19-12-2016, 05:41 AM
After level matching both versions in Reaper and A/Bing them I have to say the original is my favorite. The new version is heaps cleaner and less squeezed overall but lacks the density of the original, the guitars have more top end fizz which get a touch annoying over time, and overall the new mix doesn't really gel together as well (the kick sounds isolated from the rest of the kit and the guitars are picking a fight with the vocals).
For a laugh I pulled out a Eq to see if I could roughly make the new mix sound a touch smoother and here's what I found: A 2 dB cut at 4.16 kHz helped to smooth out the harshness in the top end of the guitars followed another 2 dB cut at 1.9 kHz to take some of the rattiness out of the high mids of the guitars. I found a high end resonance at 2.6 kHz and killed it with a 5 dB surgical cut. Finally a 1.5 dB cut at 376 Hz to clean up the low mids , a broad 2.5 dB cut at 957 Hz, and a Resonant shelf boost at 6.2 kHz for some sparkle on the top. This, for me at least, seemed to make the mix less harsh and in turn make the lower end of the mix more prominent and gelled to the top.
Obviously doing this on a 2 track MP3 bounce isn't really ideal and doesn't really change the actual balance of the instruments themselves, so take my findings with a grain of salt
. I would say turning up the bass abit, cutting some 4 kHz and 2 kHz out of the rhythm guitars, and making the kick less present in the mix will get you closer to a more finished sounding mix, as of now it still has some growing pains that need to be addressed (the bass before the solo is a touch too distorted, try going with a cleaner sound there ). I haven't listened to this track in a while and it's cool to see a new take on one of your old mixes with the experience you've gained.
Cheers, and good luck on the album!
Doug
P.S There's a weird pitch shift on the lead vocal in the first chorus at 0:32 mark, it doesn't seem intentional as it doesn't happen in any of the other choruses during both versions of the mix and the vocal feels abit rushed on its entry there.
For a laugh I pulled out a Eq to see if I could roughly make the new mix sound a touch smoother and here's what I found: A 2 dB cut at 4.16 kHz helped to smooth out the harshness in the top end of the guitars followed another 2 dB cut at 1.9 kHz to take some of the rattiness out of the high mids of the guitars. I found a high end resonance at 2.6 kHz and killed it with a 5 dB surgical cut. Finally a 1.5 dB cut at 376 Hz to clean up the low mids , a broad 2.5 dB cut at 957 Hz, and a Resonant shelf boost at 6.2 kHz for some sparkle on the top. This, for me at least, seemed to make the mix less harsh and in turn make the lower end of the mix more prominent and gelled to the top.
Obviously doing this on a 2 track MP3 bounce isn't really ideal and doesn't really change the actual balance of the instruments themselves, so take my findings with a grain of salt
. I would say turning up the bass abit, cutting some 4 kHz and 2 kHz out of the rhythm guitars, and making the kick less present in the mix will get you closer to a more finished sounding mix, as of now it still has some growing pains that need to be addressed (the bass before the solo is a touch too distorted, try going with a cleaner sound there ). I haven't listened to this track in a while and it's cool to see a new take on one of your old mixes with the experience you've gained.Cheers, and good luck on the album!
Doug
P.S There's a weird pitch shift on the lead vocal in the first chorus at 0:32 mark, it doesn't seem intentional as it doesn't happen in any of the other choruses during both versions of the mix and the vocal feels abit rushed on its entry there.
Mixing is way more art and soul than science. We don’t really know what we’re doing. We do it because we love music! It’s the love of music first. Eddie Kramer
Gear list: Focusrite Scarlett 18i20, Mbox Mini w/Pro Tools Express, Reaper, Various plugins, AKG K240 MKii, Audio Technica ATH M50x, Yorkville YSM 6
Gear list: Focusrite Scarlett 18i20, Mbox Mini w/Pro Tools Express, Reaper, Various plugins, AKG K240 MKii, Audio Technica ATH M50x, Yorkville YSM 6