Reaper remix of old band song

[spantini]

This song was originally recorded by our band as 8-Track analog tape. Years later, it was copied and edited with, maybe..., audacity(?) and sent to me as an .mp3, I did some graphic EQing in Windows Media Player and made copies for my .mp3, and a CD for my car's Bose system. The versions I post below are the(Pre Reaper) Audacity(?) flavored version, and (Post Reaper) after I made a few adjustments using ReaEQ.




This is the FX Chain

 

[TripleM]

I listened to the "newer" version. I love the song. Reminded me of Material Issue. Love the lead singer.

I'm not listening on a great system. But the mix seems really bright and lacking some low end. The lead vocal could've been compressed a little harder.

 

[spantini]

Thanks! The first .mp3 has the low end you're looking for.

I'm in an apartment, so I can't use good monitors. I have to mix to my headphones, or whatever end device I'll be playing them on.

The "newer" version sounds a little bright in my headphones too, and I was wondering how it sounds on other's systems. Someone's got some good monitors they can crank it up on.

Unfortunately, I don't have the master, or any .wav files to single out the lead vocal track for better compression.

 

[TripleM]

If I have some time later, I'll listen to the mixes on a better system and see what I think.

 

[TripleM]

I listened to each version on my home system.

The original is squashed pretty hard and it's really hurting the quality. The transients are getting killed. The bass is really loud, but it's the only thing occupying the low end.

The newer version is a better overall mix. But it's still overall a bit bright and it's lacking a low end. It's a little out of L/R balance. It's heavy on the right.

I like the signer, but there is a little harshness in his voice in spots.

A couple of rushed tempo gaks in spots.

Still really like the song.

edit...

There is something a little strange between the vocal and the rest of the mix. The vocal sounds like it's in a different spot than the backing tracks.

 

[spantini]

Using ReaEQ, I tried to isolate the vocal but it appears to be firmly attached to the RH rhythm guitar's frequency. I can't move one without the other.

 

[VomitHatSteve]

The new one is a lot brighter, but you've got a noisy, cluttered mix either way. Probably not much can be done with it.

 

[spantini]

Thanks, everyone.

It is noisy and cluttered and I agree that I, at least, can't do much with it. The Left channel has a rhythm/lead guitar at lower volume, while the Right channel has a brighter rhythm at higher volume. The lead vocalist wrote the song, sang and played the Right channel's rhythm guitar - I suspect he boosted his vocal and rhythm when he tweaked it for the mp3 version he sent me.

I wrote and played the bass part and never get tired of it being prominent

I re-listened to the first (low) version in my car this morning. Keeping in mind what everyone here has commented, I played it through all 5 preset EQ's for Country; Jazz; Pop; Classical, Manual. It sounds best in the Jazz EQ. Country is a little muddy. Manual is just whatever I dial in at the time. Classical is flat. And Pop is like Jazz with the lows cut - halfway between FM and AM radio.