Selections from my musical for mix critiques! (Prog/Musical Theater/Rock/Classical)

Seafroggys

Seafroggys

Well-known member
Hey all, a couple of months back I posted my lead single from my upcoming musical based on Norse mythology for some critique. I definitely appreciated all of the advice I got. Now I have preliminary mixes on the rest of the album itself. There are 21 total songs, but rather than posting all of them, I'll do a varied selection of 6 of them, with basic descriptions of the instrumentation in each song, so people can pick and choose what they listen to.

A few notes, I am mostly going for an early/mid 70s vibe, so that includes LCR panning (vocal panning excepted), and influences instrument tones and such. Unlike that other song I posted, which is a more straight ahead rocker, these are a lot more progressive, both in style and song structure. And being a 'cast' album of sorts, that means vocals are high and dry in the mix as well - or should be.

Song 1 - Mainly instrumental, the overture section features lead and background synths, guitars, strings, and ending on a vocal with solo piano accompaniment
Song 4 - The most musical theater-y song probably, ominous string/synth intro and coda, with piano-based rock in the middle and a lot of characters
Song 8 - Piano ballad, also with a large cast of characters, with a jazzy 5/4 bridge and a bombastic post-bridge verse
Song 11 - A more straight ahead rocker with guitars and organ, but with a string interlude and some 7/8 action later on.
Song 15 - A short tune featuring a lot of acoustic guitars, with a piano intro
Song 17 - An epic song, starts with war drums and strings, before going into a Kashmir style interlude, with this chaotic atonal middle bit, a few rock sections, and even a short metal bit (with double bass!)

A quick note, rerecording is pretty much impossible, as aside from the drums, all the instruments were recorded 11+ years ago, and half the vocalists were as well (the other half of the vocalists, plus the drums, were recorded over the past two years). This project has been a long time in the making.
 
Had a quick listen to all the tracks.
You certainly have the early 70's vibe.
I'm hearing Rick Wakeman style, Camel...
A really well made collection of songs. Plenty for me to aspire to.
 
notes, I am mostly going for an early/mid 70s vibe
Definitely achieved that.

, so that includes LCR panning (vocal panning excepted),

Unusual approach - what were you trying to achieve with that?

and influences instrument tones and such. Unlike that other song I posted, which is a more straight ahead rocker, these are a lot more progressive, both in style and song structure. And being a 'cast' album of sorts, that means vocals are high and dry in the mix as well - or should be.
That style of vocals is 90s to me - dry vocals - If i was doing it I would use a convolution reverb and build a room for everyone to sing within.

A quick note, rerecording is pretty much impossible, as aside from the drums, all the instruments were recorded 11+ years ago, and half the vocalists were as well (the other half of the vocalists, plus the drums, were recorded over the past two years). This project has been a long time in the making.
Impossible? Is to momental of a task or did you have other players and can’t recapture that particular vibe?
 
Unusual approach - what were you trying to achieve with that?
I prefer wide and seperated stereo fields. LCR was a pretty common technique for awhile too.

That style of vocals is 90s to me - dry vocals - If i was doing it I would use a convolution reverb and build a room for everyone to sing within.
Have you ever listened to a Broadway cast album? Those vox are dry as fuck....even more than mine are. Some don't have any reverb, others have a tiny bit with very small tails. If you listen to the 1970 Jesus Christ Superstar concept album, which is from the era that I'm getting inspiration from, even those vocals are super dry and up front.

Impossible? Is to momental of a task or did you have other players and can’t recapture that particular vibe?
The second. Hired other players and singers, and in the case of the strings, booked a professional studio with a large tracking room as well. Half of those string players don't even play music anymore, and several of those singers have since moved out of the area, or I literally cannot get a hold of. I retracked my drum parts because I could and I didn't have to pay myself ;)
 
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