Maybe some mix feedback on a track called suprise yourself

C

chuckduffy

Well-known member
Looking for some feedback on this initial mix. Its an oddball kinda track for me. I used lots of synths and tried for a 'big drum' sound. Other than that it's my usual menagerie of Gretsch, Les, JBass, Guild acoustic, lotsa plate reverb (yeah I know). Used some weird guitar effects. I downloaded the free NI Kontakt player and gave it the once-over on this track. It has basic versions of a couple of their synths, some samples from their library, basic version of Guitar Rig. Lotsa usable stuff - it was fun checking it out. I used an ARP kinda patch, a fruity mellotron flute thing, bunch of guitar and bass effects and some other funky junk from it.

The song is called Surprise yourself and I tried to rip off a couple of Heatmiser's signature sounds, but that was fail. I have to write the second verse, lol - so I just cut and pasted the first as a placeholder.

12-11-2013 - First Mix Suprise Yourself on the drop box

12-12-2013 - Updated Mix 2 Surprise Yourself - Dropped reverb send on main vocal by 2dB. Dropped reverb send on bridge vocal by 2dB. Raised chorus vocal 1.5 dB. Scooped low mids on deeper delayed guitar figure. Dropped reverb return main by 1dB.

12-13-2013 - Updated Mix 3 Surprise Yourself - Dropped reverb overall reverbs again. Raised vocals on chorus vocal. 'Messed with Tom EQ'. Not so sure I am happy with what I did with the toms, doesn't seem to meld as well. Also think the vocals are probably too high and dry - but who knows.
 
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Sounds like an amalgamation of The Specials and Simple Minds. That's intended as a compliment, by the way.

I really like it, there's nothing that stands out as out of place or too low or loud. Sounds like a really good mix. The vocals could probably benefit from a little bit of a raise in places but that's that being picky.

A very good song and recording. Top drawer :thumbs up:
 
Sounds good, I'd like to hear more vocals, they sound a bit buried to me. Everything else sounds good. Good groove gets going at the end, I'd carry that out longer when you finish the arrangement.
 
I really like the performance. My only nits would be the lack of distinction between the parts of the tune that need to come out front at any point. Most everything seems to be placed distantly with reverb. The accent guitar part is making the vocal sound weak by it's own prominence. The organ also does the same (is that an organ sample?). That may be what you are going for, but it just seems like nothing ever really comes to front as it deserves.

If it were me, and this is just my honest opinion, I would bring the vocals up with much less reverb, and pay attention to the low mids that the guitar accent and organ/or whatever it is are presenting.

Funny enough, I don't have much issue with the drums. I typically pick at those. They seem to work here and nothing jumped out at me. Well, maybe some of the toms sounding boomy.

I am likely to have the melody stuck in my head in the morning... That either means good song, or I just like good stuff. :)
 
Mr Clean said:
Sounds like an amalgamation of The Specials and Simple Minds. That's intended as a compliment, by the way.

I really like it, there's nothing that stands out as out of place or too low or loud. Sounds like a really good mix. The vocals could probably benefit from a little bit of a raise in places but that's that being picky.

A very good song and recording. Top drawer :thumbs up:
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I always enjoyed those two bands, and they are squarely from my 'era' so no foul there :-) I think I do have to do something with the vocal the verb levels, and Jimmy made a really good point about that. Thanks!
 
PDP said:
Sounds good, I'd like to hear more vocals, they sound a bit buried to me. Everything else sounds good. Good groove gets going at the end, I'd carry that out longer when you finish the arrangement.
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I hear you on the vocals - a bit buried, muffled and probably too much (IM AN ADDICT) :-) I'm thinking the same thing about the groove at the end. It just kind of happened. I don't normally 'edit' my tracks, but I did chop this one down from 4 to 3 minutes, cut lots of repeating guitar lines, etc. I think that jam part at the end could be stretched out - was actually thinking the same thing myself. Maybe get some of my friends to chip in some rootsy instruments - harmonica, pedal steel, banjo, etc. I think it would be funny to start out with all that electronic stuff and end with a jam like that :-) Thanks for checking it out.
 
jimmys69 said:
I really like the performance. My only nits would be the lack of distinction between the parts of the tune that need to come out front at any point. Most everything seems to be placed distantly with reverb. The accent guitar part is making the vocal sound weak by it's own prominence. The organ also does the same (is that an organ sample?). That may be what you are going for, but it just seems like nothing ever really comes to front as it deserves.

If it were me, and this is just my honest opinion, I would bring the vocals up with much less reverb, and pay attention to the low mids that the guitar accent and organ/or whatever it is are presenting.

Funny enough, I don't have much issue with the drums. I typically pick at those. They seem to work here and nothing jumped out at me. Well, maybe some of the toms sounding boomy.

I am likely to have the melody stuck in my head in the morning... That either means good song, or I just like good stuff. :)
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Hey Jimmy - that's probably one of the best ways I've heard it put - to paraphrase - 'why does a 4 measure guitar figure/candy get more prominence than what should be the central point of the song - the vocal.'. The contrast makes the vocal sound weak/far away. EXCELLENT point, really hits home. Low mids - point taken. There is a HUGE delay on those guitar part and there is a wash of low mids and I feel like it is knocking out the bass definition.

I also gotta take a look at the toms. I am a freak for huge toms, and they are coming up against a compressor at some point that I think is really bringing out the boom. My biggest worry was the hat and kick being way too loud, as I normally lead with the bass. I don't think I've ever done a track with a big kick before.

Anyway - thanks for the listen and the feedback. As far as melodies getting stuck - the little guitar figures and what not are all things that run through my head non stop while I am sitting trying to work :-)
 
I find the vocals are good, they are just too quiet in the chorus section, but perfect in the verses. That is my only criticism, other than that great arrangement and I like the sense of depth and space in the mix.
 
Aw man. Getting MUCH better! I would still back off of the low mids on the guitar part a bit. A bit less on the vocal verb. Just a touch, but that is just my opinion. Toms still a bit boomy around 110hz or so. I cant dig in as my Denver Broncos are about to play. :)

Really though, a great improvement to my ears man! Props to ya!
 
jimmys69 said:
Aw man. Getting MUCH better! I would still back off of the low mids on the guitar part a bit. A bit less on the vocal verb. Just a touch, but that is just my opinion. Toms still a bit boomy around 110hz or so. I cant dig in as my Denver Broncos are about to play. :)

Really though, a great improvement to my ears man! Props to ya!
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I gotta dig out those toms - they are just hitting the compressor too hard. I will mess with that and maybe some sweeps and strategic cuts in the area you mentioned. I think I will try another dB or so cut on the main reverb return and see what it feels like. Thanks again for the listens!
 
I likes tunes that get away with this much reverb. Pretty effortless is how that turned out. I like the play between the vocal and the bass. Outro rocks. What's not to like? 'Course me, I'da stuck a little poem in there during the instrumental segment (thus rendering it non-instrumental), but that's just me. I can't leave this stuff alone.
 
dobro said:
I likes tunes that get away with this much reverb. Pretty effortless is how that turned out. I like the play between the vocal and the bass. Outro rocks. What's not to like? 'Course me, I'da stuck a little poem in there during the instrumental segment (thus rendering it non-instrumental), but that's just me. I can't leave this stuff alone.
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Hey thanks! Interesting you noticed the vocal and the bass. I notice it on my stuff now, and I don't think anyone has brought it up before. I am mostly a piano guy but have taken to writing on bass. I fire up a metronome, play a bass line and sing stuff like 'ba da da da da dee dee dumm dumm dee dee (think vocal/guitar line)' into a mic as I play. Then I go back and record the drums to the bass. Then I re-record the bass to the new drums to make it tighter. Get the bass and drums where I want them and build the song around them. For years I never gave a rats ass about bass, and I would use didn't even have it on half of my songs. Now I am obsessed with it and try and play every day. Still not a great player or anything, but I seem to get stuff that works for the song :-)

I hear you about not being able to leave stuff alone. I would circle back to songs forever, for years. Last couple years I've been trying to leave them alone and just move on to the next one, and if I don't have any new songs of my own I just record covers.
 
Sounds really cool. Good mix to me. I'd like less vocal reverb, but everything else seems pretty awesome. Everything sounds clean and in place. It's interesting how many people say stuff like "it sounds like so-and-so". I'll throw in my own so-and-so....I think it kind of sounds like The Clash's "Guns of Brixton", or the "London Calling" sound in general. That aint a bad thing. Very nice.
 
Mix 2 sounds pretty good to me.

Ther was a loud pop at 0:42 on "friends" (and again at 1:48?)
There were also still a few buried vocals (e.g. the first "between")
 
I like it. It's a great mix to my ears. I really liked the little acoustic guitar lead lines in the outro. On first listen I felt like I wanted to hear that guitar cut through or punch a little more. Maybe just a little compression or something. On listening back though, I think it's good as is. Nice job on this!
 
I really like it - has some GooBetweens, some Triffids and a few Sydney bands.
The adjustments you've made in Mix 2 are spot on.
Go the full 4 mins - it cut to sharply without a sharp "ending".
 
rayc said:
I really like it - has some GooBetweens, some Triffids and a few Sydney bands.
The adjustments you've made in Mix 2 are spot on.
Go the full 4 mins - it cut to sharply without a sharp "ending".
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Thanks Ray :-) The ending is a bit too swift/sudden/sharp so forth - I agree. I have another mix I will post later with the tom adjusted, and the vocals dried out even further. They sound way too loud to my ears now, but who knows.....
 
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