First-time mixing...Please help

[JonLScott]

Hi all,

right...I've recently started to record my band. This is the first time I've recorded drums, electric guitars and bass (usually I've just done acoustic and vocals). I've been using the following equipment;

Yamaha AW16G Audio Workstation
Cubase VST
SM57's (for the micing guitar amps, snare drum and bass drum)
AKG C1000S's (for drum overheads)

Before I do the vocals, I've just done a rough mix of the instruments and I'm very worried by the fact that it sounds very thin. The guitars sounded nice as they were being recorded but in the mix there is no depth to them. Similarly with the drums (although I understand that using an SM57 in the kick drum is not ideal) there is no real attack or energy. The live sound was good but in the mix there is definitely a lot lacking!

I've tried basic eq'ing and panning (guitars full left and right respectively with a double track for each a little off to the opposite side, bass, snare and kick in the middle with overheads around 75% L+R) and everything is audiable.

Here is a link to an MP3 of the current mixdown.

Please have a listen and let me know if there is anything that I can do to try and improve the overall sound...

regards
Jon L Scott
Bath, UK

 

[LfO]

Listening on $5 computer speakers at work (i.e., no low end), I hear NO kick or bass guitar at all - have you eqed all their mids out? I'm really just hearing guitar and snare - in other words, the cymbals could come up a bit.

 

[SouthSIDE Glen]

Just took a quick listen with my nearfields and headphones both, and I concour with Lfo; there is a definite shortage of low frequency information and an overabundance of midrange.

A couple of starter suggestions:

- Rent or borrow a better mic for the kick then a '57.

- If you're micing the bass with a '57 as well, try running the bass direct instead.

- Bring the bass up in the mix.

- Unless the guitars have "The Sound" that you're looking for, you might want to try some EQ cut in the midrange on the right side guitars while simultaneously adding a slight bass-to-low-mid boost to the left side guitar.

Just some starter ideas...

G.

 

[peep_delta]

Assumptions

JonL,

Making a couple of assumptions: you're on a budget and can't buy/rent better mics, and 2) that your workstation, like others, has "mic modeling" as part of it's effects cards.

If so, you could try "changing" your 57 to another mic, using the mic modeling software. I think the 16g does this by providing "libraries"...so you could dial up your "bass drum library" and insert that on your kick drum.

I'd retrack and try this on each instrument. It's okay to EQ to tape if you're confident about what you hear going to tape. It might breathe some of those lows and highs back in your mix, and it frees up using the FX libraries for mixdown.

Cheers,
peep

 

[wx3]

I think it sounds great. If you could re do the bass guitar to get it more present in the mix it would really make the guitars sound full and powerful. Same goes with the kick drum.