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new analog gear
#1
Bounced everything to some new analog toys and back, did a quick mix with a few plugins and some mastering. Pretty neat track!

EDIT:

Ok so my original post was super confusing, so I'm redoing it.

****analog stem mix***
printed everything through my analog chain, (~4 hours) added a few plugins on certain things (ie lead vocals)... after printing I did a quick 15 minute mix. But then I was worried it had too much lows (I am my own worst enemy sometimes) So I tweaked it some more:

****analog stem mix_butchered lows and few other tweaks etc***
After bouncing everything through analog I put on a old 70s reference and wow-- the bass was different. I matched it to my old reference best I could- using Reaper EQ on a few tracks and master channel I subtracted lows, added more mids and highs. It quickly became too thin, so I made a 3 parallel sub groups in Reaper for instruments, vocals, drums/bass and using ReaComp on each subgroup, gently blended these into the mix. It was a pretty mild change, almost not worth mentioning but probably has more impact than I think. Also I messed with delay on at least one of the tracks, and level of one of the synth tracks.

***MIX 3***
Revisiting this one, since I already did so much work. I took a different approach, more kick focused, more going to center channel. Mastering stage was very heavy handed, so maybe I'll get a chance to redo the mix haha... maybe tell myself to use the reference while mixing? oh well. At least I know what reference I want to use next.



.mp3    Just1minute_analog stem mix.mp3 --  (Download: 10.15 MB)


.mp3    Just1min_analog stem mix_butchered lows and few other tweaks etc.mp3 --  (Download: 10.15 MB)


.mp3    mix3 master.mp3 --  (Download: 10.21 MB)


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#2
Here's the details. Ok so I run each track through a Rupert 511 set to line level input (odB) and then Heritage EQ73jr. That's the new stuff. Then into Sony 2900 console (transformers look like the ones in API stuff) I use the channel's baxandall EQ, then send it through the active summing amps on the groups, sometimes even more group EQ and sometimes I use the built in VCA compressors.

I went ahead and used the 73 EQ very aggressively, boosting every band as much as possible without it being terrible. This gave things a really nice silky and pro flavor, there's no going back. After this I tried the Sony EQs which are really good at sweetening and thickening things while also broad shaping, so I did more Sony boosts hi and low shelves, like I usually do but a little more mild. I was pretty surprised the Sony EQ wins vs the 73 for analog sweetening, 73 wins for the pro glossy yet bold sound that stands up and climbs out of the speakers. I'm pretty happy I finally have that sound.

Ok.. so I went track by track, making each sound the best I could before printing, took about 4 hours. No question analog gave everything a smooth richer character. Things feel discrete and separate, and using plugins feel like anything is possible after this step. I added some stereo processing to a few things, and spent time on vocal effects. In the end I did a very quick mix on ns10s, just a gut feeling kind of thing.

I went over to my KEFs and right away I had way too much low end buildup. I put an EQ on master and massaged lows out of kick and bass. For master channel, I only used ReaEQ to subtract some more lows, bring up more mids and highs. No limiting.
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#3
(28-07-2018, 02:02 AM)mixogen Wrote: Bounced everything to some new analog toys and back, did a quick mix with a few plugins and some mastering. Pretty neat track!

Hi mixogen,

Nice toys and you can definitely hear the 3D effect they have. I think it's worth spending 4 hours to get this sound. Mix wise I understand your approach, but to my taste is lacks directness and the Nu Disco feel this song/production suggests, especially the drums. But that's just me...
The rest pops right out of the speakers and a cool sound, like you said.

Cheers,
Sander
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#4
Thanks for the comments! I agree 100% on this, I feel like the beat is lost, and the focus is really off. Kind of too smooth you know?
So this morning I went and put a Demi Lovato track as a quick reference and HOLY CRAP! theres a ton of lows in there. Got me thinking, maybe I trimmed too much of the lows out? So I loaded my original mix before I butchered everything and maybe its not so bad? Maybe mastering can fix it up? So i'm loading that here, maybe Ill try a little mastering on that and see what that does.
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#5
(28-07-2018, 08:10 PM)mixogen Wrote: Thanks for the comments! I agree 100% on this, I feel like the beat is lost, and the focus is really off. Kind of too smooth you know?
So this morning I went and put a Demi Lovato track as a quick reference and HOLY CRAP! theres a ton of lows in there. Got me thinking, maybe I trimmed too much of the lows out? So I loaded my original mix before I butchered everything and maybe its not so bad? Maybe mastering can fix it up? So i'm loading that here, maybe Ill try a little mastering on that and see what that does.

There is a big level difference between the two versions, so it is difficult to judge. I still like the analog liveliness even though it sounds "thin" compared to your first mix. The difference seems day and night, but that's part a level/loudness thing... on the other hand, the analog mix sounds kind of thinned out to my ears when I crank it up to my monitor reference level.



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#6
(28-07-2018, 08:30 PM)Frequency Painter Wrote: There is a big level difference between the two versions, so it is difficult to judge. I still like the analog liveliness even though it sounds "thin" compared to your first mix. The difference seems day and night, but that's part a level/loudness thing... on the other hand, the analog mix sounds kind of thinned out to my ears when I crank it up to my monitor reference level.

Thanks again for comments! Actually they are both starting with the same analog mix... the first version is where I felt it was too dense so I used Reaper EQ to very heavily thin out the lows. And yeah, after thinning out the lows I was having a lot of trouble making it louder? So I tried a few more tricks to thicken it up and that maybe also helped the mix out? EDIT - you nailed it a limiter was on there. I reloaded levels are much closer now.
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#7
updated with mix 3.
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