Long Way from Home-Blues mix in progress

[fearfeasog]

hey all! thought i'd see if i could get a little feedback on this song i'm recording/mixing for a local blues dude.

i'm liking alot about it, but i know it could be alot better too. incidentally i'm sortof acting as coproducer on this and 2 other songs for this dude. it's alot of fun and there's alot to learn. just really enjoying making something cool out of pure talent and creativity.

lemme know whatcha think, thanks, ff

 

[79_Les_Paul]

Listening to this, it seems to me that the instruments sit in different spaces, especially the drums... They sound like their not in the same room as the rest of the mix, same with the harmonica... when it first came in I wasn't sure what it was, might considering changing that long held out note, seems to clash with the vocal.

If you're going to have multiple instruments solo they need some space between them, you achieve that eventually but when they start in they seem to be on top of each other.

I think less reverb would do wonders for this song.. imo

 

[guitar zero]

It's late at night, so I can only listen on headphones, but I like this a lot. The playing excellent. The timing is spot on. I like the song a lot as well. The vocals are clear and up front. There seems to be good spread of the instruments. Not too boomy or bright. Reverb is a matter of taste. I like what you've done here. I think the harmonica sounds behind everything, and I like it. Seems to give it some depth. Maybe the drums could come up just a half notch. Well done methinks.

 

[fearfeasog]

Listening to this, it seems to me that the instruments sit in different spaces, especially the drums... They sound like their not in the same room as the rest of the mix, same with the harmonica... when it first came in I wasn't sure what it was, might considering changing that long held out note, seems to clash with the vocal.

If you're going to have multiple instruments solo they need some space between them, you achieve that eventually but when they start in they seem to be on top of each other.

I think less reverb would do wonders for this song.. imo

Thanks! yeah i need to pay attention to the spatial integrity to be sure. and i'll check on the reverb. is it an overall thing yr hearing or specifically on a particular element of the mix?

edit--listening again--i think the spatial thing is due to using reverb on drums, and delay on the guitars. maybe less reverb on the drums will help? any specific advice here? thanks, ff

 

[fearfeasog]

It's late at night, so I can only listen on headphones, but I like this a lot. The playing excellent. The timing is spot on. I like the song a lot as well. The vocals are clear and up front. There seems to be good spread of the instruments. Not too boomy or bright. Reverb is a matter of taste. I like what you've done here. I think the harmonica sounds behind everything, and I like it. Seems to give it some depth. Maybe the drums could come up just a half notch. Well done methinks.

thanks alot, great to have another, differing opinion. we all have different tastes. still i think 79_Les_Paul had good points. i nkow the limiter i use does bring out the reverb more, so i'll check that. mayby take that off.

The player is awesome. he's a real natural. very easy going. a pleasure to work with. we have to get some of his music up on line soon.

the vox are maybe too up front? i dunno. i need to put them in the room with everything else i think.

thanks again! ff

 

[guitar zero]

thanks alot, great to have another, differing opinion. we all have different tastes. still i think 79_Les_Paul had good points. i nkow the limiter i use does bring out the reverb more, so i'll check that. mayby take that off.

The player is awesome. he's a real natural. very easy going. a pleasure to work with. we have to get some of his music up on line soon.

the vox are maybe too up front? i dunno. i need to put them in the room with everything else i think.

thanks again! ff

I like vocals clear and up front, especially on a song like this. I used to mix all the instruments and then add the vocal and try to get it to sit right. Lately, after watching Kenny Gioia's video series on mixing rock, I mix vocals early along with kick and snare, and get them sounding exactly like I want them. Then I try to get the instruments to match up tonally and spacially. I think it makes sense, since the vocals are usually the centerpiece of the song. Sometimes you have to go back and tweak just a little, but it seems to be easier that way. I think using different delays and reverbs as you have done is a good way to get some depth in the mix. As long as you don't overdo it, and get things sonically in the same ball park, I think it works great.

 

[79_Les_Paul]

Thanks! yeah i need to pay attention to the spatial integrity to be sure. and i'll check on the reverb. is it an overall thing yr hearing or specifically on a particular element of the mix?

edit--listening again--i think the spatial thing is due to using reverb on drums, and delay on the guitars. maybe less reverb on the drums will help? any specific advice here? thanks, ff

I think what I'm hearing is alot of reverb on the harmonica, which in itself is not bad but the lead guitar that comes in is really dry... As mentioned, I'd bring the drums up and get a little more pop on the snare.

I just got some new nearfields for my little studio and I don't have anything readily available to mix, this would be a fun song to mix if you'd like to hear how someone else might mix the song..

Then again, listening to my mix might give you ideas on how you don't want it to sound..lol

 

[fearfeasog]

thanks, guys. big help!

79_Les_Paul--appreciate the offer. i think i'll muddle through the hard way first, though! i hear you about the dry guitar. i may need to start from scratch. the vox were recorded after the rest, and i like guitar zero's method of mixing the vox earlier. makes sense to me and i'd like to try it. pop on the snare--hopefully there's some pop in the raw track somewhere! :-/

guitar zero--as i said above, i like the idea of mixing the vox early on, and this isn't the first time i've heard reference to it. thanks for reminding me! i can't let things sit, though, so i found myself working on the music even before the vox were recorded--too impatient! well i really enjoy working on mixing and so there ya go!

thanks to you both for the comments!

ff

 

[79_Les_Paul]

Be sure and post your updated mix, look forward to hearing it.

 

[fearfeasog]

might be after the holidays, but i definitely will.

 

[guitar zero]

Be sure and post your updated mix, look forward to hearing it.

A big Ditto!

 

[Elton123]

Very nice. Have u considered less strumming on the outside guitars and maybe more riff playing to kinda create some space. This song really just needs drums and bass like in the middle. Less is more??