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Sounds like you've put a lot of work into this one IRONWORK! Listening to V3 it sounds like it's paying off
With the headphones on, the mix is sounding super solid. I love the dynamics, cohesion and the energy throughout the song. Great drum and elect guitar tones also.
Great work
Dave
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Thank you Dave!!! Much appreciated :-D
Graham
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Two quick comments:
I'm sensing a little bit too much processing on the lead vocal and compression stealing the top of the track. It almost sounds as if it is ducking in places. Second would be maybe a bit too much mastering compression. Some things just seem to be getting too squashed and centered for the overall quality of your sounds. I really wanted to hear a broader stereo image which feels pinched to the center of your mix.
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I've listened to version three, and it'S very focused-sounding, but I'd say a little too heavy on the lower midrange, which makes it sound a bit tubby. Even if you cut a bit of this with master EQ, however, the lead vocal continues to make the low mids sound clouded, so I'd maybe reevaluate the EQ choices there as well. It just seems a shame that Diesel seems veiled by comparison with the slightly punky guitar sounds (which I like, and which blend nicely with the banjo in particular). In this context, majoring on the kick drum's sub-100Hz frequencies unfortunately exacerbates the slightly boxy feeling, but I reckon that wouldn't be too tricky to redress with a bit of cut on the kick, making way for some enhancement of the bass guitar's fundamentals perhaps.
By the same token, the comparatively narrow stereo image you've chosen for the main riff and verses also contributes to the sense of constriction. I can see the thinking here though, as the way wide-panned clean guitars in the Mid-sections then dramatically open out the picture for those sections is a nice bit of structural reinforcement. However, I think you could do more to suggest that the mix is still full width elsewhere, even if you don't pan sounds obviously to the extremes: wide stereo ambiences, perhaps, or a bit of panned delay slapback -- even stereo background noise might do it!
Those more 'big-picture' issues notwithstanding, in general I like the balances you've chosen in this mix. It's a bit of a rockier vision than some, but the acoustic aspects still make their presence felt, and you can hear lots of detail in there, which is a good thing when there's so much tasteful musicianship in Joe's playing. The snare ambience is very thick, and might be out of place in a more acoustic mix, but here I like the way it fits in with the compression and lends that specific drum extra stature. The toms blend pretty well too. Finally, I like the way you slot the backing vocals in, but they could probably use a touch of de-essing, as the consonants seem a little out of balance with the body of the sound.
Thanks for another eminently rocky version, and I hope the comments are some help!
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Fantastic feedback, thanks Mike and everybody! Wow, what a journey! I hope you like my final version (v7.2) up above.
All the best from sunny Switzerland, Graham (IRONWORK).
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Listening to V7.2 on headphones I like it a lot , sounds great.
Cheers .
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Thanks Don! Loved your mix too!
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Sounds great. I can't really add anything more constructive than what has been said already. Love the drum sound and the balance is great.
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Thanks very much Dr. Gerry!
I'm hoping I've addressed all the points in my final mix (v7.2) up above.
So... 25 entries... OK! Fingers crossed :-D.
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(05-11-2016, 02:09 PM)IRONWORK Wrote: Another great set of multitracks to play with, thank you Mike (and Joe and Diesel) !
[v7.2, 25.11.16] FINAL MASTER - CONTEST ENTRY
"Nobody said it was easy..."
Thanks to everyone for the extremely helpful comments, which I feel brought this track a long way from v1 to v7.2! Strangely though, I still kinda prefer v1... I guess that's the "don't lose the freshness" thing, and as I get better at this, my first mixes will, I hope, keep the freshness but have fewer of the technical problems. Mike's ears and insight are astonishing as always - I'm not disappointed! And for everyone who said "I like it but it's a bit squashed" - thanks! I got there in the end (I think). Comments welcome!
Interesting reading IRONWORK,
I guess this proves that your first and instinctive moves are likely to be your best and reflect your own personally and "know how" the best. It's always challenging moving forward and reacting to comments made (for good or bad) on the mix and then to build on it, without upsetting yesterdays good mix moves. It's a great building process learning how to rework and ripen a mix without spoiling it. With all things considered, a much harder thing to do in practice.
Great work with this one
Dave