Need opinion on the mix/master of recently finished LP

I

ianopie

New member
Hello everyone, my band and I just finished after 7 months of paranoia and re-re-recording stuff our 9 track LP. We have some regional small labels interested and we will see if the offers are good or we decide to go thru the "do-it-yourself". Since there are some small labels interested I need to really be sure that this thing is CD-ready in every aspect of mixing and mastering: and I have seen that in this fórum there are alot of people that knows very much, and many professionals.

One of the songs are in my signature, but I will let a Skydrive link to the whole LP in 320k, it's metal style, but Little experimental (songs can vary from 8 strings guitar, to funky bass etc, gultural voice, to clean etc.): Track 1,2,3,6,7,8 is one drum session (and with some mic, snare and cymbals varieties), tracks 4 and 6 another, and track 9, another one. Track 1 and 2 is one guitar session, and rest of tracks another guitar session (3 different guitars, 2 different amps and GR5 etc.), and the same for the vocals, so to judge the mix and masters, I would ask please to listen at least to a couple of songs.

I Little background on the whole thing: I have been earning some money recording (especially drums), mixing and mastering for some bands on my recording place (potential studio, but not finished yet), but by any means at this "semi-pro" level.

PD: I know that the master of the LP is somewhat loud (around -10 -9 db P.L (RMS) in normal parts and - 7 -6 dB P.L (RMS) in loud parts, this was actually a request from band mates, and generally every band that record with me, so I can't do much on that: what I assured is that the brickwall doesn't limit over 3 dB (so it doesn't créate that "squashed" effect on the ears).

I have just some days left to revise it, before we have to close to LP: so I would appreciate very much opinions and suggestions

Link: sdrv.ms/19T6ZB3
 
The compression on the track is causing some pumpy effects with the kick drum. There's a lot of good stuff going on with the mix, but I fear most of that is ruined with the overkill compression used on the master (?). Back it off a notch and it would probably be an awesome mix.
 
Definitely it is compressed (although personally I don't think it is completely squashed, if i'm wrong please correct me). Just for a couple of minutes ago I compared to other similar famous band on a 5.1 Bose, and definitly noticed that it lacks bass on general, and the OH of the drums are poorly equalized (very much mids left).Thanks for the feedback!!

BTW, if you want to check the mixes, here are the link http://sdrv.ms/1ejt3nI
 
it's not that it's too squashed ..... it's the 'pumping' of the comp and that's pretty intrusive.
 
So what basically you guys I saying me, is that probably I should down the volumen of the kick on the mix, to not cause this effect right? Or any other solution? Thanks
 
or possibly change the threshold setting on the comp. Another change could be to the attack/release times. All of these can contribute to pumping and one of them could ease that artifact without really lessening the amount of compression.
 
I know I have pretty high release time on the Brickwall on the top of the chain, but the problem is that that high release, is what gives the snare, the punchy sound with sustain. So I will try like you said the attack and the kick vol. I guess compressing even more, I might fool the brickwall limiter, but then I would be squashing the whole mix. I could easily a few decibels in general, so that the brw limiter didn't act so aggressively in the kick, but then the band would not be happy. Well those things are complicated :facepalm: :D. Thanks!
 
RE: drums, I generally get them to the place I need BEFORE mastering, and don't rely on those final steps in the process to bring out any details (exceptions abound).

So get the snare the way you want, treat the kick separately, then downmix and master. If the compression you're using on the master still causes the pump effect, then it needs to be adjusted as Lt Bob described.

Not having a full picture of your process and chain I'm only guessing as to what the cause is. I likely mix and master very different, we have our own styles. So I can't say at what step(s) the issue is occurring. Hopefully you don't have to go back too far or undo anything to correct the kick.

Also, I don't think the kick is too loud in the mix (for this style of music), nor is the EQ on it the problem.
 
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