Newest song--Let's see if my ears are improving.

if you ever want to meet up and you are in manchester, uk, same thing to you man

Thanks Ben! If we ever get out of North America again, it will likely be to New Wales or Northern Taz, but you never know! My wife loves waterfalls, and there are some beauts around Cumbria and Wales I'd like to see... :)
 
Third mix - your voice is in a different room and keyboards need something.
The lead guitar doesn't sound convincing up font or in the back - needs something but I don't know what.
Lyrically it suggests you are either paranoid or the whole world really is against you.
Chords progression is good, the melody works well and the bass is a great start.

Decided (on the opinion of my wife) that I should go back to the first mix and make the bass and guitars sound like the third mix, fix the keys and the cymbals and see if that's better. We both really like the swirly acoustic sound in the first mix...I know, most people hate swirly guitar sounds, but it's interesting and sounds fun.
AFA paranoia, it was written in the style of David, calling on the names of God...Counselor, Provider, Banner, Healer, etc. I've always though David had to be a little paranoid, but then again, there were a lot of people out to get him. :)
Glad you like the progression. Been trying forever to work a F#minor to F# major chord change into a progression (not specifically F#, but any key...that's just what fit here).
 
I'm a little late to this one.

Generally, I think it sounds good. I listened to Mix #1 and #3. I like #1 better. I hear the vocals well, and the levels are good.

A couple of things:

First, this is just an arrangement thing, but I would start singing 4 bars earlier. I don't see the need for the lead guitar intro to be that long.

The drums. I don't know if you have some weird effect on them, or if they're over-compressed or what, but they have a weird thing going on. It almost sounds like there are 2 identical tracks playing about a millisecond apart from each other. I can't explain it. It gives a plastic-y quality to otherwise pretty good sounding drums.

Me likey. :)
 
Thanks RAMI! I can explain dat tang! I had the overheads driving way to loud and the tracks were just a bit off....Don't know why, but the overheads don't line up with the individual tracks for some reason. I grabbed just the cymbals that I had to have and pumped them up and turned down the overheads overall. Trying to line up each piece would mean having to quantize both and I don't want it mechanical...:)
Like I said in Post #22, I decided to fix #1 and just pitch 3. I didn't like it, wife didn't like it, nobody else seems to either. Me and my mastering skills. Hopefully the new mix (putting it over #3 cause nobody likes it) will be better.
 
Yeah...A/B ing the two mixes: everything sounds more balanced and a bit more powerful on all counts. No harsh limiting problems. I can live with that. I'm learning. Still some bad cymbals going on...mostly hihats. AND I got that stupid narwhal thing going :(
 
Just one comment. I thought the bend on the lead guitar intro was flat. I'm no virtuoso for sure, but I found that focussing on bending up to the right pitch helped my results, and a fairly easy fix.
 
Just one comment. I thought the bend on the lead guitar intro was flat. I'm no virtuoso for sure, but I found that focussing on bending up to the right pitch helped my results, and a fairly easy fix.

Yeah, I have never, ever claimed to be a guitarist or a guitar player or any such thing. Played a lot of bass. Took a lot of piano lessons. Played some woodwinds and strings. Hands are HUGE and I just can't get the pick thing working (I finger pick like a bass player) :).
 
Am leaning this bit about mastering on this tune: When you pump up the limiter, there are frequencies that boost that you don't want. If you cut after the limiter, it's like chasing your tail. If you cut those frequencies before the limiter, it kind of levels off. Someone correct me if this is wrong thinking, cause it sure seems to work.
 
Unless your limiter is faulty, I think the frequency issue you describe is actually because those (now too loud) frequencies were a little too loud in your original mix, but at the lower volume you didn't notice them. The limiter kicks everything up in volume (assuming its not in heavy compression mode), and now you hear it. Just guessing, as I'm new to throwing a limiter on the master, too.

New mix 3 sounds better - the high-hat + acoustic guitar high frequency build-up is gone, keys are at a good volume.
 
Thanks Mike! I don't think it's the limiter...Like I said in the original post, I'm still trying to train my aging ears to hear well enough to get good mixes. :)
Glad it's finally coming together. Going to turn down the hats Wednesday and get rid of the long space at the end...should be where I need it at that point.
Thanks for all the fish...no wait, not Hitchhikers'...reviews! Yeah, that's it.
Yeah, I have a maximizer from Reason that needs to be used in multiband mode to be effective (which I'm not fond of), a tube limiter from Onyx, which I'm very fond of, and Ozone from Isotope which I don't understand...:facepalm:
 
Super late to this, but just A/B'd mixes 1 and 3. Mix 1 sounds much better to my ears - mix 3 generally sounds a bit overcooked I think and the limiting creates some compressor style sucking which is rather disorienting.

There are a few timing issues which get highlighted more in the louder mix, but less so much so in the first one. It makes some of the parts feel a bit like they're clattering against each other.

The bass tone and lead guitar level are better in mix three. If you can incorporate them into mix 1, turn down the electric piano and be more gentle on the limiter then I think you could improve this. Sorry, reads like a long list of nits but I hope it helps :)
 
Thanks Rob. It doesn't sound nitty to me at all. It's exactly what I'm trying to do. :) Learning as I go about getting the volume up (this thing we call "mastering").
 
Third mix: sounds good on my system. I'm getting the kick in a busy mix. The keyboard break's clear and good. I like the stereo separation. Turn the 3.20 guitar part up a bit?
 
Thanks Dobro! Appreciate the listen and glad you like the song. My latest effort did exactly that. Turned down the 60Hz that drives the kick, turned up the second guitar solo. Funny, when my ears are not overdriven by the song, I can actually hear what's wrong.
 
I think this sounds pretty good (3rd mix) and can definitely hear that you're improving in your recording.

As I'm late to this and most things have probably been covered in the comments already, the only thing I would suggest is cut some of the highs from the Acoustic. They are in the same realm as the Cymbals and kind of clash a little. Cutting the Acoustic a little will allow the Cymbals to shine through in their own space. That's about all I got.

Good stuff though. I enjoyed the track. :thumbs up:
 
I liked the 3rd one best, as the accoustic guitars where louder, and it gave a good feel to the vibe of the track.
 
I think this sounds pretty good (3rd mix) and can definitely hear that you're improving in your recording.

As I'm late to this and most things have probably been covered in the comments already, the only thing I would suggest is cut some of the highs from the Acoustic. They are in the same realm as the Cymbals and kind of clash a little. Cutting the Acoustic a little will allow the Cymbals to shine through in their own space. That's about all I got.

Good stuff though. I enjoyed the track. :thumbs up:

You may be late, but you actually answered the question. Not sure, but I think you're the first :laughings:
I'm about ready to put the final up. Still doing the hour a day listen thing to get it tweaked in. After about an hour it just kind of blurs, ya know.
Been listening to a lot of my old tracks and I've got to say (slap my own back as it were) that my acoustic tones have been pretty decent. But my stereoscapes are a bit off. Like there'll be a guitar left all by itself far right, or there'll be a keyboard line that's way to centered...so I listened to this the other day and pulled the acoustics in a bit. We'll see what others think when I get the next mix up.
 
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