'New' original - Look Down the Road

[mjbphotos]

'New' original - Look Down the Road revised again 12-30-15

Muted out the 2nd electric rhythm, changed pans, scooped a little more mud out of the left side electric, bumped the acoustic up, EQed the vocal some more, and fixd the 2nd break timing issue Robus kept noting!
Newest version:



Did some EQ on the vocal, and changed the vocal reverb to a plate . Scooped a little more mud out of the rhythm guitars and boosted them up in volume just a touch. A few other minor tweaks.
Updated version:




Haven't been here in the Clinic in a while, been too busy getting my 3rd album out, but now I can start working on the next one!

My ears could use some suggestions on this one. Might be a guitar-mud build-up? There are electric rhythm guitars panned left & right, a 'tag line' guitar panned a little left, an acoustic panned a little right plus the lead guitar parts.

I am going for a grungy-Neil Young/Crazy Horse sound (the lyric story is based on something I read in the 'Shakey' bio).



First version:

 

[DM60]

Your kick sounds really good on my system. It is getting the sub to push really nice. Overall mix sounds good to me.

On a personal opinion, I would bring the vocals closer to the music and maybe just a little bump on 4-6K range (guessing, but to make sure it cuts through when it gets lowered). It sound fine the way it is, just thinking it might sound better just above the music. I also wonder if a bit of room verb would add to the song. That is just a typed thought.

Good solid mix on my system.

 

[easlern]

Instruments sound great except the tambourine, it seems to be missing its jangle. Maybe it's high-passed? Like the guitar tone on this, sounds like you got the style right. Cool song.

 

[mjbphotos]

Your kick sounds really good on my system. It is getting the sub to push really nice. Overall mix sounds good to me.

On a personal opinion, I would bring the vocals closer to the music and maybe just a little bump on 4-6K range (guessing, but to make sure it cuts through when it gets lowered). It sound fine the way it is, just thinking it might sound better just above the music. I also wonder if a bit of room verb would add to the song. That is just a typed thought.

Good solid mix on my system.

Good to know about the kick - with just my 5" JBLs its hard to judge if it translates.

As usual, vocals are my weakness. I tracked them about a dozen times - finally getting some hoarseness towards the end, and used a cheap dynamic mic to get more of a 'live' feel. I may need to change the reverb impulse file on this one to something more suitable. Using my 'standard' Milan opera house one, with a longer predelay on the vocals than on the instruments.

Thanks for listening and suggestion on the vox.

Instruments sound great except the tambourine, it seems to be missing its jangle. Maybe it's high-passed? Like the guitar tone on this, sounds like you got the style right. Cool song.

I noticed the jangle missing, too - I think it was the way I recorded the tamb - facing away from the mic in my room, which is pretty dead from all the trapping. Not sure if I can fix that (compression maybe?) or have to retrack.

Thanks!

 

[Robus]

Mix sounds pretty balanced to me. I'm hearing everything well enough. What jumps out at me is the groove. Your bass, drums, and guitars could be tighter. They seem to be pulling against each other throughout, and sometimes are out of time. For example, when the band comes back in after "look down the road" (second time especially). A couple of hours of snipping and sliding things around would pay off.

 

[Music Box]

Good melodies. Good performances. Feeling good music which there is never too much. Mix was good.

 

[jimistone]

I think you got the Neil Young crazy horse vibe on this. Great songwriting too, I love the song. I think the guitars should come up in the mix. As it is the lead guitar comes in and is mixed pretty well with the rhytym guitars, but not with the bass and drums. The drums are a little too loud for the guitars. I dont think you should turn down the bass and drums though....just turn up the guitar.
great tune!

 

[TripleM]

I like the guitar riff. Classic rock-y and catchy.

There a general lack of clarity in the instruments. Like everything is bunched in the 500-1Khz range. The vocal is way on top of everything.

It seems that things stumble for a quick second right at the beginning. Happens in another spot or two.

The vocal is a little harsh-ish. A little heavy in the mid-2Ks. Some borderline pitchiness here and there.

Bass sounds pretty good to me. Maybe a little boomy on some of the notes. Maybe a small 80hz cut.

And yeah there is a little bit of a Neil feel.

 

[mjbphotos]

Thanks for the listens and suggestions. The vocal is the part that needs work now, for sure, hoping a change of reverb will help, and maybe if the guitars are just a bit louder it will sit in the mix better, too, but will probably need to scoop the rhythm guitars EQ a little more?

 

[rayc]

A bit muddy and the guitars seem to lack bite as well as meat. Vox are a little loud as well. Good song.

 

[mjbphotos]

A bit muddy and the guitars seem to lack bite as well as meat. Vox are a little loud as well. Good song.

Hungry much? I take it you don't care for the guitars' tones, not just an EQ thing?

 

[Bubba po]

This is the best thing I've heard you post, Mike. Everything sounds pretty good in the main mix. For once the drums aren't drowned out, although I could certainly use a bit more snare. I have to agree that the vocal track needs a bit of work. I'm fine with slight pitchiness - it is what it is and it isn't too bad. It does sound seriously high-passed, though, almost but not quite in the cheap transistor radio range. I think the rhythm guitars are pretty solid and the bass is rather good sounding. I'm not a fan of the lead guitar tones. For the song they're lacking a bit of crunch/sustain for that Neil Young vibe and again they sound a bit high-passed and middly. The guts of the mix is very good, though.

 

[mjbphotos]

Did some EQ on the vocal, and changed the vocal reverb to a plate . Scooped a little more mud out of the rhythm guitars and boosted them up in volume just a touch. Did a few other minor tweaks.

Bubba - the 'hi-pass' you're hearing may just be the Telecaster sound?

 

[TheLurker]

Rhythm guitar(s) need turned up.

Vocal doesn't sound mixed in very well and is too loud... I think you mentioned trying some reverb to see what that does... I think turning it down will do wonders... some subtractive eq in the mid range will help as well.

Nice song and mix overall.

EDIT: Okay just listened to the newest version... Rhythm guitars are sounding better. Vocal sounds better overall but I think it needs compressed more... In comparison to the rest of the song it is much more dynamic and really draws my attention too much - not in a good way. BUT, overall these were all improved.

TheLurker

 

[Robus]

Mix sounds better but the fundamental problem is that your band isn't tight. Every instrument has a different timing feel. Zoom in and compare your wave forms on the 2&.

 

[Chili]

I think there is a lot of mid-freq collisions happening. To me, and I don't know why others haven't mentioned it, the rhythm guitars lack articulation. They build up on top of each other and kind of smear. Maybe they sound too similar and I can't differentiate them, idk. The snare doesn't pop out like it should. It seems like there is an awful lot going on and it is difficult to pull any one part out of the mix and listen to it.

I think the kick is where it should be, but maybe add a touch more click to it; 1.5khz range. Bring up the snare and hihats.

How many rhythm guitars do you have? Experiment with arrangement and go with just one. I'm a symmetrical guy and know I can't have a rh. guit on one side and nothing on the other, so maybe you could balance with an organ or piano track.

Less is more.

I really like the jam session you got going. It must sound really good in your studio. I totally get that.

 

[mjbphotos]

Mix sounds better but the fundamental problem is that your band isn't tight. Every instrument has a different timing feel. Zoom in and compare your wave forms on the 2&.

I listened and looked and really didn't think 'tightness' was an issue, maybe its just the multiple rhythm guitars (see Chili's comments) that are giving this 'feel' to you?

I think there is a lot of mid-freq collisions happening. To me, and I don't know why others haven't mentioned it, the rhythm guitars lack articulation. They build up on top of each other and kind of smear. Maybe they sound too similar and I can't differentiate them, idk. The snare doesn't pop out like it should. It seems like there is an awful lot going on and it is difficult to pull any one part out of the mix and listen to it.

I think the kick is where it should be, but maybe add a touch more click to it; 1.5khz range. Bring up the snare and hihats.

How many rhythm guitars do you have? Experiment with arrangement and go with just one. I'm a symmetrical guy and know I can't have a rh. guit on one side and nothing on the other, so maybe you could balance with an organ or piano track.

Less is more.

I really like the jam session you got going. It must sound really good in your studio. I totally get that.

The mid-freq stuff is what I heard, which is why I posted it here to start with There are 2 rhythm electrics and 1 acoustic, plus the tag line part. When I tried it with just 1 electric and the acoustic it sounded weak/empty, so I added the 2nd electric and tag line part. I can't "hear" a piano or organ part working for this song, maybe its a matter of balancing one electric, the acoustic and the tag part. Thanks for listening and commenting.

 

[kindafishy]

Getting a bit of dullness/muddiness in the usual places.

Doubled vocals introduce a harshness with the combined air of both tracks.

The electric lick that is repeated throughout the song is effective. It's one of those hooky bits that can draw a listener in on first listen because it is repeated often. Reminds me of some of the Blue Rodeo material that leaned a little more towards their rock side. Getting a Crazy Horse sort of vibe from that electric bit too.

The bridge felt a little on the predictable side. I anticipated the chord, the move you were going to make and the spot where it was going to be before you went there.

Strong effort. The mix overall does have a bit of a congested feel, as if the dynamics and frequencies are a little overly processed/controlled/confined, but the general tone and feel is good.

 

[mjbphotos]

Muted out the 2nd electric rhythm, changed pans, scooped a little more mud out of the left side electric, bumped the acoustic up, EQed the vocal some more, and fixed the 2nd break timing issue Robus kept noting (it was the acoustic that was the prime problem, but the bass was off just a bit too).
Newest version:

 

[4tracker]

The mix sounds pretty good, but what's the purpose of the acoustic? I feel it conflicts with any Neil Young sound. Especially now that it's bumped. What I would do is lower it back where it was before, and then I'd add a little more crunch to those electrics, especially the lead. That's if your goal is truly a Neil Young sound. The bridge, as someone noted, has been used in like a billion other songs, too. So that was predictable, and doesn't help with my disdain for bridges. lol. This is the best song I've heard of yours and the best vocal of yours. Forget the pitchy stuff. The vocal vibes. This sounds more like Neil Young's clean shaven little brother than Neil himself, so get in there and dirty it up.