pop rock mix

Brian Whitten · 16th July 2008, 04:44 AM

this is the latest ITB mix I have done for my new band, lot's of cool gear was used to create this, I will be doing the final mix on friday with a neve 8816, api 5500, and an alan smart c2. Tell me what you think!

Audio Hombre · 16th July 2008, 05:37 AM

i don't really feel like really examining a mix right now and only clicked on this hoping it would be something worth listening too. glad i did it sounds cool. very foo fighter especially some of those chord changes. for something going foo fighters, i think it could still hit a bit harder. part of the lack of punch is the singer. he just doesn't deliver like grohl and not nearly as intense as the groove dictates. guitars are a little slim to but not to say they're bad. it's just like it's foo fighters lite, for lack of a better way to describe it. but i did enjoy the song and your work for the most part.

forthemusic.com · 16th July 2008, 06:19 AM

Overall nice job.

First off, in my opinion, the intro has got to go. I don't think it does anything for the song. It immediately made the song feel dated and had an amateur vibe to it. Not because it was badly done, as much as it just didn't fit the song and didn't compliment it in anyway. I would recommend something like a guitar swelling effect and get right into song.

What stood out immediately to me was at 1:06, where it's the guitars and the lyrics "It's not getting any easier". This I felt represented what was missing. The bass is a major weakness through the entire song and can clearly be noticed during this section. I really like how everything drops out leaving the vocals and guitars, but when it comes back in with the drums it has no balls (reference Hoobastank "Remember Me" iTunes clip). A great mix can only be had if it has a great arrangement. The bass part in my opinion should've been played an octave lower. Your missing so much of the low end in that department that you notice the drums being slightly to big and the guitars being slightly to thin because of this. If the parts are correctly played and compliment each other, then it will make your mix sound much fuller.

The other thing I noticed during this section as Audio Hombre pointed out, referencing the Foo Fighters, was the lacking in the vocal department. It was missing emotion and intensity that parts like this (again the break at 1:06) need to help transition the different sections of the song. My suggestion...have the singer do his best Dave Grohl growl impression singing "It's not getting any easier" and either track it twice or use a delay and pan it hard left/right and tuck it in low behind what you already have (Check out the iTunes store and type in Foo Fighters and listen to the clip of their song "Best Of You"). It's right in between the singing and screaming, so I don't think that style would mess with what you have as much as it would communicate some much needed passion in that department.

My other tiny suggestion is maybe add a phaser or flange effect onto the guitars during the part when the drums go to the toms. I think it's the pre-chorus. Again, just to subtly change the dynamics for the listener.

I was only able to listen through quickly, but these are my initial impressions. Again, overall I thought you did a nice job. Thanks for the listen and I wish you the best on finishing it up.

Brian Whitten · 16th July 2008, 03:18 PM

thanks for the replies, I was hoping for some constructive criticism and I will take a closer listen and try to work on a few things. Unfortunately the vocals can't be redone with the same gear, therefore changing the sound of my voice. The song is about a Zombie invasion, hence the scanning the radio intro, it was meant to be a little cheesy. This was really my first go at using pro gear, and I am fairly happy with how it is turning out. I used 2 Chandler tg channels, a TG2, 2 Wunder Peq-1r, 2 E.A.R. pultecs, API 5500, and for dynamics the TG1 and a E.A.R. 660. I used 2 Royer r-121, 2 Coles 4038, and a Stephen Paul modified U67. I will post more on sat.

camerondye · 16th July 2008, 03:36 PM

There are some "cheese"rific portions but overall it really sounded great.

I think you could still possibly double/harmony a couple parts on the vocals and bring something more to the table on some of the non chorus parts...that way it wouldn't matter if you used another mic chain as much. Growl a little...

I think the part at 1:06 where the bass drops sounded intentional to me and I wouldn't change it...I think it gives dynamics to a song that is kind of riding a solid straight line from start to finish.

Overall a great job, you should throw up some more details on what you used on what.
Thanks,
Cam

Andreas G · 16th July 2008, 05:13 PM

Nice song! But I'd check the mono compatibility of the guitars. There is a massive volume drop when switched to mono. Did you use a stereo widener?

Andreas

Machina · 16th July 2008, 08:17 PM

Hi Brian,

I thinks it's pretty good already, nice work! Just a few suggestions soundwise (all imho of course...):

Drums: I'd like more bass drum (volume and kick). Snare and Toms sound great, but the hihat and the cymbals don't seem right. Smeary, distorting, phasy or like a really bad mp3 conversion.
Guitars: Pretty good, but they lose their presence in the pre-chorus and chorus as they start to distort more. Would be okay, too, but then I'd have less mids and highs in the verse. Chorus should become bigger and more present than the verse I think.
Vocals: Could be more aggressive. Maybe some distortion, compression, etc?!

But all in all well done! Like it!

Cheers,

Chris

Brian Whitten · 17th July 2008, 04:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by camerondye

There are some "cheese"rific portions but overall it really sounded great.

I think you could still possibly double/harmony a couple parts on the vocals and bring something more to the table on some of the non chorus parts...that way it wouldn't matter if you used another mic chain as much. Growl a little...

I think the part at 1:06 where the bass drops sounded intentional to me and I wouldn't change it...I think it gives dynamics to a song that is kind of riding a solid straight line from start to finish.

Overall a great job, you should throw up some more details on what you used on what.
Thanks,
Cam

Drums

kick>d6>tg2>ear 822q
snare top>beta57>tg2>api 5500
snare bottom>e604>digimax
rack tom>md 421>tg channel
floor tom>md 421>tg channel
overheads>r-121>tg2
room stereo>coles 4038>wunder peq1r>tg1
room mono>u67>chamleon labs 7602
hi-hat>rode nt5>digimax
ride>rode nt5>digimax

Bass

Ibanez ATK (kind of like a Music Man)
Ampeg SVT3>Ampeg 8x10

Beta 52>tg2>ear 822q
u67>tg2>api 5500
DI>chamleon labs 7602>ear 660

Guitar

can't remember exact line ups but here was the gear used

Gibson 89 Les Paul Custom
Gibson 70's ES335
Gretsch 6120
Fender 72 thinline tele reissue
Fender 50's strat reissue

1982 Marshall JCM 800 2203
Marshall JTM 45 reissue (w/power brake)
Soldano SLO 100
Vox AC30 reissue
Marshall 1960 4x12

r-121>tg2>api 5500
e609>tg2>api 5500
(room) coles 4038>wunder peq1r

PS- we are not trying to sound like the Foo Fighters

Brian Whitten · 17th July 2008, 04:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andreas G

Nice song! But I'd check the mono compatibility of the guitars. There is a massive volume drop when switched to mono. Did you use a stereo widener?

Andreas

Thanks for the feedback,a stereo widener was used on the guitar bus. Yeah it drops a bit, but so does the new avenge sevenfold and other new bands, not to sound like a noob or disrespectful, but who listens in mono? Is it super important that it sounds the same in mono? Once again thanks for the response

Andreas G · 17th July 2008, 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Whitten

Thanks for the feedback,a stereo widener was used on the guitar bus. Yeah it drops a bit, but so does the new avenge sevenfold and other new bands, not to sound like a noob or disrespectful, but who listens in mono? Is it super important that it sounds the same in mono? Once again thanks for the response

Of course I have no idea if your mix will ever have to be mono compatible, I just thought I should mention it. Regarding mono compatibility and some forms in between here is a thread which covers this issue quite well. There is nothing wrong with stereo wideners, I found it was just a bit overused. As the guitars are hard left, hard right anyway, why not simply pushing up the volume and back off the widener a bit if not at all? It still will sound wide. But hey it's your mix, it was just a thought.

Andreas

willi1203 · 17th July 2008, 07:38 PM

sound great ! Good music !

What mic did u use for vocals ?

Brian Whitten · 18th July 2008, 06:05 AM

a vintage U67 modded by Stephen Paul, the pre was a chandler tg2 and an EAR 660 comp, I rented the gear, I wish I owned it!!!

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16th July 2008, 06:19 AM	#3
forthemusic.com Gear Head Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 58	My 2 cents Overall nice job. First off, in my opinion, the intro has got to go. I don't think it does anything for the song. It immediately made the song feel dated and had an amateur vibe to it. Not because it was badly done, as much as it just didn't fit the song and didn't compliment it in anyway. I would recommend something like a guitar swelling effect and get right into song. What stood out immediately to me was at 1:06, where it's the guitars and the lyrics "It's not getting any easier". This I felt represented what was missing. The bass is a major weakness through the entire song and can clearly be noticed during this section. I really like how everything drops out leaving the vocals and guitars, but when it comes back in with the drums it has no balls (reference Hoobastank "Remember Me" iTunes clip). A great mix can only be had if it has a great arrangement. The bass part in my opinion should've been played an octave lower. Your missing so much of the low end in that department that you notice the drums being slightly to big and the guitars being slightly to thin because of this. If the parts are correctly played and compliment each other, then it will make your mix sound much fuller. The other thing I noticed during this section as Audio Hombre pointed out, referencing the Foo Fighters, was the lacking in the vocal department. It was missing emotion and intensity that parts like this (again the break at 1:06) need to help transition the different sections of the song. My suggestion...have the singer do his best Dave Grohl growl impression singing "It's not getting any easier" and either track it twice or use a delay and pan it hard left/right and tuck it in low behind what you already have (Check out the iTunes store and type in Foo Fighters and listen to the clip of their song "Best Of You"). It's right in between the singing and screaming, so I don't think that style would mess with what you have as much as it would communicate some much needed passion in that department. My other tiny suggestion is maybe add a phaser or flange effect onto the guitars during the part when the drums go to the toms. I think it's the pre-chorus. Again, just to subtly change the dynamics for the listener. I was only able to listen through quickly, but these are my initial impressions. Again, overall I thought you did a nice job. Thanks for the listen and I wish you the best on finishing it up.

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16th July 2008, 05:37 AM	#2
Audio Hombre Lives for gear Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 987	i don't really feel like really examining a mix right now and only clicked on this hoping it would be something worth listening too. glad i did it sounds cool. very foo fighter especially some of those chord changes. for something going foo fighters, i think it could still hit a bit harder. part of the lack of punch is the singer. he just doesn't deliver like grohl and not nearly as intense as the groove dictates. guitars are a little slim to but not to say they're bad. it's just like it's foo fighters lite, for lack of a better way to describe it. but i did enjoy the song and your work for the most part.

16th July 2008, 03:18 PM	#4
Brian Whitten Gear nut Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Florence Posts: 85	thanks for the replies, I was hoping for some constructive criticism and I will take a closer listen and try to work on a few things. Unfortunately the vocals can't be redone with the same gear, therefore changing the sound of my voice. The song is about a Zombie invasion, hence the scanning the radio intro, it was meant to be a little cheesy. This was really my first go at using pro gear, and I am fairly happy with how it is turning out. I used 2 Chandler tg channels, a TG2, 2 Wunder Peq-1r, 2 E.A.R. pultecs, API 5500, and for dynamics the TG1 and a E.A.R. 660. I used 2 Royer r-121, 2 Coles 4038, and a Stephen Paul modified U67. I will post more on sat.

16th July 2008, 03:36 PM	#5
camerondye Lives for gear Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Durham, NC Posts: 681	There are some "cheese"rific portions but overall it really sounded great. I think you could still possibly double/harmony a couple parts on the vocals and bring something more to the table on some of the non chorus parts...that way it wouldn't matter if you used another mic chain as much. Growl a little... I think the part at 1:06 where the bass drops sounded intentional to me and I wouldn't change it...I think it gives dynamics to a song that is kind of riding a solid straight line from start to finish. Overall a great job, you should throw up some more details on what you used on what. Thanks, Cam

16th July 2008, 05:13 PM	#6
Andreas G Lives for gear Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 778	Nice song! But I'd check the mono compatibility of the guitars. There is a massive volume drop when switched to mono. Did you use a stereo widener? Andreas

16th July 2008, 08:17 PM	#7
Machina Gear nut Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Near Munich Posts: 133	Hi Brian, I thinks it's pretty good already, nice work! Just a few suggestions soundwise (all imho of course...): Drums: I'd like more bass drum (volume and kick). Snare and Toms sound great, but the hihat and the cymbals don't seem right. Smeary, distorting, phasy or like a really bad mp3 conversion. Guitars: Pretty good, but they lose their presence in the pre-chorus and chorus as they start to distort more. Would be okay, too, but then I'd have less mids and highs in the verse. Chorus should become bigger and more present than the verse I think. Vocals: Could be more aggressive. Maybe some distortion, compression, etc?! But all in all well done! Like it! Cheers, Chris

17th July 2008, 07:38 PM	#11
willi1203 Gear Head Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Geneva, Switzerland Posts: 73	sound great ! Good music ! What mic did u use for vocals ?

18th July 2008, 06:05 AM	#12
Brian Whitten Gear nut Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Florence Posts: 85	a vintage U67 modded by Stephen Paul, the pre was a chandler tg2 and an EAR 660 comp, I rented the gear, I wish I owned it!!!