Grindcore/Death need feedback on mix

  • Thread starter Thread starter VesuviusJay
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VesuviusJay

VesuviusJay

Poser Roaster
Hey everyone,

Please critique this mix. Please don't reply with "The sound quality is bad". If you don't like the mix please tell me what it is you don't like about it so I may improve the mixing skills.



Thanks and Hailz n Hornz up
 
The drums sound fake, they have no body to them at all. But the splash is a bigger image than the snare. Maybe death drums are supposed to sound like that, but i think they're frightful.

The singer sounds like he is having some kind of fatal bowel movement. Again, maybe that's how death singing is supposed to sound, so if that's what you're looking for, you're on the right track.

The bass and guitar sound small and thin and make me think of Randall and Crate. Again, this isn't my cup of tea, so if that's the pinnace of the death sound forgive my ignorance and carry on.


What's your room like, what mics are you using on what, through what pres and to what medium are you recording? We might be able to offer some specific advice to you to improve your sound.

What do you think needs improvement?
 
This is a drum machine No?

Sounds ok for Grind.

the guitars need to be panned out like at 70L and 70R to open up the middle for the vocal.

Also turn the snare up a tad.
 
Let me start by saying that even though I have moved in different directions in the last few years, I was and always will be a BIG death metal fan. I totally understand the direction you are going in so I'm not going to critique the stylistic end of this if I can help it. First and foremost - The drums. Sound very much like lo-fi programmed drums. If this is all you've got to go with, try to come up with some way to humanize them a little. The insane blast beats are cool, but not when they sound so machinelike that it could easily be mistaken for a helicopter hovering nearby. However, I have heard some well known bands that approach that kind of drum sound on their albums (Mortician?). Anyway - the snare needs to be alot more prominent and mixed up a little as far as the rhythms (however that approaches stylistic criticism so....sorry) Also perhaps break up the incessant kick patterns to add some slightly more human-like feeling to it. Secondly - guitars. The tone sounds like a DI'd distortion pedal. Very thin and fuzzy, no body at all. Were any mics involved in this recording outside of vocals? If not it's not a bad thing, I would just experiment more with the guitar sound and try to find a fatter, more filled out tone. Think of Morbid Angel or Vader, both have a very organic, fat guitar tone that would fit your music alot better. After you did that you might be able to get the vocals to blend into that a little better because as it is they stick out alot and don't really fit. I could probably go on alot more but those are the things that really jumped out at me. Knowing exactly what you were using and perhaps a few references as far as your influences would go a long way to understanding your situation.
For example: some people love unbelievably cold and sterile production (Trad. Black Metal) and some people like to hear a chain gun in the background for the duration of the song (Krisiun). I don't know, what's your cup of tea?
 
although I don't listen for pleasure, I go to hardcore shows and check out the bands' albums, as well as some more popular people.

pan hte guitars out, please. that will add a lot of body to the guitar.

drums are rediculously fake sounding.

I'd like to hear the same song redone, actually. it's kinda fun. ha.
 
OK - comments on MIX ONLY:

My first impression was that the levels in general need to be higher. Start with the drums. Mix with the drums much louder, then mix in the guitars to where they sound good and balanced with the drums. And yes, pan the guitars. You need some stereo separation. The vocals, I think, are mixed fine for the style of music and for the actual sound of them.

Now...comments on the othe things. Read this or not, I offer my opinions in an effort help you.

Yes, get a different drum sound. If you can, program it youself drum hit by drum hit, one at a time. It takes a LONG time but the results are far superior.

I suspect the guitar tone you are getting is an accurate duplication of the original signal. Good recording technique, bad guitar tone. Look into improving the guitar sound itself and you will improve your recordings exponentially.

Ditto with the bass guitar, although I don't even know if there was one in the mix. I'm at work and can't turn it up loud enough to tell for sure.

For vocals, it sounds like the vocalist is using the old "cup the mic in his hands so it sounds big and monsterish" technique. Stop that immediately. His sound should come from his voice and his mouth, not a mini muffle chamber. You will notice a HUGE improvement in the actual sound of the vocals if he keeps his hands away from the mic. Have him put the mic on a stand and do his vocal work with the mic practically IN his mouth. You want to hear spit smacking the back of his teeth. Also, suggest that he be as consistent (totally non-dynamic) with his volume as possible. For this music you want a totally level vocal volume that only changes in pitch for effect. Doing it this way will also reveal flaws in his vocal techniqe. He may have to practice more to get it right, but he will be a better vocalist for it.

Keep posting. I like what you are doing. :D
 
Good to see you back Vesuvius!

I'm thinking the guitar tone sounds too similar to mine, and I hate mine!
Is there a BOSS MT2 in there? Great pedal live, sucks pig-ballz recorded (in my limited experience).

I love the direction/style, and hope to hear this re-done incorporating some of the already mentioned good advice for drums/guitar.

HORNS!!!
 
Ive worked out most of the bugs.

Check it out now.



tell me what you think!
 
I like what you're doing there. I love me some metal and occassional grind.(Pig Destroyer) I think the vocals sound good for the style. The one glaring thing I noticed was an almost inaudible snare. I could hear it a bit in the beginning but I would definetly turn it up in the mix. The other thing is the cymbals. If you have a way to let them ring out longer it will sound more natural if that's what you're going for. Overall, I liked it alot. The levels sound pretty good to me. It maybe just needs more cowbell.:) Peace, Chet
 
I listened to the whole first page of the death metal page in Soundclick the other day. This is better than all of that.

Blast beats on drum programmers are just becoming some new thing we're gonna eventually get used to. It'll be one of those defining elements of post 2000 death metal.
 
...

I dig it, very nice drum and guitar mix. Cool consise tune.

The ending is weird to me. Just the very last stop. Seems to need to be more abrupt/powerful. That's just how I do stops though. I don't like hearing trailing notes/string scrapes - loses some power. The drums just sort of fall off; I was expecting to hear a low tom and snare, cymbol stop, two toms together, a snare plus hihat going from open to closed, etc. If I hear it correctly, the drums just stop on a bass or snare by itself, maybe one lil' hi hat hit too, can't tell. With the breakneck speed, a huge BANG (figuratively, not literally) at the end like it just slammed into a wall would be great, something that jumps out of the mix a little.

I'm listening at my work though, so I couldn't crank it up. If how it is is how you wanted it though, then that's how it is.
 
i think it's just not enough tracks of git

and yea, give the snare some love.
 
is there no bass? i don't hear any whatsoever. the vocals sound ridiculous with the rest of the music sounding so weak. really the drum machine is holding you back. most of the time when i hear drum machine grind they have the drums distorting to give them at least a little bit of brutalness
 
FUCKIN' r0x! Got ne other tunes???

I would like to have heard more blasts actually.
I think the drums are fine. Just need some tighting up.

For all you Death/Grind haters, I'd like to see you try and do half the shit involved in this type of music. You fuckin sheep.


Dude check out a band called "Retch"
 
livilaNic said:
FUCKIN' r0x! Got ne other tunes???

I would like to have heard more blasts actually.
I think the drums are fine. Just need some tighting up.

For all you Death/Grind haters, I'd like to see you try and do half the shit involved in this type of music. You fuckin sheep.


Dude check out a band called "Retch"
Click to expand...


uhm, i don't think a single person in this thread is a "hater". but that was pretty cool how you called everybody a "fuckin sheep", the way you left off the "g" but didn't add an apostrophe added a nice feeling of originality.
 
livilaNic said:
I'd like to see you try and do half the shit involved in this type of music. You fuckin sheep.
Click to expand...

Dude, speaking as a long time death metal player and fan, that is no way to get any respect. Besides, as treymonfauntre stated, I've yet to see any haters on this board!
As a side note, I played grind/death metal for years. I even developed tendonitis in my wrist from tremelo picking for hours on end! And after it all, I would still say it took me longer to learn to bend in tune and to have a decent vibrato then it ever took me to play death metal! I'm not saying that it's better, only that people often acknowledge only what is important to them as defining what is skillful and accomplished. And believe me, I am not slamming death metal, and I agree that alot of people can not play it....but alot of death metal players could not play classical like Mr. Lawler right here on this board (who by the way kicks ass and is in no way a metal hater...haha :D ) No offense, just making a point.
 
OK here is the results of the experiment. Let me know if this did the trick.

OLD MP3 (Single guitar tracks panned 70L and 70R)


NEW MP3 (3 guitar tracks per side)


Let me know if this made the difference in the guitar tracks.

\m/
 
VesuviusJay said:
OK here is the results of the experiment. Let me know if this did the trick.

OLD MP3 (Single guitar tracks panned 70L and 70R)


NEW MP3 (3 guitar tracks per side)


Let me know if this made the difference in the guitar tracks.

\m/
Click to expand...

in the new mp3 even though thare's more tracks of git, the git is actually not as loud, you turned the gits down too much trying to compensate for the added tracks.

i can actually kinda hear the bass a little now though.

try this panning (maby)
2on L 2on R and 1-30 L, 1-30 R

or something, take full advantage of all thoes gits.
 
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