2 rock songs itching for feedback/crits

[goob2000]

Hey guys,
I recently recorded these 2 songs for my band, they're only really demo versions at the moment with me doing Vocals/Bass/Guitar and Sequenced drums.

If anyone gets chance to have a listen, I wouldn't mind some feedback on what you think of the overall feel of the songs as well as (especially) the mixing and mastering, as this is an area where I don't have much experience and any advice would be great!

here they are then!

FootSteps - MP3 Download
FootSteps - Streaming

The Dirty Walls - MP3 Download
The Dirty Walls - Streaming

Thanks to anybody that gets chance to have a listen!

Rob

 

[K.P.]

Just a couple of thoughts...

Footstep

the cymbals are too bright and too loud

the bottom is fairly weak

the snare seems far back (maybe okay)

 

[faderbug]

i only listened to footsteps and maybe the overall mix is good but the way the drums are mixed ruins a lot , they just don't seem to be in balance (nore with themselves nore with the rest of the mix).
and the bass guitar is much too much in the background, there's not a lot of bottom in the guitars or drums (where is the bass drum?) so the bass should be right there doing what it's best at!

i like the little thingy 'round 2.48 where the mix goes back to just vox and piano.

and the background vocals. nice how they are barely audible but fill in nicely.

nice work really.

i'll give the other song a listen when i have the time.

 

[fuzzrhythm]

The following applies to both songs.

too harsh on the highs and high midrange. mostly the cymbals.

the guitars and bass could use a little EQing to "glue" together a little better.

I hear absolutely no kick drum at all.

 

[Freudian Slip]

The playing and balance of the mix seem pretty good from what I can tell. Both songs are, as has been said very very bright. To me the whole mix is bright, guitars, vocals, cymbals. On my system at about half the volume I mix at they are both harsh on the ears...

Good news is it's fixable as long as the low end made it to tape/hard drive.

I have to ask you, did you by any chance mix this with a sub woofer going?
Just curious.


Good luck
F.S.

 

[goob2000]

thanks for the feedback guys, i've gone back and changed the drum levels, the bass and snare are both more prominent now and I've cut the cymbals down a tad, I'll do all the tracks like that in future i think. (haven't uploaded the new versions yet though)

I have to ask you, did you by any chance mix this with a sub woofer going?

I used my headphones, which aren't very level with the frequencies, it sounded more or less ok through the headphones and through my sound system, which does indeed have a subwoofer. How would this have affected it? would it have created a bias towards the low end through my system because of the sub?

 

[faderbug]

I used my headphones, which aren't very level with the frequencies, it sounded more or less ok through the headphones and through my sound system, which does indeed have a subwoofer. How would this have affected it? would it have created a bias towards the low end through my system because of the sub?

the hyped basses and subs of the system you mixed this on caused you to cut too much in the low end.

 

[Freudian Slip]

the hyped basses and subs of the system you mixed this on caused you to cut too much in the low end.

Yep and hype the high end or not trim it back where it should be.

normal headphones are very taylored. Even high end flat response headphones are no good for mixing on. They are good for referrence, but that's about it. Been there done that

You need to look into trying to get some monitors and you will do much better.

"How would this have affected it? would it have created a bias towards the low end through my system because of the sub?"

A bias against it because you where hearing something that wasn't there.



F.S.