This was a tough one ...

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K-dub

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First pass at a dense mix. Thanks to Trip for his guidance and direction. I took every one of them to heart. Also, a big thanks to Wayne Glaser for bass guitar and background vocals.

Anything poke out at anyone?

Thanks in advance!

Kev-
 
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Thanks C -- Appreciated.

I, again, took the light touch with compression on this ... which is in part why the mix was difficult. It is much easier, with a lot of stuff going on, to hit the compression harder ... lock in a narrow dynamic level, and then arrange the components among themselves. It's harder to let a dense mix breath.
 
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Another great Kev song with a great chorus!
Everything sound good to me, but the drums don't do it justice. I feel the drum pattern is a bit too broken up and loose and soundwise, I'm having a hard time trying to make it ou, except for the snare, which has a real pop to it. Also, a bit more low end on the bass would make the mix sound fuller.
 
1st post in a long while, lucky you.

Where's the kick? Needs more cowbe sry, needs more kick. It's lacking punch, and making the drums sound disjointed. Fix the kick, and bass, and the whole song will sound better imo.

Bass needs more definition, try copying the bass track then add hi-pass@500 emphasis the high mids, add some kind of distortion/warmer, and then mix gently with the original, to add definition and clarity and cowbell.

You can do a similar thing to the kick, but it might just need eq and/or compression, or limiting, or just a fader boost maybe hard to say without trying it. It just sounds a bit flat and lifeless right now, and it's effecting the punch of the song.

You might have too much going on in the low end, not allowing the kick and bass to come through, try some hi-passes @ 200hz on guitars and synths. Cut @ 6kHz 3-4dB on the cowbell.
 
You're writing and recording a lot of songs lately about divorce, not that's a bad thing, but it is noticeable.

You record great tunes, Kev!
 
I agree with the kick drum presence. It needs a little more of it. I don't think it has to thump my chest but a little more presence is needed. I rather like the snare sound, a little more bottom to give it that "Snap" sound might be good, if you know what I mean, that is definitely opinion. I liked the hell out of the orchestral entrance to it. Great song K. Overall great song.
 
K-dub - for the bass I'd suggest my stand by fix up, (-5 at 100 Q3, +4 at 200 Q3 and +5 at 3k Q3), that'll shift the power around at the bottom & add some definition. Skip the hi & lo passes.
The kick I can't help you with.
I gave up throwing comp on everything about a year after I was cured of my reverb addiction. It's a quick but false fix.
Song - GOOD. Nice set of hooks and structure for a downer topic I bet it'd really move along with a more up set of lyrics. Take no heed though as I couldn't write a love or happy song - too hard to be sincere!
I didn't really notice the drums - that could be good or bad - sorry.
 
I pretty much agree with what everyone else says about the drums and bass.

I vote no on the strings though. They don't do anything for this song, and to me they sound out of place and more like an afterthought than an important part of the song.
 
joeym said:
Another great Kev song with a great chorus!
Everything sound good to me, but the drums don't do it justice. I feel the drum pattern is a bit too broken up and loose and soundwise, I'm having a hard time trying to make it ou, except for the snare, which has a real pop to it. Also, a bit more low end on the bass would make the mix sound fuller.
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Thanks Joey! Achieving the right flow was the tough thing here -- and I think you may have put your finger on part of the problem. (As evidenced by the comments that followed)
 
gitRhero said:
1st post in a long while, lucky you.

Where's the kick? Needs more cowbe sry, needs more kick. It's lacking punch, and making the drums sound disjointed. Fix the kick, and bass, and the whole song will sound better imo.

Bass needs more definition, try copying the bass track then add hi-pass@500 emphasis the high mids, add some kind of distortion/warmer, and then mix gently with the original, to add definition and clarity and cowbell.

You can do a similar thing to the kick, but it might just need eq and/or compression, or limiting, or just a fader boost maybe hard to say without trying it. It just sounds a bit flat and lifeless right now, and it's effecting the punch of the song.

You might have too much going on in the low end, not allowing the kick and bass to come through, try some hi-passes @ 200hz on guitars and synths. Cut @ 6kHz 3-4dB on the cowbell.
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lol ... well, there is a cowbell already ... but I'm not sure if I agree with the MORE part. :)

You're right about everything else -- there's a lot of cloud in the lower regions that's muddying things up. I'll tend to it on next pass. Thanks for jumping in!
 
60's guy said:
You're writing and recording a lot of songs lately about divorce, not that's a bad thing, but it is noticeable.

You record great tunes, Kev!
Click to expand...

This is from an ongoing project with a co-writer, bud. The lyrics are all his -- and he's been married for 25 years now. :)

Thanks for the kind words and concern!
 
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trumpino1 said:
I agree with the kick drum presence. It needs a little more of it. I don't think it has to thump my chest but a little more presence is needed. I rather like the snare sound, a little more bottom to give it that "Snap" sound might be good, if you know what I mean, that is definitely opinion. I liked the hell out of the orchestral entrance to it. Great song K. Overall great song.
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I like the orchestral opening too, T -- but (like Greg) I'm not sure about the strings in the song -- but for the string run during the bridges. I keep going back and forth with it. It sounds like tending to the kick is a common opinion. Thanks for it!
 
rayc said:
K-dub - for the bass I'd suggest my stand by fix up, (-5 at 100 Q3, +4 at 200 Q3 and +5 at 3k Q3), that'll shift the power around at the bottom & add some definition. Skip the hi & lo passes.
The kick I can't help you with.
I gave up throwing comp on everything about a year after I was cured of my reverb addiction. It's a quick but false fix.
Song - GOOD. Nice set of hooks and structure for a downer topic I bet it'd really move along with a more up set of lyrics. Take no heed though as I couldn't write a love or happy song - too hard to be sincere!
I didn't really notice the drums - that could be good or bad - sorry.
Click to expand...

It's funny what people notice and don't, Ray -- but I appreciate all input. As noted above, I'm not the lyricist on this project. Even the chorus was changed at the very last second by John. Formerly it was "Goodbye my sweet lady" ... but he thought that sounded too cheezy and opted for "Goodbye, time for leaving" ...

I'll fool with the settings you suggested for bass and see ...

Thanks Ray!
 
Greg_L said:
I pretty much agree with what everyone else says about the drums and bass.

I vote no on the strings though. They don't do anything for this song, and to me they sound out of place and more like an afterthought than an important part of the song.
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Me too. When so many think the same, it must be true.

Leave it to you to hit exactly on one of my central questions that I wrestled with in this ... "The strings". I don't know what I'm going to do with them now. I sort of tucked them in and under to reduce their presence -- but for the places where I noted above ... where they're essential. Still ... I'm going to have to mull it over more. Thanks dude.
 
I think this just another way of stating what others have said, but when the guitars kick in at :18 the whole thing sounds "dark" - as in not as bright as your mixes usually do.

I agree that the bass is undefined - the notes just kind of swish around.

A high harmony part beginning on the word "lost" at 1:10 and going up to 1:23 might be a nice addition.
 
TripleM said:
I think this just another way of stating what others have said, but when the guitars kick in at :18 the whole thing sounds "dark" - as in not as bright as your mixes usually do.

I agree that the bass is undefined - the notes just kind of swish around.

A high harmony part beginning on the word "lost" at 1:10 and going up to 1:23 might be a nice addition.
Click to expand...
"Dark" is an interesting comment, T. I've obviously got a bit more work to do on this, but to your other point -- you're talking about a three part harmony in that part?
 
I was only thinking about a two part. Just a high part over the top of the melody. Who knows, a three part might be better. But in my head i was hearing a two part.
 
BUNCH of changes in the new mix now up top:

- Drums ... particularly the kick ... made more aggressive.
- Bass ... sharpened the tone -- added growl -- brought more forward.
- Lead git ... added cream, removed "tin" - brought center
- Lead Vocal ... pulled back a hair into the musical bed.
- Rhythm elec gits -- set further l/r
- Acoustic git -- brought up half a db
- ... other minor changes with some of the synths (inc. setting strings back further)

The attempt was to tighten flow by getting a little more aggressive with the rhythm section.
 
I don't get the "dark" feeling I had a couple of days ago. Must have just had a bad day.

It sounds great. No nits.
 
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