Mixing A Rap Track, Come and check it...........

[sdp530]

Whats up this is C Dog from Shut Down Productions. I have been recording and mixing for about 6 months now and I have a lot to learn. But these forums have been great in teaching me tips and techniques. All of our music is recorded in a small booth with a pretty dead soundfield. The Blue Baby Bottle is our mic and we use a focusrite platinum pro preamp. Our beats are made in Reason and rewired into Nuendo to mix with the vocals. We use waves plugins to mix with. Anyways I got a track that I would appreciate any input on. You can find it at:

www.myspace.com/shutdownproductions

The song is called "Hold UP"

There is explicit lyrics in it so be warned.
I appreciate any tips you can provide about mixing, recording or anything that can make my mixes sound better. Thanks for your time.

-Clint

[sdp530]

Instead of going to the link above you can directly download the mp3 at:

http://mp3download.myspace.com/index...p&fid=20017407

[Seeker of Rock]

First off, I dig music with emotion...it can be any style, but I tend to dig and play the "morbid" side of music, as expression.
Second off, in HIPHOP, I don't dig it as much as I do old skool rap, LL and Run DMC circa '80s. Hard in the message, hard music to back it, especially Raisin' Hell.
So I like the tune, just not the soft background music that is completely opposite of the hard message you are sending in the lyrics. Didn't catch all the lyrics, but I like the ones I caught. All of this is personal preference in writing, not production.

Production and mixing only, you HAVE to bring up your levels. They are faint, bring them up. Percussion track is a little too hot compared to vocals, synth, embellishment tracks. Bringing up the levels is the most important issue at hand. Mix from there.
Dig the attitude of the tune, btw. Hardcore and I dig that.

[sdp530]

Hey, thanks for the input. I needed some fresh ears to give me some thoughts. I have had problems in the past with mixing the vocals to hot so I was trying to lay off them this time but I can now see they are being drowned by the beat. It always seems that the vocals sound a good level on some speakers and not on others, just gotta find that sweet spot, thanks again
-Clint

[sdp530]

Just uploaded an update on the mix scratch the previous link, you can hear it at:

http://mp3download.myspace.com/index...p&fid=20017407

[shackrock]

filenotfound errors on those direct links, by the way.

[bigwillz24]

It might sound better if I didn't have to strain to hear it over the computer fans and the air conditioning...