Looking For Extra Time

[DM60]

Hi everyone, if you could be so kind.

All comments welcomed, but here are the three things I am looking feedback on:

Mix Naturally
Does the song carry itself all the way through - Since it is an instrumental, I am hoping it stay interesting all the way through. Making sure there is no boring parts or too much jam session.

Drums - On this part I used a grove track as my foundation, then with pads came back and layered on top. I focused on toms, I just really liked hearing the toms, and that might be a problem in general. I loved the sound but would like other opinions.

If interested for some getting to grips with MIDI, I have two tracks of MIDI sequences and one set of drum VSTi. Routed the second track (no VSTi) to the first (with VSTi, like an effect) so that they used the same kit and save on processing power. Most of you know to do this, but others may not think about it like that, so thought I would share.



Thanks everyone for your feedback.

 

[dobro]

There's a sound way out front that doesn't need to be quite so out in front.

 

[DM60]

There's a sound way out front that doesn't need to be quite so out in front.

I think I know what you're talking about. I was listening in the car yesterday, if it is what I think it is, I will reduce. I didn't seem as load on my other systems, but the car did push it higher. When I remix after the comments, I will pull that down.

Thanks for the feed back.

 

[robgreen]

Hi David,

I like the arrangement and really like the marimba type sound (what is that?), but the whole mix sounds like it's pumping heavily, which is hard to get past for any other specifics.

Have you got a compressor on the master bus that's throwing everything off? It gives everything a kind of disorienting feel - I'd like to hear it without that and then maybe some other feedback might come to me. From what I can tell currently though, it sounds like it holds the interest

 

[TripleM]

A generally good sounding mix. Everything sounds good to my ear tone-wise.

It starts out a bit quiet, but at :16 everything gets louder. Before :16, things sounded distant. I'd try to balance out those levels. The same sort of thing happens at 1:26 with whatever part comes in at that point (not sure what it was).

But generally I thought it was good.

 

[DM60]

Hi David,

I like the arrangement and really like the marimba type sound (what is that?), but the whole mix is pumping massively which is hard to get past for any other specifics.

Have you got a compressor on the master bus that's throwing everything off? It gives everything a kind of disorienting feel - I'd like to hear it without that and then maybe some other feedback might come to me. From what I can tell currently though, it sounds like it holds the interest

Thanks, I didn't hear that, but that is why I am here asking. I have actually been reducing compression in my mixes to give it more dynamics. I do/did have a compressor on the master, slow attack and release and 2:1 ratio.

I have removed the compressor and replaced with a limiter on the master. I didn't see it touching but a few times just slightly. I also reduced the synthesizer volume (called a Space Arp) which carries a lot of the song.

Changed the title, same link.

Thanks very much for listening.

 

[robgreen]

Hey, I'm still hearing some sucking, but I think it's mainly on the drums now. Have you got some compression on that track with a fast attack and/or release that could be causing it I wonder?

I don't think I'm hearing it on any other instruments now, so I can hear everything else better. I guess that for me, the next areas to work on are firstly getting a bit more distinction to the bass - I can hear the line throughout, so it's not being overwhelmed by other stuff, but it's kind of wooly.

Secondly, the guitar coming in at 1.26 is maybe a bit loud and fizzy and finally the synth line that comes in at the same time is a bit loud too.

Other than that I think it's a cool piece

 

[Mr Clean]

I like it!

Nice steady groove, mix sounds pretty good to me. I heard this earlier this morning (the first mix) and I thought that was good but this sounds a lot better than I remember that one to be. I can hear a slight pumping on the drums as Rob mentioned. I don't think it's bad though, I actually like the whole sound. Especially the 'fluke-like' sound.

 

[DM60]

OK, yes I did have a compressor on the drums. I purchased SD a couple of months back, but have a hard time using their effects rack. There was a compressor on the bus out and I guess I was too aggressive on it. I still have one outside of SD, but I think I am a bit better at using that. Pulled down some of the guitar.

The crunch sound is what I dig about the guitar, so I haven't changed it. I played with the bass just a bit. This tune has very little compression left on it. Hopefully the less is more.

So updated to V2, same link. I really appreciate everyone walking me through this tune.

 

[heatmiser]

I'm still hearing some sucking

Now that's just rude!

I like it. The jangly, normal sounding guitar is a nice contrast to some of the other more processed sounds. I like it best post-1:26 where you introduced other sounds and started going off on the guitar more. Prior to that, the guitar seemed kind of tentative and it did actually sound more like a jam session than what it turned into. I guess I could've used more melodic parts to move it along at times...

 

[DM60]

Now that's just rude!

I like it. The jangly, normal sounding guitar is a nice contrast to some of the other more processed sounds. I like it best post-1:26 where you introduced other sounds and started going off on the guitar more. Prior to that, the guitar seemed kind of tentative and it did actually sound more like a jam session than what it turned into. I guess I could've used more melodic parts to move it along at times...

Let me take a revisit at the first part, see if it makes sense to cut it. The thought was to build up, but if it doesn't really do that, then it has no purpose.

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[miroslav]

Does the song carry itself all the way through - Since it is an instrumental, I am hoping it stay interesting all the way through. .

I don't know what your goals were or the flavor you were specifically going for, and I know you were asking about the mixing.....but I find that the song lacks a lead instrument melodies/hooks, which IMO are needed to help carry the song through.
Now....you may have wanted the more trancy/droney non-lead flavor to the arrangement...but I kept expecting something to come in with a melody, some alternating lead lines, etc....yet it all sounded the same, like it was just backing tracks without any definitive leads.

Part of that may be that the small bits of lines/riffs that are there, tend to be in a lower octave and rather subdued, and they blend/get masked by the rhythmic components. Maybe if you played those parts up an octave...that would help create more contrast and provide some melodic content that would keep interest going from start to finish.

 

[DM60]

I don't know what your goals were or the flavor you were specifically going for, and I know you were asking about the mixing.....but I find that the song lacks a lead instrument melodies/hooks, which IMO are needed to help carry the song through.
Now....you may have wanted the more trancy/droney non-lead flavor to the arrangement...but I kept expecting something to come in with a melody, some alternating lead lines, etc....yet it all sounded the same, like it was just backing tracks without any definitive leads.

Part of that may be that the small bits of lines/riffs that are there, tend to be in a lower octave and rather subdued, and they blend/get masked by the rhythmic components. Maybe if you played those parts up an octave...that would help create more contrast and provide some melodic content that would keep interest going from start to finish.

The synthesizers (Space Arp and Jabs) were meant to carry and the guitar to support. The intent was to have multiple sounds/instruments to move the song. But the main point of the song was just for the music. That might also be the problem.

 

[miroslav]

Yeah...I get that, and I did listen to it a second time...but I just find that the synths/guitars are lost in with the backing tracks, and it's because of the lower octave they are all played in.
IOW....nothing sings out as a lead to my ears...so it kinda makes the entire song seem like really good backing tracks waiting for something to come in and take the lead.....

....just the way I'm hearing it.

 

[DM60]

Yeah...I get that, and I did listen to it a second time...but I just find that the synths/guitars are lost in with the backing tracks, and it's because of the lower octave they are all played in.
IOW....nothing sings out as a lead to my ears...so it kinda makes the entire song seem like really good backing tracks waiting for something to come in and take the lead.....

....just the way I'm hearing it.

Thanks, this was the kind of input I was looking for. Song sounds cools to me, but I had a feeling something was missing. I will revisit see if I can add some focus or bring the synthesizers into more play.

Thanks for the feed back.

 

[dobro]

I think I know what you're talking about. I was listening in the car yesterday, if it is what I think it is, I will reduce. I didn't seem as load on my other systems, but the car did push it higher. When I remix after the comments, I will pull that down.

Thanks for the feed back.

It's the synth? sound that comes in at 0.11. I don't think it's the level that's sticking out as much as lack of some sort of space which would push it further back in the mix. Verb or delay.

Edit: ...but just a little. That way it won't be pushed back so much as meld.

 

[PDP]

Nice work,

It does sound slightly odd in that the mix is compressed, yet its not a loud mix. (nothing wrong with that, just wondering if that's what you were going for.) I tend to mostly use compression to add loudness or minor leveling.

I love the groove, kind of loose and wandering. Great stuff!

 

[DM60]

It's the synth? sound that comes in at 0.11. I don't think it's the level that's sticking out as much as lack of some sort of space which would push it further back in the mix. Verb or delay.

Edit: ...but just a little. That way it won't be pushed back so much as meld.

Thanks, I am going to go back and and tweak this one a bit more. I think most of the ingredients are there just some slight adjustments here or there.

 

[DM60]

Nice work,

It does sound slightly odd in that the mix is compressed, yet its not a loud mix. (nothing wrong with that, just wondering if that's what you were going for.) I tend to mostly use compression to add loudness or minor leveling.

I love the groove, kind of loose and wandering. Great stuff!

I have been trying to reduce dependency on using too much compression. I still have a way to go before I get the balance correct. Everything has some compression only at a high threshold. Just touching the upper limit.

Thanks for listening and feedback.