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Wicked - EKN Mix
#11
New version with a few subtle changes :

- didn't boost the kick low end but EQ'ed down the beater frequency during the verses, so the kick sounds a litlle bit rounder (if not thicker)
- added back some of the bottom snare mic
- lowered and shortened the reverb
- de-essed the sibilances on the vocals that were particularly obvious on "nous ensemble" and "she knows"
- a few other 1-2dB volume adjustments here and there

Not a radically different version, the keyword here is : subtle !


.mp3    Wicked - EKN Mix 02.mp3 --  (Download: 7.22 MB)


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#12
(09-05-2014, 11:39 PM)EKN Wrote: New version with a few subtle changes :

- didn't boost the kick low end but EQ'ed down the beater frequency during the verses, so the kick sounds a litlle bit rounder (if not thicker)
- added back some of the bottom snare mic
- lowered and shortened the reverb
- de-essed the sibilances on the vocals that were particularly obvious on "nous ensemble" and "she knows"
- a few other 1-2dB volume adjustments here and there

Not a radically different version, the keyword here is : subtle !

Very nice! Perfect bass balance, nice clean vocals, love the sound of the guitars! Big Grin Still love that great effect on the backing vocals; it gives me a feeling like they're behind me somehow, which is really cool!

The only adjustment I might make now would be to bring the level of the snare drum down overall by 1-2 dB. Even if you don't do that, though, it's still an exceptional mix just the way it is! Love it! Big Grin
John A. Ardelli
Pedaling Prince Pictures
http://www.youtube.com/user/PedalingPrince
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#13
It is a great mix,i might up the vox a db or 2,he could be right about the snare.
Nice work.
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#14
Very nice. I agree about the BK vocals ... awesome!
To mix or not to mix ... mix!
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#15
Thank you all for the nice words and useful feedback Smile
John and Alan, you were right about the snare somewhat fighting the vocals. So here's a new (hopefully final) version.
Cheers.


.mp3    Wicked - EKN Mix 03.mp3 --  (Download: 7.22 MB)


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#16
Perfect.
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#17
What I'm about to ask, anyone who's been observing my postings will know, is the highest compliment I can pay a mix:

Any way I get get a copy of the 24-bit master? Big Grin
John A. Ardelli
Pedaling Prince Pictures
http://www.youtube.com/user/PedalingPrince
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#18
@Alan : Thanks again, mate !
@John : Check your PM
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#19
(09-05-2014, 11:39 PM)EKN Wrote: - de-essed the sibilances on the vocals that were particularly obvious on "nous ensemble" and "she knows"
- a few other 1-2dB volume adjustments here and there

Not a radically different version, the keyword here is : subtle !

hi Erick,
the sibilance needed a lot more attention generally, though some places more than others. while i must admit to having sensitive ears (third party professional assessment, not guess work), i actually got some pain during the sharper moments. it wasn't only the vocals that caused occasional spikes in the discomfort department, but the synth can get ragged, and the rhythm/lead guitars would benefit from some selective notching.

i noted the bass guitar was pushing the 120Hz'ish area a bit too much and came across at this point a little on the shouty side, perhaps a notch somewhere here would help tame it along with some low-end compression to help smooth it out further perhaps? still on the subject of notching, check out the 1kHz area of the lead vocal, as it sounds like this too could do with a bit, or dynamic EQ (or whatever works best for the need) just to control the energy here from time to time and balance her delivery. i'd have liked some air on the lead vocal, especially this vocal, however, getting air while defeating sibilance can be perceptively challenging for a number of reasons.

i found the snare stressful during the verses (a bit too pushy, if you know what i mean?), however when the chorus came in it was super. the cymbals were shocking everywhere....but perhaps that was down to the tracking (sorry i'm not familiar with it); they really lacked definition or any sort of presence in the mix....too much hiss, like white noise - like the classic China-Mic Syndrome?

a couple of odd noises were encroaching upon the mix, and i'm wondering if it was the synth part. it occurred during the run-in to the synth sweeps (first event LHS, second event RHS then in came the synth nice and clear), and i think i noted it occurring twice? i'm sure it could have been muted as it wouldn't have interfered with the timing of the synth sweep.

at a subjective level, i found the song engaging and i generally liked your vision and where you took it. one could argue whether having a chorused lead guitar with inherent resonances spread across the stereo image with rhythm guitar panned to the left in it's shadow (without spectral balance in the other channel), or the synth zooming back and forth satisfies any contribution towards an objective assessment, but who cares if it sounds engaging Smile

but i must say, i think the constraints in your monitoring arrangements are holding you back. if you can't hear it (hear what?), you can't fix it, it's as simple as that and budget gear is what it is by default, that's why it's budget. i haven't checked back on the project we touched upon via PM to see if you've since re-worked it, but it too had some "drama" (i'm being polite) in the high end especially with the vocals.

i'm not sure how you can address the issues and clear the bottleneck, however, without upgrading your system - i think you've outgrown the current one and it's holding you back.

cheers,
Dave
Beware...........Cognitive Dissonance!
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