Album's done....now what?!!? Advice needed

[theNeologist]

So I've spent a good number of months working on our album and trying to learn a lot of key points to mixing and mastering and I'm appoaching the finish.

The problem i'm facing is i know the quality has a lot of room for improvement...only i don't really know how to improve with what I have. I followed so much advice on this first attempt that I don't really know what else to try with the equipment I have...so I'm hoping maybe a few listens might bring out some recommendations for equipment...or techniques...or something.

One recommendation i've heard a number of times is better drum samples...so I'm on top of that. But i still feel the guitars and maybe the overall sound could still improve. All ideas are very much appreciated so please don't hold back. *All songs should have same quality...so i jsut put them up for choices...*

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3422116/Dead Winter Inside Master Final.mp3

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3422116/Cyclical Timing Master.mp3

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3422116/The White One Master.mp3

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3422116/A Dress Rehearsal For A Funeral Master.mp3

 

[HandsOfDespair]

Only listened to the first song:

Guitars are way too loud, it feels like the drums have absolutely no punch because they're overpowered by the gtrs

Drums are realllly repetitive

When they're is those clean vocals with the lead in the middle, it's just too much, it sounds like chaos, there is too much things at the same time. You lead guitar should be a lot more simple than that, and follow the vocals line.

Acoustic guitars sound great.

 

[theNeologist]

Were you by chance listening on a decent setup...perhaps some monitors versus small comp speakers?? The reason i ask is i've given my mixes to a number of friends who each have different setups, and it seems those that were listening on better setups...say monitors...tended to say the guitars were very loud. Others who were listening on smaller setups had more issues with vocals being too loud. That's another aspect that i'm finding frustrating....the mix seems to sound different to everyone...so I can never get a clear cut idea of what needs to be done. Any suggestions for getting a more even and consistent sound to a mix?

Well I appreciate you giving a listen and throwing out some suggestions man!

 

[Dalinkwent48@aim.com]

Reference it yourself on different speakers dont just go by what your friends say. I just ran it through 3 sets of speakers ( 2 sets of mons and 1 set of comp speakers) The rythm guitars and vox are both very overpowering.

 

[theNeologist]

Yeah I have. I've listened through my comp speakers, my monitors (obviously), my ipod, and my ipod played through my car. Everyday on my way to work I would listen to the changes I made the day before and take note of what I needed to fix. My comp speakers and my monitors sounded real good. My car setup sounded different, but not in regards to one or the other being overpowering....but I am beginning to think I've listened to these songs so much that I'm biased...hence why I'm trying to get as much feedback from others as possible.

or I just suck at mixing...which I have not ruled out yet hahaha.

 

[Sam Bottner]

I'm listening on computer speakers and the guitars are way too loud.

 

[Mago]

on monitors and decent headphones: guitars too loud, drums lack punch...
also not a huge fan of the guitarsound

 

[Dalinkwent48@aim.com]

Yeah I have. I've listened through my comp speakers, my monitors (obviously), my ipod, and my ipod played through my car. Everyday on my way to work I would listen to the changes I made the day before and take note of what I needed to fix. My comp speakers and my monitors sounded real good. My car setup sounded different, but not in regards to one or the other being overpowering....but I am beginning to think I've listened to these songs so much that I'm biased...hence why I'm trying to get as much feedback from others as possible.

or I just suck at mixing...which I have not ruled out yet hahaha.

The mixes in general arent bad, its just some slight volume adjustments. Don't listen to the songs for like a day or two, then go back and you'll most likely notice what we're talking about.

 

[theNeologist]

Alright....so after getting a pretty good sense that my tracks needed much work, I went back and took a fresh look at my music. With the criticisms in mind I started from scratch with the mixing and mastering. I took a new approach to the guitar tone, a drastic approach to mastering stage...and with all said and done hope I have made improvement to my first mixes. I would love to get some feedback on my revision to see if progress was in fact made. It would be especially helpful if a few of you who made comments on the originals could draw a comparison. I appreciate your suggestions on the originals and would love to see these tracks through to a decent quality!

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3422116/Cyclical Timing Remixed And Remastered 3.mp3

 

[SimonTaddio_Qc]

The 2nd attempt doesn't even compare to the first

 

[theNeologist]

Just to make sure I'm interpretting that correctly......2nd attempt = tremendously worse than 1st? Or......2nd attempt = tremendously better than 1st?

 

[Matt.CL]

Just to make sure I'm interpretting that correctly......2nd attempt = tremendously worse than 1st? Or......2nd attempt = tremendously better than 1st?

way fucking better in my opinion

 

[theNeologist]

you have no idea how reassurring that is hahah. Appreciate the listen man!

 

[nialldoran]

yeah definatly a whole heap better, takin the break and starting again definatly sounds like it paid off, guitars sound way better, alot more suiting i think drums fit better and vocals arent as overpowering

 

[Sam Bottner]

WOW! Way better the second time! Guitars sound so focused and tight, nice work.

 

[Mago]

2nd mix is a whole lot better
guitars and vocals still quite loud though
and I can barely hear the kick and snare
awesome song btw, I think I remember when you postet that without vocals quite a long time ago

 

[theNeologist]

Thanks guys! Your guys' advice has definitely helped me define these mixes better and for that I throw you up some big fucking horns \m/! Yeh Mago...I will probably do another run through to finalize levels...prob take down guitars and screams down a notch! I think I did post a version way way back when i was first starting everything. in fact I think this was back when I was using Fruity Loop drum fonts, a POD 2.0, and an Edge microhphone.....so hopefully I have made improvements from those days. Hahah.

 

[SimonTaddio_Qc]

Just to make sure I'm interpretting that correctly......2nd attempt = tremendously worse than 1st? Or......2nd attempt = tremendously better than 1st?

Hahahahaha
You gotta have more confidence in yourself than that!
If I didn't specify "way better" is simply because it was just too much fucking obvious!

Cheers

 

[theNeologist]

Hahaha it's clear now. You were the first responder though...with the new mix...so I figured it could really go either way!

 

[Steven Otto]

Very thight low-end thingy going on with the bass guitar and rythm guitar.