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About This Multitrack
#1
You can find the multitrack files for this project in the 'Mixing Secrets' Free Multitrack Download Library.

Before posting a mix, please read The Three Commandments!
Please post your mix as a new thread, rather than as a reply to this sticky.

Here's some more project info you might find useful:
  • About The Raw Multitracks:
    • Unusually for hip-hop, this track features a full live drum recording, which is part of what gives the track its unique feel. The mic line-up includes stereo overheads and close mics for kick (x2), snare (x2), hat, ride, and crash.
    • As far as bass goes, you're spoilt for choice here, with two tracks of bass guitar (DI and amp mic) and three separate bass synths.
    • The remainder of the instruments are: another synth line; the mid-section brass sample; and five tracks of freestyle DJ scratching.
    • There are lots of vocals: two separate lead raps (with double-tracks), nine backing vocals, and one modulated special-effect 'pow' vocal.
  • Challenges You're Likely To Face:
    • You can't fit that many bass tracks into a single mix without losing control over the low end, so some tough decisions have to be made there.
    • The filter modulation of the main synth riff means that it's difficult to maintain its subjective position in the mix balance.
    • A lot of this track was recorded live, so if you want typical chart-style rhythmic tightness then you'll need to get busy with timing edits.
    • The DJ scratching tracks are just live takes, which require editing and comping to condense out the best bits.
    • A lot of this track relies on the vocals, so you should expect to spend at least half of the total editing/mixing time concentrating on those. Fast rapping in particular will alway needs a good deal of automation to survive against such a noisy backing.
  • Some Mixing Tips:
    • I'd recommend choosing which of the bass tracks will supply the real low end, and then high-pass filtering the rest of them.
    • When doing timing edits, don't edit to the grid -- edit to the drums.
    • The vocal and scratching parts are the key to maintaining the momentum of the track, in my view, but they'll only do that successfully if you take an active hand in editing and arranging them.
    • I remixed this song for Sound On Sound's December 2008 'Mix Rescue' column back when the band were still working under the Pocketlips moniker, and the article shows how I approached this band's recordings myself in practice, but also includes a selection of audio files demonstrating the effects of some of my processing and layering decisions.

If you have any other general questions about this multitrack, just reply to this post and I'll see what I can do.
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