Lost And Found... mix help

V

volthause

New member
Okay, so I've not been around much lately so I feel a little guilty asking for a listen, but I've got this mix that I think needs a little help.

Things sound a little tubby in the lower mids and I'm not sure if it's a vocal that's a little too round, or a stackup of freqs caused by the guitar layering.

I've had a headcold lately, so things aren't sounding right anyhow, so any help would be appreciated. Thanks!



*right-click, save-as*
 
Decent feel. I liked the chorus - especially the vocals.

I didn't care a whole lot for the guitar sounds. The guitars are a bit abrasive sounding and covering the vocals. To a lesser extent, they're covering the bass. There is a boxy sound to it.

Some vocal oddities at different points in the song (e.g., the word "can't" at 1:56).
 
I just loved this.

The drums sound great - please tell me they're real! :)

Great singing. The first part of the chorus is a little OTT for my taste, but very impressive. The verses and the second half of the chorus (carried my cross) is perfect.

The octave-doubling on the second verse is very precise, and sounds great. Is that real or processed?

Guitars maybe a little harsh, but it's a very good mix of a great song.

Don't know why this one does it for me, but it does. Great stuff.

Cheers

AB
 
Really enjoyed this tune as well. The chorus is off the hook, it sounds like a different singer, really strange and cool all at the same time. Guitars are a little off - sound wise - not much though, maybe a tad cleaner.
 
Great harmony vocals in the beginning.

The baritone verse intro is exactly what I want to do in my intro, for the tune I currently have up. What kind of vocal mic is that ?

Chorus vocal is sitting in the mix well, in contrast to the baritone 'closer to your face'. Nicely done chorus vocal, very little sibilance on a high register male vocal that can easily develop that especially with doubling, and I'm seeing here one of those tracks may need EQ reductions in the upper freqs to keep that sibilance from occuring.

At 1:44 the octave split in the voice is very, very nicely done.

Intense, and gets thick and intense, but never muddy, great seperation as usual across the whole stereo spectrum. I especially like the right field push on the drums if I"m hearing that correctly, and I don't think a single stick is overmixed.

It gets hot in the upper freqs too, but never too hot, never anywhere near uncomfortable. This is generally a bit of a tamer mix, (sonically), than what you usually present and I'm liking the contrasts a lot as lynx says ... different singers in here !

All verse lyric is easily understandable, chorus, there a few tiny challenges, but that's nit. This is a door number 2 tune IMHO.

Everything is well balanced levels wise, everything 'has it's sonic place' in the mix.

I like the march militare' drum outro, like skeltons all clacking along ...

Great performance, great stuff ... rock on !
 
Thanks everybody for the help:

TripleM - I'm not crazy about the guitar sound either as I was experimenting with different placements, mics, and pres through the whole process. I've been trying to enlarge my repertoire outside of the SM57... Apparently I still have work to do. :)
Is there anything particular that you didn't care for? Admittedly it would be difficult to pinpoint as there are 6 layered tracks during the chorus... oops. Overkill anyone?

alibish - Yes, the drums are real! It's taken me over a year to perfect a real drum sound, and it's good to hear that someone else likes it, so thank you! The vocal octave during the second verse is real too. The singer just doubled it. He's an amazing talent.

lynx - Maybe I've got too many guitars going at once! Probably a little less twist on the gain all around would help out. Thanks for your comments.

studioviols - I'm glad you picked up on the tamer mix. I actually think it was you who really pointed out to me on one of my other mixes how hyped the bass was, and that hit home. I went and really reviewed all of my mixes and A/B'd them with other stuff, and man, I was really mixing things over-the-top.
 
I like your tunes a ton. (okay, it's only the 2nd one I've heard, but I can tell, lol). The singer sounds sooooo much like this guy who sang for a band called the Grand Street Cryers that it's creepy.

Anyway, I think the guitars bugged me when they first came in, but then I totally got used to them.

Nice job in my opinion...wish I could be more helpful. Oh, I'm listening on some nearfield monitors, didn't really check the super low end...so take it for what it's worth.
 
volthause said:

studioviols - I'm glad you picked up on the tamer mix. I actually think it was you who really pointed out to me on one of my other mixes how hyped the bass was, and that hit home. I went and really reviewed all of my mixes and A/B'd them with other stuff, and man, I was really mixing things over-the-top.
Click to expand...
That was me, lol...you caught me in my "subsonic" phase, lol. It's important though. :D
 
chrisharris said:
That was me, lol...you caught me in my "subsonic" phase, lol. It's important though. :D
Click to expand...

Ah, okay. Well, I have to thank you very much for that! I feel that you helped me tune my ear, and that's it's made a huge improvement in my mixing style.
 
Nice job all around. Mix sounds good to me. Drums sound great. I like the guitar sound. Kind of gritty against the rest of song. Nice contrast for me.

Personally I did not like the chorus. I don't know what it was. Just didn't appeal. Maybe not my style. I really like the verses though. Just preferences.

Very nice work.
 
You already know I'm a fan! This is what I want to hear on the radio - like all the time. (Except for that Celtic show that comes on PBS on Sunday mornings.)

I, too, have an issue with the guitar tone and I wish I could put my finger on it - but as the tone decays on longer sustained notes the 'offensive' tone improves - maybe that's pointing to a sound saturation level. (the most dramatic change is from 3:04 to 3:08 - by 3:08 the tone is smoother.) Damn, I wish I could be more specific - my apologies - someone out here will probably be able to nail an offensive frequency range or something and I'll learn, too.

BUT - as with your other tunes I just get involved with the music - and that doesn't happen that much anymore. The band is excellent all the way around. Terrific writing, singing and playing.
I love this stuff cranked!

You guys working a CD project?
~Milan
 
I downloaded this two days ago. It rocks. I can't offer anything except congratulations.

:) Q.

I am posting this to tell you that my neighbour just asked me to turn "that damn noise" down........
 
skids Thanks for listening even though it wasn't your thing. :)

MC Gitarz I think part of what you say is true about the "saturation"... the guitars are layered very deep, and although I did use different mics and placement for the layered parts, I think the amp didn't change a whole lot. Probably the offense is coming from a low-mid stack-up that makes it sound boxy. I tried compensation for that when I mixed by adding a little top, but it's kind of fizzy and harsh. I think retracking is my best option at this point, or just do some more cuts in the low-mid area.

I'm glad you're a fan of the music! And yes, we are working on a CD project. We've got about 6 songs done, and another 5 nearing completion.

Qwerty Thanks for the compliment!
 
Great Song....Vocals were dynamic.

My only complaint was that at the intro it sounded to me like you had a bit too much "airey-ness???" to it. Sort of like your upper EQ was maxed out.

After a while my ears got used to it....still a little piercing though.....I coud expect to see this on MTV2 at the very least

DustyJack
 
Good tune. It sounds like something U2 would write.

I gotta tell you though, when the singer goes into the high register in the pre chorus, it's like nails on a chalk board.

I'd like to hear him sing it without the drastic jump. Just more power, not the octave rise.

As far as the mix, I'd like to hear more bass guitar. It's buried. The drums sound cool, more kick would help. Guitar can use a little more presence but it's cool.

Lose the cymbal bell in the intro. It’s too cliché and it takes away from what going on.

Also, lose the ending. Keep the fade out at 3:08 and make that it. It leaves the listener wanting more.

I'm being real critical here because this song has some real potential. I hope I'm not coming off like a jerk. It's really good.
 
Qwerty said:
I downloaded this two days ago. It rocks. I can't offer anything except congratulations.

Q.

I am posting this to tell you that my neighbour just asked me to turn "that damn noise" down........
Click to expand...

Qwerty ... well if ya hadn't ta played the bloody thing for two days straight !

You've given me quoit a NOISE laff here ole boy !

Love you aussies !
 
This song gets bumped, purely for the fact that U2 could never write something this good now.

The change from verse to chorus is what makes this song, IMHO. Don't change it at all.

:D Q.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top