Mixed version of What I Want

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TripleM

Well-known member
I posted the unmixed version of this a few weeks back. I've been doing a bunch of things, but I did get around to mixing it.

I took almost all the suggestions I received. The only one I didn't take was the "jangly guitar" idea. I just don't think it fits. Anyway, the vocals are all retracked. There was some pitchiness to them and the low harmony part in the chorus just wasn't right. The background vox are kind of a "half whisper" style in this version.

I tried to bring out some brightness to the vocals and (more so) the clean guitar part.

The unmixed version is still up if you'd like to compare.

Please let me know what you like and what you don't. Thanks.

What I Want...

http://www.nowhereradio/marshamarshamarsha/singles
 
I like your voice. I do hear some key problems though.

Just be carful and track the lead until perfect.

The song was extreme high energy, always a good thing, and pretty good.

Good work.


Sean
 
First Listening :
----------------------------

The instruments are just a 'touch' to loud over the vocal in the beginning. IMHO, the lead vocal should always be mixed way, way out front in almost all types of genre.

The amount of effects on the vocal ... almost interferes with us being able to easily understand the vocal.

By, 1:11, the vocal is mixed well level wise, there is no question in my mind as to what you are saying, no struggle to understand the words.

Bring the instruments down a bit, just 2db or so in the beginning, when you actually start to sing ... The Intro level of the instruments is fine.

The guitar sounds could be a little hotter in the upper mids ... for this song and genre, the bass lacking in low-lows ...

I don't know the details about your equiptment ... maybe you are doing a great job with a 4-Track ... I dunno ...

Being extremely picky, I do hear some minor intonation problems. Check your monitoring solution.

Nice harmony vocals.

Second Listening:
--------------------------------

I've made a second listening specifically to see if the lyrics I'm having trouble understanding become more clear with the second listening, and they do become more clear with the second listening.

On the second listening, I'm more familiar with the 'sound' of the piece, so I am picking out the vocal easier in the beginning.

Still can't understand a few words in the beginning.

This is a wonderfully tongue in cheek song, you are entertaining here.

You might enjoy listening to 'Jean Caffeine' at http://www.io.com/~jeancaf/frame1.html , she has a tune called 'If I want it I want it' , it's a little bit like this, but not so clever as yours.

You might have overcompressed the guitar track, overall it sounds failry compressed.
 
Great song. It rocks, and the lyrics are very clever.

Vocal quality is also very good and fits the song well.

Only negative I have is the mix sounds muddy to me. Nothing is distinct and clear. I think you might want to consider eq'ing the individual parts to give them their own space. Right now everything is running together.

Good stuff, though.
 
I agree, muddy.

Yes, that's the right word ... a thin mud, but muddy all the same.
 
Great vibe!
The bass is really good,punches right through.
How did you record it?

I think you could lessen the mud by panning the rythym guitars mono,1 each left and right.
The stereo distorted rythm git is whats mudding it up I think.
JMHOP.:)


Cool vocals,very energetic!

Pete
 
Hey Trip,
....yeah, man.... this is a great tune!! I like everything about this mix, except the r. gits. They still sound a touch muffled on these comp. speakers. I love the vocs in this. They "are" TripM, and i love em. ...your lyrics just rock man!!!
...just a bit of a brighter tone on the guits. Are you recording them w/ an amp, or is this a modelled sound? ...just curious...

GREAT song Trip.
g
 
sjrcts - thanks for the link. I left the ".com" off nowhereradio. thanks for the compliment.

smelly - where did you hear the pitch stuff? I'd be curious to know. I usually don't have many pitch problems, but sometimes the ears get tired and I let some slip through. I may retrack if I can pin it down.

studio - thanks for the in depth review. I may have to some day retrack the distorted guitars. I agree they are a little muffled. And I don't think I can raise the upper mids without making them abrasive. I appreciate your time.

dachay - I think those guitars will some day be retracked. I think they're the biggest culprit causing the muddiness. I'm not sure if I'd personally use the term muddy - I'd describe it as muffled. But I do get your point. Thanks.

muzer - hey you haven't reviewed the last few from me. It's great to hear your thoughts. The bass is just my Ric thru a Fender Bassman amp. I used an SM57 about an inch away, pointed straight on and right at the center of the speaker. There's that distorted guitar again... :)

G-man - thanks. The r guits were recorded thru an amp. But it's a Line6 amp which may account for your question of whether they're modeled or not. You used the term "muffled" - that's my feeling too. Some time when I'm less sick of this song, I'll retrack them. Honestly, I'd like to retrack the clean guit too. Oh hell, pretty soon, I'll have to start over.

Thanks everyone.
 
Loved the song...the lyrics are very cool too (with your songs I always turn my lyric switch on)

I'm hearing the pitch issues too. I can't pick spots, it seems a tad low all over (sorry to say this, but you asked right?) :)

Bass is very present in the mix! Which is......wonderful!

Nice! (my advice: let it rest for 2 weeks and then retrack the vocals)
 
Thanks Ped. Is it the lead or are the backing vox off too? I was hoping it was just the lead. And I thought maybe it might have been wavering on some of the longer notes. Argh.
 
For what I'm hearing it's just the leads (thanks to your 'Phil Spector'-doubling procedures it's difficult to hear it in the harmonies ;) )
 
Still love the song 3m, but I think this mix is a little muddy compared to the other version of it.

I'm listening to the original again now and I actually like this version better. It's mush more clear. It seems maybe you've added too much reverb to the new mix. Also, are you EQing before or after appling reverb? I strongly recommend doing at least most EQ work before reverb if you aren't already. Might not be the problem here, and maybe you've already figured out your solution. But I had trouble picking out details in this new mix.

The song is worth the effort!
 
TripleM said:
.
muzer - hey you haven't reviewed the last few from me. It's great to hear your thoughts.
Click to expand...

Thanks TM,
Not for lack of wanting to,surely!:D

My monitor blew up,smoke and flames literally!
I finally got a new one.

Great to be back around again,you guys(and gals) rock my world!:D
 
Hey Trip;

Kool tune man! I can see why you're alway's getting on me for not doing any harmonies...man your great at it! I can't hear any pitch issues like some other's have pointed out, but i'm sure they have way better ears than mine...if they can hear at all they do:D . I do agree about the guitars maybe need a bit of panning, to help open it up some though..little eq here and there. Nice tune Trip...GREAT SINGING&HARMONIES dude!*****
 
Trip,
Your voice has trademark qualities.
Cool tune.
I will echo what SLuiCe said.
Nice melodies, and changes. It sounds like you put alot of work into this.

Thanks for sharing.

jcmm
 
nice work....i decided to listen to the original mix again too.....the new one is definitely more muddy, but the new one has a little more energy.....i think w/ the amount of vocal tracks you have, you could run them completely dry.......it's coming together well
 
TripleM...

400-500 Hz. That's where the buildup is. Your vocs, the bass, and esp. those hardpanned guitars want some of that. Good separation between the vocs and guitars... but some more frequency content in the guitars between 500 & 1000 would, and then a slightly lower level (IMO) would tame that 400-500 peak and give everything better balance.

There may also be slightly too much 'verb on the guitars...

Vocs sound clear and understandable. Bass does have clarity in the upper frequencies, but the lows are mushy. People have actually advocated cutting the lows on the kick in deference to the bass... but I disagree... roll off everything below 90 on the bass and see what happens. Adjust to taste.

Definitely needs more THUMP from the kick drum... (level)

Is it me or... do the vocs sound about 1/4 tone sharp? Probably tired ears. (don't hyperventilate, man :p)

I remember this from the first time you posted it... the vocs are MUCH better, and clearer. The verb on 'em is very nice. Actually, IMO this isn't too bad -- esp. because the clarity of the vocs is very much improved (but IIRC the last time I heard this, there was snow on the ground :p :eek: ;))

IMO you could actually build a final mix out of these tracks, right now... scale back the 'verb on the guitars... TINY bit of additive EQ (between 500-1000) on guits, then lower the levels; bring up lows on bass slightly... roll off sub-bass content on bass. Bring up kick. Adjust from there (suggestions)


Chad
 
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