Long Way Home mix and master

[Roy]

Wow! Thank you very much for your thoughtful reply! Some considerations:

I have tried to make a quite choral song, where instruments pop out to the front and go back to get hidden into the mix, and as far as I understand that is your impression. Maybe that is why you find it out of focus. It may not be the appropiate approach or even it may not match with the style of the song, or even may be absolutely wrong! But that was my approach.

I certainly appreciate any intentional approach to a mix or any work of art. Even though I might not see it I accept that your approach was thought out and deliberate. What you painted feels more Impressionist. This song needs more of a Renaissance interpretation. I would never say what you did was wrong. But the subject, in my opinion, is the vocal and lyrics and emotion and that should be what the focus is. All the other parts of the song should support that.

On the other hand it would be great if you could go deeper in what you mean with "overworked". I tweek tracks both in solo and with the whole mix. I'll try and pay more attention Are you meaning too processed? Too compressed? Not natural? (You're right saying that writting about music and mixing is difficult in any language)

I feel like a lot of the instruments, particularly I thought of the piano, was really eq'd and processed to be a 'sound' as opposed to letting it be what it was. I honestly don't recall the initial track but I feel like it's radically different than what it is. And that's ok if you need to fit it into the overall picture. But I'm not sure if it has to be that way.

With regard to the issue with the voice you are surely right. I suppose is what I am used to do and hear in metal and alternative: voices that do not stand out that much from the mix. I'll try and use more references to the style next time.

I really want to thank you again for your time and your extensive comment. Very helpful. It's great to share and contrast ideas.

I get it that metal mixes are different and the vocal might not be as important. And as mixers we have to be able to switch genres and know what fits. A metal guitar or bass or drum tone is way different than a blues or jazz tone.