Angles In Amplifiers - I'm Alright

[Stevenrruz]

Great song and recordings! Very fun to mix
Would love to hear what you think

V2 - Changes after feedback

V3 - Changes to bass after feedback, glued the mix together a bit more with EQ and limiting. Worked on drums. Decreased brightness a little more.

V4 - Changes after feedback

[mikej]

Hi!

I did check out your mix earlier in the day, but I was listening on earbuds and wanted to give it a proper listen on the speakers before commenting.

I think the instrument balance is good, but for me the overall frequency balance of the mix still needs some work. The mix is quite bright, and a little 'lightweight' I think for me. It needs a little more weight in the 300Hz region, and a little less brightness in the 3k+ range. Not sure if you've just cut a little too much out of that 300Hz area out of everything or something?

I suspect that most of the brightness is coming from the snare, and the cymbals. I think you can tuck the cymbals into the mix a bit more, and also make the snare slightly darker - maybe add some 200Hz and take some of the top end off, or so and go from there, maybe?

Also you might want to see if you can get the low end of the bass under control a little more, you know, even it out a little perhaps?

It's a deceptively tricky mix this one, and it does seem to somehow lend itself to overly bright mixes for some reason. Well, it did for me anyway.

With some careful adjustments with regard to tone, you should end up with a decent result here. Just my thoughts. What do you think?

Cheers!

[Stevenrruz]

Thanks mikej

I completely agree with you, I like this mix but definitely feel that something is missing. I think you've nailed it, its missing some meat, I think I have cut to much mid/low mids. I will try adding some more to certain instruments or play with the EQ on the master, paying close attention to that 300hz region.

And yes listening with fresh ears this morning, this is a touch to bright and can afford some clean up and cuts on the high end. I did add an exciter for the overheads, and on the master buss, I may have overdone it and may be the culprit.

I do need to control the bass a little more, its sent strait to master with very minimal processing, I personally think the bass track sounds amazing already and didn't want to mess it up! lol But maybe a little compression and some automation is in order.

I cant wait to dive in a touch on these points later, I will post! Thanks again

[Stevenrruz]

I think the mix is sitting better now after touching on those points @mikej.

I think the vox might be just a hair to bright still. Also, I dont know if its my automation but the quick solo in the beginning sounds a little off and am unsure of what to bring up or down, thoughts?

[mikej]

Hi,

Yeah, thats much better tonally now, a good effort there.

The vocals are ok for me I think, but I hear what you mean about the brightness. You could experiment with rolling off just a hair of top end, or maybe just try lowering the volume a half db - that might just get it sitting as you want with the band perhaps.

The issue with the solo at the start - I think is the transient of the pick, and it is maybe clashing a little with the transient of the pick of the guitar that is panned to the right. Not sure if clashes with any hi-hats also... can't tell really... I think it's just the guitars. You might be able to reduce that attack of the solo with compression, or may be just rolling off a little top end may do the trick. Or both? Not sure if that is it, but that is where I would start looking anyway.

- Try muting the solo and the guitar on the right in turn also, see if that helps you pinpoint the issue.

I think some bass notes are still poking out a bit louder than others maybe, might be worth sticking a multiband comp, waves C6 or so just on the low end (150Hz and below) knocking off a couple of db perhaps?

Well, those are my thoughts, hopefully there might be something of use there.

Cheers!

[Stevenrruz]

Ya I see what you are saying now, I think the lower notes are still to boomy and stick out a little louder than the higher notes. I will attempt to control with C6

Thanks for taking the time to listen and provide feedback, you have steered me in the right direction in the past and I value your input

[mikej]

Oh, one thing to check with the bass is to see if there is any resonant peaks (around the 2nd harmonic), prob somewhere between 100 & 200 Hz, sometimes a little dip around there can clean up the low end a lot, and can sometimes also help clear up the midrange a bit too. Tip I got from Roy I think.

Cheers!

[Stevenrruz]

Hey mike, I think that was the key for the bass. I cut the 2nd harmonic slightly (I believe was around 110 or 120Hz) and gently compressed the lows with C6. I feel it is nice and even now.

I panned guitar 2 to the left so it doesn't collide with the attack of rhythm acoustic. Still maybe too much attack, but I dig the sound personally.

[mikej]

Hi!

Apologies for the delay in responding.

Not sure what has happened with the balance in v3, I do much prefer V2. There is something not quite right about the vocal in V3 too now I feel?

Cheers!

[Stevenrruz]

No worries at all!!

Was experimenting and I believe I have over limited everything, sounded good at the time but not now lol. I still have V2 saved separately. V3 sounds choked and unable to breath, thanks for confirming!