[Music] Another mix I'd appreciate comments on

Here’s another mix from the rock band project I’m working on. This is more of an acoustic/easy listening style (the band has a nice range of writing and performance styles…I recorded a live show of theirs where they did a cover of Prince’ “Kiss”…they can do quite a soul groove too).

Anyway, take a listen to this one and let me know your thoughts/comments.

Many thanks,

Karl

Tom Toms need to be … different. Everything else is, IMO spot on. Floor tom, I think is OK … I can feel the space. The high toms are ‘thuck thuck’. There is enough strength in everything else to subsist if those toms get a bit more ‘size’ and ‘openness’.

I’m more than half way through … and everything else is still … flaming perfect.

Susheela raman … her band gives ‘solo’ quality to each hit of each instrument, and apart from those early high toms, this is what you’ve done here. This is just so good.

omygod that ending and that nicely controlled micro-break at the end of his high note … wow. :thumbsup:

All the best
Glyn

The toms suffer from the room I’m afraid. These tracks were recorded in my basement. The area works ok for near fields but as a recording environment it’s not great. Carpeted floor, fairly low ceiling…not particularly live I’m afraid.

In hindsight I wish I had done 3 things differently…

Should have pushed the drummer to put new heads on his kit.
Should have pushed him to hit the cymbals with some brasso to brighten them up a bit.
Should have picked up a few sheets of plywood to put on the floor to get a little more of a reflective environment.

This, however, was much of the point of working with these guys, to get some experience out of it.

There are a few free-bie drum replacement plug’s out there. I’ve thought about using this track as an excuse to play with a few of them and try replacing the live toms with some better sounding samples.

I do like the tune though and, overall, I’m happy with it.

BTW, that “micro-break” on the vocalist’s high note at the end…almost got “fixed”.

Hi

Very nice and mellow. Would be great if you can sort out the toms though.

Tonally this sounds much more mellow than is the trend these days. I seem to like this ATM.

The tom’s…yeah…hmmm. Debating two options, will probably try using a plug (a drumagog freebie of some sort) and see if i can fly in some sampled replacements.

I had thought about lifting the snare from the second or third verse (where the drummer plays the same type pattern but uses brushes on the snare) …the problem there being that the toms are also in the overheads.

Still thinking about that but I certainly agree that the toms sounds are the weak part of the track.

Very nice tune.
I agree that you should try the drum replacement plug.
The brush hit snare is a bit strong in the mix and the bass needs to come forward a bit.
Other than that it works for me.

I thought the mix was just about perfect, and didn’t have any problem with the toms, either. The one thing I thought was that the vocal group in the first chorus were just a tad too loud

BTW – the acoustic sounds superb. OK, how’d you do it :smiley:

Thanks Lenny…I’d had the same thought on the bass, just a touch more I think. I’ll take another listen and focus on the snare brushes…

Karl

Vocals in the first chorus…ok, I’ll have another listen.

The accoustic guitar was mic’d with an AKG C414 xl II on the body and a Sennheiser e914 SDC pointed at the 13’th fret. The 414 was set for Cardioid pattern with 80hz rolloff. The Senn had the 80hz rolloff set as well. Both mic’s were placed about 12" in front. These were mixed to taste.

Karl

Ok, here’s the version 4 mix. Numerous tweaks. Lot’s of focus on the tom’s and drum kit overall. Other changes to voc levels, bass…etc… I think this is a much improved mix.

Take a listen and let me know what you think.

Karl

Hi Karl,

Listened to both mixes and would agree the second is a better mix. I think initially Lenny nailed it, as usual, and even on this version I believe there is room to bring the bass up a bit. Great tune that’s easy to listen to.