90's/00's style pop-punk mix

[DiveRightIn63]

Going for a Blink/Starting Line realm of pop punk mix. I'm mostly happy with it, but feels like something is missing. Help and feedback much appreciated!

 

[RaivioSound]

You could try automating your pans, overheads and lead guitars really open wide for choruses and narrow for verses.

 

[Machinated]

its not sounding bad - the first thing I'd recommend is more automation between sections so the song sounds more exciting and keeps you on your toes. Making each section unique is really important for this genre. I'd also try parallel compressing the guitars, or even blending in some compression over the whole mix just to get things pumping and breathing a little more.
Balance and tones etc are spot on

 

[DiveRightIn63]

Thanks RaivioSound and Machinated!

I will try to tweak the compression a bit and try to do some automation. Beyond panning like Raivio mentioned, what other automation techniques should I try to distinguish each section?

Also, this is actually my performance as well, so if adding more instrumentation (i.e. synths or something) would help, I'm happy to consider that as well.

 

[Machinated]

Try automating the level of the master faded down in the verses like 1-2dB, and build it up/drop it down through the song.

As much as possible, it’s good to change the instrumentation/sounds/techniques up through the song song for each section, so being pretty brave can work well.

Could be a case of adding layers of percussion too?

 

[DIYistkrieg]

Great mix! It just has too much low end for my taste on this genre, plus it sounds like cymbals need to be panned harder (especially hi-hat), guitars could use a little more highs added just on the side to widen 'em up. Beside those things, the chorus as it is sounds less powerful than the pre-chorus section even though it has more things going on, try boosting the cymbals (automating the first hit to be harder then following the vocals) and the background vocals (the "aaaaaah" chorus);
the second half of the verses has double vocals all the time and sounds almost more "chorus-y" than the chorus itself, I'd cut some, especially 'cause it doesn't end exploding in the chorus but gets kinda "blocked" by the pre chorus...oh, another thing, the palm mute guitars on the pre chorus should be automated to go from quiet to "kick-in-the-face", and I'd cut away the hi-hat sustain before the first chorus and rather leave that second of silence to make the chorus kick in more aggresively, anyway these are all matters of personal taste I guess.

 

[DiveRightIn63]

Great mix! It just has too much low end for my taste on this genre, plus it sounds like cymbals need to be panned harder (especially hi-hat), guitars could use a little more highs added just on the side to widen 'em up. Beside those things, the chorus as it is sounds less powerful than the pre-chorus section even though it has more things going on, try boosting the cymbals (automating the first hit to be harder then following the vocals) and the background vocals (the "aaaaaah" chorus);
the second half of the verses has double vocals all the time and sounds almost more "chorus-y" than the chorus itself, I'd cut some, especially 'cause it doesn't end exploding in the chorus but gets kinda "blocked" by the pre chorus...oh, another thing, the palm mute guitars on the pre chorus should be automated to go from quiet to "kick-in-the-face", and I'd cut away the hi-hat sustain before the first chorus and rather leave that second of silence to make the chorus kick in more aggresively, anyway these are all matters of personal taste I guess.

Excellent points. Thank you! These are all great suggestions, I'll make some tweaks.