Thanks for popping by, Mike. Very much appreciated.
I deliberately held back on re-visiting this mix until more feedback appeared - and re-tuning my listening environment (using ARC 2). I did this primarily due to the excellence of the Telefunken sessions tracks. It made me realise I had a bit of a problem in the room since moving things around. After re-tuning, I hear the difference in this mix and completely get what you're saying about the guitars and cymbals being "distant".
I was very conscious all the time about mono compatibility and it almost became an obsession in this mix.... Perhaps more of a CLA approach next time around ? LOL. Yes... you're right about the choruses. I need to fix that. Cursed with being a bass player too.... that needs to be kept in check. I'm glad Art noticed it so quickly.
Being very old-school, FOH engineering has made me very disciplined at preserving dynamics as much as possible and I tend to get very fatigued listening to (studio) material that's been compressed to hell.... it just makes me want to hit the stop button. Conversely, turning up the level of something less "loud" (and more dynamic) is easier on my ears and makes for a more enjoyable listening experience - over a FAR longer duration. Of course, when the tracks aren't recorded brilliantly, that really screws with the dynamics - but we're a fussy lot (we mix engineers) and always try to do the best with what we're given. But it's great when we can get the talent to do a re-track for us particularly for a lead vocal track which has so much limiting applied during recording that the end result is heavily "flat-topped" and dynamically unuseable. I really wish Kevin Reeves wouldn't do that. He has a great voice. :o)
Thanks ever so much for stopping by, Mike. I'll re-visit this one with fresher ears shortly :o)
Great book, btw. I've recommended it to so many people.
I deliberately held back on re-visiting this mix until more feedback appeared - and re-tuning my listening environment (using ARC 2). I did this primarily due to the excellence of the Telefunken sessions tracks. It made me realise I had a bit of a problem in the room since moving things around. After re-tuning, I hear the difference in this mix and completely get what you're saying about the guitars and cymbals being "distant".
I was very conscious all the time about mono compatibility and it almost became an obsession in this mix.... Perhaps more of a CLA approach next time around ? LOL. Yes... you're right about the choruses. I need to fix that. Cursed with being a bass player too.... that needs to be kept in check. I'm glad Art noticed it so quickly.
Being very old-school, FOH engineering has made me very disciplined at preserving dynamics as much as possible and I tend to get very fatigued listening to (studio) material that's been compressed to hell.... it just makes me want to hit the stop button. Conversely, turning up the level of something less "loud" (and more dynamic) is easier on my ears and makes for a more enjoyable listening experience - over a FAR longer duration. Of course, when the tracks aren't recorded brilliantly, that really screws with the dynamics - but we're a fussy lot (we mix engineers) and always try to do the best with what we're given. But it's great when we can get the talent to do a re-track for us particularly for a lead vocal track which has so much limiting applied during recording that the end result is heavily "flat-topped" and dynamically unuseable. I really wish Kevin Reeves wouldn't do that. He has a great voice. :o)
Thanks ever so much for stopping by, Mike. I'll re-visit this one with fresher ears shortly :o)
Great book, btw. I've recommended it to so many people.