Hearts Collide - pop alternative rock - mix feedback?

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andrushkiwt

andrushkiwt

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Worked on this for the last month, trying new things and new ideas and approaches to the mix. I scrapped about 10 previous mixes until I felt I could no longer work on it without requiring an extensive break from these same sounds over and over. :)

Specifically, I need to improve my vocal tracking. I used pieces of a year-old take as well as a 2 month old take here. You can sort of tell when each is used if you listen carefully enough. The newer takes sound clearer and more up front while the older ones are pushed back a bit more and darker.

Also, OH compression was an obstacle. I was having a hard time hearing the differences between the quick and slow releases as far as their effects on the cymbals themselves, not just the snare it was reacting to. I settled on a medium release with about 3 db reduction on the OH's.

There are no boosts here, just cuts. Well, aside from a bit of 2.5 on the bass and 6 on the kick. I also spent a great deal of time on the master bus compressor and limiter. I'm no mastering engineer, and barely a mixing one for that, if at all, but I'm apparently doing some type of hybrid of mixing and mastering since I'm throwing on bus compression, bus EQ, reverb, and limiting. The point is just to somewhat gel with other tunes that might show up in someone's playlist randomly. And to improve the overall sound, in some ways.

I can tell you that the limiter is getting about 9 db of input, but only 1db of gain reduction. I simply bounced the track out lower than usual or what's recommended. I had a lot of fun playing with plug ins and trying out new things this time around.

I was definitely more open to experimentation with this mix, so let me know how it turned out and what might need improving for the next one? Thanks!

And for those that don't know, I work completely in the box aside from vocal tracking. Amp sims, bass sims, drum sim, and the like. Just to keep in mind.

 
I don't have anything to add. It sounds polished and radio-ready to me. I did notice the overall level seems lower than previous mixes, which is neither here nor there. The contrast between new and old parts of the vocal that was obvious on earlier mixes is gone. It sounds cohesive to me.

This needs to be said. You have produced some of the most finished and pro-sounding mixes I have ever heard on HR. And you do it with the tools you choose, not those somebody tells you are the ones you need (and all without flipping the switch on a single big Marshall, which I read somewhere is impossible... ;) ). And you do it about every other week when you're at peak stride. Your combination of talent, work ethnic, productiveness, willingness to experiment with and discuss technology, and ability to give and take criticism make you a huge asset to this site, and the Clinic specifically.
 
Thanks Ray. That means a whole lot. Much appreciated man. There is certainly room for improvement in the mix, and I'll get there eventually. Little by little. Thanks for listening and the really kind words. Looking forward to your next tune.
 
Sounds good, catchy tune. I work the same way as you often so I can appreciate trying to make a big sound and you have a big sound here. In my opinion though it sounds a bit over compressed, not much in the way of dynamics, everything sounds flat out at all times. I know this is appropriate as this is a full on rock song but the effect seems to shrink what would sound REALLY huge if it sounded more like a band playing. Are those slate drums? I find it near impossible to use sampled drums for hard rocking songs even though theoretically they should sound perfect right? So anyway I still think it's a good song/mix the vocals and guitars are too out front for my taste at times, also that drop out right before the chorus? sounds a little awkward to me. Don't mean to sound so critical cause I probably wouldn't think twice if I heard this on the radio!
 
Good comment Strat. Thank you. Definitely helps. There's about 2-3 db reduction on master bus compressor and less than that on the limiter. None on guitars. Kick and bass are most compressed. Around 5db on kick and 9 on bass.

Otherwise not much.

Oh, and not Slate...Superior Drummer 2. I use the Rock Warehouse kit, mostly, aside from the Black Beauty snare that comes with the stock NY Avatar kit. It seems to fit my music, or at least how I envision it, better than the black beauty's in the Rock kit. I don't EQ them all too much, just some mids out of the kick and toms, and some low end out of the snare. And HPF's.
 
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Love it!
The intro had me confused, frankly would prefer it not be there as it sounds very canned... but once it got into the tune, I was addicted.

Mix sounds terrific. If I had to nitpick on the vocal, I'd say the high notes on the vocals are just a bit strained (see around 1:40) - maybe some delay during the stretch vowels (resolving to natural before the end of the phrase). I think you did this around 3:20.

But that's just an amateur perspective... really love this song, sounds totally pro.
 
timvracer said:
I'd say the high notes on the vocals are just a bit strained (see around 1:40) - maybe some delay during the stretch vowels (resolving to natural before the end of the phrase). I think you did this around 3:20.
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yeah, i haven't been singing as much with my new work schedule, so i'm definitely off my groove and i'm having a harder time keeping my voice from blowing out. i used to be able to practice for an hour every day. that kept my voice smooth and healthy. i'm feeling the effects, now, of singing only once a month.

thanks for the review.
 
By the way, it seems your picture has taken over my windows media player. Now, no matter what MP3 I play, I see you. Hmm.... how'd you do that!?
 
timvracer said:
By the way, it seems your picture has taken over my windows media player. Now, no matter what MP3 I play, I see you. Hmm.... how'd you do that!?
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um, that's weird dude. lol. not sure at all. close it out and try again? why didn't you just stream it from sc?
 
Your mix sounds great man. When the whole band kicked in, it sounded like a radio ready song. The vocals sound good to me but I felt the snare was a little low. Overall awesome song and mix.
 
musicgeekandlvr said:
Your mix sounds great man. When the whole band kicked in, it sounded like a radio ready song. The vocals sound good to me but I felt the snare was a little low. Overall awesome song and mix.
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I battled the snare's volume quite a bit, as well the amount of verb applied to it. Better programming probably would have helped. Still learning. :) thanks man
 
So, Taras? When you get the big label contract will you be doing vocals and guitar? This is amazing! Great tune.
Everything in it's own space and all the spaces congealed into a beautiful whole. Right about the vocals, you might want to retrack all the vocals so they're at the same texture, but I really don't think the average listener would even notice. The phrasing and control just before the break down (ending with "break me down") seemed a bit off for your normal standard. The first line of that no matter how many times I hear it sounds like "who where you rescued me", which made no sense, but I'm old and starting down that path...:)
 
Yeah, I hear the vocal straining, esp. on the bridge.

Sounds like there's a pop at 0:10.

I'd also bring the snare up a little. Probably the kick too.

Overall it's a really polished mix as usual tho.
 
BroKen_H said:
...retrack all the vocals so they're at the same texture
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That's a great way of describing it. Texture. Yeah the lows drop off considerably in the newer takes. Definitely a different texture.

Thanks for the review Broken.
 
I thought this sounded pretty good. Performances and parts were all great.

I'll get nitpicky, because... why not :)...

The crunch guitars could use just a little more chug. The tone is nice. But it'd be cool to hear a little more low-mid chuggy power.

The cymbals probably sound great on your system. But they have a bit of the SoundCloud swirl.

But that's it. I thought it sounded very good.
 
It all sounds good and balanced. Good job, Taras.

The nitpicks would be: the sims give a compressed/flat sound -- I'd try very judicious reverb/delay on them or lowering the volume on them. The vocal mic has a sibilance or hyped brightness to it. It sounds like either comb filtering or a Chinese condenser (always have the top hyped), and I'd be curious to hear the vocal solo'd to figure out what that is. Personally I would lower around 5k on the vocal to make up for that.
 
Sounds friggin awesome to me man. Great work. I love the way the vocals sit deep in the mix. Love the ending chord.
 
First of all I like the song. Its catchy.
I'm no mixing speciallist. What can I say about it?
Maybe I would master it a bit harder with a multiband compressor to get more energy.
Maybe use an effect on a short part. Like phaser or Delay, to get something that stands out.
But dont take me to serious cause Im here to let others judge my mix,
kind regards,
Stans
 
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