Siren 1st post

[xplanet2112]

Hello there,

This is my first post on this wonderful site and forum.

This is my mix of this lush song, it is the first none metal track I have attempted and my 4th overall mix ever (I'm a noob). This must have been expertly recorded as the files just slotted in perfectly and, although I was enjoying the music, wondered what actually needed doing, my inexperience perhaps? I basically tried a few things for the first time I have read about, such as parallel compression and edited a few things here and there. I also adapted some of the thing I learned mixing metal tracks at home but also resisted the temptation to re-amp the guitars through Amplitube Metal LOL. I tried to make it sound like I would want this wonderful song to sound like however, I may in future do a mix without the synths, as fantastic as they are! I am most proud of leaving the reverb off one track of the whispered vocals, so that it is though she is whispering in your ear! I also tried to do a spot of mastering too and I think I have learned a lot doing mixing this. Thanks for the chance to do this, I enjoyed it.

[Mike Senior]

Glad you're enjoying the learning process -- I still am, certainly! On to some comments...

You've got a rather abrasive build-up around 4kHz, and another around 9-10kHz, which combine to make this rather a tiring listen. I wonder whether your monitoring might be the cause of this overall tonal bias, so maybe check that out by referencing this mix against some others -- or indeed the preview mix provided with this multitrack, which is smoother in this respect at least.

I like the edge you've managed to your kick drum, which really helps drive the mix along, and the bass also has really good small-speaker cut-through, although maybe I'd give it a bit more real low-octave welly too, even if that means adding a subsynth in there surreptitiously after the fact.

In terms of balance, I like a lot of your basic decisions, although the chorus vocals really suffer in the mono presentation, so whatever widening scheme you're using on them needs to be re-examined in my view.

[SquareCell]

I love the driving bass...

however as Mike said I would carefully chisel out some 4-5kHz abrasiveness overall ... and to my ears the pads need to fill in a little more behind the drums, as for my taste the drums a tad too forward sounding.

But I love the overall feel to your mix... as we say in Malta - Prosit!

Best regards,

Clinton

[xplanet2112]

Thank you to Mike and to Clinton for taking the time to listen, I really appreciate it.

Thank you Mike for the contructive and possitive feedback, I was very suprised! I have bought the T-Racks Deluxe (on a budget and on a PPC Mac so I am limited to what I can buy and use) so I am going to put this across the mix and get rid of some of the those frequencies. I'm glad you noticed the presence of the the kick, I tend to take longer trying to get the kick and snare sounding right than the rest of the mix! I think, coming from metal, that bottom end is the main thing and maybe why the drums are so "in ya face".

Interesting opinions on the drums Clinton, I wanted a Daft Punk pumping type feel which is why the drums are rarther dry and forward in the mix, and well, as I just mention, I like loud drums... probably because I am an 80's kid!. I have since found out about side chain compression so I might give this ago to achieve that daft punk feel.

Also just have to say that this is one of my favourite songs of the year!!