Rocker trying EDM - critique please

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mamm

mamm

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Hi folks, long time lurker, first time poster here. I'm Marco, from Brazil, an amateur rock player/producer, trying to get my feet wet in EDM.

Could please listen and critique my rough mix please? Pull no punches, show no mercy: I wanna learn EDM mixing. What would you change in this mix?

...and, most important of all: does it make you bob your head to the beat? :D

Thanks!

EDIT: new mix version below! Thanks for the suggestions!

 
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it's way too dry, I don't know what your listening environment is like but I'm not hearing much reverb here, unfortunately the melody just isn't doing anything for me, the worst thing though is the arpeggiated chords, it's just too much and ruins the arrangement for me, also using a major 6th in the melody is not something I would do in this particular style, it's also pretty happy sounding for EDM.
 
Thanks, Btyre.

Yes, it's absolutely devoid of reverbs (except for the chamber music segment). I tried to get the basics (balance and EQ) right first, and left the embelishments for later.

I'll drop the 6th from the string pad at the intro and try a straight C major, let's see how that goes.

About the arpeggio, I agree. Listening with fresh ears, it is really loud. That was the last thing added, late at night. You know that thing that sounds great at the end of the session, but the day after you listen again and go "what the hell was i thinking?"

About the balance and frequency distribution, any comments? Is the kick adequate?
 
I think the kick has some kind of reverb effect on it that is really sticking out, making it sound too bright in the high mids. Overall the frequency distribution is a bit too 'hot' in the high mids, and for me there aren't enough extreme highs, it lacks air from 14k upwards and also lacks some really low sub bass, still the main problem is the arpeggio, if you change that I think it will solve most of the problems, try using high pass filters on the synth tracks at 300-400Hz, you will get much cleaner bass that way, and don't be afraid with low pass filters as well, filtering out unwanted bass and treble will make it sound a lot cleaner
 
Thanks again, Ben.

I'll try cutting high-mids from the kick and "upping" the HPF of the synths (they are already there, but maybe set too low at 200-250Hz). I'll add some air overall too.

My monitoring is pretty flat from 40Hz to 20KHz (nearfields and big monitors + sub), with no room modes (my room is kinda big, irregular shaped and treated). There's some bass accumulation in one corner (the only 90º corner in the room), but my listening position is far from it. I'm thinking the lack of sub-bass in my mix may come from the references I'm trying to copy? My references of EDM are from the 80's and 90's (Pet Shop Boys, Erasure, etc - you could tell from the TB-303 sounds, right? lol), and I used more sub-bass that I can hear on some of their records. Can you kindly suggest me some modern EDM with lots of sub-bass so I can compare?

BTW, terrific guitar playing in "Lost Memories"!
 
modern EDM = shrillex, MIA or even (be warned) die antwoord lol, listen to the bass on that stuff! I'm not really a fan of it but use it for references sometimes. I think your issues are more balance in the mix, your room sounds good by the way.

and thankyou for the compliment on lost memories.
 
If you're a rocker, you should put some meat on this thing. Very thin and really there just isn't any music there that should make this thing JUMP!

Keep trying!
 
I swear to god, that melody from 0:20-0:45 is from Pokémon or Final Fantasy. One of those old 8bit games.
 
Hi folks! New version of the mix below. I also updated the first post.

I tried to inject some life on the track. Basically, I had to much 100-200Hz going on and not enough presence and air. Hopefully that's fixed now.

Ben will be pleased to know that the arpeggio is gone (except for the very end). Couldn't abandon the 6th on the first chord, though... Sorry! lol

Mr. Universe-Governor, the melody is from Heitor Villa-Lobos, a great Brazilian classical composer. But maybe they used it in some game, who knows!

Thanks again to all!

 
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