let 'em sink

[heatmiser]

Hey heat, if you are mixing down with a program like Adobe Audition it would be cool to experiment with taking the noise-interlude/string scrape sounds and reversing it-it will sound somewhat totally different and it might fit the song nicely. I've had a few reversed tracks that totally fit the song!

That's a cool idea. While I still have a cassette mutlitracker that I use for reverse stuff, I don't have a computer-based setup, and the digital mutlitracker I'm using doesn't have a reverse effect built in. I could do what you're describing by sending it to tape, flipping it over and sending it back to digital again, but it is a bit of a hassle and lining it up again afterwards is difficult too. Thanks for the idea though. I am trying some reverse tape sounds in the new one I'm working on now, although that is still in its infancy.

 

[dobro]

First mp3: Love the song, the vocal and especially the drum work. Don't like the sound on the intro guitar so much. It's untweakable. Is it re-recordable?

Who did your drums? Programmed?

 

[dobro]

I really like it. Don't know if its a good thing to you, but the tune reminds me of the Grateful Dead. Even the solo has a hint of Jerry. Enjoyed it very much.

+1

But it doesn't sound like he's tapping into the Dead. Very nice parallel though.

 

[heatmiser]

First mp3: Love the song, the vocal and especially the drum work. Don't like the sound on the intro guitar so much. It's untweakable. Is it re-recordable?

Who did your drums? Programmed?

Thanks dobro. Sadly, the drums are the only thing not played for real on here. They are loops which I cut up and arranged to the song. I did process them heavily though...cranking the OHs and room mics and compressing them to death. That is I think what gives it that washed out sort of sound, which I like, but others find annoying at times. Glad you liked it anyway!

You're the first one to call me on that classical guitar part - I think I expected more of that here. That was compressed too much I think. Objectively, it sounds sort of bad, I agree, but I found myself liking the odd, kind of trashy sound after a while. For some reason I don't always like clean, natural sounding acoustic guitars so much. I tend to mess with them probably more than I should.

 

[dobro]

You're the first one to call me on that classical guitar part - I think I expected more of that here. That was compressed too much I think. Objectively, it sounds sort of bad, I agree, but I found myself liking the odd, kind of trashy sound after a while.

To tell you the truth, I thought you might have been aiming at an odd sound, and yes after I listened to it again, it started to just become part of the way the song sounds. I think what jarred was hearing it on its own at the beginning. Like trashy sound? How about making it even trashier?

 

[dobro]

Our worlds need more real drummers.

 

[Tom Paul]

I like this song...not sure about the sound effects. It's has a cool indy/low-fi vibe. The bass isn't very clear...maybe you could work to bring that out. There isnt any attack to the notes...no mids.

Tom

 

[dobro]

It would be interesting to put an EQ on the master bus and dick around with low mids cuts and slight boosts maybe 8K.

 

[heatmiser]

Our worlds need more real drummers.

Yes indeed. I had a kit on loan for about two years there and really enjoyed playing and tracking my own drums. It didn't really sound as good, but it was more fun, satisfying and rewarding to be sure. I hope to get another kit some day.

I like this song...not sure about the sound effects. It's has a cool indy/low-fi vibe. The bass isn't very clear...maybe you could work to bring that out. There isnt any attack to the notes...no mids.

Tom

Thanks Tom. Seems like a split decision on the noise breaks. Too bad, 'cause I like 'em and they're staying .

I seem to be struggling more with bass the last few tracks...not sure what's up. That used to be a strength, I'll have another listen with your comments in mind.

It would be interesting to put an EQ on the master bus and dick around with low mids cuts and slight boosts maybe 8K.

I just checked and there was an EQ on there...I cut just 1db @ 280. I didn't boost anywhere. Based on the sum of all of these comments (which is awesome btw), it seems like this mix could use some work. I tried last week and went down a wrong path and actually made it worse! Sometimes I feel like if I don't nail it on the first mix, I just never get there, you know?

 

[dobro]

Third listen.

If I analyze this tune, I'd say that there isn't a ton of development in this tune - it's mostly verse/chorus despite the instrumental excursions - one section isn't more intense than another and it doesn't build particularly - it's mostly a groove. So because of that, focus on the part of the song that's most important. I'd say it's the drums and the rhythm rather than the vocals, but the vocals are a close second. The drums are coming through clearly, so you don't need to do a lot there, but I'm not hearing the vocals as well as I'd like. I want to hear your voice and words better. Can you get them coming through better? Turn 'em up? Parallel compress 'em, that's what I'd do, plus cut just a taste more low end and low mids and boost the highs. A touch of distortion if the parallel compression doesn't pull 'em up? Do what's required to get the vocal standing out like a nipple. Everyone likes a noticeable nipple.

 

[jonny deep]

Love this - thanks for posting. It all sounds great to me on my headphones. My only nit was that the guitar solo seemed to fight with the picked acoustic - a little spread or bringing the acoustic down a touch (or the other guitar up a touch) might have helped. Maybe not a problem on speakers, though.

I thought the vocal sounded good where it is. It intermingles nicely with the instruments around it - it's clear enough to listen to the lyrics if you want, but it sits well within the soundstage (if I may use such a term!).

Otherwise, I thought it was great. Nice lazy feel without just feeling slow. Good job.

 

[BoomTisBoomTiss]

holy crap. Well-balanced. Well-positioned. Stereo goodness man

 

[heatmiser]

Third listen.

If I analyze this tune, I'd say that there isn't a ton of development in this tune - it's mostly verse/chorus despite the instrumental excursions - one section isn't more intense than another and it doesn't build particularly - it's mostly a groove. So because of that, focus on the part of the song that's most important. I'd say it's the drums and the rhythm rather than the vocals, but the vocals are a close second. The drums are coming through clearly, so you don't need to do a lot there, but I'm not hearing the vocals as well as I'd like. I want to hear your voice and words better. Can you get them coming through better? Turn 'em up? Parallel compress 'em, that's what I'd do, plus cut just a taste more low end and low mids and boost the highs. A touch of distortion if the parallel compression doesn't pull 'em up? Do what's required to get the vocal standing out like a nipple. Everyone likes a noticeable nipple.

Depends on whose nipple though, doesn't it?

Thanks for the continued attempts to help dobro. Your analysis is pretty tough, but I'm sure there's some truth there. I'm not hearing things quite that way myself, but you're not the only one to mention vocal levels/clarity. I've never tried parallel compression, but have read some about it on this site. Sounds freakin' complicated!

Although you may not hear a remix from me of this tune with erect nipples and stuff, it doesn't mean that I'm not appreciative of your ideas, or that I'm not at least taking them into consideration. Thanks.

 

[heatmiser]

Love this - thanks for posting. It all sounds great to me on my headphones. My only nit was that the guitar solo seemed to fight with the picked acoustic - a little spread or bringing the acoustic down a touch (or the other guitar up a touch) might have helped. Maybe not a problem on speakers, though.

I thought the vocal sounded good where it is. It intermingles nicely with the instruments around it - it's clear enough to listen to the lyrics if you want, but it sits well within the soundstage (if I may use such a term!).

Otherwise, I thought it was great. Nice lazy feel without just feeling slow. Good job.

Thank you jonny. I appreciate that you took the time .

You hit on something specific that bugged me too. I had intended to drop the finger picked acoustic during the verses and the solo, as it did seem busy in those contexts and I worried there was a conflict there with both my voice and the lead guitar. After reading your comment, I now realize I never did that and just let that track ride throughout the tune at the same level. That is definitely something I will address if I can ever get a decent remix of this. Maybe that would help with the vocal clarity some have noted too?

lol @ lazy...I get that a lot, and not just in reference to my music.

holy crap. Well-balanced. Well-positioned. Stereo goodness man

Thank you Mr. Tis...er...BoomBoom? Either way, thanks .

 

[PoeticIntensity]

Yo... *Love* the groove on this one, man. It's so deep and saucy that the mix almost doesn't matter ... and that probably means you got the mix right. I could listen to this over and over again. Great job, man. When you have an album ready, please let me know. Been a bit busy, so I don't frequent this board as much as I should, but I'd love to buy your album, when / if you get one made.

 

[heatmiser]

Yo... *Love* the groove on this one, man. It's so deep and saucy that the mix almost doesn't matter ... and that probably means you got the mix right. I could listen to this over and over again. Great job, man. When you have an album ready, please let me know. Been a bit busy, so I don't frequent this board as much as I should, but I'd love to buy your album, when / if you get one made.

Sweet! It's "saucy"!

Thanks for the good word my man. Yeah, we don't see you around these parts so much any more....

I actually probably have enough material now for an actual album, but from what I've seen and read, it is costly and time consuming to produce one. If it ever happens though, you'll get drumming credit for Death Ray!

 

[dobro]

Thanks for the continued attempts to help dobro. Your analysis is pretty tough, but I'm sure there's some truth there.

It's a good tune, it's a good performance, and it sounds good - that's why I'm on it.

I've never tried parallel compression, but have read some about it on this site. Sounds freakin' complicated!

Try it - it's complicated to understand all of how it works, but it's simple enough to do. Send the original vocal track (for instance) to a bus with a compressor on it. Start with both the send level and the bus level at unity gain. So now you have a dry track and you have a compressed track on a bus. Smash the shit out of the compressed track on the bus. The more gain reduction, the better, unless maybe your compressor produces goofy distortion at extreme settings. Tweak levels to taste. Here's my understanding of how it works. Say you have a threshold of -20 dbFS and some really radical settings on the compressor - it'll act virtually like a limiter, and nothing above -20 dbFS will be contributed to the dry track when you blend the two tracks. But everything *below* -20 dbFS WILL be added to the blend, so all the quiet bits below -20 will now be 6 dB louder! Yay! In other words, the bits that were most difficult to hear because they were quiet are now 6 dB louder, and the peaks have remained untouched. I'm finding that it's a good way to make a vocal more present in the mix when I'm happy with the vocal peaks and don't want to squash them, but I still want to reduce the dynamic range by making the quietest parts louder.