07-03-2016, 04:04 PM
Ummm.... that was interesting. I have to be honest here, the mix you just posted doesn't sound very good at all, it sounds like a conglomeration of sounds.
The kick seems to be stereo now and out of phase with the rest of the kit, almost like stereo widener was put on it and was set to maximum wideness. The guitars are dominating everything and killing the most important element, the vocals. The addition of the background vocals in the former instrumental section and the final chorus are really far sound of time and make no logical sense and actually take way from the track as a whole. Overall the mix just sounds like organized chaos and doesn't fit the style of song that is present.
If I were mixing this I would: 1. lose the stereo widener on the kick or whatever you did to the kick to make it sound the way it does.
2. Bring the guitars down in the mix and pan the acoustic guitars hard left and right an the electrics
70% left and right so that they are better spaced in the mix.
3. Ditch the background vocals in the instrumental and the final chorus or find a place where they work
and are in time
4. Apply some eq and mild compression to help it fin better with the mix. A parametric cut at 400-800 Hz
and a high pass filter at 100 Hz just to get rid of some muddiness and general low end rumble.
Compression wise an emulation of some form of Opto compressor like an LA2a or a Vari Mu
compressor like a Fairchild or the Klanghelm MJUC or MJUCJR would really smooth out the vocals
nicely and add some character to them.
When I read the description of your mix I really though that your mix was going to sound top notch. It really doesn't sound very good at all, just a conglomeration of sounds. Compression and your complete and utter disdain for it are the least of your worries here, the mix may not be over compressed however it still sounds bad because of the rearrangement of the song, the weird kick phasing and vocals that are overshadowed by the guitar. The only things I really like about the mix are the toms, bass and snare they sound good and aren't intrusive to the rest of the mix.
It isn't the the source that makes this mix sound terrible here, this is a PEBCAK error.
The kick seems to be stereo now and out of phase with the rest of the kit, almost like stereo widener was put on it and was set to maximum wideness. The guitars are dominating everything and killing the most important element, the vocals. The addition of the background vocals in the former instrumental section and the final chorus are really far sound of time and make no logical sense and actually take way from the track as a whole. Overall the mix just sounds like organized chaos and doesn't fit the style of song that is present.
If I were mixing this I would: 1. lose the stereo widener on the kick or whatever you did to the kick to make it sound the way it does.
2. Bring the guitars down in the mix and pan the acoustic guitars hard left and right an the electrics
70% left and right so that they are better spaced in the mix.
3. Ditch the background vocals in the instrumental and the final chorus or find a place where they work
and are in time
4. Apply some eq and mild compression to help it fin better with the mix. A parametric cut at 400-800 Hz
and a high pass filter at 100 Hz just to get rid of some muddiness and general low end rumble.
Compression wise an emulation of some form of Opto compressor like an LA2a or a Vari Mu
compressor like a Fairchild or the Klanghelm MJUC or MJUCJR would really smooth out the vocals
nicely and add some character to them.
When I read the description of your mix I really though that your mix was going to sound top notch. It really doesn't sound very good at all, just a conglomeration of sounds. Compression and your complete and utter disdain for it are the least of your worries here, the mix may not be over compressed however it still sounds bad because of the rearrangement of the song, the weird kick phasing and vocals that are overshadowed by the guitar. The only things I really like about the mix are the toms, bass and snare they sound good and aren't intrusive to the rest of the mix.
It isn't the the source that makes this mix sound terrible here, this is a PEBCAK error.
Mixing is way more art and soul than science. We don’t really know what we’re doing. We do it because we love music! It’s the love of music first. Eddie Kramer
Gear list: Focusrite Scarlett 18i20, Mbox Mini w/Pro Tools Express, Reaper, Various plugins, AKG K240 MKii, Audio Technica ATH M50x, Yorkville YSM 6
Gear list: Focusrite Scarlett 18i20, Mbox Mini w/Pro Tools Express, Reaper, Various plugins, AKG K240 MKii, Audio Technica ATH M50x, Yorkville YSM 6