09-01-2016, 02:19 AM
(25-10-2015, 02:58 PM)The_Metallurgist Wrote: Till, do you suffer from hearing impairment? i'm being serious. i have no idea how anyone can listen to this mix without suffering major fatigue; the amount of compression applied here is absolutely ridiculous. most musicians have impaired hearing, indeed, many kids these days are also showing significant signs of damage due to changes in listening habits; ear buds and prolonged exposures above safe thresholds are partly to blame - it's becoming a global governmental concern. these might be your target audience, perhaps; without their DAC's and speakers distorting to hell they can't embrace the music because they probably can't hear it unless it's doing so.
if your mix was loudness-matched against a dynamic mix that complied with iTunes dynamic specifications (i.e. their playback leveller which penalises loud songs) and global loudness legislation for example, it would, and does........suck. it's totally lifeless and lacks any energy whatsoever. clearly you are yet to be convinced the loudness war is over because you are waving a middle finger to dynamics with much gusto? however they do say that "Loud is perceived better", only it's been proven that it isn't. but it does impress the noobs and i can't help wondering if you are exploiting that [intentionally, or otherwise]?
anyway, i recommend you get your hearing checked. because if it is failing from poor attention to health and safety, you need to act fast to stop it declining any further. hearing aids aren't cool, eh?
on another matter, Mike states in the MDL's page introduction, that:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"All these files are presented......without any effects or processing."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
that's clearly NOT the case with your multi-track. it's been tampered with subsequent to the recordings...you've EQ'd, compressed and automated. the vocal has also been pitch corrected.
if i'm going to mix something, i want to apply my own parameters without having them, and their artifacts(!) forced upon me, and i'd suggest that people here in the forum, would also benefit from not having to negotiate material that's been tampered with. for example, automation is going to mess up someone's Insert chain, and thereafter through to the stereo buss, pretty substantially. if they don't yet understand what they are being confronted with in the supplied materials, they will never stand a hope in learning anything. they believe they are mixing "The Recordings", without processing - Mike has told them so.
if the kid can't pitch and you don't want the world to know, i could understand processing it before releasing it in the Public Domain (but poor pitching skills will show up at gigs anyway). personally, i think it would provide excellent opportunity in the forum for people to have a go at doing "transparent" pitch correction, for example. and if low cuts and high cuts or shelving filters need to be applied, that they learn by having a go at doing this themselves. the same goes for compression...and automation.
i don't wish to sound confrontational, but i have concerns. your fundamental concern appears to be marketing and promotion for the band (hence the loudness - to impress perhaps)? my concern is for my on-going personal development and helping the development of others as best i can, in a sharing community. i believe that what you are doing is hindering the development process, not only in this mix, but in your multi-track. when i read comments like "nice mix", or "this is a very good, solid, pleasant, and effective mix", then i think my concerns are well founded. noobs are going to read those comments and think that what they are hearing IS good and will no doubt try and replicate it. that's not a healthy learning environment, in any language.
i challenge you to put this song out WITH dynamics intact. aim for -14LUFS, a True Peak of -1 and an approximate +5 LRA (simply turning it down is not enough, though for those who do turn this mix down to loudness match it against =14 LUFS, say, they will immediately discover where my claims of dullness came from). i bet my pension that you can't rise to the challenge. indeed, i challenge EVERYONE to have a go at this. in attempting to, you should soon discover the issues present in the multi which nobody has discussed yet.
anyway, please at least think about the issues i raise, that's all i ask. without thought, there cannot be a potential for progress......
Cheers,,
Dave
The producer has the creative right to make arrangements and pre-mix adjustments to a song before the final mixing stage. The state of the multi-tracks are a result of an active producer being involved and in my opinion with my time with it, didn't have any issues about the quality of the material.
M1 Pro MBP: is my Hattori Hanzo.
