Can you tell the difference? Amateur vs Pro

ASTRAL_BABE

New member
Hey guys, I mage a quick comparison track.
Its two songs, A-B-A-B

One was made in the proper studio and mixed by serious engineer and one was totally homemade. Can you guess which one is which? How big the difference is?

Where do you see the biggest difference? Drums? Bass? Vocals, guitar?

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This is sort of an unfair comparison... The first mix is easily the -- least distracting (for lack of a better term). More open, more airy, more clarity, more definition -- But it's also the obvious source that would lend itself to be that way. There are barely ever two things happening at the same time.

The second mix is much more crowded with sounds. The thing I can't get past is the - I'm not even absolutely certain if it's a hat or a cymbal (I think it's a cymbal). And it has some weird sound going on. The - also loud - hat in the first mix has plenty of space to be that loud. The cymbal in the second mix sounds like a 10' cymbal in a 12' room.

Two versions of the same song would be much more revealing... But even then, there's bias and time involved.
 
No. But.. they're two totally diff versions, and both have distortions -not in a good way IMO, on the vocals in particular, and the instruments (guitars) in #B. An intentional choice perhaps? But if so kind of swamps these blind 'quality assessments doesn't it.
I would hope if I were to pick #A was done in better hands' for sure due to the guitars..
 
When it comes to me, I would pick B. Eventhough there is too much of cymbals happening.. the bass is more solid, the mix is much punchier, modre dynamic and the clarity and instrument separation is MUCH better...

A is kinda muddy to my ear and too much reverb happening. And overcompressed. Sorry
 
They're both kind of messy in one way or another...and I agree, comparing two different songs and mixes is not really a fair way to judge...though stylistically, there are some similarities between them.
I would also like to know what does a "proper studio" and "serious engineer" really mean here...Capitol Studios in LA, mixed by Al Schmitt...or something a step or two above the home bedroom studio?
 
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Well I hope the OP doesn't just drop out of site. I joined in for interest, otherwise what the heck would the point of the discussion and question be?
 
To bad the files are gone.

Well I hope it wasn't because I said both mixes were kinda messy. I didn't mean necessarily really bad sounding, just that the sonic elements in each were kinda stepping all over each other, and a bit of focus and clarity would clean things up some.

As the first step toward a decent mix...I like where you can hear every element to some degree. They don't need to, and won't, all have center stage and be in your face...but even if it's just a distant backing instrument, there's no point in using it if it's not even heard/identifiable in the mix, somewhat, IMO.
When you have a lot of stuff going on, and it's stepping all over each other...even when you tweak all the EQ and compression and FX, if there's too much masking of individual elements, then it's either an arrangement or production issue that will not be fixed easily those tweaks...the mix is messy.

That said...some might argue that even masked tracks are providing some sort of "foundation"...that so-called "wall of sound"...
...but I just like it when I can at least hear all the elements in the mix that I spent time recording...and then from there I can go about trying to balance and process them to create the desired mix impact. :)

Well I hope the OP doesn't just drop out of site. I joined in for interest, otherwise what the heck would the point of the discussion and question be?


Maybe the OP went back to the drawing board and will return with something new/different...or maybe not?
 
I was going back to reprint and delete a downloaded Trust doc, where I see (I usually don't think of this..), to hear the file' was also have it be saved. A 'normal function and result I presume now? I'm disinclined to put it back up though.
 
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