James May - Don't Let Go

[juanjose1967]

beautiful song and difficult mix. It's taken me more than usual because I wanted everything to be perfect.

But the road to perfection is long and winding, so let me get closer with your suggestions

[bmullen]

Sounds great here, Juan. The guitars and vocal sound really good to me.

[juanjose1967]

I'm glad! I've been learning lately a lot about reverbs and delays, and I've been applying what I've learned here. But of course, I was not sure that it was ok

[Olli H]

I think it's very good.

Instruments sound good, vocals sound natural, balances are good, spatial image is ok.

And I like the mono feeling. You must have practiced the art of mixing in mono state.

But as I don't want to let you go so easily, I feel something is still missing. And I'm not able to pinpoint it by referring to some technical mistakes.

So my tweaking comments would be:
- add 1 dB of tenderness to frequency balance,
- try to curve some space for lovin kindness
- slightly more focus to thoughtfulnes

Am I joking? No.
After one year of your mixing hobby, I feel now you're able to avoid basic mistakes. I think you can now concentrate more on intuitive and feeling issues. Does this particular color of this instrument support right way this and this aspect of vocal message?

Sorry for the abstract comments.

[juanjose1967]

Olli, you're killing me

I got the same face when my wife asks me to guess what she has in mind and I have no idea

I mix in mono all the time and only when I'm starting to add reverbs at the end is when I turn it to stereo. That's a good trick I learned in order to make your mixes clearer.

This is what I think of your suggestions:

- add 1 dB of tenderness to frequency balance: I think you're talking about the 200 hz area
- try to curve some space for lovin kindness: get some space for those flutes in the song?
- slightly more focus to thoughtfulnes: I give up! I have no idea!! I need more neurons in my brain!

Am I right?

[Voelund]

Fine mix Juan, evrythings well separated and clear.
I had a similar feelin I imagine Olli had after hearing it, this song is very emotional and it should show in the mix.

Youre one lucky fella to have such a helper and very very good comment from Olli and I agree, your technical level has improved so fast that youre clearly ready for spheric comments like this. Have fun !!!

[juanjose1967]

thank you, Niels! Yes, I agree that I pay too much attention to the technical issues and it's about time to move on. But I have one question because I want to make sure that I will do it right:

Do you add such things when mastering (my first thought of this) or on different instruments once the technical incompatibilities have been solved during the mixdown process?




... and yes! I feel lucky that I have not only a good friend in Olli, but also in you and in so many over there that take always time to analyze and tell me how to get better

[Voelund]

thank you, Niels! Yes, I agree that I pay too much attention to the technical issues and it's about time to move on. But I have one question because I want to make sure that I will do it right:

Do you add such things when mastering (my first thought of this) or on different instruments once the technical incompatibilities have been solved during the mixdown process?




... and yes! I feel lucky that I have not only a good friend in Olli, but also in you and in so many over there that take always time to analyze and tell me how to get better

Both I guess, see what I think Olli means is: does this sound to this particular instrument reflect the mood in lyrics and song as a whole ? Take a look at a reply I gave to a mix of Kevin Reeves its about time http://discussion.cambridge-mt.com/showt...p?tid=4717
Those drums, very muffled for one is (to me) an expression of the lyrics lookin back in time, where the choruses are more clear and focused on ahead and what to do.
In this song you could look at all the instruments and try boostin or cuttin and see what emotianal changes the frequency makes. Olli suggest 1dB or so and I agree, its nothin like a nutch, just adjustments.

[flyrecords]

Hermosa mezcla Juan!! Creo de que es hora que empieces a mezclar como los "buenos" , ahora que saben que mezclas bien te van a empezar a romper las pelotas con lo de "la tecnica esta bien, pero le falta el sentimiento." Son unos boludos barbaros, no les des pelota, vos segui haciendo la tuya, que esa es la que vale , aca todos te dicen como pintar un cuadro, pero el que lo pinta sos vos y es una pieza unica. De ahi a que este bien o mal ya es problema tuyo y si esta muy bien te van a salir con eso del sentimiento.
Este medio es muy envidioso, por ahi te va a pasar que vos mezclaste en tu casa con auriculares con toda humildad mucho mejor que uno que tiene un estudio de 2 millones de dolares y que es un pelotudo, y entonces te van a decir que le falta sentimiento. Que se vayan a cagar.
Lo que natura non da, pro tools non presta.

Segui asi que vas muy bien amigo.

Sergio

[juanjose1967]

Muchas gracias, Sergio! lo de los sentimientos es algo muy personal y lo que una canción puede decirle a alguien, a otra persona le puede decir algo muy diferente. Es algo subjetivo y casi intransferible. Pero en cierto modo tienen razón en que hay que empezar a pulir este aspecto que en mi caso falta. Supongo que no será en todas las mezclas pero en este tipo de canciones tan intimistas, creo que sería como un plus adicional que podría venir bien.

Pero no te preocupes porque para mi todo esto es una afición que me gusta muchísimo, pero tampoco es mi objetivo que se convierta en mi modo de vida. Así que me tomo las cosas con tranquilidad y sin alterarme. Como dicen los italianos, "piano piano si va lontano"