04-01-2019, 01:55 PM
(25-12-2018, 07:44 PM)Mixinthecloud Wrote: I started with the bass and let that define the rest of the mix. Once I settled on that sound the rest came pretty easily.
Just some nags which might help or hinder
Prosumer gear suggests the bass is overly present in the <120Hz, even at low SPL. The bass guitar and kick, aren't translating to non-prosumer small speakers. I think your plan on using the bass is a good one though, especially in the first half.
I'm generally finding the mix muddy, though much of this is probably caused by the bass overhang or it's masking, in the lower mids.
Vocal needs some air, urgently. Better clarity in his diction also requires a lot of work due to the radical dynamic in the tracking. The right compression approach would also make a big difference in that respect, and this in turn might direct or guide you in the >1000Hz strategy, depending on compressor characteristics, Eq, chain signal flow, etc. You do need to appropriately eq the verb feed though.
Some other issues, less obvious: Organ suffers masking, eg at about 2:15. The wide pan of the organ's modulations should be fixed to comply with Haas rules. Some notes on the conga get masked from the mid channel. Some notes of the whistles could do with taming in the upper range, for example. The verb is no doubt helping to exaggerate the gain along with the cumulative effect of track dB's. I understand your intention with the whistler's ambiance, but some might feel it's out of context with everything else.
I'm finding the timpani's sporadic and uncorrelated musical arrangement difficult to relate to when included with the other percussive elements. In mono it's a confused picture. What to do, if anything? Maybe asking what it's emotional contribution is might help guide the decision-making process.
While I've commented on the mix, the nature of some issues might imply the listening environment's getting in the way. Also feeling a right channel bias too which could be related.
Dang me, that's blown my forum feedback time budget for the month! Did it help?
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