Is this mix fatiguing? Or are my ears toast?

J

j.garner

New member
Howdy,
I could really use some input and help from you guys and gals.

I've got a little project I'm recording and I'm have trouble with the mix.
It's me on guitars, wife on vox, and friend on upright bass.

tube mic LDC on vox.
octacapture
reaper

very limited eq and a little Density MKII on master bus.
L2 at end.

I've done one bazillion different mixes, using tons of plugs and then none. After a while, I find my ears are fatigued. I think there may be some frequencies that are out of control.

How can I make this better? This link will take you to a page where you can hear our track and I've put another artist that we like, and like the recording as a reference track.

Sample Tune for the Garner – The Garners http://thegarnersmusic.com/index.php/sample-tune-for-the-garner/

Thanks in advance, I really appreciate it.
jon g
 
I personally don't hear anything off. Sounds like a good song to me. I know what it feels like to mess with a song so long you are unable to hear it the way you would like. But I like it. :)
 
That's good to know. Thanks for giving a listen. I'm probably just mixing too loud for too long. Volume creeps up and I don't notice it.
Appreciate the listen.
 
Yeah, the other track you're comparing it to on that site has been mastered. There's a few things, to my ear, making it contrast with your mix. First is the mastering aspect...it has lots of high end, but well controlled. Then, it has a snare that's rattling the whole way through, and it has quiet a bit of high end in it. There's also the factor of a, likely, beautiful room/studio. Your mix is rather tight...the mastered track sounds tracked live in a high end treated room. Have you applied any reverb to your song? In this case, you might even slap one on the master bus. This tune calls for the production that's displayed in the mastered song you've linked. Everything sounds pretty dry on your track.

Nevertheless, it's a very good recording and great performances. Well done. Try the mp3 clinic here for more responses in regards to mix feedback.
 
I'll just move it. :) Good call andrush.

And I agree now listening to his sample. Did not have time to do that before. It could use some 'air/space'.
 
Thank you, andrush.
It's very dry. There is a very slight room verb on the master bus, that's it for verb.
Yeah, we tracked in the living room with just a couple of foam baffles up.

And, thanks, I'll check the mp3 clinic.

I'm curious how they get her vocals (on the reference track) so big, forward and lush without sounding to squashed. No harshness at all.

Thanks again!
j

ah, i see, we're moved over there already. thanks!

---------- Update ----------

Air/space. Does that mean chop out mids?
 
Ah, thanks.
Yeah, I saw that the ref file had more of that and I tried to add some, but it sounded a bit harsh so i backed off.
Maybe a real mastering would help.
 
j.garner said:
Ah, thanks.
Yeah, I saw that the ref file had more of that and I tried to add some, but it sounded a bit harsh so i backed off.
Maybe a real mastering would help.
Click to expand...

How did you add it? The mastering guys have tools and ears capable of pinpointing those super low and super high freq's and managing them to enhance the track. It can be very difficult to do so on a home setup. You'd have more luck using a shelf EQ rather than a peaking EQ. Just a couple db is usually all it takes. Test it out on different setups. Share again when you've made changes. Lots of ppl here to help.
 
I tried both band and shelf. I was just using ReaEQ, comes with Reaper.
I'll try it again and go subtle. Like 3db max?
 
Comparing your mix and your target...

Your arrangement is more sparse. The target mix has drums, and the snare (being played with brushes) is very prominent and it fills in a lot of sonic gaps.

Your mix has a cleaner and a bit colder feel. The target mix has more energy in the 200hz - 800hz range (a full two octaves).

The guitar on the right is playing lead or lead-ish lines all the way through. And it has a very clean tone to it. You may want to use a real rhythm part with a warmer tone and use the lead guitar more to provide accents and solos where appropriate.
 
Thanks, TripleM.
Really great observations. I thought their rhythm sounded warmer, too. My rhythm is real, just a cheap gypsy jazz guitar. I've since learned how to get a warmer sound with a different mic and better placement.

Yeah, my mix is "colder"! Exactly. That's what I want to fix.

I've been learning that it's not always the mix, the arrangement makes a huge difference.
Thanks!

---------- Update ----------

Ah! let the verb do some high end. I've been dampening it pretty heavy.
 
Look at the individual tracks and start there, in regards to high end. Listening to the new mix, the vocals are very dark/muddy, still. Really, you should always start with the individual channels. Get in there and do some EQ sweeps on the vocal. See what pops out as not contributing kindly to the track. I don't know if you boosted the entire song around 200-300, but it seems more dark now. Work on the tracks individually first.
 
What a great song and the vocals are fantastic. Sounds straight out of the 1940s and could have sang along side with the Andrew Sisters. The real song sounds like it has more,high end and some push to it. Not really sure how they achieve that. Keep,it up. Nice job on the music too.
 
Yeah, I'll have to go back to the mix. I just bumped up the mixdown at 200 or so.

I've been doing sweeps, and that is the tricky part for me, is identifying which of the frequencies is disturbing. It should be obvious, but it's not. Maybe because my ears are fatigued at that point.

I'll go back into the mix and do a little tinkering.
thanks!
 
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