Talk About It - quick final check

[ido1957]

Just looking for a quick final check on this song. Did some adjustments to the bass and drums as suggested in the previous thread. Also fiddled with the lead a bit so it isn't quite so dominant anymore.
Would appreciate any comments regarding the latest to see if it sounds ok.

I put all the mixes in here so you can compared before and after.

Edit - dropped the vocals for Mix 3

Thanks!

 

[Robus]

I'm not hearing huge changes between the two mixes. They both sound pretty good, the latest one maybe a little smoother on the low end and the rhythm guitars. My comments are quibbles because it really does sound good. I'd like to hear a little more air around the lead vocal in some places, not everywhere. For example at the start of the second verse around 1:00 I thought the accompaniment was crowding your vocal. Good tune!

 

[dobro]

I don't hear any obvious difference between the two, either. The vocal on this one is really upfront. What does it sound like if you:

turn it down a taste, and

put a bit more space (verb/delay) on it?

 

[RFR]

I like the vocal out front like it is. Works great with the tune. Also liking how the background vocals sit with it.

 

[ido1957]

I'm not hearing huge changes between the two mixes. They both sound pretty good, the latest one maybe a little smoother on the low end and the rhythm guitars. My comments are quibbles because it really does sound good. I'd like to hear a little more air around the lead vocal in some places, not everywhere. For example at the start of the second verse around 1:00 I thought the accompaniment was crowding your vocal. Good tune!

I don't hear any obvious difference between the two, either. The vocal on this one is really upfront. What does it sound like if you:
turn it down a taste, and
put a bit more space (verb/delay) on it?

I like the vocal out front like it is. Works great with the tune. Also liking how the background vocals sit with it.

Edit - Did a quick change on the vocals - I wasn`t sure if they were too loud before . Mix 3 in OP.
Thanks guys!

 

[rayc]

Gerry,
#3 is excellent to my ears though I'm not fussed on the kick drum sound. It seems to get lost under the snare and seems to have too much of the beater in it.
That may just be my headphones though a.
Everything sounds cool, the vocals lead but so they should as this is a narrative.
Very cool licks from the guitar.

 

[Wonderlick]

The track sounds really good! Nice vocal delivery, and I agree, the guitar licks are solid and work well.

Not on my monitors, but for what it's worth, sometimes the cymbal crashes seem a bit soft? I must admit I'm partial to crashes that really "crash" - they sound good, but for me, a hint of volume or frequency boost may make 'em more aggressive.

Just my two cents - good track!

Daryl

 

[ido1957]

Gerry,
#3 is excellent to my ears though I'm not fussed on the kick drum sound. It seems to get lost under the snare and seems to have too much of the beater in it.
That may just be my headphones though a.
Everything sounds cool, the vocals lead but so they should as this is a narrative.
Very cool licks from the guitar.

The track sounds really good! Nice vocal delivery, and I agree, the guitar licks are solid and work well.
Not on my monitors, but for what it's worth, sometimes the cymbal crashes seem a bit soft? I must admit I'm partial to crashes that really "crash" - they sound good, but for me, a hint of volume or frequency boost may make 'em more aggressive.
Just my two cents - good track!
Daryl

Thanks Ray and Daryl. I really appreciate you taking the time to check this mix - I'm hoping I've covered all the bases on this one....

 

[easlern]

No issues here, it sounds great to me. (Mix 3)

Really like the chord progression in this.

 

[TripleM]

I listened to mix #3. Saw some discussion on vocal level - mix 3 sounded like a good level to me. Liked the harmonies. Levels on everything sounded good as a matter of fact.

I thought the drums and the bass sounded very good.

Vocals sounded good.

My only complaint (and its a small one) is on the guitars - both rhythm and lead. The guitars just seem to have a bit of cloudiness to them. Missing just a bit of their upper end. They could use just a bit more presence.

But all in all it was a very good mix.

 

[FoulPhil]

Mix 3 is good. Nice work buddy

 

[BroKen_H]

Great song, Gerry! Absolutely no nits (only listened to #3). Great vocal!

 

[ido1957]

No issues here, it sounds great to me. (Mix 3)
Really like the chord progression in this.

I had the basics and Mike added some definite improvements when we sat down and wrote this...

I listened to mix #3. Saw some discussion on vocal level - mix 3 sounded like a good level to me. Liked the harmonies. Levels on everything sounded good as a matter of fact.
I thought the drums and the bass sounded very good.
Vocals sounded good.
My only complaint (and its a small one) is on the guitars - both rhythm and lead. The guitars just seem to have a bit of cloudiness to them. Missing just a bit of their upper end. They could use just a bit more presence.
But all in all it was a very good mix.

I'm just getting used to the Les Paul's pickups - I find the 498T really bright, so for this one I did trim it back a bit. You should hear it before lol.
I've found a few setting changes (see Guitars/Bass thread) that helps tame it a bit so the next tune should be fairly untouched. After 20 years of using a Kramer and a Strat the difference takes a bit of tweaking.

Mix 3 is good. Nice work buddy

Thanks!

Great song, Gerry! Absolutely no nits (only listened to #3). Great vocal!

Thanks!

 

[dobro]

Yeah, it sounds pretty good. You know what I'd do now? Put an EQ on the master out and tweak it ever so slightly. I've seen guys like Graham Cochrane EQ the master out right away when he starts mixing, but that makes no sense to me. I like to get everything as good as I can by tweaking the individual channels and submixes, and then last of all, put an EQ on the master bus and nudge it a bit. There's something on this one that sounds to me like a bit of congestion in the low mids, but I'd have to sweep around to know for sure.

 

[kindafishy]

Checked out mix 3. Really well balanced. Great playing and performances all around. Very well written song. No crits here, just wanted to leave some kudos. Sounds great here.

 

[ido1957]

Yeah, it sounds pretty good. You know what I'd do now? Put an EQ on the master out and tweak it ever so slightly. I've seen guys like Graham Cochrane EQ the master out right away when he starts mixing, but that makes no sense to me. I like to get everything as good as I can by tweaking the individual channels and submixes, and then last of all, put an EQ on the master bus and nudge it a bit. There's something on this one that sounds to me like a bit of congestion in the low mids, but I'd have to sweep around to know for sure.

Checked out mix 3. Really well balanced. Great playing and performances all around. Very well written song. No crits here, just wanted to leave some kudos. Sounds great here.

Thanks dobro and kindafishy! I will play around with eq on the master and see what I can find.

 

[jimistone]

I listened to mix 3. Sounds great!
I'm listening on my car stereo. I love the song. It has a real old school feel and I'm old so what's not to like?. I thought the guitar playing was good.
great song all the way around IMO

 

[famous beagle]

I just listened to mix 3, and everything sits pretty well. Great vocal, nice guitar lines. I do agree with dobro about there being something about the sound that's a little fatiguing, for lack of a better word. It's as if there's a whole bunch going on right where our ears are most sensitive, so it's a little off-putting.

It's hard to describe, and I wish I could be more specific. But it sounds similar to some results I've gotten at times when I've tried to do a pseudo-mastering job myself and used a multi-band compressor on the master buss without really knowing what I was doing (I still don't really). And maybe I went too far with the midrange band or something.

I don't know if you've done anything like that here or not, but that's what it strikes me as. Anyway, that's my two cents.

Otherwise, great song and great performances all around!

 

[Crazy Luke]

I just listened to mix 3, and everything sits pretty well. Great vocal, nice guitar lines. I do agree with dobro about there being something about the sound that's a little fatiguing, for lack of a better word.

Everything sounds good in this mix, but the energy may be too constant, and thus, "fatiguing" It may be too late, but you might consider a "breakdown" of some sorts, where half the instrumentation drops out, then comes back in again.
Good song

 

[ido1957]

I listened to mix 3. Sounds great!
I'm listening on my car stereo. I love the song. It has a real old school feel and I'm old so what's not to like?. I thought the guitar playing was good.
great song all the way around IMO

I just listened to mix 3, and everything sits pretty well. Great vocal, nice guitar lines. I do agree with dobro about there being something about the sound that's a little fatiguing, for lack of a better word. It's as if there's a whole bunch going on right where our ears are most sensitive, so it's a little off-putting.

It's hard to describe, and I wish I could be more specific. But it sounds similar to some results I've gotten at times when I've tried to do a pseudo-mastering job myself and used a multi-band compressor on the master buss without really knowing what I was doing (I still don't really). And maybe I went too far with the midrange band or something.

I don't know if you've done anything like that here or not, but that's what it strikes me as. Anyway, that's my two cents.

Otherwise, great song and great performances all around!

Everything sounds good in this mix, but the energy may be too constant, and thus, "fatiguing" It may be too late, but you might consider a "breakdown" of some sorts, where half the instrumentation drops out, then comes back in again.
Good song

Thanks guys - there's just a bit of limiting on the master bus for volume, no multiband compressor as I haven't been successful yet figuring out how to use it properly. Plus Massive's comments against using one still weighs on my mind