Drew's Dino Mix

[Beckers87]

This is my mix for Dino's on the Loose. I did this for a mixing class at MTSU!
Thanks for listening!

Drew

[Mike Senior]

Nice to see that the library is going to good use -- is it being used for regular assignments, or is it up to the students to decide what they'd like to cherry pick from it? Just interested. Anyway, on to the feedback...

You've got a bit balance mismatch between the bass on the big speakers and the same bass on your Auratone substitute, which is usually a good indicator that the instrument is relying a bit too much on its LF for balance. But apart from pure balance considerations, so much bass energy down there is really clouding the kick patterns, which makes the rhythm less anchored for me. The comparatively understated drums don't help there, of course, and I have to say I'd instinctively level them higher than this were I mixing this multitrack. But then, I'm a bit of funk fiend myself...

The upside of the HF-restricted bass line is that you get more space to explore the arrangement of textural layers of the other parts, and I like the way you've juggled the depth and balance of each of these in response to their importance at different points in the mix -- good ears at work. The only thing that feels maybe a bit odd balance-wise are the organ stabs (eg. at 3:00-3:16). The problem is that they balance fine in mono on the Auratone, but they're quite mono-incompatible, so they're rather overbearing, even distracting in the stereo presentation.

As far as effects go, I like the degree of natural blend you've achieved between all these synth instruments, although maybe I'd reduce the longer reverb returns a decibel or so to give a little more space between the instruments.