Final mixes on my band's CD in entirety: need comments on what mastering could help!

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Steve Henningsgard

Steve Henningsgard

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I've posted the entirety of my band's new self-produced CD. We're about to enter the mastering process, and we need opinions on things that could be improved in said process! I've put up a 128kbps VBR version, a 320kbps VBR version, and a 24-bit ALAC version:


http://www.stevehenningsgard.com/everestmp3 ("Visions of Light unmastered")


Comments very, very much appreciated!



Disclaimer: I know there are a couple of things that could stand to be mixed a little differently, but the plug-ins on the rig we were using expired (they were legit, but need to be re-authorized and it's taking forever) the day after we finished the mix. There are a couple of times where the compressor on the overheads gets crazy for a moment, there are some odd snare/tom triggers, and a few levels could be slightly messed with on individual songs, but overall we're all extremely happy with the result!
 
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steve.h said:
I've posted the entirety of my band's new self-produced CD. We're about to enter the mastering process, and we need opinions on things that could be improved in said process! I've put up a 128kbps VBR version, a 320kbps VBR version, and a 24-bit ALAC version:


http://www.stevehenningsgard.com/everestmp3 ("Visions of Light unmastered")


Comments very, very much appreciated!



Disclaimer: I know there are a couple of things that could stand to be mixed a little differently, but the plug-ins on the rig we were using expired (they were legit, but need to be re-authorized and it's taking forever) the day after we finished the mix. There are a couple of times where the compressor on the overheads gets crazy for a moment, there are some odd snare/tom triggers, and a few levels could be slightly messed with on individual songs, but overall we're all extremely happy with the result!
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your biggest fan (me) now has the whole thing on his ipod and will listen to it constantly for a day or ten and let you know. off the bat (i'm on the 3rd track at the moment) i'd say the vox are a bit buried, but i felt the same way about the new intronaut disc on my computer speakers, while on disc and even ipod it sounds fine.

more detailed review to come.

so far i'm expecting to hail this as one of the best albums of 2008. but then again, i'm biased. what you're doing stylistically is exactly what i love to hear.
 
ok, so i'm one full listen through, and i've come to the conclusion that you are a mastering engineer's wet dream.

if i'm the ME, i boost the low end and throw it through a compressor/limiter.

easiest money ever.

dude, this is an incredible effort. the performance is flawless, the arrangements are meticulous, and the tracking/mixing is downright amazing. drums are perfect, guitars are huge, bass is articulate, and vox are exactly what they should be for this.

my ONE nit: on the intro of track 3, i feel like i know the effect you're going for, and i would make it more "tinny" and less "muffled."

that is my one and only criticism so far. don't worry, i'll be listening aplenty in the days to come. *shakes head*

frigging incredible.
 
ok, i've listened all the way through 3 times now, and frankly i don't think there's anything worth remixing for. you have a solid album, period. can't wait to buy the mastered version.

take care, steve.

j
 
Downloading it right now. I've always been impressed by your stuff, so I'm looking forward to hearing this.

I'll try not to be just a fan, and offer some helpful criticism, but judging by drossfile's comments, it may be hard not to just be a fan! :D
 
Jeebus, based on the testimonials here I just better d/l this music while I can! I'll post my opinions once I've digested it..... :cool:
 
drossfile said:
ok, so i'm one full listen through, and i've come to the conclusion that you are a mastering engineer's wet dream.

if i'm the ME, i boost the low end and throw it through a compressor/limiter.

easiest money ever
Click to expand...

It ain't gonna be that easy ;)

I only listened to a few tracks. I think some of them will be quite simple, some will be more involved. Basically what I think the ME will do is smooth out the differences so the lesser tracks sound more like the better ones. I don't agree that low end will be boosted, although that may be the impression. The more troubled stuff I heard was very smiley, with a bigger boost on the presence range than the lows. So I wouldn't expect a bass boost; rather a big cut on the presence and then a mid boost, which really opens up the track and shows how much meat there really already is on the lows. The lows might even be cut or MBC'ed.

The better tracks, a quick EQ change here and there are you're done.

Other than some very fast cymbals which will be tough to deal with, I think the guts of the tracks are there and I expect you will be very pleased with the final product.
 
I'd say trimming of the hi's is going to be he way to go. You would end up pretty scooped if you worked the bottom and it would not unmask the impact of the guitars. Some songs need it more than others.

The important thing is that this should by no means be a undoable. I don't think it will be that hard of a mastering job:D Are you planning to self master or send it out?


I will run now that I am def;)

F.S.

PS: I must spread some rep around before I can give it to your sorry ass again:)
 
mshilarious said:
It ain't gonna be that easy ;)

I only listened to a few tracks. I think some of them will be quite simple, some will be more involved. Basically what I think the ME will do is smooth out the differences so the lesser tracks sound more like the better ones. I don't agree that low end will be boosted, although that may be the impression. The more troubled stuff I heard was very smiley, with a bigger boost on the presence range than the lows. So I wouldn't expect a bass boost; rather a big cut on the presence and then a mid boost, which really opens up the track and shows how much meat there really already is on the lows. The lows might even be cut or MBC'ed.

The better tracks, a quick EQ change here and there are you're done.

Other than some very fast cymbals which will be tough to deal with, I think the guts of the tracks are there and I expect you will be very pleased with the final product.
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I definitely feel the lows are a bit overly-dynamic, specifically the bass guitar. If I could go back and re-mix it, I might throw a light multiband on the bass to smooth it out a bit. I think the biggest thing that suffers with using less-than-stellar preamps is the air and the crispness of the high end. The 002 preamps seem a bit cloudy in the high-end to me, but then that might have been partially due to the rooms the guitars and vocals were tracked in.

I've already got some stuff back from John (MassiveMastering) and it's sounding awesome :)

Freudian Slip said:
I'd say trimming of the hi's is going to be he way to go. You would end up pretty scooped if you worked the bottom and it would not unmask the impact of the guitars. Some songs need it more than others.

The important thing is that this should by no means be a undoable. I don't think it will be that hard of a mastering job:D Are you planning to self master or send it out?


I will run now that I am def;)

F.S.

PS: I must spread some rep around before I can give it to your sorry ass again:)
Click to expand...
I sent it to John (MassiveMastering) and so far the results are sounding pretty sweet! It's fun to actually have someone who knows what he's doing mess around with 'em. We're definitely on the same page with keeping the dynamics as much as possible. I'll post the results when finished :)
 
this shit sounds pretty brutal. i'll listen on my monitors tomorrow when my wife's not in bed. awesome band though :D
 
steve.h said:
I sent it to John (MassiveMastering) and so far the results are sounding pretty sweet! It's fun to actually have someone who knows what he's doing mess around with 'em. We're definitely on the same page with keeping the dynamics as much as possible. I'll post the results when finished :)
Click to expand...

Cool. I will be looking forward to it!;) I want to hear some of johns handywork.


Later

F.S.
 
g0dmoney said:
this shit sounds pretty brutal. i'll listen on my monitors tomorrow when my wife's not in bed. awesome band though :D
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Yeah, she might not appreciate the rude awakening. She'd probably like some of the music though! You know, minus the whole screaming thing... :p
 
Freudian Slip said:
Cool. I will be looking forward to it!;) I want to hear some of johns handywork.


Later

F.S.
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I'm just glad I kept the CD mostly DIY, with only myself, my band, my friend, and an extremely helpful messageboard acquaintance (John) having a hand in creating it!
 
steve.h said:
I'm just glad I kept the CD mostly DIY, with only myself, my band, my friend, and an extremely helpful messageboard acquaintance (John) having a hand in creating it!
Click to expand...

You know, I have used a studio a few times. It was not a high dollar studio, but $35.00 per hour including engineer. I have had decent results, but not results that could stand up to mastering well. With the luxury of time on my side and a decent set-up, I have been able to do better than that studio the majority of the time. That being said, I did learn alot from going to the studio and I have paid for that studio time many times over buying gear;)

Now I never have to pay studio time again:D

F.S.
 
Cool! I till have the unmastered version on my desktop.
I will get a listen tomorrow.


F.S.
 
Steve -- Sounds awesome as usual, great job on the mix. Guitars sound fucking outstanding.

Heart of the Light is probably my favorite song, reminds me a lot of Nehemiah with the gnarly pinches and everything. =]

Just curious on the signal chain you used for the guitar, and what you used as far as processing went (verbs, comps, etc?)

Anyway, good job man.

Peace.
 
I am going through and comparing unmastered to mastered right now. Correcting for volume to some extent.

So far I am very impressed with Johns work. It has a firmer tighter bottom with more punch. He has cleared away some of the top end that was masking the guitar (more on some songs than others) and left you with a much tighter and defined sound in the guitars. Some of the highend was in the way of hearing the the space between the strums (the definition).

If I where you I would be very happy with this. It's a big improvement. It lends alot more interest to the rythem and movements in the song.

Very cool! I may have to employ John in the future. I knew what I wanted to see happen when I first listened to the tracks and John pulled it off better than I thought might have been possible.

Not that the raw recordings where not pretty great to begin with:D

Bravo!

I'm going to check some more tunes out.

**edit** Listened to the lot and it sounds really good! I think I hear one slight compression suck in one place, but that will be my little secret:D
Actually I think it's likely my imagination;)


Your work and Johns work on this are both something to be very proud of!

F.S.
 
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