Myriad_Rocker
New member
Mix 1 (dawg711) - downshifter_mix_1.wav
Mix 2 (Manslick) - downshifter_mix_2.wav
Mix 3 (Br3n) - downshifter_mix_3.wav
Mix 4 (trumpino1) - downshifter_mix_4.wav
Mix 5 (talkingsmall) - downshifter_mix_5.wav
Mix 6 (D_Vincent) - downshifter_mix_6.wav
WINNER: Br3n
Here's how it turned out on the album release: Downshifter - Album Version.wav
Here are the scoring details...
Myriad_Rocker
Mix 1
Wow, this thing is hot. Can’t really hear the kick too well in the mix. It’s getting a list lost. Cymbals are out there. Kinda harsh. That picking guitar in the verse gets lost, as well. I like how the solo comes in but, in my opinion, it’s just too loud and it’s overpowering everything. Bass is a bit muddy. Could have used some sibilance treatment on the vox. Not a fan of the vocal effect at the end. But a good effort.
Balance – 3
Separation – 3
Production – 3
Overall – 2
Total – 11
Mix 2
I like it comes in with the fade into the main part. First thing I notice is there’s almost a veil over the whole thing except the vocals, just about. They’re really out there and the only other thing I can hear is bass and a bit of drums. Guitars are almost not even there at all. Pump, pump, pump, pump goes the compression on this one. A little nuts. There’s some weird things going on here but I can’t really put my finger on them. Fix the pumping and the guitars being too far back and this may be a pretty decent mix. Going into the breakdown things seem to really be falling apart. Additionally toward the end, the vocals are just a bit all over the place. The final scream thing at the end is really too prominent.
Balance – 1
Separation – 2
Production – 1
Overall – 1
Total – 5
Mix 3
I like how it’s starting out. Good work with the intro and making it extra eerie. The mix really slams in and sounds good but one thing I notice right off the bat is that it’s all a bit lacking in the highs and a bit muddy in the lows. The mix could be wider, in my opinion. But there’s some glue there for sure. Vocals seem to sit pretty well, although pitchy in spots and that could have been fixed. But I won’t count off there because you may not have the right tools for that. The guitars sound a bit metalish at some points but not in a good way.
Balance – 5
Separation – 3
Production – 2
Overall – 3
Total – 13
Mix 4
Not enough presence but I like where the guitars are sitting. The vocals could use some more push in spots. I can’t really hear the snare at all. It all sounds a bit cluttered. I think you were going in the right direction starting with the guitars but it broke down somewhere after that. Best guitars so far, in my opinion, probably. I like how the solo is sitting. No real production here, though.
Balance – 3
Separation – 2
Production – 1
Overall – 3
Total – 9
Mix 5
Right off the bat, I’m hearing some added stuff in the beginning and I really dig that. Very glad that someone used some creative energy. I like how everything is sounding. Vocals could come down a hair in certain spots, but are pretty decent overall. There’s this odd vocal grunt in the verse before the solo…caught me off guard. Doesn’t work there for me but definite kudos for adding something. Solo sits well. The mix grooves after the solo and I’m finding myself bobbing my head. Love the lo-fi thing you did with the vocals in that breakdown and then bring them back in with the guitar. Would like this overall mix to sound a bit more open.
Balance – 3
Separation – 3
Production – 5
Overall – 3
Total – 14
Mix 6
Wow, a bass solo. Didn’t know the song had a bass solo. Oh, and some really reverby vocals. It’s a vocal and bass duet! Wow...echo? Need more guitars in the mix here. This is an interesting interpretation of the song. The solo is…odd. Confusing. Hhmm…different. I don’t know what else to say. Was this all intentional?
Balance – 3
Separation – 1
Production – 1
Overall – 1
Total – 6
Greg_L
As far as I’m concerned, none of them are really good. My ears hurt now. They all have serious issues that jump right out at me, but I kept it in perspective and just compared them against each other. I really have to wonder what the hell these guys are monitoring with.
Mix 1
Balance – 4
Separation – 3
Production – 1
Overall mix – 2
Total - 10
Mix 2
Balance – 1
Separation – 1
Production – 0
Overall mix – 1
Total - 3
Mix 3
Balance – 4
Separation – 2
Production – 3
Overall mix – 4
Total – 13
Mix 4
Balance – 2
Separation – 3
Production – 2
Overall Mix – 2
Total – 9
Mix 5
Balance – 1
Separation – 1
Production – 3
Overall Mix – 1
Total – 6
Mix 6
Balance – 3
Separation – 2
Production – 3
Overall Mix – 2
Total – 10
PoeticIntensity
Mix 1
Lots of mids and highs, but not necessarily a bad thing.. Kick is lost almost always. Guitars are pretty loud. Sibilance issues with vocals and vocals are buried. Cymbals are pretty harsh sounding and pretty upfront. Snare gets lost, too, but not as badly as the kick. Nice wide mix. During solo, seems a bit messy. Mastered too high levels. Headphone notes: Very, very grating, super over mastered. Almost unlistenable, it's so loud.
Balance – 3
Separation – 3
Production – 4
Overall mix – 1.5
Total – 11.5
Mix 2
Lacks power. Vocals too prominent. Guitars are way, way too far back. Compression is pumping like freaking crazy, yet it's not loud... Weird.. Backing guitar is almost inaudible, way, way too far back. Pretty bad mix.
Balance – 1
Separation - 1.5
Production – 1
Overall mix – 2
Total – 5.5
Mix 3
Nice power... Separation isn't as good as it could be. Too cramped in the middle. Good bass levels. Vocal levels good. Headphone Notes: Pretty grating on headphones, too when listened loudly.
Balance – 4
Separation – 2.5
Production – 3
Overall Mix – 2.5
Total – 12
Mix 4
Vocals are buried... Drums are flat and lifeless. Sounds like the whole thing was mixed under a blanket. Virtually no air at all. Snare is lost.
Balance – 2
Separation – 1.5
Production – 1.5
Overall Mix – 2
Total – 7
Mix 5
I would love to hear this mastered. Still very little air. Vocals are a little too high in the mix. Guitars are centered... Need way more separation. Headphone Notes: Even more claustrophobic through headphones. No separation at all.. Seems like everything is dead-center.
Balance – 2
Separation – 1.5
Production – 4.5
Overall Mix – 3
Total – 11
Mix 6
Seriously different than other mixes. Vocals are crazy wet with reverb / echo. Too much so... Guitar licks are too far back. hi-hat is dead center. That bugs me. Headphone Notes: Sounded really good on headphones... I think this mix would have won it if it weren't for the sea of reverb on the vocals.
Balance – 3.5
Separation – 2
Production – 2.5
Overall Mix – 2
Total – 10
Track Rat
Mix 1
Good separation but too much hi end EQ. Interesting vocal effect at the end. Good mix but the overall sound is too strident.
Balance – 5
Separation – 4
Production – 5
Overall Mix – 4
Total – 18
Mix 2
Mix is all drums and vocal. Guitars are too low in the mix and way too much compression.
Balance – 2
Separation – 2
Production – 3
Overall Mix – 1
Total – 8
Mix 3
Bass sounds good to me. Interesting use of available Vocal tracks. Guitars sound powerful and cut through without bloodshed.
Balance – 5
Separation - 5
Production – 5
Overall Mix – 5
Total – 20
Mix 4
Drums are MIA. Mix is muddy and lacks the power that this tune needs.
Balance – 3
Separation – 3
Production – 3
Overall Mix - 2
Total – 11
Mix 5
Bass is way too low. Guitars lack definition. Telephone/Distorted vox at the end is a nice touch, but the lo-fi drums at the end don’t work for this tune.
Balance – 4
Separation – 4
Production – 5
Overall Mix – 3
Total – 16
Mix 6
The reverb is a problem here. Interesting use of available tracks but makes the tune too sparse. I generally love reverb but this is way too wet.
Balance – 3
Separation – 3
Production – 4
Overall Mix – 3
Total – 13
VomitHatSteve
Mix 1
I'm not a huge fan of some of the hard pans. I figure that if something is important, it should probably be in both ears; but it was only done with some of the less important fills, so it's not a huge strike. Doesn't sound like you addressed the vocal pitchiness. The cymbal crashes got to be a bit much by the end. All the parts you used sat well with each other. I would have liked to hear the harmonies though. This mix was the "loudest."
Balance – 3
Separation – 4
Production – 3
Overall – 3
Total – 13
Mix 2
The cymbals are very dark, which I think works for this song; they're pretty overwhelming otherwise. Most of the rest of the mix is probably too dark though. Somehow, the rhythm guitar got buried. I didn't even know you could do that! There wasn't a lot of dynamic contrast with the breakdown in the 2 minute mark. Good balance of the vocal harmonies. The vocal melody phased out for a few words here and there. Not sure if that's bad mic technique or compression. Either way, you don't want it!
Balance – 3
Separation – 2
Production – 2
Overall – 2
Total – 9
Mix 3
I wouldn't have minded a little more of the background vox. There were some timing issues on the guitar. Cymbals weren't too overwhelming.
Balance – 4
Separation – 4
Production – 4
Overall – 4
Total – 16
Mix 4
The vocals were a little buried overall, but they were balanced well with each other. The guitars got a little out-of-time with each other in verse 2. Bass could use some more clarity. Especially during the breakdown.
Balance – 2
Separation – 3
Production – 3
Overall – 3
Total – 11
Mix 5
I like what you did with the intro. This mix seemed quieter than the others, overall. Good vocal balance. I couldn't hear the bass for most of the song.
Balance – 3
Separation – 4
Production – 5
Overall – 4
Total – 16
Mix 6
The bass is really cutting through. Too much reverb on the vox and lead guitar. The cymbals are a little too separate from the rest of the mix. When they're not going, those frequencies are pretty barren.
Balance – 3
Separation – 3
Production – 2
Overall – 3
Total – 11
Mix 2 (Manslick) - downshifter_mix_2.wav
Mix 3 (Br3n) - downshifter_mix_3.wav
Mix 4 (trumpino1) - downshifter_mix_4.wav
Mix 5 (talkingsmall) - downshifter_mix_5.wav
Mix 6 (D_Vincent) - downshifter_mix_6.wav
WINNER: Br3n
Here's how it turned out on the album release: Downshifter - Album Version.wav
Here are the scoring details...
Myriad_Rocker
Mix 1
Wow, this thing is hot. Can’t really hear the kick too well in the mix. It’s getting a list lost. Cymbals are out there. Kinda harsh. That picking guitar in the verse gets lost, as well. I like how the solo comes in but, in my opinion, it’s just too loud and it’s overpowering everything. Bass is a bit muddy. Could have used some sibilance treatment on the vox. Not a fan of the vocal effect at the end. But a good effort.
Balance – 3
Separation – 3
Production – 3
Overall – 2
Total – 11
Mix 2
I like it comes in with the fade into the main part. First thing I notice is there’s almost a veil over the whole thing except the vocals, just about. They’re really out there and the only other thing I can hear is bass and a bit of drums. Guitars are almost not even there at all. Pump, pump, pump, pump goes the compression on this one. A little nuts. There’s some weird things going on here but I can’t really put my finger on them. Fix the pumping and the guitars being too far back and this may be a pretty decent mix. Going into the breakdown things seem to really be falling apart. Additionally toward the end, the vocals are just a bit all over the place. The final scream thing at the end is really too prominent.
Balance – 1
Separation – 2
Production – 1
Overall – 1
Total – 5
Mix 3
I like how it’s starting out. Good work with the intro and making it extra eerie. The mix really slams in and sounds good but one thing I notice right off the bat is that it’s all a bit lacking in the highs and a bit muddy in the lows. The mix could be wider, in my opinion. But there’s some glue there for sure. Vocals seem to sit pretty well, although pitchy in spots and that could have been fixed. But I won’t count off there because you may not have the right tools for that. The guitars sound a bit metalish at some points but not in a good way.
Balance – 5
Separation – 3
Production – 2
Overall – 3
Total – 13
Mix 4
Not enough presence but I like where the guitars are sitting. The vocals could use some more push in spots. I can’t really hear the snare at all. It all sounds a bit cluttered. I think you were going in the right direction starting with the guitars but it broke down somewhere after that. Best guitars so far, in my opinion, probably. I like how the solo is sitting. No real production here, though.
Balance – 3
Separation – 2
Production – 1
Overall – 3
Total – 9
Mix 5
Right off the bat, I’m hearing some added stuff in the beginning and I really dig that. Very glad that someone used some creative energy. I like how everything is sounding. Vocals could come down a hair in certain spots, but are pretty decent overall. There’s this odd vocal grunt in the verse before the solo…caught me off guard. Doesn’t work there for me but definite kudos for adding something. Solo sits well. The mix grooves after the solo and I’m finding myself bobbing my head. Love the lo-fi thing you did with the vocals in that breakdown and then bring them back in with the guitar. Would like this overall mix to sound a bit more open.
Balance – 3
Separation – 3
Production – 5
Overall – 3
Total – 14
Mix 6
Wow, a bass solo. Didn’t know the song had a bass solo. Oh, and some really reverby vocals. It’s a vocal and bass duet! Wow...echo? Need more guitars in the mix here. This is an interesting interpretation of the song. The solo is…odd. Confusing. Hhmm…different. I don’t know what else to say. Was this all intentional?
Balance – 3
Separation – 1
Production – 1
Overall – 1
Total – 6
Greg_L
As far as I’m concerned, none of them are really good. My ears hurt now. They all have serious issues that jump right out at me, but I kept it in perspective and just compared them against each other. I really have to wonder what the hell these guys are monitoring with.
Mix 1
Balance – 4
Separation – 3
Production – 1
Overall mix – 2
Total - 10
Mix 2
Balance – 1
Separation – 1
Production – 0
Overall mix – 1
Total - 3
Mix 3
Balance – 4
Separation – 2
Production – 3
Overall mix – 4
Total – 13
Mix 4
Balance – 2
Separation – 3
Production – 2
Overall Mix – 2
Total – 9
Mix 5
Balance – 1
Separation – 1
Production – 3
Overall Mix – 1
Total – 6
Mix 6
Balance – 3
Separation – 2
Production – 3
Overall Mix – 2
Total – 10
PoeticIntensity
Mix 1
Lots of mids and highs, but not necessarily a bad thing.. Kick is lost almost always. Guitars are pretty loud. Sibilance issues with vocals and vocals are buried. Cymbals are pretty harsh sounding and pretty upfront. Snare gets lost, too, but not as badly as the kick. Nice wide mix. During solo, seems a bit messy. Mastered too high levels. Headphone notes: Very, very grating, super over mastered. Almost unlistenable, it's so loud.
Balance – 3
Separation – 3
Production – 4
Overall mix – 1.5
Total – 11.5
Mix 2
Lacks power. Vocals too prominent. Guitars are way, way too far back. Compression is pumping like freaking crazy, yet it's not loud... Weird.. Backing guitar is almost inaudible, way, way too far back. Pretty bad mix.
Balance – 1
Separation - 1.5
Production – 1
Overall mix – 2
Total – 5.5
Mix 3
Nice power... Separation isn't as good as it could be. Too cramped in the middle. Good bass levels. Vocal levels good. Headphone Notes: Pretty grating on headphones, too when listened loudly.
Balance – 4
Separation – 2.5
Production – 3
Overall Mix – 2.5
Total – 12
Mix 4
Vocals are buried... Drums are flat and lifeless. Sounds like the whole thing was mixed under a blanket. Virtually no air at all. Snare is lost.
Balance – 2
Separation – 1.5
Production – 1.5
Overall Mix – 2
Total – 7
Mix 5
I would love to hear this mastered. Still very little air. Vocals are a little too high in the mix. Guitars are centered... Need way more separation. Headphone Notes: Even more claustrophobic through headphones. No separation at all.. Seems like everything is dead-center.
Balance – 2
Separation – 1.5
Production – 4.5
Overall Mix – 3
Total – 11
Mix 6
Seriously different than other mixes. Vocals are crazy wet with reverb / echo. Too much so... Guitar licks are too far back. hi-hat is dead center. That bugs me. Headphone Notes: Sounded really good on headphones... I think this mix would have won it if it weren't for the sea of reverb on the vocals.
Balance – 3.5
Separation – 2
Production – 2.5
Overall Mix – 2
Total – 10
Track Rat
Mix 1
Good separation but too much hi end EQ. Interesting vocal effect at the end. Good mix but the overall sound is too strident.
Balance – 5
Separation – 4
Production – 5
Overall Mix – 4
Total – 18
Mix 2
Mix is all drums and vocal. Guitars are too low in the mix and way too much compression.
Balance – 2
Separation – 2
Production – 3
Overall Mix – 1
Total – 8
Mix 3
Bass sounds good to me. Interesting use of available Vocal tracks. Guitars sound powerful and cut through without bloodshed.
Balance – 5
Separation - 5
Production – 5
Overall Mix – 5
Total – 20
Mix 4
Drums are MIA. Mix is muddy and lacks the power that this tune needs.
Balance – 3
Separation – 3
Production – 3
Overall Mix - 2
Total – 11
Mix 5
Bass is way too low. Guitars lack definition. Telephone/Distorted vox at the end is a nice touch, but the lo-fi drums at the end don’t work for this tune.
Balance – 4
Separation – 4
Production – 5
Overall Mix – 3
Total – 16
Mix 6
The reverb is a problem here. Interesting use of available tracks but makes the tune too sparse. I generally love reverb but this is way too wet.
Balance – 3
Separation – 3
Production – 4
Overall Mix – 3
Total – 13
VomitHatSteve
Mix 1
I'm not a huge fan of some of the hard pans. I figure that if something is important, it should probably be in both ears; but it was only done with some of the less important fills, so it's not a huge strike. Doesn't sound like you addressed the vocal pitchiness. The cymbal crashes got to be a bit much by the end. All the parts you used sat well with each other. I would have liked to hear the harmonies though. This mix was the "loudest."
Balance – 3
Separation – 4
Production – 3
Overall – 3
Total – 13
Mix 2
The cymbals are very dark, which I think works for this song; they're pretty overwhelming otherwise. Most of the rest of the mix is probably too dark though. Somehow, the rhythm guitar got buried. I didn't even know you could do that! There wasn't a lot of dynamic contrast with the breakdown in the 2 minute mark. Good balance of the vocal harmonies. The vocal melody phased out for a few words here and there. Not sure if that's bad mic technique or compression. Either way, you don't want it!
Balance – 3
Separation – 2
Production – 2
Overall – 2
Total – 9
Mix 3
I wouldn't have minded a little more of the background vox. There were some timing issues on the guitar. Cymbals weren't too overwhelming.
Balance – 4
Separation – 4
Production – 4
Overall – 4
Total – 16
Mix 4
The vocals were a little buried overall, but they were balanced well with each other. The guitars got a little out-of-time with each other in verse 2. Bass could use some more clarity. Especially during the breakdown.
Balance – 2
Separation – 3
Production – 3
Overall – 3
Total – 11
Mix 5
I like what you did with the intro. This mix seemed quieter than the others, overall. Good vocal balance. I couldn't hear the bass for most of the song.
Balance – 3
Separation – 4
Production – 5
Overall – 4
Total – 16
Mix 6
The bass is really cutting through. Too much reverb on the vox and lead guitar. The cymbals are a little too separate from the rest of the mix. When they're not going, those frequencies are pretty barren.
Balance – 3
Separation – 3
Production – 2
Overall – 3
Total – 11
has been good fun
