Can You Help Me with the Balance of this Mix of "Damned if I Do (Don't)"?

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Crazy Luke

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Please let me know what is good or bad about this mix of an original hard rock song.
BTW, this isn't the op, so some of the early comments may not reflect this mix, since the gain has been reduced.
 

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Good performance. There is a really grating quality to the track that made it difficult to listen to. It sounds to me like it's clipping all over the place. The guitars especially, vocals to a lesser extent. I don't know if you recorded too hot (hopefully not that), or you did something in the mastering stage. It sounds severely compressed and limited as well. If it were mine, I would want to have another look at the mix and mastering, keeping an eye on levels. Those are my thoughts, for whatever they are worth.

I hope you'll take a moment to listen and comment on other tracks at the clinic.
 
When I first started to listen to it, I had to drop down the volume by half! (not complaining though :) )great arrangements and vocals on the song. It reminds me of Rage against the machine and Bat Out Hell in some part .The only down is the lot seems somehow a bit squashy and don't do justice to the song ,other than that you have a great song there :)
 
This was really well produced I think. And it sounds like there's a great mix in there. Like Robus said the clipping isn't doing the song any good though. I'd dial the limiter (assuming that's what it is) way back.
 
nearly jumped out of my seat when it started. way too loud. i don't hear RATM at all...lol. it's more of an 80's Dio tune or something similar. i agree that it's very compressed and the entire thing sounds like its clipping. the mixing sounds good, to me. i think it's a mastering issue. IMO
 
Ditto WOW loud! Great vocalist, but his style is way too 80's hair metal for current. That quality of voice should be able to come to some modern style without problems. :)
Great playing and good tones. Song sounds a lot longer than 3:08?? Great arrangement. Many nice elements!
 
Real good singer. Liked the harmonies. Guitars sound pretty good too. Good guitar shreddage.

Yes it's real loud. I'm hearing clipping in quite a few spots. Lots of it in the intro for example.

I think the mix could use jsut a bit of a stronger low end.

The drums sound very mechanical. The snare sample is a little on the weak side - I'd like a real thumping snare. Toms are extremely wide.

Lot's of 80's reverb is going to make the song sound like it's from, well, the 80's. If that's what you like great. Just keep in mind it's going to make the song sound dated.
 
Those first vocals at the beginning sounded just like the guy from Volbeat. Singer has a great voice. harmonies sound great.

Yeah, whatever is clipping out needs to be found and corrected. If it was tracked that way, your gonna have to retrack them, there really is no way to get rid of it. The song does sound 80's to some degree, but I don't think it holds it back any.
 
Nothing much else to add, but yeah ... it's loud as f*ck! I had to do the same with my volume as Crycookie. It's definitely 80s metal-sounding, but then again, what's their faces .... um ... Dragon Force had success with that sound a few years back, and Avenged Sevenfold is kind of doing that as well, so maybe there still is a market for it.
 
Ok guys, thanks for your input. I now have two more version for you. I noticed that I did have overs on that mix, and squashed it with too much. These next two are better in the sense that they aren't as overly aggressive and have more dynamic range. 1) is closer to a mix that would be handed over to a mastering suite, while 2) is a somewhat "mastered" example while with no clipping.
Still a work in progress, however, as I struggle with the bass and kick, and a good low mid ummmf!
 
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Listened to the mastered:

PROS: Drums are beautifully boomy, if a bit busy. Vocal is still amazing :). Bass is tight and sitting just right in the mix for this song. Guitars have just the right drive. The strings are audible, but not overbearing.
CONS: The tone of the guitar L during the solo is almost grating. Vocal seems a bit too far back. A bit more volume would serve that voice well! Cymbals are lost in the mix (but still audible).
 
Better Mixes for Damned if I Do? lmk

Ok guys, thanks again for your input. I have two more mixes that I hope will address some of your issues with this track.
Mix 39 is a CD ready mix with cymbals up, more drive in the bass w/o dist, less verb on lead vox, and instrumentation playing "nice' with each other
Mix -12dB is the same as above, but more iTunes LUFS/RMS compliant, and yes, less volume and more dynamic range
lmkwyt
 

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WAY too loud (I' listening to the Mix 30 link).
The drums are the weakest part.
It does sound TOO compressed and lacks dynamics - the keyboard part before the guitar solo is a) quiet & b) doesn't do much.
The processing of the solo makes it sound like it's not a guitar.
Go back to basics - get the snare, kick, bass & vocals happening/balanced then add guitars & keys.
It's is very 80s tune & performance wise but the mix isn't selling anything but aggression.
 
rayc said:
WAY too loud (I' listening to the Mix 30 link). Please listen to -12db mix
The drums are the weakest part.
It does sound TOO compressed and lacks dynamics - the keyboard part before the guitar solo is a) quiet & b) doesn't do much. "It's just supposed to be a pad"
The processing of the solo makes it sound like it's not a guitar. "it's a flanger"
Go back to basics - get the snare, kick, bass & vocals happening/balanced then add guitars & keys.
It's is very 80s tune & performance wise but the mix isn't selling anything but aggression.
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Please listen to the -12 dB mix
 
Just a personal preference, but I think the keyboards need to be brought down a little and the rhythm guitars up a touch. I listened to the -12 mix and its much better than the first mix you posted. Not sure if I missed it, but are the drums programmed or mic'd? I like the sound of them with the exception of the higher toms.
 
Bruthish said:
Just a personal preference, but I think the keyboards need to be brought down a little and the rhythm guitars up a touch. I listened to the -12 mix and its much better than the first mix you posted. Not sure if I missed it, but are the drums programmed or mic'd? I like the sound of them with the exception of the higher toms.
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Steven Slate Drums and Trilian Bass. I'll work on getting the keys down.
 
Here another mix of Damned if I Do (Don't) with more girth on the drums, as I experimented with the room mics. I have a "ready for CD" version, which is somewhat mastered (and loud), and an EM (electronic medium) version, which is less compressed, and ready for iTunes' RMS/LUFS automatic compression upload format.
 

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Yo, Bruthish - Check the latest verion of Damned if I Do. I ran w yr suggestion, and brought the guitars up.
 
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