27-05-2015, 10:30 PM
This is nice, man. Really nicely separated and I really like the forward vocal.
Overall I'd have liked a warmer tone, but that's very subjective. The saturation is nice
but Dave's correct in noting there's a bit of distortion present on the raw track... I think pinpointing the moments he's talking about and easing up on the saturator just in those places would help with that niggle.
The airiness in the vocal is indeed very nice, but the sax could maybe do with a little less air. It's not troubling me from a balance perspective or really at all, but it would be a nice contrast.
Dynamics overall are splendid. Absolutely wonderful work on the saxophone... very dynamic/emotional. I can't tell if you processed the sax or processed the instruments surrounding, but whatever you did, it's captivating and you're really staying out of the performer's way. I agree with Mike on the pointy overhead transients and used the approach he mentioned personally. It doesn't catch my attention so much on speakers, but in the cans its a little spikey. Nothing bad, but somewhat distracting for me.
My personal opinion RE: piano and sax panning: it makes sense to me to pan them as you have IMO because it matches their relative position in the overheads and tom mics. You could stereo swap the mix if you're concerned about audience perspective/drummers perspective. I personally wouldn't worry about it... having been in a band for a few years with a left handed drummer who set his kit up in reverse, it really doesn't seem like a problem to me. Lots of engineers regard the stereo positioning on the overheads as a matter of personal taste because most listeners really don't have a clear expectation in this regard, and many of them don't use the same orientation across their work. Food for thought on the matter if anyone is interested... read up on Carter Beauford's (of Dave Matthew's Band) unorthodox drum setup and playing style... then note that across their voluminous body of work, the stereo orientation of drums isn't consistently the same or even similar. Didn't stop them from selling a smackload of records though
Anyway, I mentioned a few things, but this really is a good mix I'd listen to without complaint. The emotional delivery on the sax in particular, and the way you've worked it into the mix... great stuff, dude.
Overall I'd have liked a warmer tone, but that's very subjective. The saturation is nice
but Dave's correct in noting there's a bit of distortion present on the raw track... I think pinpointing the moments he's talking about and easing up on the saturator just in those places would help with that niggle.The airiness in the vocal is indeed very nice, but the sax could maybe do with a little less air. It's not troubling me from a balance perspective or really at all, but it would be a nice contrast.
Dynamics overall are splendid. Absolutely wonderful work on the saxophone... very dynamic/emotional. I can't tell if you processed the sax or processed the instruments surrounding, but whatever you did, it's captivating and you're really staying out of the performer's way. I agree with Mike on the pointy overhead transients and used the approach he mentioned personally. It doesn't catch my attention so much on speakers, but in the cans its a little spikey. Nothing bad, but somewhat distracting for me.
My personal opinion RE: piano and sax panning: it makes sense to me to pan them as you have IMO because it matches their relative position in the overheads and tom mics. You could stereo swap the mix if you're concerned about audience perspective/drummers perspective. I personally wouldn't worry about it... having been in a band for a few years with a left handed drummer who set his kit up in reverse, it really doesn't seem like a problem to me. Lots of engineers regard the stereo positioning on the overheads as a matter of personal taste because most listeners really don't have a clear expectation in this regard, and many of them don't use the same orientation across their work. Food for thought on the matter if anyone is interested... read up on Carter Beauford's (of Dave Matthew's Band) unorthodox drum setup and playing style... then note that across their voluminous body of work, the stereo orientation of drums isn't consistently the same or even similar. Didn't stop them from selling a smackload of records though
Anyway, I mentioned a few things, but this really is a good mix I'd listen to without complaint. The emotional delivery on the sax in particular, and the way you've worked it into the mix... great stuff, dude.
I'm grateful for comments and suggestions. Thank you for listening!