First clinic post

[artCROSS]

I've been a little hesitant to post on here because i'm afraid of getting bashed, but hey, i'll never learn if no one tells me what i'm doing wrong, so here goes:

These are my 3rd and 4th attempts at recording and putting a mix together. All my mixes feel/sound like there's something off, but I can't put my finger on it. Maybe you guys can tell me what I'm doing wrong, or maybe i'm just paranoid.

http://www.purevolume.com/supercollider

The songs are called Downtown and Jet Black Glass by my band. If you want, you can listen to the 3rd song on there, that's actually my very first attempt at recording and mixing, but looking mainly to get criticism for the first 2. Sorry in advance for the "washy" sound of the mp3s and thanks for listening!

[xfinsterx]

The streaming is so horrible that its hard to tell whats going on.

Rip an mp3 at 192kbps or higher and post it here www.lightningmp3.com

[artCROSS]

Ok, sorry about that, let's try this again:

Downtown: http://www.lightningmp3.com/live/288...erdowntown.mp3

Jet Black Glass: http://www.lightningmp3.com/live/719...blackglass.mp3

Again, your comments are greatly appreciated and thanks for listening.

[Jack Real]

Hi

The guitars could use more mid range and some elements are a bit sloppy like the dark piano at the end of downtown. I think the group should try to be more original with their compositions. Some elements are original but others, like the beginning of downtown, sounds like deja vu. Your drummer is really giving everything he has to play well and be original but I can not say the same for the rest of the band; bass, guitar and vocals. Maybe something you want to discuss with the rest of the band.

/Jack Real.

[xfinsterx]

Listened to Downtown.

Nice image.
Good drummer.
Fairly decent blend of guitar and piano.

Now...

The sub frequencies of the mix are a little too heavy IMO.
Its a little room shaking throughout.

The piano could be brightened up a touch,

The vocals go badly out of tune at times.

I couldnt really hear the bass guitar, allthough i did feel it.
Try removing some sub thunder from the bass and maybe adding it to the mids instead.

-Finster

[artCROSS]

Originally Posted by Jack Real

Hi

The guitars could use more mid range and some elements are a bit sloppy like the dark piano at the end of downtown. I think the group should try to be more original with their compositions. Some elements are original but others, like the beginning of downtown, sounds like deja vu. Your drummer is really giving everything he has to play well and be original but I can not say the same for the rest of the band; bass, guitar and vocals. Maybe something you want to discuss with the rest of the band.

/Jack Real.

Thanks for the reply. Could you be more specific on parts that do not seem original or trite? It's funny, b/c that song actually won the originality award at a local Battle of the Bands...i just want to improve as much as possible, so any specific comments would be greatly appreciated.

[Jack Real]

Originally Posted by artCROSS

Thanks for the reply. Could you be more specific on parts that do not seem original or trite? It's funny, b/c that song actually won the originality award at a local Battle of the Bands...i just want to improve as much as possible, so any specific comments would be greatly appreciated.

Hi

I'm not an expert so if you won an originality award in a contest, just forget about my comment. There is a lot of variations in your song and that's very original. Maybe the piano at the beginning reminds me to much of "Tea for two" but that's just me. It happens sometimes that one song doesn't sound original for one person for various reasons, the important thing is that your band like the song and the song is appreciated by others as demonstrated by the originality award that you received.

/Jack Real.

[artCROSS]

Originally Posted by Jack Real

Hi

Maybe the piano at the beginning reminds me to much of "Tea for two" but hat's just me.

/Jack Real.

haha...I guess I never thought of that, but it does! regardless, thanks for your help and input, i'm gonna work on those guitar sounds.

xfinster,
I have had problems with the bass from the start. if i try to boost the mids, it conflicts with the guitars and the kick slap. if i cut the low end, i can't hear/feel it anymore. i guess i just need a little more practice with mixing...or set up my monitors properly, or both.

[xfinsterx]

Originally Posted by artCROSS

haha...I guess I never thought of that, but it does! regardless, thanks for your help and input, i'm gonna work on those guitar sounds.

xfinster,
I have had problems with the bass from the start. if i try to boost the mids, it conflicts with the guitars and the kick slap. if i cut the low end, i can't hear/feel it anymore. i guess i just need a little more practice with mixing...or set up my monitors properly, or both.

If your bass boost is coflicting with the kick slap and guitars you are boosting the wrong areas.
To pronounce the bass's body and mid range try a boost at anywhere from 600 to 800hz with a wide Q.
-Best of luck.
You oughta join the Public mix contest Artcross.
It would be good practice!

[ecktronic]

Watch the kick drum. You boosted the hi end too much so that there is a digital click. Could be exagerated by the MP3 conversion, but im sure it will still be there slightly on the wave file.
Couldnt get the MP3 links to work so just listened on pure volume. Sounds fine from guessing throught the very bad MP3. Whats the train at the end all about? Reminds me of one of my older tunes where i had a helicpoter or was it a train (cant remember) panned from one side to the next with volume automation. Was pretty cool.

[artCROSS]

Originally Posted by ecktronic

Watch the kick drum. You boosted the hi end too much so that there is a digital click.

Close...I actually tried to lower the hi end b/c the kick drum clipped while I was tracking...probably need to invest in another compressor, or just lower my meters

The train at the end is something i just through in. The song is about when I used to live in NY and how I rode the subways, etc...kinda cheesy, but I like it.

Just out of curiousity...did anyone listen to the second song? would like to get some opinions on that. And all the comments so far have been really helpful, so thank you guys! I'm slowly learning about mixing, and songwriting in general.