How Can I Improve This Mix?

derekp

derekp

Member
I've probably been mixing this track for 20 hours+ at this point, and I'm getting frustrated. Once the hook comes in, it sounds like there's too much processing/effects and instruments. I've tried panning, EQing, etc, but it just sounds like everything is mushed together at the end. Let me know your thoughts and if you have any tips. Also, I've run it through MajorDecibel and it so far has seemed to really accentuate the problem (attached is the mixdown and mastered version).

Here are my conclusions so far:

There's too much reverb/presence in the high end, especially when it comes to the synths, so it's essentially created a distortion-like sound
There's too much boom from the drums

EQ techniques I've applied:

high-pass filter on vocals, drums and few instruments (too much?)
low-pass filter on bass line
high and low pass filter on synth melody
de-esser on chorus vocals
 

Attachments

  • songs and seven blunders (alternative mix 2 - Apple).mp3
    8.1 MB
  • songsandsevenblundersalternativemix2-Apple_mdbmastered_Medium.mp3
    8.1 MB
Last edited:
I listened on my phone so keep that in mind. It seemed to me the synths were to loud in the mix but that is subjective. I'll have another listen once home and see if I can provide you feedback that is actually helpful.
 
Cool song, I dig! The vocals and lyrics remind me of Atmosphere. I liked the second mix a bit more.

At the end, I think you may want to decide which sounds you want to feature up front in the mix and which sounds you want to provide the support. That way you don’t have to do a ton of crazy processing to get everything to fit together. What are your “main” sounds?

My first thought was to bring the “Ohhhs” at the end a bit more up front, push the synths back a bit (especially the aggressive one) and maybe keep the piano about where it is. But that’s just me!
 
Word, thanks for the feedback!

The second one is actually a mastered version, so I'm glad to hear it sounded good.

I'll definitely try your suggestions. I had a feeling the aggressive synth was too much.
 
How's this?

I've pulled down the synths, added some de-esser to my main vocals, and pulled up the harmonies ("Ohhhhh"), as well as did a few tone adjustments to the drums.
 

Attachments

  • songsandsevenblundersalternativemix2-ApricotJam_mdbmastered_Medium.mp3
    8.1 MB
I’m loving it! I think that synth fits in super well now, throughout the whole track. And the end sounds excellent. To my ears, now the instruments provide a wonderful backdrop to the vocals, and when the vocals drop out, that little piano riff really emerges in an incredible way.
 
Briefly:

+2.7 at 700
-1db at 1100
+1db at 1400
-1db at 1700

The biggest difference was in the low highs and highs:

-7.5db at 2000
-10db at 3400
-7db at 4000
-9.5db at 7400
-10db at 10400
-8db at 17k


EDIT: I've just realised that what I wrote in my first post 'eq'd with pretty decent cuts in the mids' might be a bit misleading.
 
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maxmax77 said:
I’m loving it! I think that synth fits in super well now, throughout the whole track. And the end sounds excellent. To my ears, now the instruments provide a wonderful backdrop to the vocals, and when the vocals drop out, that little piano riff really emerges in an incredible way.
Click to expand...
Appreciate it!
 
HumanPlanet said:
Firstly nice song.

To my ear, the balance on the latest mix is better but it's still too bright and thin. Listen to your stereo file eq'd with pretty decent cuts in the mids and more so the highs and a little boost in the lows. It's where I would go with the tone.

Your mix:

View attachment 116688

EQ'd mix:

View attachment 116694
Click to expand...
Amazing. I appreciate you taking the time to do this. You think I should change the EQ in the session itself and then run it through the mastering service?
 
So I made your suggested changes to EQ:

+2.7 at 700
-1db at 1100
+1db at 1400
-1db at 1700

Attached is an unmastered mixdown, followed by a mastered version.
 

Attachments

  • songs and seven blunders (alternative mix 3 - EQ - Tangerine unmastered).mp3
    8.1 MB
  • songsandsevenblundersalternativemix3-EQ-Tangerine_mdbmastered_Medium(1).mp3
    8.1 MB
Side note, I’m wondering about the concepts behind the EQ changes here. They are being made to the master track, as opposed to tracks for individual instruments or groups of instruments. Is this just because the song ‘overall’ has too much going on at those frequencies, throughout?
 
derekp said:
So I made your suggested changes to EQ:

+2.7 at 700
-1db at 1100
+1db at 1400
-1db at 1700

Attached is an unmastered mixdown, followed by a mastered version.
Click to expand...

Hiya, these aren't really suggestions as to what you should do to 'fix your mix'. What I posted was in response to maxmax77 asking me what I'd done to change the tone.

I spent literally 5 minutes on your stereo file just as an example of what it might sound like if it were less 'bright and thin'. If you like the way it sounds it would take work track by track to really improve the mix.
 
HumanPlanet said:
Hiya, these aren't really suggestions as to what you should do to 'fix your mix'. What I posted was in response to maxmax77 asking me what I'd done to change the tone.

I spent literally 5 minutes on your stereo file just as an example of what it might sound like if it were less 'bright and thin'. If you like the way it sounds it would take work track by track to really improve the mix.
Click to expand...
Haha, gotcha. I'm going to compare your 5-minute version against my recent later today. We'll see who wins :)
 
OK, so I've added a little more low-end to the drums, pulled right the high-pass filter to let in a little more low on some of the vocals, brought the hi-end on the guitar down a touch, swung the "bluuuunndeers" distorted vocal to the left about 40, and did some additional panning as I noticed the "ohhhh" harmonies were basically sitting on top of the chorus vocals (I kept them at 50 left and 50 right, and moved the chorus vocals to around 15 left and 15 right). This plus the 5+ EQ magic from before lol. I'm digging this one, but there may be too much bang on the bass drum.

Thoughts?
 

Attachments

  • songsandsevenblundersalternativemix3-EQ-Watermelon_mdbmastered_Medium.mp3
    8.1 MB
Good effort and it's sounding better but I think I'm still winning!

There may be too much bang on the bass drum but you won't know for sure until you get the highs under control, the mix is still too bright/harsh for me from 7k and up...
 
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