Looking for advice on this mix

S

sbruce

New member
I have just gotten back into recording and mixing after a long hiatus. I have spent most of the last 6 years on the "other side" of the glass.

This is a song I am working on for a local band. I'm still getting used to mixing on a PC...but would like all comments about how to make this mix better.

I am not looking for feedback on the songs or band...just trying to do the best I can... I have noticed that I am having a hard time getting mixes to sound balanced on car stereos, boomboxes, etc. For some reason the mixes sound great on my Monitors 1's and then sound mega bassy everywhere else. I have done my best to compensate for this...any ideas?

I have already noticed a few things that need to be dealt with; but I am curious to see what you think. I'm sure some will comment on the click track that you can hear at the start. The drummer used open back AKG's and had them REALLY loud. I have muted all the open drum tracks except the overheads during the intro to minimize the clicks...any ideas?
Thanks.

p.s. this is not really the kind of music I am used too, so any constructive comments are appreciated.

Equipment used:

57 & 58's on drum kit; Marhall MXL 2001 on overheads (I know, should have been stereo) recorded w/ ADAT XT20 (rented)
Guitar recorded via Tech 21 TM60
Bass direct (to Mackie w/ mild compression)
vocals: Marshall MXL
Mackie 1604 (old version)
Behringer Autocom Compressor
PC w/Samplitude
Alesis Monitor 1's


Link to Song "Hidden Shame":


Link to Song "Complete Adandon":
 
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My 2 cents

Hey SBruce: Welcome aboard.

I'll keep it short because I don't know what I'm talking about.

You've hacked all the mids out somewhere along the line...except in the vox, which seem too middy.

1. BA-BOOMY - Cut between 60Hz and 80Hz...I'm sure it sounds f*&^%ing GREAT when you're sitting 14 inches from your speaks...but I turned it up LOUD (very fun, btw), and it's pretty boomy when I get far enough away from my speakers for the waves to fully form. I can feel the low end more than I can hear it, so I figure it's pretty low.

2. cool panning on the kit (I know others will hate it). The highs sound fine to me.

3. The vox need to be wetter. I don't think I've ever typed that, but I think it'd help them blend (what with the big verb on the snare and all).

4. You asked what might help the monitoring situation...I have to turn everything up to like, 11, to see where the farts are. Bad for the marriage, better for the tracks.

5. I'm probably wrong about all of this, but I like to offer opinions about things that interest me...so shoot me.

Hey, no matter what my post looks like, I think this sounds pretty damned good.

:D
-chris
 
I didn't find the second one....just the church's home page.
On the first song it's almost as if you have everything below 500 hz turned up and everything above turned down except for the vox. Chris actually nailed it as far as I'm concerned. The vox needs some 'verb....the guitars need to come up....and the bottom end is way boomy. Try pulling down the extreme lows...around 75hz or maybe a bit lower, you'll just have to try different frequencies. The instruments really need more presence.
 
Oh BTW....welcome to the board, I'm sure you're gonna like it here. now 'scuse me...I've got to get back to the war thread! :D
 
BAHAHAHAHAhahahah

Holy Crap Bob...that was funny.

SBRUCE, whatever you do...do NOT, under any circumstances, read the thread about the King being displeased. I mean it. There are some cool people here...they'll be along shortly.

Damn, that was funny.
 
Pretty much the same comments as the first one. very bottom-heavy, to the point where it muddies up everything in the low end. Almost like when a band has a booooooooom on stage. It rumbles to the point where it obscures the bass guitar and in this case even obscures the higher pitched instruments. Sounds like the recording was probably ok but you need to change the EQ quite a bit. Keep at it...I'd like to hear these as they evolve. ;)
 
And while you're at it...

bump the gits at 2K. I think the levels are okay, so that would make Lt.Bob correct in my book...need presence.

(Mainly, I'm just writing again to keep this at the top of the page until somebody who can really help gets here).

-chris
 
Just opened up my stereo wave file and pulled out 6 db @ 75. It does seem to "open up" the whole track. Is that about what you guys were talking about?

also, in regards to the verb...that's actually pretty funny, cause the last few songs I've been working on ended up with so much verb on the vocals, so I was making a consious effort to not fall into this trap... I guess I went to far? !?

Any advice on reverb? Thanks .

S
 
Re: BAHAHAHAHAhahahah

chrisharris said:
There are some cool people here...they'll be along shortly.
Click to expand...
Ummmmmmm....you did mean that there were some more cool people coming right? :D:D:D
 
Yeah that's what we meant. I went back and listened...ou did change that file right? "cause it sounds different to me. As for the 'verb....on songs like this I think you're gonna want to go with a short 'verb....a small or medium sized room sound. I'd turn it up until it was noticable and then back it off.
 
Hey thanks so much guys...really helpful...

Your comments seem to back up my original post stating that I have some low end issues with my Monitor 1's. It sounds pretty good in my studio; but as you are noticing...too much low end if you listen anywhere else.

Here's a diff question for ya: Should I move up to some new monitors? i wouldn't have much money (only about $400) for the next few months (we just had our first kid 2 weeks ago; and as you might be able to tell from where the MP's are located...I'm a minister...so don't have tons of extra $$ :=)

But I am commited to learning this craft the best I can..so all comments are appreciated. Thanks again guys.

S
 
actually, I didn't post the edits yet : =) LOL
Hey, perhaps that just means my mix gets better the more you listen to it!

Just kiddin' I fig'd I would get a few more suggestions, go back upstairs and see what I can come up with. My studio doesn't have a phone line in it; so I have to re-mix, burn, and bring it downstairs...

Thanks again.

S
 
Well.......you might want to make sure that what you already have is eq'd flat. Maybe get someone to real time them. And that includes positioning of the monitors. For example....if they make you do mixes that are too bass-heavy, you could put them closer to a corner. That'd increase the bass in your room and therefore you'd mix things with less bass. I'd want to know what kinda amps you were using, and the positioning of your speakers but you should be able to get a passibly flat sound out of the 1's. There are people here who mix on stuff worse than that. Certainly there are some fine monitors out there but at this point I don't know if that's where I'd spend a limited amount when there's Gerber to be bought. :) I'm gonna be working the next couple of hours but I'll be sure to check back before I crash and see what the other cool people have to say :D
 
I can't stop writing...

You're a minister, which is LIKE a priest, so I'm gonna' confess something. I never write this much on any thread that is started by somebody who is NOT me, but I'm doing this so as to resist the urge to see what's been posted on the war thread...man, this is tough...I'd better think of something constructive...QUICK.

Here's something. About the verb...yeah, very easy to muck up a vocal. What Lt.Bob said is a really good rule of thumb...BUT...try this...if you've got a way to to add a slight (very slight) delay to the vocal, but where the vocal is totally dry for a microsecond before any delay or verb kicks in...it would work very well with this type of sound...in my amateur opinion....

(man...what are they writing...)

***resist***temptation***help
 
Thanks... I have them about 38 inches apart, about a foot from the front wall. About 90 percent of my front wall is covered with 2 in. Auralex studiofoam. I was thinking of adding some bass trappings, but now?? I'm trying to lose bass, not gain it! LOL

The Monitor 1's are being powered by an Alesis RA-100 amp.

S
 
Chris-

I'll keep you in my prayers chis :) LOL

Thanks so much...I took a journey over to the "WAR". I hope I never get on anyones bad side :)

S
 
Ya' know...you could have too much sound treatment. And for sure you don't need any bass traps because your bass must be too thin as it is or you wouldn't mix with the bass so boosted. As for the war thread.....hey, just like any group of people...there are flareups but ingeneral it's very peaceful and loving around.....here....justa minute...HEY!!!!! You talkin' to me?! YEAH YOU! You don't want any of this........... :D:D
 
Oh yeah, and another thing...

Yes, Lt. Bob...I meant...ADDITIONAL cool folks. This place is littered with them.

SBRUCE - In the course of fighting the nearly irresistable temptation to see what Sami posted to kill that war thread, I jotted down a couple of things...I hope this isn't an insult, but I'm new at this, and it helps me a ton. The ranges are sorta' subjective, but the centers are about right, in my experience.

Voice:
presence (5 kHz),
sibilance (7.5 - 10 kHz),
boominess (200 - 240 kHz),
fullness (120 Hz)

Electric Guitar:
fullness (240 Hz),
bite (2.5 kHz),
air / sizzle (8 kHz)

Bass Guitar:
bottom (60 - 80 Hz),
attack (700 - 1000 Hz),
string noise (2.5 kHz)

Snare Drum:
fatness (240 Hz),
crispness (5 kHz)

Kick Drum:
bottom (50 - 80 Hz),
slap (4 kHz)

Hi Hat & Cymbals:
sizzle (7.5 - 10 kHz),
clank (200 Hz)

Toms:
attack (5 kHz),
fullness (120 - 240 Hz)
*note - all my drum sounds suck.

Acoustic Guitar:
harshness / bite (2 kHz),
boominess (120 - 200 Hz), (I also cut mine at 315Hz...clears up mud)
cut (7 - 10 kHz) - no matter what anybody tells you...cut here!!
boost 12K to get pick and airy sounds

If this is helpful to you, cool. If it's not, then just commit a (amall) sin and tell me it was helpful. Hey, it helped me not look at that thread.

:D

night
 
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