First Semi Serious Mixing attempt.

[hiphop24360]

www.myspace.com/omerta2394u

This is my first real attempt at mixing (after reading countless hours).


I thought it went alright but obviously I can use alot of improvement.

I use a rode k2 mic through an emu 404 mixer/preamp into cubase.

Ha, THANK YOU. fixed it.

 

[bozmillar]

link is invalid for me.

 

[guitarboi89]

Sounds promising, but i think the mix is a little less than desirable.

Try listening to your favorite cd's, and really listen (maybe even take notes)

A few things to get you started:
Balance (how loud each part is relative to the other)
Panning (left to right)
Perspective (how close or far the parts seem)

After doing that, go back and listen to your mixes, hopefully you will agree with the following points:
The balance of the vocals is far too low, which makes them hard to understand, and also in terms of perspective behind the other parts.

The mix is essentially mono, try panning out the higher pitched instruments so they don't detract from the vocals.

Hopefully from listening to your favorite hip-hop cd's you will have seen a trend in terms of balance and perspective there is an order (typically - you CAN break the rules ), from loudest (and closest) to quietest (and most distant):
Rapped vocals
Sung vocals/vocal samples
Kick drum
Claps and snares
Highhats/crashes/other percussion
Bass
Synths/guitars/anything with a pitch



Bit of a messy post, but i hope it gives you some ideas.
(and dont give up )

 

[guitar zero]

Have to agree ^. Don't hear any stereo spread to the mix. Sounds like mono. Do some of the things suggested above and it will improve your sound immensely.

 

[BenignVanilla]

Sounds like a good start.

Right now very mono, and flat, but workable. I think you could spread the drums out a bit, and bring the vocals up a bit.

My first reaction was that you were using an effect to make the whole thing sound like an old radio...I kept waiting for it to kick in.

I am not into rap, but I enjoyed listening to this...it'd be nice if you fixed the sound.

 

[rayc]

If you're semi serious DON'T POST ON MSPACE! Use it for distribution, networking etc & post music there for sure but NOT if you want folk to listen critically - the streamer does too many horrid things - or even embed the soundclick player in it so that there's a little improvement.
Sounds like you listen to lots of Beck's early stuff.
There's not much happening dynamically - the beats aren't much fun and very trebly.
The vocals sound like you recorded in your bedroom - there's a room style boxiness to the sound.
The refrain is effected but not far enough to make it really diff. The hick vocal isn't consistent.
Why does it suddenly get louder? & why finish unfinished?
You've plenty to work with - you need to listen to some more records & monitor in a fairly flat sounding space (treated).
Keep at it.

 

[hiphop24360]

Thank you all for the advice, I now have plenty to work on before I post another recording.

Rayc- I will avoid myspace, soundclick it is. Unfortunately I got the beats as MP3's as I did not know better at the time. So yea, mono, guilty. I was indeed in a boxy room, I tried to treat it by hanging up clothes. Why unfinished? Basically so I could learn as much as possible from this post, and the loudness thing, really it beats the hell out of me, it was not intentional and I have no idea. Thank you for your time and listening, I appreciate the advice. Btw, also impressed on how dead on you about the problems by listening

Benign Vanilla- Thanks man. Yea MP3 beat my friend made (who mostly does punk stuff) So I will get in touch with him about getting tracked out beats and do some panning and EQ myself. I think my overdub was a little off, could be the radio thing. Thank you for taking the time to listen and help out, always good to learn.

Guitarboi69- Ha, the mix is indeed a little less the desirable, I appreciate the honesty, noone ever learned a thing from false compliments.
Wow, Thanks a ton for the common breakdown on closest to furthest/loudness..that i will be saving in a word doc for when I get some tracked beats to play with. Thanks for the time and advice man.

Thanks Everyone who listened, I now have plenty to work on and I believe the next mixes I make will have a marked improvement

 

[BenignVanilla]

Keep it up, dude. Every recording gets better.