First mix upload - "Skyfall"

[forgeaudio]

So, I've been doing live sound for years, and only dabbling in recording. But over the past couple years I've been working hard to get better at recording. This is probably my best work to date, so I'd love to get some good feedback on what works and what doesn't.

Be gentle

 

[Schwarzenyaeger]

The playing is very nice on all the instruments but the focus in this song is definitely on the singer.

The singer is flat occasionally.
You have to automate her voice up when the chorus kicks in (the drums as well, if you listen to the original). Her voice is supposed to be the center piece of the song and it gets drowned out when it's supposed to be at its most intense.
The singer doesn't really deliver the chorus. It might also be the missing strings that make the original so dramatic.

Interesting decision to put the backing vocals only on the left side. They could be panned on both sides and made more impactful around the chorus.

I think that the mix itself is very pleasant in general though.

 

[Bubba po]

Hi, Forgeaudio. Thanks for uploading this, it's a piece of music that I really like, so I'm happy to comment on it. My first impression is that there is a very unnatural treatment of the components of the mix, particularly the vocal. It's as if there is a slight robotic edge to every instrument, without any impression of the music happening in a sympathetic recording space. There is no reverb to speak of, nothing to lend the vocal any context or smoothness. I don't think there is any problem whatsoever in the performance of this piece, it's entirely about the treatment of the recorded performances in the mix. When the mix gets busy, the vocal is overwhelmed because the other instruments are trying to occupy the same frequency range as the singer. Pull back the synth pads in the chorus and give the mix some air with reverb.

 

[jimmys69]

I am going to take a guess that you are mixing on headphones right?

I agree almost completely with Bubba.

It does sound almost there on my cans, but on my monitors in treated room tons of issues seem to be revealed. Instruments are fighting for space and there is not so much ground for them to be in. Not sure that made sense... lol!

I think the performances are good as well. There are quite a few off notes by the singer here and there but nothing I would give an Amber Alert for. Any inexpensive pitch correction software could fix those if that is what you desire. Though, many purists don't want to ever use that type of thing.

IDK what you feel from first post.

Welcome to the forum forge!

 

[Btyre2013]

the vocals need to be more upfront, not louder with the balance but more compressed, using an 1176 style compression, a compressor that adds colour and aggression is what this needs, that and some automation as well.