Any help on the mix

P

polarity

New member
I'll take critique on anything. The mix, the singing, the playing.

I have someone (I'll leave their name out unless they want to say) mixing it so I can hear some differences. I thought I'd post it up here though and see what you guys hear.

View attachment Wagon Wheel - PreMix(2).mp3

I apologize for not using soundcloud but my friends have all added me there and I don't want them hearing it until it's finished.
 
There seems to be lots of 3k and up, especially 6-8k and especially on the guitar, but not much going on lower than that. I really want to hear some lower resonance of the guitar and voice, but all I hear down there is the thumping of muted low strings.
 
Hey.....very nice. I liked it. Can't nit pick much but.......if I was going to:
1. The 1st short lead part is too low in volume and is muddy in tone.
2. The harmony is a bit too low as well and could use a little brighter EQ to separate from the main vocal.
3. The 2nd lead is at the right level but panned too much to the right when it could be centered. Later that same guitar reappears to the right again....which is fine........but is a bit too loud as it steps on the main vocal.
4. The mix could use some bottom......a bass line maybe....but stands alone just fine too.
Did I mention I liked it???? I did. This is just my 2 cents. Thanks for letting me hear it.
 
Thanks for the comments. I don't have a bass so there is no low end instrument there. I can work on bringing some of the lows out in the vocal and guitars though. I'll give it a shot tonight and post up the result.

And I'm glad you liked it =). I finally "finished" a song and posted it in the clinic.. Steeno is going to cry..
 
I agree with Boulder's comments, highs are pretty dominant, it doesn't sound bad to me, but if there was something in the lower, it might not sound a dominant. Even if you had to put on a synth bass just to bring a little low in there. I can tell this is not one of those tunes you would want to do this, but if done sparingly, would really give the song a boost.

Good song, nice vocals, good guitar playing, lyrics work really well. That's all I have.
 
I haven't tried to do synth instruments yet, I'll give it a go.

This is not my song, just a cover. Originally started by Bob Dylan, but he never wrote verses. Then Old Crow Medicine Show finished it. Then Darius Rucker covered it, but I don't really care for his version as much. The "original" very blue grassy (which I am not) but it was a fun song to try. Very outside my normal space
 
Hey Polarity. Someone say my name? :p
Thanks for sharing, pal. I enjoyed this a lot. As usual I don't think you've got anything to worry about on the vocals.
Your voice sounds really good and this kind of song works for you.

The guitar's D.I. right?
I'm not a fan of that. To be fair it doesn't sound bad, all the same.
I'd love to hear it with a little shuffle and a simple baseline under it though. ;)
 
What is a shuffle? I can work on doing a bassline (I'm sure I can pick one up and learn to play it).

It is DI, you picked that one up. I really need to get better at micing the guitar. I have some mics for it. Maybe I should try replaying it stereo mic'd
 
polarity said:
What is a shuffle? I can work on doing a bassline (I'm sure I can pick one up and learn to play it).

It is DI, you picked that one up. I really need to get better at micing the guitar. I have some mics for it. Maybe I should try replaying it stereo mic'd
Click to expand...

I am using a pair of AKGs 170's and I have been pretty happy with the results. I am sure there are better, but for the money I thought they did a nice job.
 
polarity said:
What is a shuffle? I can work on doing a bassline (I'm sure I can pick one up and learn to play it).

It is DI, you picked that one up. I really need to get better at micing the guitar. I have some mics for it. Maybe I should try replaying it stereo mic'd
Click to expand...

Oh, sorry. I mean't a light shuffle pattern on drums. Something gentle just to keep it going.
I don't know that you need to re-record the guitar. I just picked up on it being D.I.
It has a certain sound, you know? You would hear it quite often, though, with these modern country mixes.

Really enjoyed the vocals though, like I say. :)
 
Ok, lets get some opinions.

I have matched stereo pair of MXL 993s (SDC), I have Neumann TLM 102, AKG C214 (currently loaned to a friend), AT2035.

I have 1 presonus tube pre and a presonus studiolive board. If you were going to stereo mic the guitar to record for better tone what would you do?

I have a different guitar that IMO has a better tone, I played it with the other one so I could DI it. It was a martin. The Washburn I have sounds so much more full though but has no DI.
 
The 993's would do a nice job. Not sure how many channels you can record, I only have two, so it keeps me limited. If you only have two, using a 993 on the 12th fret, then one of the other ones for the sound hole.

I was on the Shure site and it gives a few ideas to record acoustic. Almost all of the ideas have one mic pointed at the 12th fret, then there was an idea of over the players shoulder with a mic like your Nueman. Another example was something like your 993s one on 12th fret and the other behind the bridge. There were a few ideas that were interesting. MICROPHONE TECHNIQUES, anyway pretty cool, some good ideas.
 
I would start with the traditional pair, a small diaphragm condenser at the 12th fret and a large diaphragm condenser somewhere near the bridge.
 
Congratulations. You're a true professional. You are seeking help and willing to listen. I don't want to criticize but you asked for it. The best thing I can do is point you to Rick Rubin, a great producer and a great mentor who sat down with Johnny Cash in his living room and recorded every song Johnny had ever written. They are incredible. Just Johnny, his guitar, and his voice. Here's a link. Listen and learn and try to get this sound on your recording. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0MIFHLIzZY
Good luck,
Rod Norman
Engineer

polarity said:
I'll take critique on anything. The mix, the singing, the playing.

I have someone (I'll leave their name out unless they want to say) mixing it so I can hear some differences. I thought I'd post it up here though and see what you guys hear.

View attachment 88596

I apologize for not using soundcloud but my friends have all added me there and I don't want them hearing it until it's finished.
Click to expand...
 
That little bit of picking that solos for a bit is getting completely masked by the DI guitar. You need to separate them better.

Steenamaroo's right about this one asking for a bass part. For one thing, the comments about how the guitars are bass-light are right, I think, so a bass would fill in some low end. But mostly it would sound good cuz a bass would rip this one up. I can hear brushes on a snare as well, but I hear brushes on snare with everything so you can safely ignore that idea lol.
 
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