Song in progress- please critique

[SRS]

This is a song my band has been working on. I know there are timing issues throughout the song, but if you could please critique the recorded sound (tracks) and the mix, I would appreciate it. I need all the help I can get! Thanks.

[SRS]

Bump. Little help please...

[serapup]

Whats up man? Tracks sound decent. A little hollow in the vocals and when it hits the heavy part its a little abrupt with no chance for the listener to feel it coming. The Acoustics almost there, maybe a bit more EQ on the high end just seems really "pingy." Anyways man keep it up sounds good...

[SRS]

Thanks Serapup. By you saying the acoustic guitar sounds a little pingy, then saying it might need more high end, wouldn't that defeat the purpose? Maybe I am misunderstanding you. Please explain if you could. Also, is the vocal hollow sound an EQ thing, or from tracking or????

Thanks again for the comments.

[roxxon]

The timing issues you mentioned are an understatement.
I'm nty trying to be over-critical or mean.
But the timing must be there or...
You know.
You asked for critique.

[SRS]

Yes, I know on the timing glitches. These are not the keeper tracks by any means. Just a test to see sonically how it all fit together. It is because the parts were tracked at different times with no click track reference... Just wanted to see how the sound of the tracks went down and the mix direction. Thanks for checking it out. Mean... you couldn't possibly be mean to me on this board!

[eyesore]

Unfortunately that's 'human nature' - even when you tell someone to ignore something, they can't do it, or it draws their attention to it more. It happens every time.

I think that when the heavier guitars come in, the vocals and drums other than the kick suffer. You need to get them all working together better(I'm talking mixing-wise and not performance wise, because we aren't discussing that). I want to hear that snare punching through like the kick does, and for the vocal to be the focal point rather than the guitar. I'd also like to hear the guitar more spread out rather than so mono. I wouldn't use that as a solution to the first thing I mentioned though, because I believe a mix should work just as well in mono.

Things seem to work together better in the verse, but then the laid back drums make more sense there anyway.

The dynamics of the whole thing are a bit inverted, though I know that occurs a lot these days on the radio. The harmoncs at the beginning are more powerful than the verse which is more powerful than the chorus, rather than vice versa. Did you have the compression/limiting engaged while you mixed? That's the only way to accurately gauge its effects. It might be contibuting to what I am hearing.

I know you didn't ask for any song comments, but I'd cut the solo in half, or else make it more interesting.

The vocalist seems like he is trying to find his sound. If he is trying to imitate various others, I'd suggest to just try and be himself instead.

You didn't ask for arrangement comments, but I'd like to hear some more variation between verses. Then that third verse being almost the same lyrically as the first adds to the monotony. I suppose maybe this isn't the whole arrangement though, and you were just sketching out where the parts go?

At first the song seemed kinda strange to me, but it has grown on me. It will probably sound good when you redo it for real. Good luck.

[SRS]

Thanks eyesore. I will certainly take all those comments and factors into account when the song is done in it's final form. I totally hear and can visualize all of the points you brought up. That is why this forum is so valuable.

[stagefright13]

Sounds cool but I think the vocals are not loud enough In the heavy parts. You may want to bump them up a bit. Vocals are ok till the guitars come in...

[SRS]

Right on. I kinda heard that a bit too with the vox a little low in the chorus area. Duly noted. Thanks... I appreciate the comments. Both good and bad.