a pop-rock tune and an acoustic pop song, my mixes, I'd like some critiques! thanks

[flanger001]

Hi folks,

This is my first posting on Gearslutz; my friends on here have been after me to register so I finally did. Seems like a cool place to me!

Okay, I attached two songs from my band to this post. One is a pop-rock song (Holding My Breath) and the other is an acoustic pop ballad (Pull Me Together) type thing. You know, a song where all the girls gasp when you play it. I recorded and mixed both of these but I don't want to say how I did it or what I used until someone hears them and I can get some feedback from people who aren't my local friends (read: from people who might know what they're doing more than I do).

Any feedback will work; I'm looking for comments on the songs themselves, the mixes, the performances, and how to make the songs as impactful as they can be. We think we have a good product and we want to start taking this stuff to the next level.

Please let me know! Thanks.

[flanger001]

No bites, huh? Okay, here's the chain:

Holding My Breath:
Nady SP1s on the drums (5 drums)
MXL 990s on the overheads (2)
MXL 990 was used on everything else except the bass, which was direct.

Pull Me Together:
MXL 990 on everything except bass, which was direct.
Shaker and tambourine are loops.

Tascam FW-1884 interface into Nuendo, and all effects were Nuendo's built-in ones.

My monitors, don't laugh, are some Altec Lansing PC gaming speakers.

[adrianex]

Hey man, I like the song. But here are my impressions on the recording and mixing..(I just listen to Holding my breath)

- I think you should work a little bit more on the drums, The kick I feel it could be a litlle more punchier and the snare it not sitting rigth in the mix..also the different between the Close and Open Hithat is too big and the ride could use some compression.

- The intro its a little bit weak and the guit needs a little bit more attituted, I feel them a little bit plain.

- I hear a glich at 1:15 (first verse)

- The vocals sounds a little boxed to me, but thats only taste wise.

- I hear some pitch problem with the vocals (the second verse)

But the mix is really well balance and as I said before I like the and it just need to be pulish..I listen the other one later

Good work

Adrianex

[KurtR]

You have Nuendo but you are using PC speakers?

[djui5]

Holding my breath:

Drummer is weak. It needs a real drummer.

Rythm guitar is out of tune.

It's not big enough..at all. The mix is "weird" sounding...

[djui5]

Pull Me Together:

Cool song. I don't like the sound of the acoustic in the beginning, needs a de-esser.

Also, could use a change from the pre-chorus to the chorus other than playing the acoustic harder...

I like the arrangement though. Good stuff :)

[flanger001]

Originally Posted by KurtR

You have Nuendo but you are using PC speakers?

Yeah. I don't know if this is hugely frowned upon here but my friend gave me a copy of Nuendo and I've been using it until I can save up for a legitimate Pro Tools system. I'm almost there, and as soon as I get it I'm deleting Nuendo. I also have a legitimate, albeit crippleware, version of Cubase (LE) but it just doesn't sound the same as Nuendo, it's like it's fuzzier or something. I can't really put my finger on it. So I use what I have. :-/

[flanger001]

I'm intrigued by your comment about the drummer being weak. I played drums on this and I was wailing the hell out of them most of the time. I know force doesn't equal strength but I wondered what you meant by that. Can you elaborate a little bit?

Thanks for your comments on both songs though. I can see that you are a pro at this stuff and I'd like to be at that point someday, so this is good stuff to hear. Most of the time we worry about getting our notes in tune or the groove still being there, and not so much with higher-level intricate details of recording. Thanks.

To everyone else too!

[djui5]

Originally Posted by flanger001

I'm intrigued by your comment about the drummer being weak. I played drums on this and I was wailing the hell out of them most of the time. I know force doesn't equal strength but I wondered what you meant by that. Can you elaborate a little bit?

You may have been pounding the crap out of them, but your not playing with conviction and confidence. Maybe something happened in the recording, or your can mix sucked, who knows. But I do feel the drum performance is lacking.

Also, it seems the guitar parts are a bit "late" quite a lot..


I think there's potential in the songs, but you guys need to find a qualified producer to push you harder.

[flanger001]

Okay. That makes a whole lot more sense, so let me tell you what was going on with that.

I wrote that song and I am actually playing everything on it; my band didn't know the song yet so I just put down what I thought would be a good learning track for it anyway. So, with the band not knowing it, all I had was a metronome in my cans. It's pretty on with the click most of the time but I feel like when I play with a click I get tensed up and try and bully my way through the time.

As far as conviction and confidence goes, I feel like I knew the song back and forth, but again, it seems like when I play with a click, all I want to do is make sure the beats are as dead on as possible. What are your thoughts about playing with a click?

And you're also very right, it is really hard to get the most out of your own songs when you're the people in charge of how they sound. I guess having someone else come in and really build the songs up would be what we need. Again, in Nowhere, Pennsylvania, it's hard to find people like that.

Now your comments are making tons of sense to me. Thanks man.

[djui5]

Originally Posted by flanger001

As far as conviction and confidence goes, I feel like I knew the song back and forth, but again, it seems like when I play with a click, all I want to do is make sure the beats are as dead on as possible. What are your thoughts about playing with a click?

Danny Carey dosen't play to a click. :)

If your timing is good, and you can't play well to a click, shut the damm thing off. I've done it a million times, if the click is making the performance worse, but the timing a touch better, shut off the click. I'd rather have the timing sway slightly and the vibe be killer, than have it on the click and the vibe be "crappy". If your timing's really bad, might wanna see about a session drummer for the albums (it's nothing personal, happens all the time. It's harder to play on a record than live).

And you're also very right, it is really hard to get the most out of your own songs when you're the people in charge of how they sound. I guess having someone else come in and really build the songs up would be what we need. Again, in Nowhere, Pennsylvania, it's hard to find people like that.

Now your comments are making tons of sense to me. Thanks man.

Glad I could help. I'm sure there has to be producers in state somewhere who'd be willing to help you out. Ask around here...put up a thread. If not, I'm sure there would be one close by that would work with you. I'd come out but it would cost you a lot... :)

[Rush909]

nice overall... people have not touched on the vox much... there are some pitchy areas there... but also the vox are not big enough... not volume or EQ, but for this kind of stuff there is not enough stacking, and what is there is too obvious... the leads in the choruses are obviously doubled, but they also sound like it... it makes it hard for the listener to connect with you cause they feel like they are listening to 2 people singing... you really need to take one of the leads and make that "the lead" and then double/stack but push those back enough in the mix as not only thicken the lead without distracting from it... I also agree that the Guitars are not big enough... just keep stacking :)... as for the drums, I think you played them fine, but the choice of sounds/tuning is a bit off... they do sound boxy, too high, and thin... could be a mix thing, but most probably a tuning thing or tracking thing... and again, bigger, bigger, BIGGER... for everything... these kinds of songs are typically have simple arrangments/sounds, but all the sounds are BIG... be interesting to hear it once the rest of the band gets in on the action and they bring in their vibe into it...

r.

[R.B.]

I see nothing wrong with the drumming--must be someone looking for a gig adding drums to songs (making that comment)---the drums arent recorded great-But--nothing wrong with the playing----(listened to 1:40 of the tune----)

[djui5]

Originally Posted by R.B.

I see nothing wrong with the drumming--must be someone looking for a gig adding drums to songs (making that comment)---the drums arent recorded great-But--nothing wrong with the playing----(listened to 1:40 of the tune----)

What the hell are you talking about? I'm not a drummer, I'm a mix engineer. I'm trying to offer my ears, and to me the drums aren't convincing enough.

[synapse]

Holding my Breath:

Good song.
I agree with djui5 about the drums - they don't sit well.
It sounds like the snare is not quite tuned properly - tin can sounding,
toms also sound out - little bit farty. Might also need different skins, I could tell more if the drums were isolated.
Drums need a warmer pre with a good compressor to sit right in this. The cymbals sound harsh.
The opening is a little weak and the drums sound behind the beat.
Drifts in and out throughout but they're really out 3:16 to end.
End is a little weak.
There is a glitch at about 1:15
Vocal pitch correction needed from about 1:24 - 1:40
Don't like the vocal upsweep before solo.
Too much phaser on guitar solo about 2:45 could use a redo with better emotion - weak solo ending about 2:53
Glitch at 2:53 - Watch that your edits are done at 0 crossings!
Song Ending is weak after 3:33. Try taking the ending from around 3:24 and leave it on that high - maybe even repeat 3:23-3:24 and fade on guitar.
I would replace the snare using Drumkit from Hell and fix some of the timing issues to give a better feel or re-record drums entirely with a different kit.



Pull me together:

Don't feel bad, I don't really like the song - it's too "Tracy Chapman meets Jars of Clay" for my particular taste.
The djembe/tam also doesn't sit right in the first half.
Needs better eq'ing throughout.
*Hate* the string noise!
Accoustic needs a better pre - I would also try a TLM 127 on it.
On a production note, I would do something more dramatic for the chorus at 00:55 & 2:04 (bring in drums maybe some electric guitar) give something more memorable with a musical hook that I can hang on to.
Don't like the trailing shaker.
Good start but still needs work.







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