08-10-2012, 11:56 PM
Thank you so much for taking the time to comment on my mix
Sorry to be so late getting back---I've been having internet problems...
I'm glad you seemed to like my mix. After reading your comments I immediately went back to my mastering session of the song and added a broad db of 1khz-- and I really did like what I heard! Everything seemed a bit more upfront; in a good way. I usually find it difficult to settle on a final eq curve for my master--- the more I listen the more everything starts sounding the same! I do reference commercial tracks from within the same daw project so I can flip back and forth quickly... but its still an area that I struggle with.
As far as my actual mix, I feel a little embarrassed about some of the things you pointed out When I did this I had no idea that anyone would ever hear it--- let alone YOU! If I remember correctly, I think I had only one guitar part for some of the sections, and I made a second one by copy/paste so I could pan them. I remember there being a problem with that spot where the guitar drops out on the right side--- it was some weird phase thing between the two parts and I cut out one of them with the intentions of returning to it--- which I of course never did.
When I listen now I agree that my toms are too ambient--- especially in light of the dry kick. I like my toms big and bass heavy, mainly because they are usually a sparse element that I want to emphasize--- but listening now it definitely stinks of hairband. I had a really hard time with the kick. I'm usually kind of a snob about drum replacement--- but in this instance I could see no other option, unfortunately. Even more unfortunate is that I only had a 808 kick at the time, so I dropped it in in all its glory (with some eq to reign it in). I was always taught to leave the kick and bass dry--- which is a hard habit to break even when I KNOW I should be putting something on it...
I'm glad you liked the bass! I split it into two tracks--- the "low" track got some firm squash, and the "high" track got a dose of distortion. I noticed how different my bass tones were than mixes you were liking from the contest--- So I'm glad to hear I wasn't being a total dummy in that area.
Lately Ive been ducking the vocal echo returns with a sidechain from the vocals themselves--- something I couldn't always do in my daw of choice (when I mixed this). I'm wondering if that might have helped with the mix clouding. I LIKE the echo, but your right that it is distracting when the guy is singing. I know I still could have automated the send--- I suppose laziness is what happened there...
You have No idea how cool this is for me----Ive been a SOS reader for many years, and learned a lot of my tricks from you. To have you listen to my mix and have any reaction other than vomiting or running in fear is thrilling for me--- its got my 6'5" 280lb frame down right giddy! Is it possible for me to post some other mixes I have done? Ive done a bunch from the library...including the other two from this band.
On a totally unrelated topic--- what should I do with all this? Ive spent years learning this stuff--- but I'm settled down in a small town with no contacts to any kind of music industry. I feel like I'm going in circles--- I would love to figure out a way to do this as a career, but so far haven't had any ideas
Thanks again
Noel Brock
(didjital)
Sorry to be so late getting back---I've been having internet problems...I'm glad you seemed to like my mix. After reading your comments I immediately went back to my mastering session of the song and added a broad db of 1khz-- and I really did like what I heard! Everything seemed a bit more upfront; in a good way. I usually find it difficult to settle on a final eq curve for my master--- the more I listen the more everything starts sounding the same! I do reference commercial tracks from within the same daw project so I can flip back and forth quickly... but its still an area that I struggle with.
As far as my actual mix, I feel a little embarrassed about some of the things you pointed out
When I did this I had no idea that anyone would ever hear it--- let alone YOU! If I remember correctly, I think I had only one guitar part for some of the sections, and I made a second one by copy/paste so I could pan them. I remember there being a problem with that spot where the guitar drops out on the right side--- it was some weird phase thing between the two parts and I cut out one of them with the intentions of returning to it--- which I of course never did. When I listen now I agree that my toms are too ambient--- especially in light of the dry kick. I like my toms big and bass heavy, mainly because they are usually a sparse element that I want to emphasize--- but listening now it definitely stinks of hairband. I had a really hard time with the kick. I'm usually kind of a snob about drum replacement--- but in this instance I could see no other option, unfortunately. Even more unfortunate is that I only had a 808 kick at the time, so I dropped it in in all its glory (with some eq to reign it in). I was always taught to leave the kick and bass dry--- which is a hard habit to break even when I KNOW I should be putting something on it...
I'm glad you liked the bass! I split it into two tracks--- the "low" track got some firm squash, and the "high" track got a dose of distortion. I noticed how different my bass tones were than mixes you were liking from the contest--- So I'm glad to hear I wasn't being a total dummy in that area.
Lately Ive been ducking the vocal echo returns with a sidechain from the vocals themselves--- something I couldn't always do in my daw of choice (when I mixed this). I'm wondering if that might have helped with the mix clouding. I LIKE the echo, but your right that it is distracting when the guy is singing. I know I still could have automated the send--- I suppose laziness is what happened there...
You have No idea how cool this is for me----Ive been a SOS reader for many years, and learned a lot of my tricks from you. To have you listen to my mix and have any reaction other than vomiting or running in fear is thrilling for me--- its got my 6'5" 280lb frame down right giddy! Is it possible for me to post some other mixes I have done? Ive done a bunch from the library...including the other two from this band.
On a totally unrelated topic--- what should I do with all this? Ive spent years learning this stuff--- but I'm settled down in a small town with no contacts to any kind of music industry. I feel like I'm going in circles--- I would love to figure out a way to do this as a career, but so far haven't had any ideas
Thanks again
Noel Brock
(didjital)