Okay, I’m at that point where I need some fresh ears and monitors on this. Just click on the Cactus Juice link in the sig and it’s at the top of the list.
It began life as an acoustic guitar song and this is very much first draft territory. I’ve been mixing on my tiny Dell speakers as an experiment, to see what sort of a job it makes of the mid-range as my Adams weren’t giving me transferrable mixes, so the bottom end could be way out.
The arrangement is:
Vocal: Main and BV both double-tracked from different takes, rather than an effect. The BV is VariAudioed from the corresponding main vox. Main has a flutter effect (1/16 PingPong). The group (Main+BV) has 100% DaTube and a Phaser.
AcG: Mid-Side with the Side at about 40%.
EG: Tremolo and Overdriven, L+R.
Brass: HSSE/HSO Trumpet and Trombone Combis.
EP: HSSE Boost Tines, supposed to be harder in main bits, more bell-like in choruses.
Nice song, the mix is very mushy though. Like you said, the bottom end is a problem. Too much of it in the guitars and vocal, and the drums seem to lack some mids and could come up a bit in general. Really nice playing though, it certainly has potential.
I just had to turn the drums down because they and they bass were making the WAV look like a hairy caterpillar. If the mids are down then maybe those Dell speakers aren’t as good as I was hoping for representing them. Looks like it’s back to the Adams but I’ve been going off them as everything I mixed on them would sound awful on the Dells but when I corrected the honking sound on the Dells it all sounded great on the Adams.
Glad you like the song, though, and didn’t suggest that it needs more words, because I can’t think of any. Three choruses and no verse - that’s radical!
Well, time to get the Adams out of storage it is then.
Yep, mushy. Oddly enough, towards the end where the arrangement is pared down, we lose the mush. Therein lies your answer. It may well be the rhythm guitars overpower everything early on, I could barely hear the drums and bass then all of a sudden, daylight
I always tend to nag about lack of power in a mix. Maybe that is because I always want to have powerfull mixes myself.This doesn’t mean only wall to wall fat stuff, but a sort of energy that the song itself is asking for.
The drums, I can’t say anything good about that, I am really sorry. To me it’s not more then a guide track that needs to be replaced with something more interesting.
You got a nice voice, a little more enthousiasm would greatly enhance the piece. It’s neatly sung, a bit too neatly to my taste. The second song on your page is more laid back, your vocals fit in way better there.
I listened on monitors and headphones. The headphones reveal a very tight stereofield. The guitars, brass and vocals occupie exactly the same space. Doing this gives little room to mix it more open and spatial.
The acoustic guitar sounds really beautyfull, A pity it’s getting burried underneath the rest. To me the guitar and your voice are the real deal in this song, I would mix the guitar and vocal very strong, big and open the rest as accompaniment.The electric guitars and Brass to the far sides sides. Drums dead centre. The acoustic guitars just off centre to leave room for the vocals.
The basguitar can be a lot more beafy and present, but that is a matter of taste (especially my taste)
Hey, Dylan, long time no hear, thanks for those detailed remarks - and the same to everyone else who’s taken the time to listen and offer their opinion.
Drums - always did hate doing them, I’m not a drummer. Glad the acoustic sound is getting the thumbs up after all the effort (isn’t this stuff supposed to get easier?) Anyway, I’ll be getting the big speakers out (I’ve just moved hence the babies till now) and getting on with it.
You really that bored? I might just take you up on that - it’ll be interesting to hear what can be done - but I think I’d better get a few gremlins out first. Cheers, C
Cool tune, nice structure. Yeah, the mix is a little off and that’s what’s robbing power from the track IMHO. A little fiddling with levels and Bob’s yer uncle.
