feedback on my first real produced/mixed/mastered song

A

agiledood

New member
I'm looking for as much nitpicky feedback as possible on this one! Been doing recording for just over a year and I'm producing, and mixing our bands first EP. I don't want to embed with Soundcloud because we don't want it on our SC page yet so here's the link:

CleverWeapon | eMastered Public Profile

Recorded mostly at home or shared rehearsal space with a Focusrite 18i20, Blue Bird mic and most processing is done with Wave's GTR plugins and Slate virtual mix rack compressors and EQs.
 
Mix is good. Nicely balanced. Emastered added quite a bit of compression during the loud parts. It did the same to an album I mastered on emastered a couple years ago. It's a judgement call, but maybe consider taming down the compression part of it a tad.
 
thanks, I think I can set 'mastering strength' to reduce that. I tried mastering it myself, but couldn't get the 'bigness and clarity' I could hear in my head!
 
good overall mix of vocals but I think that if the compression does not clean it up I would try more EQ and shoot for more treble as it seems slightly muddy.

:)
 
Well performed.

I thought the lead vocal sounded good. Harmonies too.

I liked the kick and snare. I thought the overheads had a bit too much of a high end boost. They were a little bright.

I thought the guitars sounded pretty good. I think a tune needs a doubled rhythm guitar track. My biggest complaint about the whole mix is that it's very narrow. A double tracked/hard-panned rhythm guitar would really fill out the stereo spread.

The mix could use a little stronger low end. The bass and kick are a bit back in the mix. The pop on the bass around 2 min seemed to come from nowhere, and then never came back.

The guitar solo was as dry as a bone.
 
The mix sounds really good, the lead singer has a great voice, the vocal harmonies are good.

To me, the weak link of this song is the lead guitar work. The main guitar solo sounds stiff, and the lack of vibrato on the sustained notes makes me wince. The lead lick at the end actually sounds like it's in the wrong key. This does not match the high quality of the rest of the song. You might consider hiring a skilled lead guitar player to redo those parts.

Other than that it sounds really good. Hope this helps!
 
awesome, thanks for all the feedback! I had done a wider sounding mix previously but it sounded hollow up the middle...that's just my in-experience so I'll try tweaking a few things based on these suggestions!

I'm the type of person that would keep tweaking and never release because I know I could improve it with time, but we're anxious to get our EP out. Happy to hear that overall it sounded good, my main worry was that it sounds extremely amateur-ish.
 
it's a good solid pop tune, i dig it when the chorus kicks in....
a nice performance all around...
nitpicking....

on the mastered version,
the snare seems to poke out a bit.....and the rhythm guitar sounds a bit shrill, like too much at about 3k

during the first verse, the vocal is covered by the rhythm guitar, which is just too hot on the first verse.
i like it during the intro, but once the vocal comes in, that rhythm should back down until the chorus.

during the vocals at 1:37, "wait for me and you......" the vocals are sharp. you could correct that with pitch correction, or just get her to re-sing that one line.

the solo guitar, sounds a bit weak, it's just rambling along, and finishes weak. i'd re-record something melodic there, maybe even repeat the chorus melody over the verse riff......

the lead fill that starts at 2:34, i'd just lose that altogether, it's a bit loosey goosey, with minor bends over a major chord progression and vocal, and doesn't really add anything.

still, it's a solid song, i think there are a few spots where you can dial in the performances tighter,
and make it that much better.


after all is said and done, i much prefer the "original" version... it's more dynamic, just sounds more fun, it's hard to apply a real measurement to it, but it breathes more, and the drums sit better in it.
 
GONZO-X said:
it's a good solid pop tune, i dig it when the chorus kicks in....
a nice performance all around...
nitpicking....

on the mastered version,
the snare seems to poke out a bit.....and the rhythm guitar sounds a bit shrill, like too much at about 3k

during the first verse, the vocal is covered by the rhythm guitar, which is just too hot on the first verse.
i like it during the intro, but once the vocal comes in, that rhythm should back down until the chorus.

during the vocals at 1:37, "wait for me and you......" the vocals are sharp. you could correct that with pitch correction, or just get her to re-sing that one line.

the solo guitar, sounds a bit weak, it's just rambling along, and finishes weak. i'd re-record something melodic there, maybe even repeat the chorus melody over the verse riff......

the lead fill that starts at 2:34, i'd just lose that altogether, it's a bit loosey goosey, with minor bends over a major chord progression and vocal, and doesn't really add anything.

still, it's a solid song, i think there are a few spots where you can dial in the performances tighter,
and make it that much better.


after all is said and done, i much prefer the "original" version... it's more dynamic, just sounds more fun, it's hard to apply a real measurement to it, but it breathes more, and the drums sit better in it.
Click to expand...

I used the Slate Digital FG-X on the master bus when I exported it from Logic and used the 'medium' setting on eMastered to liven it up a bit. Listening back to back, the 'original' does sound less noisy. I just reduce 2db at 2700-ish for the guitars and reduced the high shelf on the cymbals and it does sound less shrilly. That's what I like about recording with the Strike Pro, WAY easier to muck around with the drums.

Funny, the guitar parts no one had feedback for were my solo parts! (I'm the drummer and added the filler solos at 0:54 and 2:27). We write the songs live and I do all the production, overdubs etc. I will make sure to tell the guitar player! :-)
 
I agree with Gonzo, the Rhy guitar is a bit bitey, and overpowering the vocals in several spots. The mix feels a bit static, and leveled out to much. I like s bit more low end but, this mix fine without more low end.
 
i agree with some added rythm guitar track and panning for more space and spread...it was a bit narrow...only a few times did i hear guitar slightly off center which is where i would keep the drums and bass at...personally i think lead vocals could stand up front slightly more also... over all well mixed other than needing stereo space since at times everything seemed almost mono except harmonies...one thing bothered me however , which was the break with bass 3/4 of the way through...was kind of obnoxious to me ... a little more subtle with more low end too it might fix that... but then this is all just in my opinion is all...i liked the solid tightness and pop of the drum tracks...:listeningmusic::guitar:
 
this sounds amazing.
I'm generally leaning to what others have been saying. would like to hear a little more low end.
the guitar could use a little bit more life. Would like to hear them wider... if that makes sense.

awesome track though! im feeling it
 
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