feedback requested on final mix, female acoustic rock

dooooooooooope song. The voice shows well what I like about talent in NY.

I gotta be honest though...the main acoustic guitar is really throwing me off. The doubling effect works in certain situations, but I think here, I would work to have it more mono. More natural. Very simple. This type of music is a perfect example of how things don't have to be panned wide all the time.

Have it more like right there next to the voice, just like in a live situation. Instead, I feel like the voice is in front of me and the guitar player is playing right in my ear.

It'll help everything sound more cohesive by comparison. Perhaps a "pan it about 20-50 percent off center" type deal with a light reverb or delay to counteract the balance.

The drums in the mix are not my absolute favorite, but I can see where the rootsy sound can work well with this track. Perhaps a little more kick and bass.

Other than that, I'm in love with this chick. Cheers.
 
To my inexperienced ears, the mix sounds great. Only problem I have is with the vocals which, though they are sitting perfectly, just sound slightly off to me. I really doubt it's a mix or tracking problem, though, because I've listened to female vocalists live who sound wrong to me in the same way. Like their pitch is just a little flat most of the time.
Whatever, great job on the mix.
 
LeeRosario said:
I gotta be honest though...the main acoustic guitar is really throwing me off. The doubling effect works in certain situations, but I think here, I would work to have it more mono. More natural. Very simple. This type of music is a perfect example of how things don't have to be panned wide all the time.
Click to expand...

Could to explain a little further? I'm confused because the acoustic guitar isn't doubled. One mic on the neck, one by the bridge, panned left and right.

LeeRosario said:
The drums in the mix are not my absolute favorite, but I can see where the rootsy sound can work well with this track. Perhaps a little more kick and bass.
Click to expand...

I definitely agree with you on this. I had more kick and bass but unfortunately the client did not approve :(

Thanks for the comments!
 
thexflamesxburn said:
Could to explain a little further? I'm confused because the acoustic guitar isn't doubled. One mic on the neck, one by the bridge, panned left and right.

Thanks for the comments!
Click to expand...

Ahh ok, it makes sense now. The word I was looking for was an "out of phase" kind of feel.

I mean, I really could be full of shit. It could just be my taste. I've never been used to hearing an acoustic guitar this way.

Like for example, take the all time cliche modern acoustic song "Good Riddance" by Green Day. If you listen to this track, the guitar is very much in phase. In fact, it's panned right down the middle with the vocals.

It almost sounds like it was one well placed mic and that's all it took.

This lets whatever instruments come up and make impact on either side of the acoustic guitar/singer in the mix. Translates better to mono and/or shitty listening situations.

So in other words, if it where me, I'd pan the guitar center or slightly off center, eq it just right and get inventive with the leading guitar and drums.

No rules say you can't pan the drums a little off center as well :D

Then again, I might just be full of garbage. :D
 
Good advice above. Nice song. However I think it's lacking in the low frequencies. The bass definitely needs to come up.
 
Newbie throwing his hat in the ring....

I am VERY new to the art of recording/mixing, so please bear with me.... I think this is very well done and some good forum feedback as well. I agree there is "something" up with the acoustic guitar. I am recording my band's first album and I am also running into issues.... I am the lead vocalist and rhythm acoustic player and found something interesting. When I play a more percussive style on a song, like this one, it can trample on the drums and sound off. When I play the tracks separately, they are in tempo, but together they sound off beat. Maybe there is something in the "attack" on the acoustic tracks that might help... This is just my 2 cents.....
 
My thoughts:

I like the drums. They feel really organic to me.

Bummer about the client not wanting the kick and bass up. I think it would really fill out the track.

I really like the reverb on the voice. It stays out of the way of everything.

Panning... I'm going to have to go with LeeRosario on this. I think the issue with the guitars (the acoustic being stereo, and the left clean guitar) being panned so wide is that they distract from the vocal (and the center of the image) too much. Also, the clean guitar has such a thick sound in comparison to the acoustic, it's pulling the image too far left. There's not enough weight in the right to counterbalance it, for my ears, at least.

I really like the song. Besides the panning issue, I think the recording sounds really good.
 
Thanks everyone! So I'm definitely going to try panning the acoustic closer to center, i'm thinking 20/20. (and im gonna boost the bass a bit more anyway, she'll never notice ;) )
 
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