.
Beez

Yep... 2 sterile for my taste... I would like the guitars and bass to "work together" more... I hear to much pieces, instead off one powerfull picture.

.....Just my opinion/taste off course....

[DirkB]

Originally posted by jazzius II
!

Jazzius!

You're too cool man, thanks a million .
I'm listening now on my shitty pc speakers, going to listen in my studio.
I'll contact you afterwards.

Greetings,
Dirk

[DirkB]

Originally posted by Gie-Sound
Yep... 2 sterile for my taste... I would like the guitars and bass to "work together" more... I hear to much pieces, instead off one powerfull picture.

.....Just my opinion/taste off course....

I hear you.
Problem is, that having each instrument have it's own part is kinda what the band is aiming for, very much so in this song. I'll see if I can make it a little more coherent.
Thanks for listening.

Greetings,
Dirk

[jazzius II]

Dirk...i got a couple of suggestions for you.....

....at the moment the vocal sounds ok, but not world class.....

.....but you can help him out.....

.....the vocal level throughout is uneven......you could even it out with compression.....but i'm not sure about that......it'll just sound more squashed.....a better solution would be to go thru the entire vocal and do some automated volume curves......bring him up where he falls away......boost those little breaths etc.......for the excitement......i reckon it'd take you a couple of hours but it'd be worth it.

The other thing i'd do is a distorted mult of the vox.......bring this mult in underneath the main vox very quietly......then, at some points you can raise the level of it to add excitement and agression, to make it more dramatic.....it's all about creating an illusion and a drama.

Cheers........D.

[DirkB]

Thanks D,

The vocal definitley needs more work. I already have quite some vocal rides in it, but apparantly not enough. I'll give the distorted mult a go, see what that does.

Greetings,
Dirk

[smk]

OMG, Jazzius just took this song to a whole new level. Awesome job! So what did you do to it?

[jazzius II]

Originally posted by smk
OMG, Jazzius just took this song to a whole new level. Awesome job! So what did you do to it?

LOL!....quite a lot!.....i just did it for fun, so i pulled out all the stops!.......a lot of MS stuff.......more then that i won't say!

[picksail]

Originally posted by jazzius II
LOL!....quite a lot!.....i just did it for fun, so i pulled out all the stops!.......a lot of MS stuff.......more then that i won't say!

Jazzius,

What was the ratio of Mid:Side you employed on this? Also, did you 'master this from the mp3?

[picksail]

Dirk,

I think that you have done an impressive job at capturing some remarkable sounds. The only thing that's a bit awkward is, in the verses, the guitar on the right just doesn't sit well. Where as, the piano on the left is pretty well balanced. This just adds to the contrasting imbalance. This could be rectified with some creative EQing. It could also, use more reflections passing over to the left. It seems a little contrained or choked over to the right, all by itself. BTW, the guitar in question, sounds incredible it just needs to find it's place in the overall picture.

Great work.

[jazzius II]

Yeah, i mastered from the MP3...

...re: M/S.......i can't really say a ratio.....it was more a case of treating the mid-side differently......

.....the mix is really good but i have a feeling Dirk was listening to a lot of speaker compression (Dirk, what speakers you got?)...i tried to put that aggression into the music.....make it sound a bit more energetic and less polite......

I agree about the chorus....the energy isn't quite right.......maybe the guitars are a bit tubby?

I made it pretty loud, but tried to keep the dynamics at the same time (always an impossability but worth a try anyway)

[NeoVXR]

the piano in the original (2:36) has a strong artistic expression, some calming down or saying "so it is" and this has been changed then by making it brighter - it's the only change in feeling I could recognize, ok and the bass intro (which is to communicate with the artist in a real situation), all other thing is just making the track happen and taking care that nothing gets lost or hides. shows me who is the pro and why.

[DirkB]

Thanks for all the comments.
Jazz, I'm mixing on HR824's for the moment, will switch to S3A's as soon as possible .

Regarding the guitar on the right in the verse, I will have a listen and see if it needs something. Could be just 1dB of level change...

The guitars in the chorusses will be retracked. The guitarist insisted to use his Diesel amp which sounden like it had zero dynamic range .

He'll be using my buddy's new ENGL SE for the new parts and use a different guitar. We desperately need to get some dynamics in there.

Greetings,
Dirk