Great mixes!

[HouseOfBedlam]

I'm listening to the mixes and enjoying the ideas and how you guys hear it more Instead of taking the "this is what i'd do" approach. I'm more in the "see what you guys come up with" mode. If anyone is interested in what, why, or how i did something.. you can PM me or probably ask on this thread if any questions.
Thank you all for taking the time to mix these tracks. I'm enjoying them all.
Walt

[mikej]

Hi,

Firstly, many thanks for sharing a great multitrack for us all to practice with.

Also, many thanks for listening and commenting on all our mixes and offering to answer our questions.  It's much appreciated and very generous of you, as this does take up a lot of time.

My first thoughts when playing back the raw tracks were that this track was very well recorded and arranged.  I also really liked the choice of doubled parts, so there wasn't much to fight with in that respect.  This actually makes the mixing much harder, as all that remains is for me to go ahead and completely mess it up . 

My general approach is to listen closely to, and kind of live with, the library mix for a bit.  Then I pick out a few current tracks to reference with regard to general tone, etc.  In this case I picked out a couple of tracks from the billboard hard rock chart - just to try and get an idea as to what the ballpark current sound is. I feel that anything mixed today has to be able to hang in a current playlist (tone, loudness, etc).  The current charts kind of dictate what is popular and of the moment.  My feeling is if you don't do any referencing, you don't have any yardstick or direction and are going to be totally lost.  Also, I find referencing commercial mixes to be quite brutal and humbling, and really helps me to understand that my mixes do really suck and it drives me on to work at it and hopefully try and improve a bit. 

Things I picked out from the library mix that I really liked - and tried to get right - were the intro guitar figure, the lead vocal effects and atmosphere, and the excellent backing vocals.  The snare - the kind of low-ish mid reverb thing I picked up on I really liked. The bass runs, and also that great, explosive, fast guitar solo. The library mix was very loud, 5-point-something LUFS, and also is a good mix that would be tough to even try and match, let alone beat.

From the (commercial) ref tracks picked - I got that things are quite mid/upper mid focused, and that the drums are really quite fast, agile and punchy, rather than bass heavy.

So, that was basically my approach, and what I was attempting to go for in theory.

I really like your signature, and as it says, everyone hears it a little different. 

For me I am interested in:

What was your idea and vision for the mix of this track? 
Which aspects of the mix are the most important to you?
Are there any key points you think people are kind of missing?
What things have people come up with that have surprised/impressed you?

And if that wasn't enough wide ranging questions to be getting on with -

I'm curious - due to the high quality of the tracks - was this a studio production, or more of a home recorded thing?

Edit - and did you play and sing all the parts?

Another edit - Wow, ok, just checked your youtube channel - House Of Bedlam Demo '93. Amazing!!

Cheers!

[HouseOfBedlam]

[quote pid='115585' dateline='1644340565']
For me I am interested in:

What was your idea and vision for the mix of this track? 
I always seem to lean towards a thick mix more then a see through. I like layers and a lush sound.

Which aspects of the mix are the most important to you?
I'd have to say balance and how well everything is working with each other. I kind of go by feel..

Are there any key points you think people are kind of missing?
For my tastes, i'm seeing it in the volume changes between parts and the gating off all the aspects of the snare especially in the beginning. Also the relation of blending the second vocal track instead of full volume dbl. It needs a blend to feel but not hear the second vocal.

What things have people come up with that have surprised/impressed you?
How people are approaching the chorus vocals (width, verbs), and the mix with the reverse verb on the lead vocals was really cool.

And if that wasn't enough wide ranging questions to be getting on with -

I'm curious - due to the high quality of the tracks - was this a studio production, or more of a home recorded thing?
This was all done in a bedroom home studio.

Edit - and did you play and sing all the parts?
I played the guitar, bass, and sang all the vocals. I took a long hiatus from music (28 years), been back at it probably year and a half. Thats the first guitar solo i've come up with in 28 years. The guitars are actually quad tracked with no time editing. That's the first i've really sang in 28 years (ruuusty). The vocals and backing vocals (48 tracks of harmonies condensed into the 4 sets for a huge sound) were done with a Rode Mic. I programmed the drums on EZ Drummer. 

Another edit - Wow, ok, just checked your youtube channel - House Of Bedlam Demo '93.  Amazing!!
Thank you very much, that was the last i did in music till bout year and a half ago. That was actually recorded in an apartment dining room on a fostex 4 track, bouncing 4 tracks to DAT then back to 2 track and record and so on Till all was recorded/mixed. You had to play ever part one take right or do it again till you did. Drums are programming of the old Alesis drum machine note for note from rehearsal tapes. It was a lot of work and upset neighbors.. lol Oh i wish i would have had a DAW like today....


Thank you for the questions and for taking the time to mix my tracks.
Cheers!
[/quote]

[mikej]

That was a quick reply!

Appreciate the answers and insight there, many thanks!

Yeah I do find mixing and balancing the more heavy guitar stuff really quite difficult, and also the depth thing.  For the past months I have been trying the multiple reverbs/effects for different things route.

I had a feeling you'd might have done it all yourself. It really is a very well put together session, and some excellent guitar sounds too.  Apologies - I did forget to directly mention the great playing. When I heard that solo I was kind of like woah where did THAT come from . 48 tracks for the BV's too! Really great stuff.

The whole thing struck me as being really pro, which makes sense to me now, having checked out a bit of that demo video.  I look forward to checking out the whole thing in a bit more detail a bit later on.

Man, that demo '93 stuff really is amazing for a 4-track/dat apartment recording.

(You've actually reminded me of a long lost memory that I did actually once manage to borrow a Yamaha 4-track.. way back when the DX7 was kind of new...)

Not sure if you want to go into it here or not, but from what I have seen of the demo video and the photos so far it looks like you really did hit the band thing in a pretty serious way back in the day? And with quite some talent too. Seems you had also invested in a good amount of gear which wasn't exactly cheap back then either - and that you also did some live shows too etc?

Cheers!

[HouseOfBedlam]

That was a quick reply!

Appreciate the answers and insight there, many thanks!

Yeah I do find mixing and balancing the more heavy guitar stuff really quite difficult, and also the depth thing.  For the past months I have been trying the multiple reverbs/effects for different things route.

I had a feeling you'd might have done it all yourself.  It really is a very well put together session, and some excellent guitar sounds too.  Apologies - I did forget to directly mention the great playing.  When I heard that solo I was kind of like woah where did THAT come from .  48 tracks for the BV's too! Really great stuff.

The whole thing struck me as being really pro, which makes sense to me now, having checked out a bit of that demo video.  I look forward to checking out the whole thing in a bit more detail a bit later on. 

Man, that demo '93 stuff really is amazing for a 4-track/dat apartment recording. 

(You've actually reminded me of a long lost memory that I did actually once manage to borrow a Yamaha 4-track.. way back when the DX7 was kind of new...)

Not sure if you want to go into it here or not, but from what I have seen of the demo video and the photos so far it looks like you really did hit the band thing in a pretty serious way back in the day? And with quite some talent too.  Seems you had also invested in a good amount of gear which wasn't exactly cheap back then either - and that you also did some live shows too etc?

Cheers!

Thank you again.... Yes, the old band, write, and search for that major label record deal. Different bands, demo's, and hittin the clubs. I was late enough that Metal was over and grunge was taking over. All the deals were development deals where record companies were signing anything that moves that sounded like something already out there (which we didnt want to be) and using the contracts as write offs if the band didnt take off.... Was getting pretty shady out there. I had enough and took a vacation... Long one...
-

[mikej]

Ah.. gotcha...

I did listen through the whole demo. I must say that I particularly really enjoyed the guitar sounds and riffs. I could easily imagine every one of those tracks being given the full on Mutt Lange / Mike Shipley treatment.

Cheers!

[HouseOfBedlam]

Ah.. gotcha... 

I did listen through the whole demo.  I must say that I particularly really enjoyed the guitar sounds and riffs.  I could easily imagine every one of those tracks being given the full on Mutt Lange / Mike Shipley treatment.

Cheers!


That would have been a dream come true!!

[Monk]

My first thoughts when playing back the raw tracks were that this track was very well recorded and arranged. 

An interesting statement. I'm wondering how you arrived at your conclusion and if you'd be willing to share it with the community; I think it would be “educationally” helpful?

Thanks in advance.

[Monk]

May I ask who was responsible for the final loudness adjustment that is present in the PREVIEW track in the download section, and repeated here in the sub under Senior's thread?

Thanks

[HouseOfBedlam]

I'm not sure what Mike does before he posts them up, but i set up my levels to streaming before i use them (Youtube usualy).