Please Check this mix out, recorded with some good pres...

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imacgreg

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hey,
This is a song by a band that I am currently recording a five song demo for. They haven't finished vocals yet, so I mixed one song just for fun. I finally got to use some real preamps (millennia media HV-3's) instead of my crap Alesis's and it made a big difference over previous stuff I recorded. Anyway, if you guys could give the tune a listen and let me know about the balance of instruments, the overall freq balance (highs-mids-lows) as well as anything else that should be pointed out I would really appreciate it. Also, I'm having trouble figuring out when to use reverb and when to leave a track alone, any ideas/thoughts in this area would be great. The song is called "Little Red Bear" and can be found here:

http://www.nowhereradio.com/artists/2/1405/singles.shtml

Thanks,
Ian

Also, any suggestions for a name for my studio?? I need something cool...
 
wow, this rocks

This sounds great for a rough mix. Can you go into detail about how everything was recorded. Everything seems to have it's own place. The drums sound great too! What mics did you use, how did you place them, what eq/comp did you add? Please share!!!

gabe
 
gabe,
Glad you liked it! The drums and bass were recorded live together and the guitars were overdubbed afterwards. The drums were miced as follows:
Kick- D112
Snare- SM57
OH's- Pair of Marshall 603's
Toms- Sennheiser 421 and clip on mic
Room Mic (not used, I think)- Modified Marshall 2001P

Bass guitar was miced with an Audio Technica ATM25. Left guitar was miced w/ the modded Marshall 2001 and right guitar was miced with a SM57. All the mics were running through Millennia Media HV-3 mic pres that I am borrowing and I must say that they made the biggest difference in my sound of any piece of gear so far. Limiting on bass, kick, snare. Any other comments or questions??

Thanks for checking it out,
Ian
 
I know that someone like sonusman could really go to town on this one(he knows drums)

but it sounds good to me. I like the clarity of the drums.
I think the guitars sound a bit thin. but overall nice. Nice playing too.
 
I would feel honored if sonusman would check this stuff out and give me some feedback on the drums. These guys are pretty good, also they are just sophmores in high school! About the guitars, I was concerned that they wouldn't be big enough, but I had to cut a lot of low end so the mix wouldn't be boomy and, like sonusman said, have too much low-mids. Could anyone who listens let me know what monitors they are using?

Thanks, this feedback is great,
ian
 
sounds very good, few things about the track though.....just a few ideas for when you make your final mix with vocals


i think there is some phasing problems on the overheads for starters. could be mp3 encoding though.

now....the thing that really really really really annoyed me was that it sped up so dramatically. it's either a bad drummer, or bad writing, it doesn't suit the song (not that we're talking about that).

umm, toms could go down a tad lower on parts, they seemed to come out a little too much and the panning became a little distracting then.

kick drum is not coming through as much as it should on this kind of music. i filtered out some freq's to listen to the low end...it's very rumbley, should be a little more defined. a small boost at about 120hz should add a little more energy to the bass drum.

cymbals...little boost to bring out a little more sparkle. out of interest, what monitors did you mix this on?

i like the arrangements of the guitars, the whole harmony thing, sounds very sum 41,

if i was producing this, id kick out the tapping solo, but the bit after it is very nice.

bass guitar needs to be up, and a little eq adjusting will give it it's own space.

if this is a rough mix, then it's understandable. there just seems to be a lack in definition in the bass end.

i thought the vibe you've captured was great, nice overall sound. in the final mix, you may want to think about a few things i said, im sure the vocals will sound good ontop of this. post it up when you're done!

-Romesh
 
Romesh,
Thanks for the suggestions they are all excellent. I do think the phasing heard on the cymbols is the mp3. The speed issue would probably come down to the drummer (no click track). I also noticed the toms were a little much. I am having a lot of problems with my low end, trying to get it defined and punchy. The monitors I am using are JBL Control 5's, I don't even think they are proper studio monitors, but it is all I've got at the moment. I have put tissue over the tweeters cause all my mixes off of these speakers has sounded a little dull, maybe another layer??:D

Any other ideas on defining the low end? I try to mix light on the lows cause i don't think my speakers have great low end and i don't want to overcompensate.

Thanks,
Ian
 
apart from the ickle things i pointed out, to me it does sound very very good.

allthough if they aren't paying, i would re track this, just to sort out the start speed thing.

any record company is gonna listen to that and think that band cant keep in time.


great job.

regarding low end, just experiment and play the mix on as many systems as youcan. you'll know when it's right. you're the producer, you do what you want man!

as for advice on tightening up the low end, if the bass drum has too much bass in it, roll of some of it, and bring the bass drum up. that should stop the drivers in the monitors working too hard and it should sound more defined. it's important in this style of music to hear that bass drum nice and clear.
 
The band is actually paying me to record it, and they are thinking about re-recording everything (although not because of the timing issue, unfortunately). I have another question, this is my first, real paying gig and I was wondering what would be a decent hourly fee to charge for the work I am doing? I've already figured out a number and that is what the band is paying me, but i am just curious to see what you guys would think. I know it isn't pro, but for this band it's either shell out some serious money for a studio that doesn't understand their style, or do it themselves on a 4-track.

ian
 
to be honest with you,

stick with whatever you're charging them.

it's worth it. right now, money shouldn't be the priority. it's the experience. working with as many bands as you can is what you should be doing, the money should be a bonus. they're helping you in a big way by giving you experience. however, if the only reason you setup your studio is to make money, then it's up to you.

when i frst started out, i did bands for free for a while, then charged a small rate, now, im charging quite high, but the quality is good. even now, when i get new gear, i will give a band a free recording session so i learn how to use it.i.e. new HD recorders or whatever.
 
Yeah,
I totally agree with you. I have done the free demo thing as well. Actually this band was the first band I did the free demo for and they are back and paying, I guess that is a good sign. I am not in it for the money by any means, although money does help me get new, cool gear. (I'm such a gear slut...) Thanks longwave,

ian
 
Very nice....

I really like this song. Please post it when vocals are completed. I particularly like the intro riff. Everything was pretty clear. Nice early mix effort.

Problems: Longwave pretty much nailed all of them, actually.

My biggest problem was the low end. At first listen I didn't think there was a bass guitar playing. I started to hear it at about 1:18, then it kinda disappears again. I don't know why. Maybe run direct and mic'd signal together.

The toms were sort of annoying. The panning and volume (as mentioned). Maybe, trying not panning them so far over. Cymbals seemed a little too brite, as well (probably just to me).

Guitars could be louder, but I like loud guitars.
 
yeah,
I really like loud guitars too, but I'm having problems getting loud, hevy guitars and covering up the drums/bass. Any ideas?? Also, what dou you guys think about the 'verb on different instruments??

ian
 
d'yknow what...

with a band like this,

i would double track a LOT of guitars for the chorus. this really will give it a kick. make a little room for the bass int he guitars, but not too much because it will start to fight for room. man, i htink you could do a lot if you double tracked a load of guitars, maybe with different amps (i.e. 2 stereos with a marshall, 2 stereos with a mesa, , etc...)


-Romesh
 
it's funny you said that cause when we recorded they were playing Mesa Boogies and I took a direct tone from their gtr as well with the intention to send it through my JCM 800.
 
a JCM 800 would sound great, providing you micd it up. a nice middly tone would sound good on this. BUT, dont just re-amp using the same guitar track. you will need to get the guitarist in and actaully record more guitar parts. this will definitely beef up the chorus. pan it all over the place (allthough make it symetrical). check it sounds good in mono too.
 
i had an inckling it was a mesa on the track. i thought pod first, but then thought different.
 
make sure you charge BY THE HOUR.

a flat fee will keep them in the studio for hours and hours with no end in sight. An hourly fee, even if its $10/hour will make you money. All you have to do is mix it right(it takes time) and make a lot of good production suggestions. Hours tend to pile up.
 
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