need mixing help(as much as i can get)

[groovejunkie]

hi guys,
maybe it's too early for me to post in here, but i have major problems by mixing my songs(or demos), and although i read a lot about using EQ, delay, compressor or reverb, i don't exactly know what i'm doing wrong, especially when i'm using guitars
or vocals!

I would be grateful for every help or comment about mixing or recording tracks and also about the song construct.

For the recordings i use:
IBANEZ RGseries
BOSS GT-6
Sennheiser e855

The clips are:
"Sensuality and Livestock"
"Fuckin' reality"
"Life"
http://www.groovejunkie.de/downloads.html

THANKS!

 

[Track Rat]

I listened to "Sensuality and Livestock". I couldn't hear a bass at all. The drums sound like a misadjusted compressor was on them. The snare had that popcorn fart sound to it. The kick had no balls. I'm not slamming you here, just an honest observation my friend.

 

[participant]

"Life"

Welcome to the clinic;

I'll save you months of hassle and cut straight to the one idea that will save you more months of frustration: for good mixes, you need well recorded tracks...

In "Life", for instance, the main distorted guitar parts are panned to the center (both/doubled?) and are seriously out of tune. Creates two problems: comb filtering (since they're on top of each other), and dissonance. If you want to improve this track, simply put, you'll have to retrack the distortion guitars... they sound terrible.

The drums sound a bit dull themselves; what are you mic'ing the snare drum with? In my limited experience, the Shure Beta 56 or similar mic gives more than enough "bite" and definition... that's what your snare drum lacks, and it can't be attained thru EQ... that just gives you "noise"... EQ can't turn a bad track into a good one...

IMO fix the snare & distorted guitar tracks and your song would improve 200%.

Any other stuff you do to this song WITHOUT RETRACKING may improve the mix slightly.... but it won't be very much better... and you can GET very much better with some retracking...

Thought the vocals actually sounded pretty good, and the reverb on them was nice.

Anyhow... just some ideas for you... hopefully they'll help ya


Chad

 

[B.SABBATH]

'Sensuality and Livestock'

I like the tune and the vocals are good.. that's the biggest thing to get down right there..

Is there any bass? I dont hear any bass at all.. Also, the drum sound could be better... The snare has the sound that 'Track Rat' described.. Maybe if this had bass, I wouldn't be as bothered by the drum sound.. They seem to stand out more because it's just guitars and drums.. good tune though..



'fuckin reality' - this has some bass, and the drums sound a hell of a lot better.. I guess these are real drums? The guitar that's drowning in effects is cool, but maybe another track of guitar without the effect would help.. The effect seems to be too much for too long.. It also sounds slightly out of tune, and the effect is probably making that worse.. good tunes though..


The vocals are good on both of these tunes.. I think they are better than the music, but it can be fixed up with some work..

cool stuff overall man..

 

[groucho]

I just listened to "Life". I agree that the vocals definitely sound much better than everything else around them. The drums sound like they could be improved greatly with some eq, but I'm not sure what's going on with the guitars. From here it sounds like the problem was in the tracking. There seems to be a lot of clipping going on, & it sounds like maybe they were mic'd from very far away.

As was mentioned above: solid tunes, just need some work. I'll be interested to hear later versions of this one.

Cheers,
Chris

 

[groovejunkie]

I just want to thank you for spending your time for me...

and really, I didn't expected so much reply(cause I know I'm rather bad in mixing)

first of all, I have to admit that I'm recording through my soundcard, and I'm using always drum loops - or Drumpatterns made with "Reason" - it's a shame, but at this time I don't have any other option...

TRACK RAT - I know that you don't want to slam me, because you spend your precious time to help me, and you're totally right, and it's still 200% better to tell me that than my friends who're telling me to stop singing , or that it sounds like shit, without telling me what's wrong or making constructive critics; so thanks!!

PARTICIPANT@chad - (maybe?) I just wanted to know if any of my tracks is worth of being remixed, and if it has any sense to continue, just because of the tune of the tracks, and yeah, you're soo right, so I have to replace the guitars ; "Life" was my first song with guitars(so quite rubbish guitars) thank you!
bout your sound - I love the instrumental part from "sunshine" starting at 2:22 but it'suddenly interrupted by the drums -(would be cool if continued with the drums!)

B.SABBATH - 'fuckin reality' was my first bass attempt - the other ones doesn't have any.. i wish i coud bring in the fullness and the mix with the electronic sound of 'unwell' --- but as I already said, you have real power in your songs(especially the way you mix guitars and drums) , thats why your opinion means a lot for me. thanks for your time!

GROUCHO@Chris - everybody in this thread seems to like the vocals much better than "everything else around them", wich is ok, cause I can't really change my voice(or timbre) very much, but in contrast i can improve my guitar technique; but referring at 'life ' u are certainly right with the tracking problems - thanks for the advice! by the way, 'in the wind' has a outstanding atmosphere - but the only thing that got me out of it was the piano at 2:22 maybe cause it was panned to the center or too loud or both(dunno) but otherwise, light off!!

thankUall,
Harry@GrooveJunkie