acoustic/bluegrass master for "Love of a Father"

[banjo71]

I've been working on making a master for a song called Love of a Father. I just got Sound Forge Pro 11, using some of the iZotope mastering suite vst's included. I really like this sound, although next time I need to eq a little muddiness out of 3-500Hz. Check this mp3 out and let me know what you think overall and in general.Love of a Father - Banjo Hangout Jukebox

 

[mjbphotos]

Overall, I like the balance, but I think the acoustic guitar is muffled - no sparkle to it - it's how I'd think an acoustic would sound from a big omni mic (1-mic bluegrass band style recording) when backed off from it. The mandolin (right side) when it plays the single-strummed chords doesn't have much tone - it wasn't until it played its lead that I knew it was a mando.

 

[banjo71]

I appreciate your feedback. I remixed the guitar and a few other things that had bothered me. I reworked a few things on the mastering end and know I improved at least the guitar sound from reworking both of these. Here's hopefully an improved version..

Love of a Father no2 - Banjo Hangout Jukebox

 

[gecko zzed]

Mix 2 sounds a lot crisper, and dare I say it, maybe a fraction too much?

The lower mids sound a bit woofly.

Generally, though, it's pretty good, and well performed

 

[dobro]

I really like this sound, although next time I need to eq a little muddiness out of 3-500Hz.

Yup. Exactly.

Lovely song, and done lovely.

If you want to perfect it, you could correct slight banjo mistimings at places like 3.28, for instance.

 

[rayc]

The chorus is busier but not bigger. The male voices may be too loud and competes rather than supports.
Otherwise it's cool.
The run in for the mandolin isn't quite there for me and it much duller sounding than the banjo that follows it.

 

[Bubba po]

I can only reiterate what other people have said. I initially thought the balances of the various elements was spot on and I like the playing and singing. It was very warm and lacking in sparkle, though, and as gecko pointed out, the tweaks went a little too far the other way. I was never a fan of banjo up till a few years ago when Frank Black and the Catholics released their Dog in the Sand album. It gave me a crossover point between Frank's work with the Pixies and his obvious love of Tex Mex and country tones. Really liked it.

 

[mjbphotos]

You got the sparkle back in the guitar! Some boominess in it, though. Like rayc said, the male BU vocals might be a little too loud in the chorus. Mando still has no tone in the strums, so doesn't add enough in the chorus, I like the sound of it in its lead, except at one point there's a ton of finger squeak - I'd make him retrack that!