Thanks for the comments. I intentionally have the vocals very prominent like that because the song is very "sing-along" to me and I think it helps encourage that. The intention was partly to make the song easy to recognise quickly (ie: on a background radio) by having the vocal bass and snare the first things you hear when you bring the volume up from silent. I think more reverb on the vocal would make it feel less "cosy". The bigger sounding direction also works but I don't think it's the direction I'm trying to go in. I have an instance of Epicverb inserted on it set to "ambience" rather than "reverb". The backing vocal is fairly loud to make the mix feel more "inclusive" and "friendly" rather than having a "rock star" lead vocal more important than everything else.
Again, I absolutely value the advice and don't want to seem dismissive of it at all, I just think it's maybe towards a different sort of mix than what I was trying for.
Listening back now I do agree about it being a bit distracting when it comes in at 0:46, but I hadn't noticed until now. That's the benefit of having someone listen to it who hasn't heard it before I suppose. I have a theory that this is to do with a shift in the perceived centre (see below) screwing with the listeners perception of where everything is.
To me, it doesn't have the same effect after that, possibly because the listener has already established the positioning and isn't thrown off the second time.
The backing vocal is only actually 17% left but it probably seems further because the lead vocal is 8% right.
I did this to get more panning separation between them while still leaving them fairly centered. Out of interest, did anyone notice that I'd done that with the lead? I suspect that you'd assume it to be in the centre and just hear it there automatically. This Oh, right, OK, so the centre isn't in the centre... could be the cause of the distraction.
Having just taken a look at the project again theres really not much on the drums at all. 10EQ (free API 560 thing) used on kick and reaEQ on toms and room/OH. Seventh Sign (free 1176) on the drum group. Nothing at all on the snare apart from having the top mic about 5db louder than the bottom. Lead vocal is Antress Lost Angel (free LA2A) and backing vocal is Seventh Sign.
The Master Bus has a Lost Angel (1.5-2db reduction at most) "Modern Analoguer" (tape effect thing) a very dry 316ms plate reverb and the Kjaerhus limiter doing 2db reduction at most.
I really like the Antress stuff.
Thanks again for your comments, it really is helpful to get input on this. Any advice on what I should do to improve the "family sitting in a barn" feel but without making it feel too crowded? (OK, it can be a bigish barn
) The master chain was mostly meant for this sort of effect.
Chris
Again, I absolutely value the advice and don't want to seem dismissive of it at all, I just think it's maybe towards a different sort of mix than what I was trying for.
Listening back now I do agree about it being a bit distracting when it comes in at 0:46, but I hadn't noticed until now. That's the benefit of having someone listen to it who hasn't heard it before I suppose. I have a theory that this is to do with a shift in the perceived centre (see below) screwing with the listeners perception of where everything is.
To me, it doesn't have the same effect after that, possibly because the listener has already established the positioning and isn't thrown off the second time.The backing vocal is only actually 17% left but it probably seems further because the lead vocal is 8% right.
I did this to get more panning separation between them while still leaving them fairly centered. Out of interest, did anyone notice that I'd done that with the lead? I suspect that you'd assume it to be in the centre and just hear it there automatically. This Oh, right, OK, so the centre isn't in the centre... could be the cause of the distraction.Having just taken a look at the project again theres really not much on the drums at all. 10EQ (free API 560 thing) used on kick and reaEQ on toms and room/OH. Seventh Sign (free 1176) on the drum group. Nothing at all on the snare apart from having the top mic about 5db louder than the bottom. Lead vocal is Antress Lost Angel (free LA2A) and backing vocal is Seventh Sign.
The Master Bus has a Lost Angel (1.5-2db reduction at most) "Modern Analoguer" (tape effect thing) a very dry 316ms plate reverb and the Kjaerhus limiter doing 2db reduction at most.
I really like the Antress stuff.
Thanks again for your comments, it really is helpful to get input on this. Any advice on what I should do to improve the "family sitting in a barn" feel but without making it feel too crowded? (OK, it can be a bigish barn
) The master chain was mostly meant for this sort of effect.Chris