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Mathematician
#1
Hopefully this mix isn't too derivative...

GET IT? It's a math joke!

...sorry...


.mp3    Mathematician Master.mp3 --  (Download: 12.55 MB)


I'm grateful for comments and suggestions. Thank you for listening!
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#2
(07-07-2014, 06:29 AM)pauli Wrote: Hopefully this mix isn't too derivative...

Pauli, i like the formula!

i won't mention subjectivity here because there are so many simultaneous equations one could indulge oneself in with such a genre as this; it becomes so exponentially infinite(!).

technically, this was a highly competent mix, in my view. you kept the power down the middle and well away from the sides which prevented it from immersing me in mud in that all important low-mid range (thank you, thank you!!), the stereo stuff was working like a charm, it folded well into mono, the bass was [on the whole] well manipulated in my headphones, the kick punchy and conclusive, overall tonality balance was super, no fatigue my end albeit while low-level monitoring. levels between the sections and instruments were not out of place or out of context (still avoiding subjective assessment here!). the spectral distribution within the stereo field was magic. and you didn't smash it to hell on the master buss either (again....thank you, thank you, etc etc). this mix connected with me. thanks for the recent upgrade to 320kbps also!

one aspect this mix does show, is your ability to work with compression. this material has a lot of attack and some pretty serious dynamic elements which are moving hellishly fast. to control this, without losing the impact and musicality....or in other words the vibe, is a difficult ask but you handled it with confidence, competence and dexterity.

i'd only suggest one tweak here (still on the technical), and it's regarding the main bass synth, especially from 2:50 onwards. the space between the notes makes music what it is. if you could enhance this interval (NB i don't mean make it longer!), perhaps by applying a swift gate along with a really quick release in the compressor, a clearer gap could assist a more "articulate" presentation which will translate to more emotion? a fast compressor is key here though me thinks, something along the lines of an 1176 emu. however, we need to be aware of the physical constraints that many consumer woofers are hampered with - lack of speed with less excursion. for your diligent consideration et al and food for thought.... if the bass is fast, it's HIGHLY likely a consumer speaker wont be able to deliver it with the necessary clarity? while a speaker is trying to make a 4.28 meter wave from an 80Hz signal, it's also having to make a 0.17 meter wave from a 2000Hz signal in the blink of an eye via the same woofer. so, if we're asking the woofer to incessantly deliver 120Hz say by employing a high excursion rate to make a long wave, it won't have much time to do anything else. this is why low-end control is crucial to achieving a punchy yet clear mix....and why, when this region is cluttered, that people push the 3000Hz and above frequencies in the pursuit of clarity - the tweater delivers it because the woofer is all tapped out!!!! but it makes a mix fatiguing. removing the clutter from low-mids in such a situation, means we can ease up on the high spectrum content of the mix because the speaker is able to deliver the clarity where our ears are most sensitive, that all important mid range - 1000 to 4000Hz.

....i appreciate this is partly an arrangement concern, but if we are mixing it, we need to shape the instruments with an ordinary consumer in mind....as well as the not-so-ordinary ones. speaking generally, we are sometimes fighting the needs of the artist on the one hand, and the needs of the consumer's less than ideal speakers on the other. a classic situation is the Girls Under Glass mix "We feel alright", which everyone, without exception in my view (4 decades as an audiophile <cough>), has messed up because of the fast arpeggiations of the STEREO(!!!????) synth bass - having read Mike's stuff on this matter, clearly the client took precedence here. BIG mistake, to my mind. while the Customer may be King, it doesn't mean he is right. to fail to take into account the ULTIMATE customer's needs (people like me who are consumers of music first and foremost) means EVERYONE in the food chain, without exception, loses! all this for ego? but i digress.....

there's nothing much worse when listening to music, than the technical getting in the way of the subjective, especially with people like me who are sensitive to the issues of distraction. but this is really great work and finds itself truly in the upper quartile of technical merit in the forum. i think this encapsulates your journey over the last 6 months, and especially the last 2 months in particular where the gains are really obvious, where you've been able to build on already acquired know-how. you are a hard worker, listen to advice and take criticism not as a character assault, but as an "Opportunity for Improvement"....your attitude and maturity, and the subsequent fruits of your labour, are clearly evident here. full credit to you......and i mean it sincerely.

great stuff, mate!
Beware...........Cognitive Dissonance!
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#3
(07-07-2014, 12:00 PM)The_Metallurgist Wrote: Pauli, i like the formula!

I see what you did there!

(07-07-2014, 12:00 PM)The_Metallurgist Wrote: ...simultaneous equations... ...so exponentially infinite....

You sly devil, you!


Thank you very much for your time and energy here... I always appreciate your observations. Unfortunately my quiet time available for mixing each day is short enough that often I lose objectivity toward the end, since taking the hour long breaks I really need every so often during the mix would mean not sleeping Tongue but your observations are always really helpful in that respect. I'm resolving to do better about posting my revisions for further consideration, as I usually only get around to first mix.

You're absolutely right about shortening the duration of the bass synth... this isn't a style of music I actively listened to before I started learning to mix, but I sort of get the impression that the groove between the kick and the bass is paramount. I've done a bit of work containing the LF mess that is my room (it's a lot better but by no means ideal) but you're right in that my monitoring really isn't capable of accurately reproducing what's being played at this speed from about 150 down... more reason to keep on working! I tried a couple transient modellers but since I couldn't really hear a difference, there's no telling if I was helping or hurting, so I left it alone.

Subjective analysis is always appreciated, too, though, so don't feel like you need to hold back!

Thanks again for sharing your observations and generous compliments, much appreicated!
I'm grateful for comments and suggestions. Thank you for listening!
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