I'd like you to listen to this and citique it please.

[xfinsterx]

I wrote and performed all the parts on this.
This song is a very very big challenge in terms of mixing.
I'd like some constructive comments on how to better improve it.

Thank you.

Its called "Im just your enemy" on my download menu.

Thanx again in advance for any perspective you can provide.

www.geomana.com/~new_audio

[bennychico11]

hey finster-
alright, just opinion here...take it how you want to. it's a very interesting song. and of course i dig interesting/weird crap. what's the effect you did on the vocals? it definitely is reminicent of Ozzy Osborne's older stuff. which definitely through me for a loop when the drums came in. the vocal effect however, i think is a little much. 'cause i like the guitar idea behind it and i'm getting lost with the vocals. also right before the drum rhythm kicks in (around 0:55), the vocals are too out of tune with eachother. it hurts!
and when the vocals come BACK in after the drum break i find that hit in the background a little weird. it's the one in the left channel that doesn't seem to hit on any significant beat. which kinda throws off from the rest since everything is a straight ahead rock/house/technoish beat. i definitely like the beat change though later on around 1:50 (and the weird synth sounding thing before the new section...that's cool)....by the way, is this your song or someone else?? sorry if i'm centering to much on the song itself. i just find it really out there and i want to talk about it when the vocals come back in after the 1:50 mark they sound really well blended. maybe just a touch more in the righ channel of the harmonies. were the drum rhythms live, loops, or drum machine???? or a mixture of them??

Overall i like the mix (and the song). i like a lot of the effects you did. It definitely fits the composition. nice job man!
-Ben

[xfinsterx]

Originally Posted by bennychico11

hey finster-
alright, just opinion here...take it how you want to. it's a very interesting song. and of course i dig interesting/weird crap. what's the effect you did on the vocals? it definitely is reminicent of Ozzy Osborne's older stuff. which definitely through me for a loop when the drums came in. the vocal effect however, i think is a little much. 'cause i like the guitar idea behind it and i'm getting lost with the vocals. also right before the drum rhythm kicks in (around 0:55), the vocals are too out of tune with eachother. it hurts!
and when the vocals come BACK in after the drum break i find that hit in the background a little weird. it's the one in the left channel that doesn't seem to hit on any significant beat. which kinda throws off from the rest since everything is a straight ahead rock/house/technoish beat. i definitely like the beat change though later on around 1:50 (and the weird synth sounding thing before the new section...that's cool)....by the way, is this your song or someone else?? sorry if i'm centering to much on the song itself. i just find it really out there and i want to talk about it when the vocals come back in after the 1:50 mark they sound really well blended. maybe just a touch more in the righ channel of the harmonies. were the drum rhythms live, loops, or drum machine???? or a mixture of them??

Overall i like the mix (and the song). i like a lot of the effects you did. It definitely fits the composition. nice job man!
-Ben

Ok so tune the intro vox a bit, lessen the effect(its a flanger), and back off the intro vox a bit (or) turn up the guitars. Check.
That sound in the middle...don't like that huh? Ill try turning it down.
That wierd noise at the final change is me screaming.
The drums are done with Reason.
Thanx for the critiqe Ben, itll be useful.

[xfinsterx]

Ok i took and used your suggestions Ben.
I think it sounds alot better now.
Thanx a bunch man!

Its on the download menu as "Im just your enemy Remix1".

www.geomana.com/~new_audio

Anyone else got some suggestions?

[Garry Sharp]

Cool, Mr Finster. Who invented the double kick drum pedal anyway?

Listened to it twice.

I would have liked to have heard more of the vocals - they seem way back in the mix, but also a bit thin. I don't think that's your voice, I just think there is some power there you're not catching.

Something very strange happens with the beat around 0.45 - 0.55, as that beat fades in the timing seems to get lost for a couple of bars. I think it's due to an abrupt groove change, if that makes sense. At the very, very beginning, the opening guitar notes leap out in a slightly uncomfortable way - maybe a very short fade in just to take the edge off that?

Otherwise, really excellent writing, performing and recording. Top stuff.

[ecktronic]

Yeah crazy song which is good. When the drums kick in with the slow attack instrument whatever it is, the timing seems the tiniest bit out because of the slow attack of the instrument.
The song is great, it goes from like a Mars Volta song to a Nine Inch Nails song, to a cheezy 80s rock tune at the end. Spot on man!
The vocal effect at start might be a bit much, could be the Mp3 encoding though as it is hard to get an acurate picture with 192K mp3.

[bennychico11]

sounds better. i think the vocals are brought down a smidge too far though. i would like to hear a tiny bit more (haha, sorry...i know i said less before). although maybe if you added more effect (reverb, delay) to it you might get a cool distant type of feel and won't need to adjust the gain much on them. try it and see. Did everyone else who commented listen to the remix or the original?? I think ecktronic listened to the original accidently 'cause the vocal effect at the beginning sound a lot less than the original. Did you take the flange out totally?? I think you just lessened it but compared to the original it sounds totally different (at the beginning I mean). Maybe that's why I'm thinking you should turn it back up a bit, since we lost another part. And the tuning issue sounds a lot better.

I didn't think I heard much of a rhythm problem where Gary said he heard it. Maybe I think it just fit in really well. Definitely with that slow attack instrument though when the vocals come back in around 1:16. Try and focus on it getting the slap right on a beat. It sound like it would sound good on every third snare hit. So...like every other measure on the second beat of that measure? I think that's right.....lol. I don't know what the hell I'm talking about. Anyway, sounds good though!

[xfinsterx]

hmm i didnt notice the delay when i was bouncing down, but im hearing it now. Thats kinda wierd because the instrument in question is on SyNC.
Ill have to up the buffer next time i bounce.
Or at least i hope thats the problem.

Good lookin' out though thanx fellas

[Dave52]

Hi there, I just listened to Remix 1, and I really liked it. It's got a kinda NIN sound. I liked it alot. I can't tell you what to tweak, if it sounds good, it is good!

I'm off to listen to Retard Tandem now.


Dave.
www.DaveWare.co.uk

[xfinsterx]

Well i took all the suggestions and applied them.
Once again i gotta thank those of you who helped.
The final mix of this song sounds better than i could have hoped for.
You guys and this clinic ROCK!!

The final mix is on my download menu as "Im just your enemy FINAL"

www.geomana.com/~new_audio

[bennychico11]

sounds good man. i never noticed the vocal part there before the actual verse kicks in. but listening back i would have said definitely turn that up!

you never said, is this something you did or just a session you engineered?

[xfinsterx]

Its on the front page post benny.

Anyways yeah man its just me a drum machine and a lota overdubs.
Take care, and thanx for your suggestions man.
They were a big help.

[systmovadown]

yep/....Sounds ALOT better Now

[systmovadown]

wait one more...
the hi hats...
sound a little too high
their almost ear peircing...
a little too high..

[bennychico11]

Originally Posted by xfinsterx

Its on the front page post benny.

Anyways yeah man its just me a drum machine and a lota overdubs.
Take care, and thanx for your suggestions man.
They were a big help.

hahhaha...i MUST be going blind. which i hope is a good thing, 'cause don't your senses, like hearing, get better when you go blind?? hmmmm...i guess it's a plus then. really nice song though. i downloaded it to keep for personal listening use if you don't mind

[xfinsterx]

Id be honored if you D'lded it Ben.

And systemofadown.....

To much high hat high end huh?
What are you monitoring on?
Ill go check on that...

[xfinsterx]

I listen and sure enough you were right the hi hat sticks out like asore thumb.

Its fixed. and this wil be the FINAL mix, heh, PERIOD.

"Im just your enemy Final Mix"

www.geomana.com/~new_audio

[systmovadown]

Originally Posted by xfinsterx

I listen and sure enough you were right the hi hat sticks out like asore thumb.

Its fixed. and this wil be the FINAL mix, heh, PERIOD.

"Im just your enemy Final Mix"

www.geomana.com/~new_audio

yeah that is so much better...

[xfinsterx]

Originally Posted by systmovadown

yeah that is so much better...

Niiiice!!
Lets see,,, that took me......
4 re-mixes to get it just right.
Not bad considering one of them was a technicality.
Thanx all.