Fantasy and Reality

Todzilla

Todzilla

New member
I would love some mix feedback on this tune, which is the presumed lead track for a full album project. I need to provide a bit of background, first.

The lyrics are very hard to understand. This is because the project features my developmentally disabled sister. She has Downs Syndrome and other accompanying cognitive issues. Nevertheless, she comes up with amazing verbal concepts that I am featuring on this project. If you can follow her words, they're pretty breathtaking. I am hoping to earmark ALL proceeds from this project to charities that help developmentally disabled adults.

It features my house drummer and bass player, and some folkly female bg vocalists. I'm trying to get this project ready for Crowd Funding for mastering and then duplication and then distribution. Please help me ensure the tracks "pop."



Thanks,

-Todzilla
 
I thought it was cool to involve your sister.

It's weird, but in a good sounding way. The song moves very well. Some cool synth parts.

My only big complaint was the snare. Quite a bit too much reverb for me.

The vocal effects sound like they're adding clicky sounds to some of the consonants.
 
TripleM said:
I thought it was cool to involve your sister.

It's weird, but in a good sounding way. The song moves very well. Some cool synth parts.

My only big complaint was the snare. Quite a bit too much reverb for me.

The vocal effects sound like they're adding clicky sounds to some of the consonants.
Click to expand...

MMM,

Thanks for your feedback! I'll review the snare and the vocal processing...
 
Cool concept. A lot of good sounds.

The big thing that I'm noticing mix-wise is that the vocals aren't really sitting in the mix. They're very close and dry, like she's right up in our faces while the rest of the band is across the room.
 
VomitHatSteve said:
Cool concept. A lot of good sounds.

The big thing that I'm noticing mix-wise is that the vocals aren't really sitting in the mix. They're very close and dry, like she's right up in our faces while the rest of the band is across the room.
Click to expand...

VHS, Yes, that's my attempt to get the vocals up front. If I mix them musically, they're almost entirely unintelligible, if I mix them for intelligibility, they are less musical. Given the premise of this project is to feature my sister's lyrics, I went for the latter.
 
Nice song. The music is very good. I like the "tone" of your sister's voice, and the BG singers add a great touch.

Your sister is more an elegant rapper than singer. From what I heard and the speakers I used (not the greatest), it's how and where the different tracks sit that make her unintelligible. They blend into each other and you can't understand either. Perhaps different EQ and reverb.

Nice song. If this was mastered, I'd give it quite a few listens.
 
Todzilla said:
VHS, Yes, that's my attempt to get the vocals up front. If I mix them musically, they're almost entirely unintelligible, if I mix them for intelligibility, they are less musical. Given the premise of this project is to feature my sister's lyrics, I went for the latter.
Click to expand...

Yeah. I could see that being tricky. Did you try bringing everything else closer as well as moving her back?
 
Hey this is such a fantastic project!

My mix comment re: vocals is to try a boost on the EQ centered at around 5khz. Just enough that you get intelligibility but retain the smoothness of the low mids in her voice. The higher you push the boost, the more of that telephone type sound you will notice. Try a Q of something like 1.4. Over boost it, then bring it back until it sounds about right.

OR try cutting more around 300-400hz on the vocal track just to clear up a bit of the muddiness. The goal is to retain the warmness of the voice and intelligibility. Then if needed, add slightly to 5khz until it sits right.

Do this all with the rest of the instruments song playing, never in isolation.

The other option is to call it finished. It's nothing short of amazing what a good mastering engineer can do. You will be giving him/her good material to work with as it is now. I'd be proud to call it finished if it were me.
 
another thought. High pass the entire mix at 49hz. Use a steep curve. That might give you the clarity that's missing without having to change anything else.
 
I like this. Nice imagination on this song.

Bass sound - great
Drums = maybe a touch too much verb
Vox = places where it's too far back
The synth that's got the beat = bring a touch back, just a touch

Love the attached at the hip - at the heart = wonderful hook

Love this, thanks for sharing!
Timbo
 
Thanks for the great feedback folks! Especially the specific suggestions!

There seems to be a consensus about the intelligibility of the vocals, which I'm not sure I can do much more with. Stay tuned for an updated mix and more stuff from this project.
 
Really COOL song man. I listened to your other one first....and my thought is that this one flows much more fluidly. I like the drums on this one too. Cool to hear this kinda stuff on here for a change. Keep it up.
 
Bruthish said:
Really COOL song man. I listened to your other one first....and my thought is that this one flows much more fluidly. I like the drums on this one too. Cool to hear this kinda stuff on here for a change. Keep it up.
Click to expand...

Thanks, Brut! Yeah, that drummer is a mofo. He teaches jazz drumming at many of the UNC campuses here in NC. I got tons more material that I'll post as I get closer in my mixdowns...
 
I don't know why, but on this song I'd experiment with the formant on the vocal to make it sound deeper. You could try cutting around 1.5kHz to make it sound smoother too, but sweep for it because every voice is different. A de-esser might help on the vocal too for some of the harsher tones. I'd love to hear more of the low end of the bass on this one as well. This is cool. Cool concept... weird, but in a fun way. Somewhere between the 2 and 3 minute mark I'd love to hear almost everything drop out for a bar and let the reverb ring out, but then come back in all powerful.
 
grn said:
I don't know why, but on this song I'd experiment with the formant on the vocal to make it sound deeper. You could try cutting around 1.5kHz to make it sound smoother too, but sweep for it because every voice is different. A de-esser might help on the vocal too for some of the harsher tones. I'd love to hear more of the low end of the bass on this one as well. This is cool. Cool concept... weird, but in a fun way. Somewhere between the 2 and 3 minute mark I'd love to hear almost everything drop out for a bar and let the reverb ring out, but then come back in all powerful.
Click to expand...

Thanks, grn! I will play around with those ideas...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top