05-10-2023, 03:07 PM (This post was last modified: 28-10-2023, 05:24 PM by mikej.)
Hi,
Well, this whole track is great. Really love the backing vocals and the horns. Gave it a shot. Hope I didn't butcher it too badly.
Cheers!
Update mix 1.0:
Did a little rebalancing - lowered the volume a touch of everything but the drums to let a bit more drums through. Gave a bit more punch to the snare and kick. Added a very small amount of midrange eq here and there, and also a bit of 800Hz to the bass. Hopefully all that has added a bit more drum punch, and made the mix a bit less 'muddy'.
Update: mix 1.1:
Punched up the drums, bass and vocals a bit, added some top end and a touch of tape saturation on the mix bus. Hopefully that's all a step in the right direction and has made the mix a bit more cohesive and the tone a bit better.
Update: Mix 2.0:
Wasn't that happy with the previous mixes, so thought I'd start over and have another shot at it.
Update: Mix 2.1:
Hopefully a bit less flat.
Update: Mix 3.1:
Still wasn't happy, so took a fresh swing at it.
Update: Mix 4.0:
Roy was right?
Just uploaded a mix/master? Waiting for comments? Why not give back and critique a mix/master, or two!
Hi Mike, I like your mix - the balances are good, and they reflect the intent of the production. I'm only listening on my headphones and my cruddy work speakers, but I feel like the drums could punch through a little more. The low mids get a little cloudy/muddy on small speakers in the chorus - probably the bass is the culprit. I'd like to take another listen on my studio speakers, but overall this is sounding good in general.
Just listening on my studio speakers again, Mike. Yes, this is very nice and really well done. I like how stayed faithful to the arrangement and kept the intro intact - that's very important to me, as a lot of thought and effort went into crafting those parts.
I think what I was hearing on my small speakers holds true on my studio monitors. It's just a little cloudy/ever so slightly muddy in the low mids and lacks a little definition and punch in the drums.
I found a good modern reference for this track for overall vibe and sonic signature was the Red Hot Chilli Peppers' "Unlimited Love" album. That has a nice balance between punch and warmth, with really nice clarity and separation.
Many thanks for giving it a few listens and for the feedback, much appreciated.
I've had a go at making a few small changes which I hope might have cleared up the muddiness a bit and added a touch more punch to the drums.
I remember that Chilli Peppers album! Please don't tell anyone, but I'm not really a fan of the music or the mixes for some reason. I recall I was quite looking forward to that release, but I didn't connect with it at all. I tried to give it another go today, but I still feel the same about it to be honest. Hopefully I understood what you meant regarding tone though!
Cheers!
Just uploaded a mix/master? Waiting for comments? Why not give back and critique a mix/master, or two!
Many thanks for giving it a few listens and for the feedback, much appreciated.
I've had a go at making a few small changes which I hope might have cleared up the muddiness a bit and added a touch more punch to the drums.
I remember that Chilli Peppers album! Please don't tell anyone, but I'm not really a fan of the music or the mixes for some reason. I recall I was quite looking forward to that release, but I didn't connect with it at all. I tried to give it another go today, but I still feel the same about it to be honest. Hopefully I understood what you meant regarding tone though!
Cheers!
Actually, if the truth be told, I've never be a fan of RHCP's music.
However the overall sound of that album seems to really fit this particular song like a glove as far as a professional reference for the general sound I had in my head when I recorded and produced the track. In terms of low end tightness, high end clarity, separation, short term dynamics and soundstage, it seemed to be an ideal match to the type of song it is.
Personally, I don't have to even like a song or a mix to use it as a reference. In fact I find it better to use something that I'm not particularly emotionally attached to, because I can be more dispassionate with my comparisons.
I think the new mix is a nice improvement - the drums sound much improved. I think the high end of the mix could use a touch more clarity, but overall it's sounding really good - nice work!
08-10-2023, 04:36 PM (This post was last modified: 08-10-2023, 04:39 PM by mikej.)
(08-10-2023, 12:41 AM)FytaKyte Wrote: Actually, if the truth be told, I've never be a fan of RHCP's music.
However the overall sound of that album seems to really fit this particular song like a glove as far as a professional reference for the general sound I had in my head when I recorded and produced the track. In terms of low end tightness, high end clarity, separation, short term dynamics and soundstage, it seemed to be an ideal match to the type of song it is.
Personally, I don't have to even like a song or a mix to use it as a reference. In fact I find it better to use something that I'm not particularly emotionally attached to, because I can be more dispassionate with my comparisons.
I think the new mix is a nice improvement - the drums sound much improved. I think the high end of the mix could use a touch more clarity, but overall it's sounding really good - nice work!
Hi,
Added mix 1.1:
Punched up the drums, bass and vocals a bit more, also added some top end and a touch of tape saturation on the mix bus.
Thanks for passing by and commenting on the previous revision.
Probably was a bit unfair regarding RHCP - as I find it depends a lot on my mood and also what I'm aiming for or trying to work at mixing wise really.
I checked out some more RHCP (and also some Blink-182) in more detail and have made some further changes to the mix. As mentioned, I punched up the drums, bass and vocals a bit, added some top end and also a touch of tape emulation on the mix bus. Hopefully that's all a step in the right direction and has made the mix a bit more cohesive and the tone a bit better.
Figured out a few things from those refs that I think will be useful in the future when going for that sort of more modern rock sound and getting a more 'glued' foundation for rock drums and bass, so I am most grateful for the RHCP tip. I can see how that ref relates to this mix a bit better now.
Cheers!
Just uploaded a mix/master? Waiting for comments? Why not give back and critique a mix/master, or two!
Mike, wow! you've really put in a lot of work here! The new mix is sounding very good. I really like what you've done overall, and the treatments and sounds are all really good.
However, without wanting to come off like some sort of mixing "Goldilocks" ('too soft, too hard' etc), I think I should try to explain what I'm hearing...
I think what sets the mixes apart that I've really loved that I've heard so far here is that there is an "open-ness" and a dynamic liveliness to them that I think may be a function of a combination of three things:
1. Better control of transients at the track level, so that drum punch is retained down the mix chain.
2. A lighter touch and on mix buss compression and more consistent levels of gain reduction across the dynamic arc of the song as a whole.
3. More attention payed to automation to create contrast and impact over the course of the song.
What I'm hearing in your mix (and many of the others posted so far) is that, once the band comes in "full" the mix becomes very homogenous -which is good in some respects ("glued") - but at the same time, the song kind of just "stays there" - things don't seem to punch, jab, duck and weave like it should (and as it was in fact designed to do).
With reference to point #2 above: Because the production has so much dynamic variation built into it, if the mix buss compression/limiting is too assertive, it will end up undoing all of the built-in dynamics.
To give you and example of what I'm referring to with automation: Coming out of the first "down" verse with the light percussion etc... That first chromatic riff should crash into the mix like a stomping elephant, and each time that figure appears, there should be no doubt that it is the signature of the song.
Likewise, when the chorus hits, it's a call and response between that unison guitar/bass/drums riff and the vocals and slap-bass riff. The automation should all highlight those aspects in turn so that they jump out of the mix. One thing that a lot of mixes are missing is the stereo bass part that highlights the response under the vocals. There is a very specific reason that was produced that way - to compliment the vocal response without getting in the way of them.
There are plenty of other opportunities to highlight things like the little "pushes" from the drums at the beginnings of the verses. Yes, it is a lot of extra work, but it makes the track come alive.
.