Static Bliss

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jeffaklumpen
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Jeffaklumpen

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A Muse inspired song I've been working on for a while. Gonna do a couple of retakes for some vocal parts and add som stuff at the end but it's like 95% finished.

I would love some feedback on the mix. Does it sound balanced? Are there some areas that can be improved?
 

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You got a big huge sound going there. Sounded pretty darn good to me. Loved the distant guitar sound as it faded at the end. Cool.
 
WAAY too limited - to where it is unnaturally loud. Good freq balance and stereo field - but it's turned up to 12 and everything is smushed together in a less descript crushing of the sound all blendered together. Try pulling back to where ears stop bleeding and the edges of each sound begin to reappear. You're close, but this is bricked.
 
Like the song - and like Muse it is compressed as hell - I can’t tell if i like it or not - the Arpeggiated Keyboard part annoys me after it plays for a full minute -
it works as background to the ‘Static Bliss ‘ chorus part through - and on the fade out with the guitars - quite cool.
 
Interesting song! That was a fun listen.

Killer guitar tones/sounds. How do you create them? What are you using?
 
K-dub said:
WAAY too limited - to where it is unnaturally loud. Good freq balance and stereo field - but it's turned up to 12 and everything is smushed together in a less descript crushing of the sound all blendered together. Try pulling back to where ears stop bleeding and the edges of each sound begin to reappear. You're close, but this is bricked.
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Thanks for the feedback! I've pulled back a bit on the limiter, is this better?
 

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Papanate said:
Like the song - and like Muse it is compressed as hell - I can’t tell if i like it or not - the Arpeggiated Keyboard part annoys me after it plays for a full minute -
it works as background to the ‘Static Bliss ‘ chorus part through - and on the fade out with the guitars - quite cool.
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Thanks for listening! :) In the latest version I've pulled back a bit on the limiter, I've also made the arpeggiated keyboard a bit quiter during the verse by around 2db, it sounds kinda empty if I take them out completely :/
 
Jeffaklumpen said:
Thanks for the feedback! I've pulled back a bit on the limiter, is this better?
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That's it, Jeff. Wince factor is gone. Nice adjustment. It is a comfortable listen now. Bring the vocals slightly forward and get them in the pocket and call it a day. You might be able to layer the EQ to poke it through more. It's not a big tweak - but remember that in modern recordings, the vocals sell the piece. The guitars are great on this, but guitars are usually more a background wash - and you don't want them stomping over the vocal clarity (as they compete in the same frequency range).
 
Papanate said:
the Arpeggiated Keyboard part annoys me after it plays for a full minute -
Click to expand...

Yeah, that was my main impression too - it's an important part obviously, but the highly percussive relentlessness of it gets overbearing. What's the fix? A simplified chording part during the verses so that it steps back and then bring the arpeggiation back when it's featured? Or just the mute button periodically?

Good tune, good mix.
 
dobro said:
Yeah, that was my main impression too - it's an important part obviously, but the highly percussive relentlessness of it gets overbearing. What's the fix? A simplified chording part during the verses so that it steps back and then bring the arpeggiation back when it's featured? Or just the mute button periodically?

Good tune, good mix.
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FWIW - I employ this technique frequently. It's a good suggestion.
 
Jeffaklumpen said:
Thanks for listening! :) In the latest version I've pulled back a bit on the limiter, I've also made the arpeggiated keyboard a bit quiter during the verse by around 2db, it sounds kinda empty if I take them out completely :/
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The adjusted Mix is pretty good - the vocals are a bit buried though - and the guitar(s) is louder - I think becuase you pulled the compression back a bit - I still think if you pulled the arpeggiated keyboard out during the verse if would stand out more - and the background vocal that is pitched up needs some work - it sounds artificial - I maybe would add some Chorusing to it - but it needs smoothing out - BTW the guitar is exceptionally great - I am surprised that it is Guitar Rig - did you do anything to the sound aside from what came with the preset?
 
K-dub said:
That's it, Jeff. Wince factor is gone. Nice adjustment. It is a comfortable listen now. Bring the vocals slightly forward and get them in the pocket and call it a day. You might be able to layer the EQ to poke it through more. It's not a big tweak - but remember that in modern recordings, the vocals sell the piece. The guitars are great on this, but guitars are usually more a background wash - and you don't want them stomping over the vocal clarity (as they compete in the same frequency range).
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It sounds much better now so thank you for that tip! I'll take another look at the vocals to bring the forward a bit as well!
 
dobro said:
Yeah, that was my main impression too - it's an important part obviously, but the highly percussive relentlessness of it gets overbearing. What's the fix? A simplified chording part during the verses so that it steps back and then bring the arpeggiation back when it's featured? Or just the mute button periodically?

Good tune, good mix.
Click to expand...
Hmm yeah the arpeggiated keyboard seems to be an upcoming issue. When taking it out it sounds very empty so I think there has to be something there. Maybe make them less aggressive, smoother attack? I'll give it a try with simplified chording as well. I've got some experimenting to do, see what fits :)
 
Papanate said:
The adjusted Mix is pretty good - the vocals are a bit buried though - and the guitar(s) is louder - I think becuase you pulled the compression back a bit - I still think if you pulled the arpeggiated keyboard out during the verse if would stand out more - and the background vocal that is pitched up needs some work - it sounds artificial - I maybe would add some Chorusing to it - but it needs smoothing out - BTW the guitar is exceptionally great - I am surprised that it is Guitar Rig - did you do anything to the sound aside from what came with the preset?
Click to expand...
Yeah I'm taking another look at the vocals, bring them forward a bit. I've tried taking out the keyboard but it sounds very empty, I'm going to experiment with it however and find something that fits. That chorusing tip sounds interesting, I'll definitely give it a try! :)

Glad you like the guitar, I'm very happy with the sound! All I've done outside Guitar Rig is some eq and added a delay effect, other than that it's all Guitar Rig :)
 
Nice to hear something inspired by Muse. For about a year I was obsessed with Madness.

Static Bliss sounds great. My 2 cents on the arpeggiating keyboard is give it some dynamics. Also I always put a modulation on things like that now, because a YouTuber told me to. You can animate the intensity/mix of such a filter, and then there's always something changing in the arpeggiating keyboard. But I echo others in recommending taking it out in places. I think there's at least one part of your song you could strip away a lot, like maybe 2:22, when everything drops away except the keyboard, change the keyboard sound and make it pulsing dynamically and much quieter; when the (excellent) guitar comes in, it should start far away and get louder only a little, and then at 2:44 go completely silent, make the drum intro there even shorter, so when instruments and vocals come in at 2:47 it's a big punchy change.

Awesome vocals on this track too.
 
mix sounds good that keyboard parts needs some variation I hear it too much. you need to hi pass the lead guitar break remove some of that rumble and static between phrasing it's distracting.
 
I like the song. I agree with packrobottom - the apreggio keyboards should come out during the verses. At least the first half of each. Maybe replace them with some other 16th note percussion if the song loses energy. You could also use a filter so that they settle down a bit. It's an interesting sound, but a little too "Rio" for the song.
 
Thanks everyone for the amazing feedback!

I keep hearing that the synth gets too distracting so I'll have to think of something there. If I take it out during the verse the song sounds empty. Back to the drawingboard! :)
 
I agree the synth is egregious. I think it's fine during the intro, but should stop when the vocals come in. It almost sounds like it's going for a Baba O'Reily type thing, but it's too thin and electronica sounding to work in that sense. The rest sounds pretty good, but to me the distorted guitars are a bit harsh.
 
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