Tough Mix - "The Really Big Finale"

[Pinky]

Been a few months since I finished a recording. Have a couple incompletes that I just lost interest in. Then the other day I got inspired, and this evening in about 5 hours time I was able to finish it...

The Really Big Finale


It's just me doing multi-tracked drums, bass, 2 rhythm, 1 lead, and 1 dissonant rhythm guitar. The mix is a tad muddy, but only when listening with my sennheisers. It sounds fine in the monitors and AKG headphones.

Interested to hear any and all feedback. This is a lot cleaner than some of my prior recording, been able to finally find a good distortion sweet-spot where it has the balls but not the brass.

 

[Megaman]

I like it, cool tune! Do you got the cymbals in the middle and the rest of the drums panned a bit to the right? Could be the headphones I got here at work but it was just a tad annoying to here the drums mostly in the right. But I agree, think you got just the right amount of distortion going.

 

[jdavidb]

I hear an envelope releasing the rhythms, leads and bass. Due to that, the song has a waving presence where the dynamics feel reversed from what would sound more natural.

 

[Pinky]

I hear an envelope releasing the rhythms, leads and bass. Due to that, the song has a waving presence where the dynamics feel reversed from what would sound more natural.

**Don't think I understand "envelope releasing".

Megaman, I kept the default mix for the drum sound coming from my Roland electronic kit. Only the kick/bass drum was equalized to bring up the low end a tad (more thump was needed). The toms seem to be panned a bit heavy right. I might be able to fix it.

 

[jdavidb]

Envelope releasing was my guess at the most likely effect used. It could be coming from compressor or limiter, and another name of something similar is "normalizer". Anything that levels the songs volume peaks and/or boosts its volume slopes.

If you squash down too hard on the peaks, the release will sound like it packs up during sustain and decay. It can happen if you do it to forefront instrument(s) while recording, or it can end up that way if you apply that sort of effect during mixdown... both ways can make it sound like that.

Bass players (occassionally) intentionally do it with a compressor to make the volume swell after the attack for a more bulging sustain and decay.

There are lead guitar parts in this song where it is done intentionally, but it sounds like similar effect in a not-so-wet way was applied to the rhythms.

Exiters, maximizers or finalizers might also cause it. I haven't heard one do it, but I haven't used all of them, so that's just a possible guess if it's not one of the above.

 

[jdavidb]

I just listened to the song again and tried even harder to pick it out this time. The effect used on lead guitar: Of course you want the effect on for those parts where those leads are pretty much being played all alone. See how it sounds if that effect is not on for that guitar during the entire the all-out rhthym, bass, drums and lead parts.

 

[Pinky]

Okay, thanks for clarifying .

The final mix is normalized to -12db in soundforge, perhaps that's a tad aggressive (it does sound a little squished at times, but only clips a few times during the entire song).

The lead is a volume swell ("slow delay") effect on my Boss pedal board. It's intentional. I believe I understand what you're hearing. To my ears it sounds fine (hence why I chose to use the effect I did), perhaps you prefer a cleaner and more sustained tone? [assuming I understand your explanations] Or maybe it's a combination of the normalization and slow echo... I'm going to try a less aggressive normalization and see if that cleans it up.

Thanks!

 

[jdavidb]

during that 2nd time around of listening, I started thinking that it might not be an effect applied to the overall song, but maybe it's that guitar (when it backs up and goes into the background) causing everything else to be kinda colored like that. It sounds good & fine when that guitar is up in front of everything though.

 

[Pinky]

Before I start putting time into the remix, is there anything/anyone else with some feedback?

 

[Dogman]

Cymbals do sound a bit funny. Rest of drums are kinda buried. Maybe back the guitar off just a bit, and see if you can fix the cymbal sound. Like the tune. Just some small issues. Repost it when you get done.
Ed

 

[Pinky]

Okay, I retracked the hi-hat cymbals and tinkered a little with some levels and EQ on the rest. It's a loud tune and so there wasn't a lot I could do that didn't either make it too loud or take away some of the harder edge. Think it sounds pretty good now.