Looking for some mix ideas/opinions... hook Tubie up...

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tubedude

tubedude

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This is from a project I'm just wrapping up on from a band called Point Given, the song is called "One Thought".
I recorded, mixed and semi-produced several songs for these guys.
Looking for some mix thoughts and how you think its sitting at this point. I think I'm done with it except for some slight tweaks in the EQ. I seem to like this current mix ok, but I would appreciate any points you guys might bring up/notice/like/dislike etc...
Song specs:
O/H AKG C451b and Soundeluxe U195,
snare Senn MD-441,
toms Senn e504,
Floor tom, e609
Kick Senn e602
Bass direct RNP
guitars Senn MD-441, SM57
vocals U195

One main thing I'm intersted in... did I get the top end too crispy? It sounded good til I dithered and then it seemed overbearing. The guitars seemed to thin up some. Then of course MP3 conversion, blah.
Thanks for listening, and for any comments. Like the song?
 
tubedude,

I checked out the tune and was impressed with the song and the player's talents on this track. They definitely have their chops put together and they play nice and tight which is a very good thing.

Levels wise, the mix seems fairly balanced but I am hearing this track as a very, very dry recording with virtually no verb on anything except the backing vocals in spots. This totally dry sound I find too clinical sounding for my personal tastes and I would try to find a way to give them a bit of space with a hint of verb perhaps on at least the quieter/cleaner guitars in the beginning of the track and on the solo guitar as well as the front vox.

Regarding the vocals, the lead singer seems to be drifting out of pitch in a few spots and you might want to consider him redoing his track to see if he can nail it any better then the current take.

There is as well, some eq tweaks that should be done to the guitars and lead vocals but, a bunch of the grit I am hearing is probably coming from the mp3 conversion which eats into the top end by making much of the shimmery detail simply disappear.

Perhaps you could offer a higher sample rate version for those who truly want to get into all the detail and really see what's happening in the hidden corners of the sound?

Very nice production so far!

Cheers! :)
 
Wha?
Hmmm...
Anyway, as far as the dryness goes, there is a faint bit of verb on the clean and dirty, snare and vocals, and then a decently high amount on those ethereal little fills. I am kind of partial to real dry mixes I think it increases clarity. THanks for your input though.

As far as vocals, re retook them several times trying to get it just right but thats about it... dude is 17 I think, so he has time to get there. I record a LOT of young bands.

I wonder how much the MP3 is actually hurting the listening experience and the accurate factor. If you can give me an idea what those EQ twaeks might be I'll give em a shot.

Thanks!
 
Cool enough song. I liked the singer - real good voice. Interesting little bass runs here and there. Maybe compress the vocals just a wee bit more.

I liked those guitars when the ?chorus? kicks in. I liked the lead guit sound just before 4 min. - the panning sounded weird on headphones though.

I didn't care for the tone on the bass during the intro (it sounded a little on the "clicky" side), but after that it sounded real good. I suppose it either changed, or other instruments began masking it at that point.

Some rhythm issues in the intro. Some slight pitchiness in the harmonies around 4:50.

The guitar riff is a little repetitive.
 
I think the bass sounds kinda funny at the beggining, too. Maybe I'll cut some mids out and see, but it sounds good throughout the song.
As for the panning, I think the panning is cool. I'm a big fan of harcore panning, most of my solos pan hard like that then work thier way towards center on rock tunes like this one. I think the effect on headphones is cool which is why I do it, kind of a moving-past-you effect. Always loved that wehen I was growing up.
Thanks!
 
tubedude said:
One main thing I'm intersted in... did I get the top end too crispy? It sounded good til I dithered and then it seemed overbearing. The guitars seemed to thin up some. Then of course MP3 conversion, blah.
Thanks for listening, and for any comments. Like the song?
Click to expand...

Survey says: yes, a bit too crispy. Especially considering it's an mp3.

Maybe try a different dither, or just roll off the highs a bit on some of the things that don't have much going on up there to reduce the "hash" factor.

The tune is OK. Sounds like something you'd hear on the local aternarock station.:cool:
 
My compliments.

Great Bass Sound!!!
Great Vox
Great Kick

My suggestions.

1. How about an really reverbed out guitar in the intro (on the cleaner lead guitar). Some kind of nice stereo 'verb that gives the idea of a big space. Then maybe make the lead parts that sound like that later in the song reverby too

2. The toms could use a bit of bottom, they sound a little flabby and "paperish", especially the floor tom. Just EQ some bottom into them. Think "Incubus - Morning View" or "Tool - Lateralus" kind of tom sound. Or just stick some reverb on them and go for that "Alice In Chains - Jar of Flies" tom sound. If you mic with 4 mics, make a copy of the overheads, low pass the OH's out of them, high pass the kick out, and mix some bass to the remaining tom sounds.

3. The snare sounds a little dry. How about some reverb on it? Then maybe gate the reverb? Or just a short tail on the verb mixed fairly wet.

4. Turn up the crashes if possible. If you mic with 4 mics I know this really can't be done, although I find that if you compress the overheads at about 4:1 it will bring the crashes out a bit more.

5. The solo at 3:48 could come up a bit. Also I think the solo at 4:00 could be turned up a bit.

6. The drums kind of sound mono. I don't hear much of a stereo image.

7. The hard panned guitars sound a little fuzzy. Could you give them some mid. I think it would help them cut a bit.

Hmmm. . . thats about all I can think of. Hope that helps.
Beez
 
The thing that stuck out most when I listen was the sweet bass guitar sound. Is it an Ernie Ball bass? I LOVE how those things play. Drums sound sweet too, as usual. Vocals are very clear as well.

Great job, tubedude.
 
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