Skyeez & The Whiteflies - Jump Across

[mikej]

Hi!

My mix.

Cheers!

[Roy]

I like it. I think there could be a bigger contrast between the intro and the rest of the song. I like that you used both the vocal and DT equally. I think that fit's the genre but it seems like most have dumped one or at least focused on just a single vocal. There are times when the bgvx could be louder. It could have a bit more 'air' but that's a minor part. Maybe more OHs.

It works. It sounds good and I think gets the spirit and intent of the song. It could be a bit bigger. It's hard to explain. I dunno. I've lost steam.

[mikej]

Hey, thanks for checking it out.

Yeah I get what you mean.

I felt the DT vocals worked really well with the main vocal. The arrangement with the built in scene changes with all the different guitar pairs was really good. Yeah, there is at least one spot where the backing vox could do with a bump up...

Yeah, it could be bigger. I dig your mix, and I guess that would be the direction I might normally have attempted with this I think. This is kind of opposite to that really I suppose. I might try the telephone vox on the intro though. I only went as far as to mono the overheads.

I guess I don't usually feel a need to explain a mix as such... My idea with this, for better or worse, was to really concentrate on trying to get a really good balance and good tones. Let each part breathe and speak for itself and see where it ended up, and also trying that thing of not having everything as up front.

For a while I feel I have been leaning to much on over eq'ing and also reaching for the effects too soon, and kind of 'forcing' a mix if you like, without giving the tracks a chance, so to speak. Does that make sense? I am trying to do better in that regard, and think I somewhat succeeded here? I dunno, it's something I feel I needed to do and work on. I am finding you can do a lot with balance, rather than reaching for the eq first, Using compression for tone, etc...

I have just been mixing with eq. comp, and reverb and really concentrating on the balance and panning. I hope this holds up ok with regard to the library mix? When I got to this point I wasn't really feeling the need to add anything more in way of widening, delays, etc, and kind of tried to keep it sounding sort of cool I suppose.

I do feel I am maybe missing something with regards to the two overheads tracks though... Do you know what the set up might have been and what the idea with that is?

(Sorry for the essay!)

Cheers!

[Roy]

I get what you're saying. I suppose my gut reaction is to think of cooking and 'plating'. Obviously, the intent is good balance and good tones. But it doesn't have to end there. Like, we can strive to make a good steak or an egg dish and it can be delicious and perfectly cooked. But what goes along with it and how does it please the eyes as well. I suppose I'm, on some level, complaining about the garnish and silverware and side dish when you nailed the steak. I'm thinking of the meal. Like you said you can do a lot with balance as opposed to reaching for eq etc. But maybe there's another level? And I get that the basics and fundamentals are important. Though I'm not sure how much of that really matters to the end listener.

Like I can watch someone be technically proficient on a guitar but it's just someone playing perfectly through a clean amp in their bedroom. Or I can watch some wanker riff along in a club and entertain me.

I'm overstating the whole thing a bit. I do think getting a solid mix is important. And you've done that. For some songs, and a song like this especially there's that other level of engaging and pulling the listener in. I personally, may over do it.

I think you're on the right track and pursuing things properly. That said, don't deny the inspiration, if it occurs to come up with something grand or weird or whatever. Do a "Save As" and then let then the moment of inspiration take you down a path. It might go no where but you might as well follow it. The disciplined "get it right with balance" will always be there.

Personally, I've tossed in the towel when it comes to eq and compression do whatever sounds good. Like Joe Meek said. If it sounds right it's right. Oh I should watch the Joe Meek movie again. [https://youtu.be/od94Gcg9McI]. It's a bit said but good.

I might be day drunk.

I have briefly listened to the Library mix and I'm not sure if it's a Mike mix or the original. I do believe that the person who recorded it has been posting here so maybe they'll chime in or you can find their account. It did feel a bit aggressive compared to my expectations. Not in a bad or good way. After some hours or days I'll need to reassess it.

I'm not sure with the two OH tracks. I kinda just went with it. One seemed to have more cymbals and the second more "kit". I just put them both up.
I did have an issue with the stereo room. It seemed away left heavy. I assumed it may have been an M/S set up and ran it through a matrix. That centered it so I went with it. Don't know if that was right or not.

No apologies for the essay. If anything this site needs more essays as opposed to the usual "Sounds great" etc.

Anyway. It's a good, solid mix. It can sing and hit all the notes. It could use more stage presence.

[mikej]

Yeah, I don't disagree with you. I just felt the need to explain what I was working at really I suppose.

Listening to the library mix my inspiration as such was to use this as an opportunity to mix it straight and not use any effects... I got a lot out of it anyway, learning wise. For me I felt there was maybe a better route to get the results I am after. Certainly I feel a lot more comfortable with drums and mix balance I think. You got to work at the things that you feel aren't quite there yet haven't you. No point in doing the same things every time and always not being quite satisfied with the result. Or something like that.

I might be inspired to add some sort of spice when I hava go at the telephone intro, and fix some of the backing vox bits, we'll see. Certainly be worth giving it a go and throwing up another version I think anyway.

I did wonder if I was missing something like that with the overheads, but didn't consider the room. I think I just flipped it for audience perspective and adjusted the panning. Didn't occur to me that the rooms might be M/S. It didn't quite sound that way to me I don't think, but who knows, you might be right. I did write a little m/s gain utlility in Reaper JS a while back, that can also do M/S encoding and decoding so might have to play about with it.

Cheers!

[Roy]

You've made a powerful enemy today my friend.

No you're right and I'm not arguing just positing another perspective. And I respect and learn from yours as well. Maybe I should keep an eye on the basics.

To be fair I'm not a fan of the telephone intro. I feel like it's a bit amateur. I do like the sound but it feels a bit cheap. But the intent is to limit the x and y. Frequency and stereo.

I'm not even sure if the room is M/S but so much of the "traditional" info was on the left that I thought why not toss it through a matrix. And the result wasn't 'stereo' but centered things enough that I went with it. Also I have an affection for M/S back from my analog days so I was chuffed enough to pursue it.

I get it. I should give more attention to the library mix. In my head I initially heard so many early 90s indie, pop and shoegazer bands. I heard a picture that, for better or worse, I imposed on the mix. It was my thing back then. It's a midlife crisis thing.

Also bring certain BgVx up.

Anyway, I have to catch up on Corrie St.

[mikej]

I just checked out 'Lovefool' by the Cardigans, as I thought that had a sort of telephone voice intro... It doesn't in the intro, but it kind of does before the chorus. The vocals are quite interesting eq wise throughout the track though...

Corrie St? A quick internet search tells me it's a fish cafe in Brisbane, but not sure that's quite it.

Cheers!

[Roy]

I just checked out 'Lovefool' by the Cardigans, as I thought that had a sort of telephone voice intro... It doesn't in the intro, but it kind of does before the chorus. The vocals are quite interesting eq wise throughout the track though...

Corrie St? A quick internet search tells me it's a fish cafe in Brisbane, but not sure that's quite it.

Cheers!

There are songs that it reminds me of but I can't put my finger on it just yet. For some reason "Blood Music" by Chpaterhouse triggers something but I don't know why. I think it's the vocals.  Maybe Lush? The Breeders? Garbage? Blur? SlowDive? I dunno. I wish I knew.
To be fair I'm old. But that vocal harmony is something from somewhere. Don't hold be to that though.

You don't watch Coronation St!? For shame.

[Roy]

Also, pretend I wrote "Chapterhouse" correctly above and gaslight anyone who says otherwise.

[mikej]

Ha. Really? No, no I don't watch 'Coronation St'. You can go off people I guess..... .

Cheers!