How'd We (I) End Up Here

aaronmcoleman

aaronmcoleman

The truth is out there!
I posted this a couple weeks ago and made some major changes so I thought I'd repost it.

It's a simple Americana sort of song. This is the first mix with new monitors, and some new techniques and equipment.

This is a mix not mastered at all, so the volume may be lower. Let me know what you think!

Thanks.

Also, I just realized soundcloud really compresses the audio or does something to make it suck, so here's my attempt to get dropbox to work.

Ok, I think I fixed the link...I think.

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/50906591/How'd I (we) end up here 6-8-12.mp3
 
Last edited:
haha, whoops. I'll figure this out. I'm not sure how to post something from my dropbox, and soundcloud sounds terrible.
 
are you referring to the performance (that's just how my voice sounds haha), or the volume (which i can fix easily)?
 
Link working now man. Some nice sounds going on here, vocals are very good and the drums sound great. I hear a few timing issues here and there sometimes on the drums and sometimes on the electric guitar - vocals could do with coming up a touch too, particularly on the "How'd I end up here" line. Otherwise, nice tune and smooth mix :)
 
Cool vibe man! I dig. Maybe instead of just a non-descriptive, "vocals too soft" I might be able to be of some help to further that comment :P. Maybe a little more compression (or vocal rider plugin if you don't want the compression effect, or ride the fader) on the vocals. They're loud enough, but some notes are dropped. Maybe roll off some lows on the vocal as well and it'll stick out more without needing to turn up dB's, and it'll get rid of some of the mud I;m hearing. Oh and more KICK. I know it's the Americana vibe, but it'll really help the whole song sound more solid. All these things are mostly taste things I guess though. As much as you probably don't like much verb on the vox, I'd suggest maybe a little bit. On the whole wav, I'd maybe boost some freq's on the high end by a couple db's. Sounded like the guits, drums and vox all needed a little boost in the high end, so might as well do it on the main if it sounds ok.

Nice work and great song. Very chillin'.
 
Cool thanks everyone. I rode the vocal volume some already...I'll work on it some more. Vocals are the hardest to get the volume right because I can "hear" them since I know what's there, that's why it's good to get some outside criticism. I thought I had too much verb on the vocals! haha, ok thanks. I just got a bunch of new impulses and have been worried about over use...I guess I over compensated.

I'm working on the "mud" I think a lot of it is in the bass. The vocals are rolled off from around 300 down, and I used an SM7B with the bass roll off turned on. I'll go back and see if some of the mud is in the vocals.

I hate harshness in the highs so I tend to not put any highs in anything and roll them off. I'll go back and rework that too to get some more shimmer.

And I'll listen again for the kick. I don't like it to dominate, so again I think I over compensated. I used to have some crappy 5" maudio monitors and if I could hear the kick in the mix it was going to explode on regular speakers. I guess I just got used to mixing the bass out.

oh, and the "how'd we end up here" part is background vocals that I'm going to have a bunch of friend sing so it sounds like I have a band...maybe around 3-5 guys, so that part was just me on two takes and it'll be gone by the final.

thanks!
 
I listened to about a minute of it. Nice cool groove to the beat, however the vocals where just down way to low for me to be able to focus on the song as a whole. Try bring the vocal levels up with some soft compression
 
cool, thanks. i've brought the vocals up and added some (very little) reverb. The vocals were already compressed so I just turned them up a little and automated a little more and less volume where needed.

I brought the kick up too. I am always afraid of ending up with a dance song when the kick is too loud :)

And I tried to add some highs on the master, but it just sounded terrible, so I'll check out the vocal track, and the drum OH and see if they need some help.

I'll post a remix tonight.

Thanks!
 
Cool chord progression and I like the vocal melody. I think the vocals could still come up a good deal myself (not sure if that's already been done - saw comments), but if so, I'd recommend another boost, at least in certain sections. I'd also like to hear more of that verb on the vocals, but I think I remember that you are pretty anti-verb. It's just especially nice on a slower, mellow tune like this in my opion anyway.
Kick sounds ok. Guitars sound pretty good. I would like more brightness overall in the mix, but I see you tried that and didn't care for it...nice song man.
 
That is an unmastered version.

When I get a chance to work in this (tonight???) I'll post a new updated version.

Thanks all!
 
Hey aaron. Listening to the original mix on laptop speakers.
Cool song, diggin the laid-back country/Americana vibe. Guitars are nice and crisp.
I'm cool with the level of the vox- adds to the understatedness of it. Don't have much else, just dropped in to say I listened and liked.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top