We'll Keep the Stars - is it done?

[Matcham]

This was supposed to be a simple mix for a new original song. It has taken ages, mostly in instrument tracking and arrangement although gear twiddling took some thought too. Suggestions welcome if it can be improved.



Thanks!

 

[rayc]

Lovely song Matcham,
The 1st phrase has a sense of distance to it - that comes in every now and then elsewhere. I like the effect - gives a sense of fragility that matches the lyric.
Nice organ line/swells in the background.
I note you've tamed the hiccough.
I'm not sure about the harmonica - it's good but I don't know that it suits the bed. I'll listen again & find out how I feel then.

 

[Robus]

That is a real nice song. It's done if you want it to be. If feel like working on it more, there are a couple of things I noticed. For example, there are places here and there where the bass seems to drop out. Maybe automate or boost the compression there. Little patches of sibliance here and there could be touched up. Really just quibbles. Nicely done!

 

[Matcham]

Thanks guys. Your points are noted and I'll revisit the track with those in mind. Ray interesting you picked up on the 'sense of distance'. During the mix I upgraded Logic Pro to 3.1 which has changed the way it handles stereo and dual mono channels. I didn't notice at first that my mono plugs on the voice had been changed to dual mono (god knows why) with the result that plug settings were different left and right channels. That's why the vox swirls a little. I decided to keep the effect because I also thought it suited the song.

 

[andrushkiwt]

The vocal sounded small and thin compared to everything else. Especially when that very full, rounded bass came in. I'd look at that vocal EQ, or perhaps it's just the mic. But the vocal has a strange hollow sound to it. Seems pretty heavy in the 950hz-2khz area.

 

[ashcat_lt]

The vocal sounded small and thin compared to everything else. Especially when that very full, rounded bass came in. I'd look at that vocal EQ, or perhaps it's just the mic. But the vocal has a strange hollow sound to it. Seems pretty heavy in the 950hz-2khz area.

It does help to kind of keep the vocals out of the way of everything else, but it might also be a way of not having to deal with the weirdness that comes in the low end of male voices. I think this mix has room for more of the vocalist's "chest", but kind of only if it's not just gonna fuck everything up. It's at the point, I think, of stylistic preference. I'd tend to sell it as an effect a little more, but I'd probably be wrong in this context.

 

[Matcham]

As a matter of fact I re-recorded the vocal yesterday, mainly to hear a 'straight' version as opposed to the effected version described above. At the same time instead of putting a parallel compressor over the vocal (high mids and treble) I simply EQd a tad for presence. For this song I think I'm gonna go with the straight, natural version. It sits in the mix better, especially as I haven't done anything drastic with the other instruments. Thanks for your comments which prompted the rethink. There are indeed stylistic considerations for this type of music ranging from Beck's avante gardeism to au naturel.

 

[rayc]

Cool song - I think the revision paid dividends.

 

[TripleM]

I thought this wasn't bad.

The acoustic guitar had a little boom in it. Just a bit too strong in the low end. It'd been nice if it was stereo mic'd. It's a simple enough mix that you could've done it that way.

The bass has a bit too strong of a low end too.

I liked the synth sounds.

Maybe EQ notch out the harmonica somewhere in the mid 2kHz area. But just a bit.

 

[Nola]

3M is right. The low end is really close but just a hair too much. Don't go too far the other way and take the energy out.
The vocal is odd. But if that's how you sing roll with it.

 

[SteveAlton]

Maybe the VOX could be brought up a smidge....I like the quality of the VOX

Sounds done to me