Sold Out -- Alt Rock Song-- Feedback Requested

  • Thread starter Thread starter Scottgman
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Scottgman

Scottgman

Legend in Own Mind
This is my second post to the Clinic. I posted the unmixed version of this song a couple months ago and didn't really get any feedback.

This was my first attempt at recording and mixing a whole band. I recorded this song for some friends and didn't write or perform anything. I would love to hear feedback on this mix (goor or bad).

Cheers!

http://www.nowhereradio.com/artists/album.php?aid=3498&alid=-1
 
i like the sound of the opening guitar, the vox and drums coming in afterward seemed kinda distant though.

the vox could come up in my opinion, drums too for that matter. Very minimalist arrangement, works well for the tune.

I thought as the vocalist came in the song seemed a bit unsure of itself but the song gains "confidence" as it goes along if that makes any sense.

I like the chorus kick in, nicely done.
 
I think you're not far off here, but a couple of problems as I hear it:

First, the drums are kind of all over the place. The high hat is way in my face and the snare is way back there somewhere - and the levels change around a lot. I think for this kind of minimal arrangement you want a very tight rhythm section and this feels a little sloppy. Part of that may just be the playing but I think you can do plenty to help as the mixer.

Also the snare is very thin sounding - could use a little more beef there.

The biggest problem I hear is a harshness in the upper mids. I hear it on the cymbals, the snare, the guitar and the singer, so I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess you added some kind of exciter or maximizer (or maybe just eq) to the mix as a whole, and I'd lay off that if you did.

But it sounds like you have some clear, well-recorded tracks here. I'd just work on getting things a little tighter and smoother.

Cheers,
Chris
 
I agree you should bring up the drums. They sound good. The vocs are not that clear. The mix is real midrange intensive. It lacks bottm end. The rym gtr gets twangy at 2:07 and could use some eq cut. Good song.
Myx
 
Wow thanks for the feedback!

Khompewtur: I agree with the vocals and drums seeming kind of distant. Not sure what to do there. Is it just a level issue?

groucho: I did use EQ but I didn't cut or boost anything more than 3db (no maximizer or exciter). And I'm not sure what to do about the drums being all over the place. I didn't really do anything to the levels on the drums. I hard-panned the overheads and left the snare and bass in the center. I gated the snare and put a little reverb on it. How can I get more beef on the snare (find better mic position (sm57), or less reverb or something)? I'm also not happy with the kick drum, we didn't have a real kick drum mic at the time.

Thanks again guys... this really helps. I guess it would help if I had used some studio monitors also... I mixed this with headphones (I know, I know).
 
Ah... mixing with heaphones - it all makes sense now.:)

Seriously, this is pretty damn good for mixing with cans. As far as the drums - you said you didn't do anything to the levels. Well, there's your answer: do something to them. Ride the gain, compress, whatever. But get them more in line.

And regarding the eq: there's times when a *1db* adjustment can totally fuck things up. I'll repeat my suggestion that whatever you did eq-wise you should undo it and start over - and in fact I'd avoid doing *anything* to the mix as a whole if you can help it. With as few instruments as you're working with here it should be feasible to get everything as you want it before mixdown

As far as the snare: I dunno, just mess with it.:) Try some eq boosting in the lower mids, try some different kinds of compression. But definitely beef that sucker up!

And definitely get some monitors. There's no way to mix exclusively on cans. It'll never work. (trust me, I tried back in leaner days:))

Chris
 
Scottgman,

I think the only thing really missing here is some bottom end on the bass guitar.

It's almost like it's not there at all!

Bring some body to that one instrument and I think the mix will gel much better.

All the other stuff is minor by comparison in terms of what the mix needs.

Cheers! :)
 
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