21-07-2016, 01:32 PM
the spectral balance is a big issue in headphones, causing ear fatigue; the discrepancy between gtr1 and the other guitars is the problem which needs addressing from 0:45 IMHO 
the contrast between gtr1 and the bass guitar between 0:27 and 0:45 needs to be more refined because they merge into one otherwise. i appreciate that it doesn't help by the arrangement having both guitars duplicating each other though but they can still be separated, even with the illusion of the lead standing in front of the bass player before he jumps over to the left channel. i think if you can find a way of placing the lead guitar somewhere on the left without inducing fatigue in those first 20 odd seconds, i'd do it. it sticks out oddly otherwise...but you do win with making a bigger and open stereo contrast when the song kicks in, however it's at the expense of 'reality'. i think a more interesting vision would be to get the guitar off centre in the sound stage and making a bigger hit at 0:45, but you'd need to get this fatigue thing sorted.
if this is the mix...without any master buss processing, in other words, what would be presented for mastering, then it's too hot. you've peak normalised it to 0dB (which by definition suggests concern for loudness maximisation?). a pre-master needs about -6dB of headroom, at a minimum. furthermore, the Peak Loudness to Maximum Momentary Loudness ratio suggests over-compression at 4.4, resulting in a large dynamic reduction [for the sake of loudness]. I'm not suggesting you've done this intentionally to win favour, but if your concern for the music outweighs concern for loudness, then i'd back the compressors right back and let the song breathe, or better still, ask yourself what you are gaining by deploying them...in terms of enhancing the music per se, and where. try not to get caught by the loudness fascination thing, dude, i know it's easily done - i still struggle even now!
.....and to fix this mix you need to be fully aware of the traps which lie in wait in the multitrack....it's been processed already, and this processing was done post tracking. we need to be clear of the issues and consequences before even touching a fader.
the mix is also clipping on the true peak meter by +1.0, which results in distortion over a DAC, in addition to the additional distortion added by the extra compression above what has been done already in the source.
if you present a mix which focuses on dynamics, and deals with the fatigue problem, then i could better judge the merits of the other things you've done in your mix. but without this, it's difficult because of how your processing impinges on everything else when critical listening.
during the intro section, the first 30 seconds, are you intending the ambiance to be the same as for the song, or are you wishing to place them in a different space/room? "...but does it really maaaaater", pun intended. i'd be interested in your decision and your methodology, time permitting, because i spent some time pondering that in my own jobbie; my conclusion was ruthless!
laters,,,
the contrast between gtr1 and the bass guitar between 0:27 and 0:45 needs to be more refined because they merge into one otherwise. i appreciate that it doesn't help by the arrangement having both guitars duplicating each other though but they can still be separated, even with the illusion of the lead standing in front of the bass player before he jumps over to the left channel. i think if you can find a way of placing the lead guitar somewhere on the left without inducing fatigue in those first 20 odd seconds, i'd do it. it sticks out oddly otherwise...but you do win with making a bigger and open stereo contrast when the song kicks in, however it's at the expense of 'reality'. i think a more interesting vision would be to get the guitar off centre in the sound stage and making a bigger hit at 0:45, but you'd need to get this fatigue thing sorted.
if this is the mix...without any master buss processing, in other words, what would be presented for mastering, then it's too hot. you've peak normalised it to 0dB (which by definition suggests concern for loudness maximisation?). a pre-master needs about -6dB of headroom, at a minimum. furthermore, the Peak Loudness to Maximum Momentary Loudness ratio suggests over-compression at 4.4, resulting in a large dynamic reduction [for the sake of loudness]. I'm not suggesting you've done this intentionally to win favour, but if your concern for the music outweighs concern for loudness, then i'd back the compressors right back and let the song breathe, or better still, ask yourself what you are gaining by deploying them...in terms of enhancing the music per se, and where. try not to get caught by the loudness fascination thing, dude, i know it's easily done - i still struggle even now!
.....and to fix this mix you need to be fully aware of the traps which lie in wait in the multitrack....it's been processed already, and this processing was done post tracking. we need to be clear of the issues and consequences before even touching a fader.
the mix is also clipping on the true peak meter by +1.0, which results in distortion over a DAC, in addition to the additional distortion added by the extra compression above what has been done already in the source.
if you present a mix which focuses on dynamics, and deals with the fatigue problem, then i could better judge the merits of the other things you've done in your mix. but without this, it's difficult because of how your processing impinges on everything else when critical listening.
during the intro section, the first 30 seconds, are you intending the ambiance to be the same as for the song, or are you wishing to place them in a different space/room? "...but does it really maaaaater", pun intended. i'd be interested in your decision and your methodology, time permitting, because i spent some time pondering that in my own jobbie; my conclusion was ruthless!
laters,,,
Beware...........Cognitive Dissonance!