advice on the mixing

slayfield

New member
Hi guys,

Bit unsure about posting this up...our music is a bit different and has only really ever been intended for fun, friends and family. Anyway here is this song I've been mixing and trying to get right, a friend told me my levels were way to high so I've been turning everything down and trying to find a balance. I've been mixing using both monitors and headphones. Composition wise its not our best but its been the most challenging thats why Im posting it. I guess I would like to know where I could or should improve on, any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Info about the recording: I've been using adobe audition with an edirol DA 24/96 interface, Rode NT3 Mic for vocals/steel string and shure SM48 for the guitar amp. I use Izotope Nectar 2 for vocals and then just basic adobe onboard effects everywhere else. I then push it through Izotope Ozone once mixed down for some very light "mastering".

Forever by Milroy | Free Listening on SoundCloud

Thanks for taking the time!
 
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Not exactly my musical thing. But I certainly didn't mind it either. Reminded me a bit of Pink Floyd.

I thought it sounded very good. I like the singer's voice a lot.

Acoustic and electric guitars sound very good.

The bass almost cuts out in spots. I'd go for another bass take and get a more consistent playing level. Not sure if you need a little more low end to it or not. you might.

But overall I thought this was quite good.
 
Thanks for listening TripleM, appreciate the feedback....good to know we are on the right track regarding the mix, I'll have a closer look at the bass line tonight and see what I can do. Yes its a bit of a mix of genres, I started off doing hiphop way back, so we decided to try and infuse the rock and rap genres together, this has only occurs on a few of our songs. The rest is mostly rock/blues. Cheers!
 
Quick listen on some cans plugged into the laptop.

I'm not crazy about the acoustic guitar tone, personally. Maybe double or even try a Nashville tuned double.

The bass is light at the beginning and that kick and bass together just doesn't work for me. I'd have to hear individual tracks because my ear's not that good but it seems like the kick is all bottom, and a little woofy.

That rap (?) thing at the end needs better articulation on both parts, or maybe some time editing to get things to line up a little better, dial back reverb/delay there and maybe add a little more grit overall in vocals.

I probably have made some different panning decisions but this is not like anything I'd normally do, so I'll leave that to others.
 
I wasn't able to listen too critically since I have to pay attention to work too, but it seemed pretty good.

Nothing leaped out at me.
 
I'm not fond of that acoustic sound at all - how are you orienting the mic? The lead guitar around 1:45 gets too loud, I had to hit the volume control. The vocal lines around 2:40 disappear to far back. The fuzzy guitar part up during that 'rap' part is really dry, and a little more reverb on the snare would be good too.
 
I think you could bring the bass up. Does sound very Floydish (Floyd-like?). I'm not convinced about the the vocal phrasing on that part after 2.00 and again later on. Other than the bass, mix itself sounds fine on headphones
 
I'm not fond of that acoustic sound at all - how are you orienting the mic? The lead guitar around 1:45 gets too loud, I had to hit the volume control. The vocal lines around 2:40 disappear to far back. The fuzzy guitar part up during that 'rap' part is really dry, and a little more reverb on the snare would be good too.

This was a while ago but listening to the actual wave form, im pretty sure we recorded the guitar by direct plugging it in to the interface. We then just added some delay and reverb to it. Does it sound a bit too much like a harpsichord??
I think your right too at 1:45, it does seem to jump out at you, easy to turn that down. Great, this is all good stuff I can take in to account from everyone. I guess I can also take it that the general feel is my rap/sing stuff is not a good fit? maybe it makes this song a bit of a Frankenstein of genres? I could look at it closer and maybe consider dropping it out for a second verse, similar to the first verse?
 
This was a while ago but listening to the actual wave form, im pretty sure we recorded the guitar by direct plugging it in to the interface.
Well, that would explain the sound. Never heard an acoustic guitar that didn't sound better miked rather than DIed.
 
Well, that would explain the sound. Never heard an acoustic guitar that didn't sound better miked rather than DIed.

I have an acoustic-electric that is rather "low end", the one I use to go outside. It doesn't sound very good as an acoustic (not like my favorite ones). I think it sounds better with the electric than with the acoustic. Might explain it.
 
I have an acoustic-electric that is rather "low end", the one I use to go outside. It doesn't sound very good as an acoustic (not like my favorite ones). I think it sounds better with the electric than with the acoustic. Might explain it.

You should experiment more with mic placement, and maybe mixing a little DI into the mic.
 
Very Floyd-ish. Acoustic does sound tinny and by itself it may sound ok, but coming in after the clean electric, sounds out of place. The beginning sounds cool though. Voice sounds alot like Dave Grohl. As far as composition I liked everything except the section that starts at 2:00 - 2:30. I agree with what someone else had stated about phrasing...something just does not sit well there. Also, sounds like there may be too much compression on main bus? Seems to duck whenever kick hits.
 
most every thing I hear has been said , the vocals at 2:19 really need to be tightened up. I would either re track them, or creative editing. The kick and bass are fighting each other. This is just my opinion, or preference but, I would lighten up some of the sub freq on the kick, and bring in a tiny bit more mallet, then I'd get that bass sound a little smoother some notes come across a bit more than other. When the drums kick in the bass get really masked by the drums. Maybe pull up some upper mids, maybe even bring up some treble freqs, into the bass. While the AC guitar sound isn't ideal, it wasn't that big of problem for me. I would try to maybe get a good mic and record the mic track to mix in along side the DI track. I'm not all that sold on your snare sound either. While it's solid, it seems a bit off in spots. I'll have to go back and listen to it again to remember what it was that felt off to me(only in a couple of spots). I'm not sure I liked the double kick, right as the drums come in off the intro fill. Maybe the bass could accent with the kick right there. Edit: I listened a few more times. The snare needs a bit of work imho, I'd bring a bit more top end into, 10K or so with a shelf (keep it subtle) and maybe a bit more reverb tail. All that said it really is a good track. The vocalist is very good. The musicianship is real good to. I really like what you did here. Kind of like Floyd becomes a rapper. You might think of tracking another vocal an octave lower also at the faster rap area.
 
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