what happened to my mix

[decadex]

I mixed down my latest demo and i thought i had a great mix, but when i printed it to a cd and played it in my car and my home stereo it was super drums and bass..

To mix I brought up the bass to about the same level as the drum kick (centered both) and then panned a guitar on each side.
-Did it come out this way because the levels weren't high enough on the guitars or was it the way i bounced it to my hard drive or....?
I know that there are any possible things that could have affected my mix but I could sure use anybodys help...
THX

 

[littledog]

this is a common problem. what you need to do is learn how your monitors and your room translate into the real world.

the easiest way to do this is using reference CD's. what you do is find a commercially released CD that you know has a sound you like, that has the same general sound and feel as what you are mixing.

then listen to the levels of the bass and drums compared to, say, the guitar and vocals. now compare yours. does the commercial CD sound wrong in your room? that means it is your speakers/room that is flawed, not the CD. you have to try and make your mix so that the elements have similar proportions, even if it doesn't sound "right" to your ears. what you are doing is compensating for the flaws in your monitoring set-up.

ideally you'll eventually improve your monitors and room acoustics.

 

[decadex]

Thanks man I really appreciate your help, thx man

 

[Drummer4Life05]

Yeah, good advice.
It'll help me out when I get my equipment soon.