FORKUPINES (FINAL MIX2 & extra tracks)

[FytaKyte]

Hey Shul, this mix sounds very good to me...wow, this is an epic, isn't it? Quite a long song by today's standards!.. More like suite... almost..

I'm currently using a different pair of headphones

Well they seem to be working quite well, because overall, I think you've done a great job here. The mix translates really well on my system.

The frequency spectrum seems quite balanced and full from low to high. The internal balances in the mix work really well. Personally, I can't really pick up any big build-ups or striking deficiencies in specific frequency areas.

The one thing that stood out to me as perhaps needing attention is the kick drum. I haven't checked the mix on a smaller system, but I suspect it may get lost on smaller speakers, particularly in the denser parts of the song. The sound you have works well in that sparse middle section of the song where the drums are more exposed, but in the denser sections, I can't really hear any "point" or attack on the kick.

In fact, I would venture to say that in the denser sections, the kick might benefit from a completely different treatment, as it has a fairly prominent 100-150hz (somewhere around there) element that tends to make it sound "bulky", and builds up with the bass in a bit of an unattractive way.

But mainly, just a little more high end "slap" from the kick in the heavier sections would be my suggestion.

Personal taste: I found the vocals might benefit from a little more obvious ambient treatment. At times, they sound just a tad too up front and separate from the music for this style of song.

Last but not least.. i'm 30 years old.. i'm noticing my right ear is loosing low end reference on the music.

Ok, here's the thing: Raw physical hearing prowess has very little to do with the art of mixing. If it did, all the best mix engineers would be under 20 years of age, when one's hearing is at it's peak sensitivity.

That is clearly not the case. Many, if not most of the current top mixing and mastering engineers have at least 20, 30, sometimes even 40 years on you, Shul!

As the son of an Audiologist, I became aware many years ago that age-related hearing loss is an inevitable fact of life that no one can avoid, no matter how much they protect their hearing.

Now, I'm definitely not suggesting being cavalier with the precious gift of hearing... My point is (and again this was made clear to me by my Dad's work experience) that your brain trumps your raw hearing ability every time. The brain has an amazing ability to adjust and compensate for age-related hearing loss, and that is why the famous dudes who are in their 50s-70s are still able to crank out amazingly musical mixes.

Of course, there is a point where profound deafness creeps in, but I'm betting that is a long way off for you.

Be sensible with protecting your hearing now to stave off any further damage. However, I'd venture to say that allowing doubts raised about your physical hearing ability and/or your monitoring to cause you to succumb to a crisis of confidence is far more damaging to your mixing ability than any slight hearing loss.

Keep working on your craft, learn your monitoring, and upgrade only when you can afford it and when it is the only option left to improve your mixes.

Nice work!

[Dangerous]

Thanks Dave. I did scooped several guitar tracks I felt those mids were too aggressive for the overall mix so what you perceived being scooped is mostly the guitars. In others I high pass the crap out of them and just left them for texture.

I agree on the 4k issue.. I didn't do anything in this area with guitars and also those vocals are a lil bit harsh sounding. I'm gonna fix that and the essing too... it's too prominent and it's giving problems.

I think your eq decision would be good but only if subtle. The top end of my mix has a lot of cymbals harshness I couldn't control well so boosting the top end that much sound a lil bit funny imo. As for the 200hz area I believe the bass lost some body there.

Having said that thanks for taking your time and actually analyzing my mix. I've done a lot of that on several people's mixes and I always learn a thing or two.

Hey Mate,

This was only intended to be a guidance as apposed to a fix. Anyone who thinks that they can apply this sort of eq globally to a mix is kidding themselves. Listening with my monitors today I can hear that I have well and truly over shot the mark and really this sort of demonstration with this amount of processing was never going to work. My bad!

That been said I stand by my initial thoughts tonally and my old AE22s confirm it. I'm hearing some build up resonances around the 100hz mark and alot of harshness around the 4k area. Just thought, especially while you were mixing on cans you would like to know this. You are great at what you do Shul, and you certainly don't need any advise on mixing and this mix stands for itself. Comments here confirm this.

If there is any offence with the earlier post I'm happy for you to remove it. It seems to be so easy to upset people these these days!

Anyways, You help a lot of people on this site Shul, so I'm just trying to repay the favor. A fan of your work.

[Shul]

If there is any offence with the earlier post I'm happy for you to remove it. It seems to be so easy to upset people these these days!

Of course not my friend any comment is well received by me ...no offence taken at all. I posted a revised version above I took care of some of that 4k issues on guitars.. did less harsh eq on vocals and replace the kick to see if that cleaned up the low end problem you were refering to.

I hope version 02 is better than the first.. if now I'm always happy to hear what's missing and what's needed. That's the point of this site to share thoughts and observations.

[Shul]

Keep working on your craft, learn your monitoring, and upgrade only when you can afford it and when it is the only option left to improve your mixes.

Nice work!

Hey thanks I appreciate the comment!. Especially since I no longer feel bad about my ears Lol. You are right most of the best mixers in the world are pretty old and getting older by the day.. and they are still killing it out there. Thanks for lifting my spirit! I needed that Posted a revised version.. hope it's better and not worse.

[Shul]

final above.

[FytaKyte]

Hey Shul, I had a listen to the 3rd mix. The kick is working well now. What I've noticed is now is that the high mids are a bit harsh in this mix - particularly the lead vocal, and when the harmonies stack those high mids on top of the vocal.

...But there is also noticeable harshness with the guitars. I think perhaps the issue with the high mids might be magnified by the fact that, in taking some of the "bulkiness" out of the kick drum, the bass tone is exposed as being a little on the thin side, which in turn unbalances the low to high-mid relationship. The result is that the mix overall lacks warmth to me now.

It also feels a little flat in the sense of depth perspective. A bit more work with ambience would help to give the mix some "front-to-back-ness". Sometimes mixing on cans can tend to exaggerate the ambient detail in the mix, and that may result in a hesitancy to turn up effects for fear of making the mix "too wet".

In any case, it's all a learning curve, especially with new and unfamiliar equipment - onward and upward!

[Quathamer]

Hello mate,

Listening to this mix it is immediately apparent that you put a lot of work into it, and I think, while it could be objectively critiqued, it is a very punk rock vibe. Its controlled, precise and intentional, which is the goal.

It's also say its nice to hear that you've created holes in your mix for certain elements, like the separation of the vocal and guitars for instance, they aren't fighting each other at all, and I can even hear the subtle effects in the vocal because of the separation.

[Shul]

Hey Shul, I had a listen to the 3rd mix. The kick is working well now. What I've noticed is now is that the high mids are a bit harsh in this mix - particularly the lead vocal, and when the harmonies stack those high mids on top of the vocal.

...But there is also noticeable harshness with the guitars. I think perhaps the issue with the high mids might be magnified by the fact that, in taking some of the "bulkiness" out of the kick drum, the bass tone is exposed as being a little on the thin side, which in turn unbalances the low to high-mid relationship. The result is that the mix overall lacks warmth to me now.

It also feels a little flat in the sense of depth perspective. A bit more work with ambience would help to give the mix some "front-to-back-ness". Sometimes mixing on cans can tend to exaggerate the ambient detail in the mix, and that may result in a hesitancy to turn up effects for fear of making the mix "too wet".

In any case, it's all a learning curve, especially with new and unfamiliar equipment - onward and upward!

Noted. I used some apple headphones (known for the very bright freq. Response) and the guitars sound horrible! I guess that happens when you focus too much on other things and you lose the overall perspective of the mix.

I also smashed the limiter at the end and that tends to brighten up some areas in the mix. I will have to recheck those problems. Good thing is it's a great song to listen to.

[Shul]

Hello mate,

It's also say its nice to hear that you've created holes in your mix for certain elements, like the separation of the vocal and guitars for instance, they aren't fighting each other at all, and I can even hear the subtle effects in the vocal because of the separation.

Actually yes i did do that. I notched several frequencies on some guitar tracks as well as some freq. On the vocals but it is also true my mix has a serious harsh boost on the high mids that i need to rectify. Will get to it when i get a chamce but thanks for the feedback. Glad to hear it's an improvement to the first mix to a degree.

[kapu]

hi! sounds good. clean and detailed, has a nice 90s vibe to it. would agree on the 4k thingy, seems to be coming from vocals during longer notes. the second part/song sound very good. listened the final version. great mixing! ^_^