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Brennon Causey Mixing - 'Siren' + Master
#1
Well I figured I'd give this one a go, spent about 4 to 5 hours on it.
Let me know what you think Smile

UPDATE v2
 
Another 5 or so hours down and polished up some more things
Spread the stereo field and gave the song a better phantom center
Cut out the 50hz muddiness and tried to push the side chain compressors on the synths harder
Sent the bass to another track and raised it 1 octave. Makes the bass feel better

Happy mixing Smile

UPDATE 3

Mastered it with all Acoustica Audio plugins Smile

I truly realize that it's not the equipment that makes the difference, but the ears completely.
I mostly used free plugins (Reaper) besides the few subtle FX I wanted to add or reverb's.
The mastering was with Acoustica Plugins which are extremely nice and costly, but its ironic that they only have a 10% maybe 5% edge over other plugins that are completely free. Most people can never tell the sound quality difference between the expensive stuff and free stuff in a full mix, and that's because it's only FELT.

It's really impressive how terrible I've heard some tracks sound on there own, and some mixers can blend that one piece of the whole vision, to sit perfectly right out of the speaker with everything else. That's what made me fall in love with some many more genres and styles of music, more than I ever would have without mixing.


.mp3    Siren.mp3 --  (Download: 15.74 MB)


.mp3    Siren2.mp3 --  (Download: 15.74 MB)


.mp3    Siren_MASTER.mp3 --  (Download: 15.74 MB)


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#2
New version Smile
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#3
(07-02-2021, 11:07 AM)401kBC Wrote: Well I figured I'd give this one a go, spent about 4 to 5 hours on it.
Let me know what you think Smile

UPDATE v2
 
Another 5 or so hours down and polished up some more things
Spread the stereo field and gave the song a better phantom center
Cut out the 50hz muddiness and tried to push the side chain compressors on the synths harder
Sent the bass to another track and raised it 1 octave. Makes the bass feel better

Happy mixing Smile
Hello 401kBC! I like this mix (version 2), many good ideas, good balance and nice sounding. Good job. Cheers!
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#4
(08-02-2021, 10:52 PM)heinim Wrote:
(07-02-2021, 11:07 AM)401kBC Wrote: Well I figured I'd give this one a go, spent about 4 to 5 hours on it.
Let me know what you think Smile

UPDATE v2
 
Another 5 or so hours down and polished up some more things
Spread the stereo field and gave the song a better phantom center
Cut out the 50hz muddiness and tried to push the side chain compressors on the synths harder
Sent the bass to another track and raised it 1 octave. Makes the bass feel better

Happy mixing Smile
Hello 401kBC! I like this mix (version 2), many good ideas, good balance and nice sounding. Good job. Cheers!
Thank you! Smile
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#5
Mastered Smile
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#6
Hi!

It is a really good mix, and well balanced. Really great job with the vocals.

Seems that it is quite some time since I attempted this one. I recall there is a lot to organise, and it's quite a big mix to take on.

It's taken me quite a while to pin down my thoughts, mainly due to what I think is maybe slight difference in vision and intent for the track, which does affect my judgement.

To me the mix is focused on the bass rather than it being an underpinning, solid foundation as such - partly due to the change of octave. I feel the focus on the bass maybe takes away from some of the other elements that could be highlighted throughtout the track perhaps?

There are is a huge choice of little things in this mix that I think you can bring up front and turn in into little moments and highlights to really keep the interest going, on top of the more laid back feel. Maybe throw things around a bit more? I think that 4:00 to 4:30 is a real opportunity to create an impactful build? As a listener I feel you only really start to get into playing around with the track around the 5:30 mark.

I am also not sure how I feel about the distortion on the bass toward the end of the mix (5:33), as I prefer the smoother, rounder sound that is at the start.

Yeah, I guess it's possibly too smooth and I was expecting to be thrown around just that bit more I think, like I was with your Strobe mix? If that makes sense?

A I said at the start, it's a good mix, no technical complaints regarding balance and eq, etc. Just my thoughts as regards possible improvements. And yes, I am biased by my own mix attempt too!

What do you think? (I sometimes get that feeling I am maybe being too harsh, which is never my intent here of course)

Cheers!
Just uploaded a mix/master?  Waiting for comments? Why not give back and critique a mix/master, or two!
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#7
(10-02-2021, 06:19 PM)mikej Wrote: Hi!

It is a really good mix, and well balanced.  Really great job with the vocals.

Seems that it is quite some time since I attempted this one.  I recall there is a lot to organise, and it's quite a big mix to take on.

It's taken me quite a while to pin down my thoughts, mainly due to what I think is maybe slight difference in vision and intent for the track, which does affect my judgement.

To me the mix is focused on the bass rather than it being an underpinning, solid foundation as such - partly due to the change of octave.  I feel the focus on the bass maybe takes away from some of the other elements that could be highlighted throughtout the track perhaps? 

There are is a huge choice of little things in this mix that I think you can bring up front and turn in into little moments and highlights to really keep the interest going, on top of the more laid back feel.  Maybe throw things around a bit more?  I think that 4:00 to 4:30 is a real opportunity to create an impactful build?  As a listener I feel you only really start to get into playing around with the track around the  5:30 mark.

I am also not sure how I feel about the distortion on the bass toward the end of the mix (5:33), as I prefer the smoother, rounder sound that is at the start.

Yeah, I guess it's possibly too smooth and I was expecting to be thrown around just that bit more I think, like I was with your Strobe mix? If that makes sense?

A I said at the start, it's a good mix, no technical complaints regarding balance and eq, etc.  Just my thoughts as regards possible improvements.  And yes, I am biased by my own mix attempt too!

What do you think?  (I sometimes get that feeling I am maybe being too harsh, which is never my intent here of course)

Cheers!
Well first off never think your being too harsh! I love others opinions as well as criticism as it's really helped me improve my skills over time. That would just be selfish and dumb if I didn't listen to others perspectives.
I do think there is a bit of biasing to the music, and what people want out of it. It was indeed a 59 track monster.

I did listen to the original and I thought they did a good job recording everything, but the mix lacked a bit imo. As far as the original vibe of the song, I definitely changed it. I cut the acoustic guitars mostly out, side chained the synths with the kick, a lot of modern things. 

So I ended up with this mordern, bass driven version. Also, I heard another version on here that's also on youtube, and its a whole entire vibe itself. It's awesome. I think an important factor was my mood going into the mix. I was in the mood for something Electronical and Bass heavy, and it reflects. This is by no means what I would consider an accurate mix to the original idea, I kinda just branched off till I got the mood I was craving, which is not something you really want to do with someone else's vision. 

Maybe it feels too smooth because nothing is really out of place? Hmm, no one wants a boring mix lol
I'm definitely gonna take that into consideration and maybe just pop something out here and there.
That bass track actually has an upper octave that comes in right at the end and I listened to it on a few different headphones, and I really couldn't justify it as bad or unnecessary, but like you said I do prefer the bass tone I set for the song.

My favorite thing is the first Electric guitar track. Its got that Low mid magic bongo sound. I made sure it was always cutting through and I think that's the main think that works with the bass that always draws the focus to the low end. I think your right about the focus aspect of the mix. Of course it sounds nice, but only a mixer is gonna be thinking about that. The listener always needs the attention to be fun and interesting. I think in this stage of my mix, it will come mostly down to just opinions or the differences in vision. I like that you've pointed out that it could have improvements on the focus, I can back that up. I'll come back to the song once I'm completely refreshed and try too add the attention it needs. I'm not sure if every mixer is like this, but anytime someone tells me I could improve something, I always try to Smile
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#8
Cool. I must say I am also enjoying reading your perspective on things too.
Just uploaded a mix/master?  Waiting for comments? Why not give back and critique a mix/master, or two!
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#9
The mix sounds pretty dull to me .it needs some highs in it ,some pop sparkle.Also for me the tone and compression on the snare is too rock sounding for the track .
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