Big track mixdown - advice requested

lordwesley · 4th March 2008, 06:02 PM

Hello
Got quite a big song (about 60 or so tracks used), and I'm not sure the vocals are up there enough in the loud bits. Turning them up seems to make them too loud though. The track has been mixed and, for demo purposes, mastered, but will be mastered again somewhere else for the final album. The mastering engineer said he narrowed the stereo to get the lead through a bit more, so that could be part of the problem. Also, there's a lot of cello/double bass under the electric guitars but they can hardly be heard and i'd like them to be, but raising them was causing problems. If anyone would like a listen and put in some advice it would be much appreciated. You can find the track at

MySpace.com - Lemanis - Plymouth, UK - Indie / Rock / Powerpop - www.myspace.com/lemanisband

It's called Colosseum, 4th one down on the player.
Thanks in advance for anyone who'd like to cast an ear over it.

salvomix · 4th March 2008, 07:08 PM

I wouldn't have him narrow the stereo image this will crowd the middle where your vocal is. Just turn the vocal up a little in the big sections, maybe turn trombone on left and trumpet on right down slightly where they stick out a little much.. (2nd half of song)

Did you mix into compression on the 2 mix?

SalvoMix

lordwesley · 4th March 2008, 07:12 PM

You think its the horns in the way? Could well be. There was no compression on the master at mixdown, but some has been used in the studio that did the master. He narrowed the stereo image and told me what he was doing, it seemed to work a bit. There's already quite a bit of fader automation on the loud bits. Is it the arrangement rather than the mix maybe? Thanks for the help.

salvomix · 4th March 2008, 07:18 PM

It generally sounds good, couple horns stick out a bit like I said. It just sounds like you could cut in a vocal up version in the big sections. Maybe .8db to 1.4db.
Quite common to do.

SalvoMix

lordwesley · 4th March 2008, 07:19 PM

Great idea, I'll make sure I do. Thanks very much.

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4th March 2008, 06:02 PM	#1
lordwesley Lives for gear Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Plymouth UK Posts: 1,191	Big track mixdown - advice requested Hello Got quite a big song (about 60 or so tracks used), and I'm not sure the vocals are up there enough in the loud bits. Turning them up seems to make them too loud though. The track has been mixed and, for demo purposes, mastered, but will be mastered again somewhere else for the final album. The mastering engineer said he narrowed the stereo to get the lead through a bit more, so that could be part of the problem. Also, there's a lot of cello/double bass under the electric guitars but they can hardly be heard and i'd like them to be, but raising them was causing problems. If anyone would like a listen and put in some advice it would be much appreciated. You can find the track at MySpace.com - Lemanis - Plymouth, UK - Indie / Rock / Powerpop - www.myspace.com/lemanisband It's called Colosseum, 4th one down on the player. Thanks in advance for anyone who'd like to cast an ear over it.

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4th March 2008, 07:08 PM	#2
salvomix Gear nut Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 82	I wouldn't have him narrow the stereo image this will crowd the middle where your vocal is. Just turn the vocal up a little in the big sections, maybe turn trombone on left and trumpet on right down slightly where they stick out a little much.. (2nd half of song) Did you mix into compression on the 2 mix? SalvoMix

4th March 2008, 07:12 PM	#3
lordwesley Lives for gear Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Plymouth UK Posts: 1,191	You think its the horns in the way? Could well be. There was no compression on the master at mixdown, but some has been used in the studio that did the master. He narrowed the stereo image and told me what he was doing, it seemed to work a bit. There's already quite a bit of fader automation on the loud bits. Is it the arrangement rather than the mix maybe? Thanks for the help.

4th March 2008, 07:18 PM	#4
salvomix Gear nut Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 82	It generally sounds good, couple horns stick out a bit like I said. It just sounds like you could cut in a vocal up version in the big sections. Maybe .8db to 1.4db. Quite common to do. SalvoMix

4th March 2008, 07:19 PM	#5
lordwesley Lives for gear Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Plymouth UK Posts: 1,191	Great idea, I'll make sure I do. Thanks very much.