Shiny Rhino
New member
Well I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do with this information... Specifics could've validated your comments, but as is, your comments are pretty much useless to me at this point. Thanks anyway, I guess.
Can I get a mix check on this one?
- Thread starter Shiny Rhino
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Well I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do with this information... Specifics could've validated your comments, but as is, your comments are pretty much useless to me at this point. Thanks anyway, I guess.
Ryan, great work, I see exactly where you went with it. I understand that you are somewhat at the mercy of the clients needs. That can sometimes restrict or limit our ability to mix as we really want to.
That said, IMHO the cymbals and hats particularly have a bit too much siblance now, also the acoustic guitar which is most evident in the bridge. Too much high end (or multi-band compression in the higher registers) which tends to cause them to 'thin' out' which loses energy. It is a such an energetic tune that it needs support to translate that way. You did a great job of capturing the essence and vibe, just want to transmit that now.
Again in my listening environment. the lead verse vocals are still too far back in the mix, but not too low. The levels are really good Ryan, just too far back. I suspect the verb and compression on vox are causing this. (Too long of a reverb?) Are you using a plate? A hall? Try shortening it and see what if feels like to you or try a different reverb altogether., Nothing drastic, but the difference between great and perfect is usually small. I would experiment with different settings.
If I am going to get super analytical, the kick and SNARE drum between verses (when the music goes to full-time vs. half time) loses energy. It has no real open 'smack' as if it is over-compressed or has too much 'top' snare.
Can you Automate your mix? If you can adjust the EQ or verb or compression or all of them for the snare during this part, it could potentially bring up the movement in that part.
All in all, great job. Some songs are more challenging than others. Some mixes really help us grow into our rooms to a greater degree and helps us learn our gear and craft. This seems like one of those.
Much respect and many blessings!
Shiny Rhino
New member
Well had a chance to listen to it in the car on my way to work, which was the first place outside the studio I heard my 2nd mix. I see I did go overboard on the highs, and I kinda knew while I was doing it. I went to the brink of "sizzly-splashy" on my studio monitors and brought it back a notch to see how it would translate. It definitely has more presence, but too much now. I was using a new presence plug by sknote so it was learning experience.
I do feel that the hollowness has improved and that the low end is more intelligible. I'll revisit the kick/snare thing you mentioned tonight.
So if I reduce the presence treatment I made by half on the cymbals, you think that might get me closer? I'll readdress the acoustic guitar too.
As for vox, I noticed that listening in the car this morning showed that I brought up the double track too much which isn't helping any. I have a plate verb, with around a second tail and about 35-40ms predelay I believe. I'll see if I can make some tweaks to that. I generally compress the vox using 2 compressors, la2a and 1176 clones... which gives me the results I like. Are you thinking that the "distance" could be coming from the amplified room sound from compression?
FYI, my room is treated, but it's long and rectangular which seems to cause more bass issues than anything else I've noticed. I've wondered if IK's ARC system would be a decent purchase...
BTW, listened to your song.....awesome!!!
I do feel that the hollowness has improved and that the low end is more intelligible. I'll revisit the kick/snare thing you mentioned tonight.
So if I reduce the presence treatment I made by half on the cymbals, you think that might get me closer? I'll readdress the acoustic guitar too.
As for vox, I noticed that listening in the car this morning showed that I brought up the double track too much which isn't helping any. I have a plate verb, with around a second tail and about 35-40ms predelay I believe. I'll see if I can make some tweaks to that. I generally compress the vox using 2 compressors, la2a and 1176 clones... which gives me the results I like. Are you thinking that the "distance" could be coming from the amplified room sound from compression?
FYI, my room is treated, but it's long and rectangular which seems to cause more bass issues than anything else I've noticed. I've wondered if IK's ARC system would be a decent purchase...
BTW, listened to your song.....awesome!!!
Ryan. Agreed on the low end. Much improved. I myself would still like to hear the bass more intelligible. This is probably because (at 44 years old) I come from a 'progressive rock' era ALO Rush, Yes, Genesis, Peter Gabriel etc...where the bass never hides below in the mix. You and the client obviously may a different vision for your tune but that is my opinion. You could have tracked it intentionally mellow.
The hollowness/dullness has improved. What is left is due to the lack of mids in the overall mix IMHO. This is where a good mastering house will help this shine. As for 'distance', what is amplified room sound? The drums? The vocals? Were they sung in an open room?
I would check your compressors and again my feeling is your reverb is either too big for the track or there is too much of it. Or you need to cut the low end on the verb track. Perhaps a smaller verb and short delay as an experiment? Question, the verb is not an insert but an AUX return correct? If it is an insert then it too is being compressed and/or limited.
Whatever compressors you have on the drums it feels like the input is too high and/or the release time is too long...or the ratio is too high. I don't know this, but it just sounds that way. An overly hot input signal on a LA2A type limiter will add to that sizzle thinness as well. I use the UAD versions and compress, eq then limit my vocal tracks in that order. Or just compress and EQ. I would experiment removing the LA2a copy plug to release more dynamics in the track. These are only suggestions as I cannot see the actual tracks.
If your room is treated, all is cool. Use more bass traps if you can get them, they really really help. Truth is your mix is great Ryan. It can stay right where it is with a few tweaks to the high end. It would just be great to see it go from a great mix to a super great album mix. All in all you are on the right track. Thanks for the good words, I sincerely appreciate it!
Much respect and many blessings~
The hollowness/dullness has improved. What is left is due to the lack of mids in the overall mix IMHO. This is where a good mastering house will help this shine. As for 'distance', what is amplified room sound? The drums? The vocals? Were they sung in an open room?
I would check your compressors and again my feeling is your reverb is either too big for the track or there is too much of it. Or you need to cut the low end on the verb track. Perhaps a smaller verb and short delay as an experiment? Question, the verb is not an insert but an AUX return correct? If it is an insert then it too is being compressed and/or limited.
Whatever compressors you have on the drums it feels like the input is too high and/or the release time is too long...or the ratio is too high. I don't know this, but it just sounds that way. An overly hot input signal on a LA2A type limiter will add to that sizzle thinness as well. I use the UAD versions and compress, eq then limit my vocal tracks in that order. Or just compress and EQ. I would experiment removing the LA2a copy plug to release more dynamics in the track. These are only suggestions as I cannot see the actual tracks.
If your room is treated, all is cool. Use more bass traps if you can get them, they really really help. Truth is your mix is great Ryan. It can stay right where it is with a few tweaks to the high end. It would just be great to see it go from a great mix to a super great album mix. All in all you are on the right track. Thanks for the good words, I sincerely appreciate it!
Much respect and many blessings~