Discussion Zone

Full Version: About This Multitrack
You're currently viewing a stripped down version of our content. View the full version with proper formatting.
You can find the multitrack files for this project in the 'Mixing Secrets' Free Multitrack Download Library.

Before posting a mix, please read The Three Commandments!
Please post your mix as a new thread, rather than as a reply to this sticky.

Here's some more project info you might find useful:
  • About The Raw Multitracks:
    • The drums tracks include stereo overheads, two mono room mic signals (one lo-fi processed), and close mics for kick (in, out), snare (over, under), hi-hat, and two toms.
    • Bass is available as DI and miked-amp signals, and the main acoustic-guitar has mono close-mic and stereo ambient-mic tracks.
    • The main acoustic-guitar part features a mono close-mic track as well as a more ambient stereo mic rig.
    • Single tracks are provided for ukelele, harmonica, lead vocal, and backing vocal.
  • Challenges You're Likely To Face:
    • The overheads have very pronounced transients, presumably on account of compression used during recording.
    • The lo-fi room mic makes the cymbals come across as very harsh.
    • A bass-amp has quite a lot of click-track spill on it, and a resonance around 90-100Hz which makes the musical line feel quite uneven. Some of the lowest bass notes lose level on their fundamentals too, on the DI signal as well.
    • Although the acoustic-guitar part sounds rather nice in general (and the multi-miking combines pretty well straight away), the pick-noise get a bit overbearing.
    • Both vocal parts have low-end spill which needs dealing with, and the lead also has quite a lot of room sound on it for an overdub.
  • Some Mixing Tips: Although this isn't a mix I've attempted myself, here are some suggestions that come to mind:
    • Flip the undersnare polarity straight away -- the combined sound of the two mics will be very thin otherwise.
    • I think the snare spill on the hat mic sounds better than the snare close mics, so I'd be looking to try to make some use of it.
    • Threshold-independent transient processing is fantastic for situations like this overheads recording.
    • I'd probably gate the lo-fi room mic to provide just snare support, if I used it at all -- it feels a bit too rock-and-roll for this arrangement anyway, somehow.
    • Given that all the kit mics have significant spill on them, you should make a point of checking the polarity and phase of each for the best combination as you add it in.
    • The close tom mics have caught quite a bit of pitched sympathetic ringing from the drum, so be careful compressing those tracks to avoid pulling that aspect of the spill too high in the balance -- it can easily muddy the overall tone. (That said, a little tom ringing is actually quite a nice thing for tying a drum sound together, so don't necessarily just gate it out either.)
    • Careful EQ'ing should deal with that bass-amp resonance adequately, but if you want a more consistent low end, then multi-band compression of the DI signal is probably the easiest way forward. An automated low-pass filter can disguise the click-track bleed if you're careful.

If you have any other general questions about this multitrack, just reply to this post and I'll see what I can do.