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+---- Thread: Pedaling Prince Mix: Uncle Dad - Who I Am (/showthread.php?tid=3541)
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Pedaling Prince Mix: Uncle Dad - Who I Am - Pedaling Prince - 04-01-2014
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 Uncle Dad's "Who I Am." Criticism is welcome so long as its polite and constructive.
RE: Pedaling Prince Mix: Uncle Dad - Who I Am - ERJEE - 05-01-2014
Solid mix!
My 2 cents:
-Kick feels bit too 'clicky', I'd reduce some of the higher frequencies.
-Backing vocals are too present IMO.
-The hats could also lose 3/4dB, same for the cymbal/crashes
-Leadvocal sometimes is a little bit lost in the mix (Is it fighting with piano maybe?)
Again, very solid/professional mix!
Cheers!
(04-01-2014, 09:02 PM)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 Uncle Dad's "Who I Am." Criticism is welcome so long as its polite and constructive.
RE: Pedaling Prince Mix: Uncle Dad - Who I Am - Olli H - 05-01-2014
Sounds great to me. I like the concept "don't fix it if there's nothing to fix". You have clearly realized that these telefunken tracks don't have too many problems to fix.
Sounds to me that you're making great mixes and you're capable of giving detailed comments. And that's what we need here in this forum, so that we can make each other better mixers. So wellcome to the forum.
Here's some small details that I might try do differently. (But it doesn't mean that it would become any better.)
Vocal sound is great as such, but as this is very vocal driven song, personally I would like to hear even more greatness in it. Maybe some short plate to tie syllables together, or some automated eqs to some instruments to give more space to the singer voice.
Groove is great already, but some natural tail to the snare could make the groove slightly smoother and better. Now it feels to me that each snare hit is like a small street bump on the road.
In chorus the hi-hats masks slightly the string instruments (banjo, guitar, mandolin).
Some fills come quite loud. For example 0:44.
Those are just minor details. Great mix! I like it.
RE: Pedaling Prince Mix: Uncle Dad - Who I Am - Voelund - 05-01-2014
Sounds very natural and open to me.
Overal great sound.
My personal preference suggests turnin down the piano or cut more lo frequencies from it, the way its played its role is of a more supportive character and as such it lives better under the other instruments. Same with bv, it sounds fine, but it overpowers the lead vocal and Im told nobodys louder than the country singer
I agree the hat masks a bit for stringed instruments in chorus, a workaround could be turn whole drumbus down a dB or 2, the way he plays reflects the verse/chorus intensity and I dont mind hearin the drums a bit behind evrything else in verses. Im told they didnt allow drums at all first many years of Grand Ole Opry
That solution will also call for a little more verb to drums, I wouldnt mind hearin just a bit more.
That said I think the enthusiasm youve showed in all the feedback posted and the few fine mixes Ive heard from you makes it even more appropiate to repeat: welcome to the site, I think we all will benefit from this.
RE: Pedaling Prince Mix: Uncle Dad - Who I Am - juanjose1967 - 05-01-2014
your mix sounds perfect to me. The only thing I would change would be what Voelund already suggested when he said that the back vocals compete too much with the lead singer.
Welcome to the forum and thank you for your suggestions and kind words about my mix and everybody else's. I'm sure that soon you will have a lot of good friends here like most of us!!
RE: Pedaling Prince Mix: Uncle Dad - Who I Am - Pedaling Prince - 06-01-2014
OK. Based on everyone's suggestions I created this new mix incorporating the following changes:
Applied a lowpass at 2000 Hz on the Outside Kick drum to eliminate the "clickiness."
Lowered hi-hat by 3 dB. Unfortunately the crash cymbal sound comes entirely from the overhead and room mics; they don't have separate mics. I tried to take the edge off them by applying a 3 dB EQ cut at around 12 kHz on all the room micas; I didn't want to EQ the overheads because they sound so good on their own.
I did, however, lower the overall level of the overheads; this will help tame the drum sound a bit while also addressing some of that overbearing crash.
Voelund suggested reverb on the drums. I prefer not to do that when I have good room mics to work with so instead I left the room mic levels where they were after I turned down the overheads; I'm hoping this will accomplish a similar effect of "filling out" the drum sound a little.
Level on the snare top was originally a little higher than the bottom; I brought the top level down to the same level as the bottom to smooth out the snare so it's less of a "road bump."
I disagree with the assessment that the backing vocals were too high. I can see why you might feel that way, though, considering the way everyone who mixes this song seems to want to bury them for some reason. Still, just to see how it would sound I lowered them by 1 dB in this mix.
I also lowered the piano level by 1 dB and applied a 3 dB EQ cut at 80 Hz to try to address its tendency to compete with the vocals.
Thoughts?
P.S.: Voelund had made some suggestions on how I could improve my mix of his "Comfort Lives in Belief." I told him I didn't have the mix project anymore because I was already 100% satisfied with the mix I did of his song and I don't have the storage space to spare.
I was also 100% satisfied with THIS mix as well. However, the reason I still have the mix project is because I actually put together a CD for people for Christmas of mixes I did of music from this site; I included a special version of "Who I Am" on that CD.
The special version was of ME performing the song with the lyrics suitably rewritten to fit MY life PERSONALLY. I thought that'd make a great tribute to the people I love in my life.
So that's why I happened to still have this project to remix; I kept the project so I could do my own vocals for that tribute song.
And yes, if anyone wants to hear my version you may ask but I gotta warn ya. I'm a fair singer, but compared to this Uncle Dad guy I suck.
If you ask me to post it and you cringe at my performance don't say I didn't warn ya...! 
RE: Pedaling Prince Mix: Uncle Dad - Who I Am - juanjose1967 - 06-01-2014
I would like to hear your version of the song. I like to sing too but I'm too shy to show my singing to the world :-D. Only close friends and relatives have heard me singing.
RE: Pedaling Prince Mix: Uncle Dad - Who I Am - Pedaling Prince - 07-01-2014
(06-01-2014, 11:37 AM)juanjose1967 Wrote: I would like to hear your version of the song.
Well, you're the only person so far who's asked. Still, I have no problem with sharing it so here you go.
Let me know what you think...
RE: Pedaling Prince Mix: Uncle Dad - Who I Am - Olli H - 07-01-2014
Your own version is very good. And it show some courage from your side to start to compete with the probably the best male vocal performance in this forum's tracks.
How about adding some short tape delay or early reflections. Not anything "audible" but something that warms up the space a little bit.
The background vocals are quite disturbing in your version. They should be lined up or something. Now those parts sound as if there's three competing main vocals.
RE: Pedaling Prince Mix: Uncle Dad - Who I Am - juanjose1967 - 07-01-2014
Thanks for sharing!! I liked your version and the brand new lyrics! I agree with Olli about the three competing main vocals. That wouldn't be too difficult to align and to make them feel more consistent.