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Pedaling Prince Mix: Johnny Lokke - Whisper to a Scream
#1
I am self-taught both in video/film editing and audio engineering, having been experimenting with audio and video since my teen years back in the 1980s.

My guiding principle in mixing I call the "principle of least treatment."

Having heard the crystal clean sound of CDs from the earliest days of consumer digital sound in the 80s, comparing it to the overprocessed, overcompressed mess many commercial mixes are today, I have come to believe that current mixing techniques rely too heavily on processing, particularly in the use/abuse of compression in mastering.

In general, I go as gently as possible on all processing, using only the minimum EQ, automation and compression necessary to get everything to blend smoothly, and under no circumstances do I EVER apply processing or compression of ANY kind at the mastering stage; my goal is to preserve 100% of the dynamics of the original recording.

I joined this forum in order to get all of YOUR thoughts on what I've done with these multitracks.

This is my mix of Johnny Lokke's "Whisper to a Scream." Criticism is welcome so long as its polite and constructive. Smile

This one was a scream to do (pardon the pun Tongue)! This guy's got that great 80's hard rock sound I used to love growing up! Big Grin


.m4a    04 Whisper to a Scream.m4a --  (Download: 10.49 MB)


John A. Ardelli
Pedaling Prince Pictures
http://www.youtube.com/user/PedalingPrince
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#2
Sounds great oldschool - reminds me of some 70s records I really like.
Your very selfrestrictin approach to mixin makes it sound like that I think, when we only have 100% to mix into and guitars can easily fill evrything, especially this kind of music, I dont think its cheat to use compression and something I read in a great book: maximum illusion with minimum voltage, meanin as loud as can be with as little metering as is possible.
Locuts wel choosen and narrow cuts in particular, and compression are your friend here. Also sidechainin a gentle bas bus compressor to kick drum makes space for both. I dig the guitar sound in this version, very true very honest, but it takes up enormeous amounts af VU as you boost lowend so much, leavin lesser space for drums and bass.
Great mix ! very much "thats how we recorded it thats how it sounds" but mixin has so many possibilities to make it larger than life so why not use it. Its fun Big Grin
Old ears, old gear, little boy inside love music and sounds and my wife, not necessarily in that order
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#3
(07-01-2014, 05:56 PM)Voelund Wrote: Sounds great oldschool - reminds me of some 70s records I really like.

Considering that was the sound I was going for that's high praise, particularly coming from you who totally tromped me in the way you handled the guitars on this thing. Thanks! Blush

(07-01-2014, 05:56 PM)Voelund Wrote: Your very selfrestrictin approach to mixin makes it sound like that I think, when we only have 100% to mix into and guitars can easily fill evrything, especially this kind of music, I dont think its cheat to use compression and something I read in a great book: maximum illusion with minimum voltage, meanin as loud as can be with as little metering as is possible.

Well, it's not like I NEVER use ANY kind of processing or compression; processing, when used creatively, can produce some interesting effects. For example, in my mix of Kevin Reeves' "It's About Time" (not yet on the site) I used the same gentle compression I use on most vocals but during the CHORUSES I HAMMERED the compression on the vocal to lift it up in loudness against the verses for dramatic effect; it worked very well. Smile

My problem isn't so much the use of the tools as the ABUSE of them. Compression has its legitimate uses to solve problems on individual tracks and help even out and lift vocals for intelligibility and presence, but I eschew it's use entirely in mastering at mixdown because I believe you need to achieve the sound you want in the mix itself then trust in that regardless of how "quiet" the final mixed down recording might turn out to be. After all, if the listener would rather your music be louder they always have the option of turning up their volume. And artists and producers that insist on "loud" recordings forget that the listener also has the option to TURN DOWN a recording as well; you just CAN'T control volume in the recording for that very reason, so all this "loudness war" thing is just foolishness. Rolleyes

I've done SOME mixes that were VERY creative, in some cases even adding SOUND EFFECTS (there will be some of those coming up pretty soon Wink). I do tend not to edit tracks for the most part as I'm always trying to shoot for the artist's original intent as much as possible, but if I happen to get a really good idea how to enhance something with a sound effect or subtle arrangement change I'm not averse to doing it. Wink

(07-01-2014, 05:56 PM)Voelund Wrote: I dig the guitar sound in this version, very true very honest, but it takes up enormeous amounts af VU as you boost lowend so much, leavin lesser space for drums and bass.

Yeah. In retrospect, particularly after listening to your awesome take on those guitars, I probably pushed the low frequencies a little too hard, which likely accounts for their bloated, stodgy, constrained sound. I thought it sounded pretty good, though now that I've heard your version I wish I still had the original mix project so I could try to liven then up a bit. Sad
John A. Ardelli
Pedaling Prince Pictures
http://www.youtube.com/user/PedalingPrince
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#4
Hi! On a mixing spree right, nice! Smile

okay, my first impression was: good mix, but what are the guitars doing? Smile.
Imho they are not blending in, but are now functioning as 'lead vocals'. I'd pan them more, and pull them down 4-5 dB.

Anyway, I think you nailed the rest of the instruments..


Cheers!


(07-01-2014, 02:09 AM)Pedaling Prince Wrote: I am self-taught both in video/film editing and audio engineering, having been experimenting with audio and video since my teen years back in the 1980s.

My guiding principle in mixing I call the "principle of least treatment."

Having heard the crystal clean sound of CDs from the earliest days of consumer digital sound in the 80s, comparing it to the overprocessed, overcompressed mess many commercial mixes are today, I have come to believe that current mixing techniques rely too heavily on processing, particularly in the use/abuse of compression in mastering.

In general, I go as gently as possible on all processing, using only the minimum EQ, automation and compression necessary to get everything to blend smoothly, and under no circumstances do I EVER apply processing or compression of ANY kind at the mastering stage; my goal is to preserve 100% of the dynamics of the original recording.

I joined this forum in order to get all of YOUR thoughts on what I've done with these multitracks.

This is my mix of Johnny Lokke's "Whisper to a Scream." Criticism is welcome so long as its polite and constructive. Smile

This one was a scream to do (pardon the pun Tongue)! This guy's got that great 80's hard rock sound I used to love growing up! Big Grin

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#5
(08-01-2014, 08:35 PM)ERJEE Wrote: Hi! On a mixing spree right, nice! Smile

Well, in the strictest sense it's more of a POSTING spree. The MIXING spree has already passed; I have 124 mixes already done from material on this site. Wink

(08-01-2014, 08:35 PM)ERJEE Wrote: okay, my first impression was: good mix, but what are the guitars doing? Smile.
Imho they are not blending in, but are now functioning as 'lead vocals'. I'd pan them more, and pull them down 4-5 dB.

Yes, I'm aware of the problem; I struggled with it quite a bit. Unfortunately I no longer have the original mix project on which to implement your advice. However, in listening to Vodelund's far superior treatment of the guitars, I have learned quite a few techniques to bring guitars out next time I face a problem like this.

Thanks for listening!
John A. Ardelli
Pedaling Prince Pictures
http://www.youtube.com/user/PedalingPrince
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#6
Hi!

It really sound as an old school song.
Like it but I would like that those GTR sound more aggressive and big, all mix sound a bit thin, it could be more bigger: parallel compression could help Wink

All best

Jacques
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