Blues Bastards - Sugar Analog Mastering

[DB Oldhouse Records]

Mixed with SSL 4K and Mastered Analog.

[mikej]

Hi!

Good mix!

Just a couple of minor, probably more artistic thoughts. I think the vocal could be just a touch more upfront? For my taste, the rest of the band could feel just a little more atmospheric around the vocal. I felt the acoustic and perhaps the snare were getting in the way of the vocal a little, but it bothered me less on subsequent listens. A couple of the background parts could maybe do with being put through delays into reverb, or something like that too perhaps - like that single guitar note in the intro? I thought the guitar arpeggio could be a little more upfront too at times, as I felt it was perhaps getting a little lost now and again.

As ever, YMMV of course. Nice work overall.

Cheers!

[DB Oldhouse Records]

Hi!

Good mix!

Just a couple of minor, probably more artistic thoughts.  I think the vocal could be just a touch more upfront?  For my taste,  the rest of the band could feel just a little more atmospheric around the vocal.  I felt the acoustic and perhaps the snare were getting in the way of the vocal a little, but it bothered me less on subsequent listens.  A couple of the background parts could maybe do with being put through delays into reverb, or something like that too perhaps - like that single guitar note in the intro?  I thought the guitar arpeggio could be a little more upfront too at times, as I felt it was perhaps getting a little lost now and again.

As ever, YMMV of course.  Nice work overall.

Cheers!

Hey Mikej
Thanks for your comment. I will work on that. It is a nice Song, was fun to mix that. Cheers!

[mikej]

Hi,

I guess it's been a few years since I attempted this one!

Yes, I agree it's a great song to mix. I remember it quite well, as with mixing this one I felt I was maybe starting to get somewhere on occasion mixing wise back then. I seem to be struggling a bit with my mixes recently though for some reason, but hopefully I can get things back on track.

I feel there's a few things that are important to consider with all these mix critiques, something that's been on my mind for a while.

Not sure how you feel about it -

I think that if I am somewhat familiar with the library mix, then I might expect to hear the mix a certain way, or there might be certain features in the library mix I like that I'll kind of want to hear again in other mixes. Some of these things might be considered essential to retain as being key features of the track, other things might be more a matter of taste and open to interpretation.

I think we are also somewhat biased by our own mixes too. I notice if someone makes a dark mix, for example, then they might perceive everyone else's mix to be too bright, so I feel it's important to take the commenter's mix into account too. It can also put the comments in context regarding perceived skill level, etc too, as everyone is perhaps a different ways down the path, so to speak.

I think you can definitely mix, and the mix is already very good. In such cases I feel there is perhaps a danger that such comments might not come across as perhaps intended, and could be thought of as perhaps being a bit too picky? As with all comments, the aim is to spark discussion and also to give some ideas that might help further elevate the mix into something truly great and add that extra polish.

The idea here, after all, is for us all to help each other to make better mixes.

I am obviously no pro, and I only mix on here. It's just that sometimes I get the feeling that people are perhaps afraid to comment in case they are 'wrong' or maybe they think their opinion is not helpful or might be misinterpreted - but I don't see it that way.

Perhaps it's just me... it occurred to me recently that we are all here working hard and posting mixes, hoping for comments, but at the same time, we are perhaps not commenting so much on others mixes either! (myself included).

I guess the forum has always been a bit hit and miss comments wise, I suppose I just wondered what others think about the whole commenting thing, so thought I'd ask! (Hope you don't mind!).

Cheers!

[DB Oldhouse Records]

Hi,

I guess it's been a few years since I attempted this one!

Yes, I  agree it's a great song to mix.  I remember it quite well, as with mixing this one I felt I was maybe starting to get somewhere on occasion mixing wise back then.  I seem to be struggling a bit with my mixes recently though for some reason, but hopefully I can get things back on track.

I feel there's a few things that are important to consider with all these mix critiques, something that's been on my mind for a while.

Not sure how you feel about it -

I think that if I am somewhat familiar with the library mix, then I might expect to hear the mix a certain way, or there might be certain features in the library mix I like that I'll kind of want to hear again in other mixes.  Some of these things might be considered essential to retain as being key features of the track, other things might be more a matter of taste and open to interpretation. 

I think we are also somewhat biased by our own mixes too.  I notice if someone makes a dark mix, for example, then they might perceive everyone else's mix to be too bright, so I feel it's important to take the commenter's mix into account too.  It can also put the comments in context regarding perceived skill level, etc too, as everyone is perhaps a different ways down the path, so to speak.

I think you can definitely mix, and the mix is already very good.  In such cases I feel there is perhaps a danger that such comments might not come across as perhaps intended, and could be thought of as perhaps being a bit too picky? As with all comments, the aim is to spark discussion and also to give some ideas that might help further elevate the mix into something truly great and add that extra polish. 

The idea here, after all, is for us all to help each other to make better mixes. 

I am obviously no pro, and I only mix on here. It's just that sometimes I get the feeling that people are perhaps afraid to comment in case they are 'wrong' or maybe they think their opinion is not helpful or might be misinterpreted - but I don't see it that way. 

Perhaps it's just me...  it occurred to me recently that we are all here working hard and posting mixes, hoping for comments, but at the same time, we are perhaps not commenting so much on others mixes either! (myself included).

I guess the forum has always been a bit hit and miss comments wise, I suppose I just wondered what others think about the whole commenting thing, so thought I'd ask! (Hope you don't  mind!).

Cheers!

Hi mikej

I like your comment on my mix, and I miss lot of comments here. That's true, everyone has it own Sound in his head and want to create this on a record. I'm a Coach at Puremix online and everybody likes my comments, but only one person is a diva )) he wants to hear comments, but if you write one he only accept the comments of one person. (Tom) I don't know if you know him? 
I do the mixes only in 1-2 hours. I work a regular Job and study in the evening Audio Engineering. This both is enough to do  what I want to do is a very fine analogue Sound, to bring this to all musicians. Today I listened to a metal song, and I was shocked. The speakers are full in distortion and the loudness was crazy. I checked this on my System and the Song was Mastered up to -3,5 LUFS and a Truepeak +1db. What's wrong with the Metalheads?  This sounding not good, but everyone likes this ???

I try to help everyone who wants my opinion. Can you listen to my Song of Darkride - Piece of me? I want to hear what you thinking about it. You helped me with the other dark ride song a lot.

Thank you for your nice words!!
Cheers!

[mikej]

Hi!

Sorry - I don't know anyone over at Puremix online. Mix comments are not really something to get upset about really though! My experience is that most people want to be helpful. You do have to learn how to deal with differing opinions and preferences though. Some comments do get you thinking about a mix in a different way too, and might suggest something you maybe hadn't considered.

-3.5 LUFS does seem like it would be far too loud to me. Personally, I think -6 LUFS avg is about as far as I'd go personally on a mix. I know some people are very against loud mixes. I made lots of really terrible mixes trying to figure out how to make a loud mix and not just a distorted mess! I found limiting a mix hard really helped to highlight mix problems though. 'Better' mixes seem to be able to take a bit of punishment from the limiter I think.

Cheers!

[DB Oldhouse Records]

Hi!

Sorry - I don't know anyone over at Puremix online.  Mix comments are not really something to get upset about really though!  My experience is that most people want to be helpful.  You do have to learn how to deal with differing opinions and preferences though. Some comments do get you thinking about a mix in a different way too, and might suggest something you maybe hadn't considered.

-3.5 LUFS does seem like it would be far too loud to me.  Personally, I think -6 LUFS avg is about as far as I'd go personally on a mix.  I know some people are very against loud mixes.  I made lots of really terrible mixes trying to figure out how to make a loud mix and not just a distorted mess!  I found limiting a mix hard really helped to highlight mix problems though.  'Better' mixes seem to be able to take a bit of punishment from the limiter I think. 

Cheers!

No Problem  Yes this is true. All opinions are helpful to look at a mix different. I´m thankful for all. Cheers!