Band I recorded: Good songwriting, mix is missing something

[The Front Studio]

I might just always say that, but it's clearly missing some warmth...
Though plugin's I have in Sonar are pretty useful in getting this mix, or master for that sake, warm sounding.

The band is called One Of Kings. They're looking for a vocalist and therefore recorded this song to use as material for auditions.
I personally think their guitarist is one of the best songwriters I've worked with - used to do vocals for them for quite a while haha.

Anyway, check it out.
If you know what's missing or what I could use to make it better,
that'd be very helpful!

EDIT:
New version. Got more warmth but more mids as well. Snare's a bit down (not too much) and tried working on da kick.
http://soundcloud.com/the-front-studio/never-lose-focus-v2

 

[Jorge Escudero]

The mix sound ok but i´d change a few things, what im going to tell you is just what i think based on my preferences so maybe it is not ok for you but here it is in case it helps. At first listen, the snare seemed a little too loud on the mix to the point that it didn´t blended with the rest of the track while the kick is just the oposite, kinda missed in the track and doesnt stands out. A little ambience on the drums will help to make them sound more realistic. I´d bring the guitars a little more "in your face" and give them some more meat frequencywise. If you give the mix more bottom end, preferably in the bass track instead of in mastering, it´ll get more body and you might not lack the warmth you´re missing.

Again, this is based on my preferences, i suggest you to take a great mix of a band you like and ask to yourself what does that mix have that your mix doesnt.

I hope i helped at least a little.

Good luck!

 

[jimwilbourne]

snare & cymbals are a but too loud man. they're taking over everything.
the guitars seem too quiet. if you're getting a bad sound when they get too loud, then perhaps you just need to do some EQ work.

 

[The Front Studio]

snare & cymbals are a but too loud man. they're taking over everything.
the guitars seem too quiet. if you're getting a bad sound when they get too loud, then perhaps you just need to do some EQ work.

I honestly think the Cymbals should be loud. I hate it when there are almost none audible cymbals in mixes. Imho, you can sometimes replace hihats/cymbals with white noise in some metalcore mixes.
When they're loud, they're so fucking rad.
Maybe I've overdone it.
The snare, yeah i get you on that. I really need to find some balance when I use the snare sample I'm using in this mix (and several others). It easily goes from way too soft to way too loud.
The guitars, I'm trying out new, custom tones and this is one of them.
I'm glad you said that, cause no one has mentioned the guitars before.

Thanks for the input!
I think I can put up a 2.0 tomorrow

 

[Habsburgs]

I honestly think the Cymbals should be loud. I hate it when there are almost none audible cymbals in mixes.

:Smug: Dont ask for advise then..
You are clearly using samples.. and they have no "glue" or room..

 

[The Front Studio]

:Smug: Dont ask for advise then..
You are clearly using samples.. and they have no "glue" or room..

Well I wasn't really asking for advice on the OH's and yes they're samples since One Of Kings' without a drummer for the moment.
I'm more concerned about the overall sound of the mix,
since - in my opinion - it's kinda missing some mids/low mids.
I like the warmth in mixes like the latest Architects and Dillinger - both actually mixed by the same guy - and with comparing to them, though I'm not on the level Steve Evetts is, the lack of warmth is really bothering me

 

[The Front Studio]

New version. Got more warmth but more mids as well. Snare's a bit down (not too much) and tried working on da kick.
http://soundcloud.com/the-front-studio/never-lose-focus-v2

 

[DanLights]

:Smug: Dont ask for advise then..
You are clearly using samples.. and they have no "glue" or room..

You know, just cause people ask for advice doesn't mean they're going to agree with and follow everything everyone says. And what if he's using samples? He never said he wasn't did he?

That said, I agree with you on how inaudible cymbals suck, but I do think you overdid it here, specially with the hi-hat, and it sounds like you went nuts when composing the drums, I don't like the "randomness" of the cymbals you're using, doesn't sound like what a real drummer would do, but that's just my opinion and I'm not a drummer either so I could be wrong. Overall it's ok, I need fixing the cymbals will make it a great mix

 

[The Front Studio]

You know, just cause people ask for advice doesn't mean they're going to agree with and follow everything everyone says. And what if he's using samples? He never said he wasn't did he?

That said, I agree with you on how inaudible cymbals suck, but I do think you overdid it here, specially with the hi-hat, and it sounds like you went nuts when composing the drums, I don't like the "randomness" of the cymbals you're using, doesn't sound like what a real drummer would do, but that's just my opinion and I'm not a drummer either so I could be wrong. Overall it's ok, I need fixing the cymbals will make it a great mix

I turned the cymbals down a bit compared to the original one, but it's still overdoing it?
I agree on the hihat, it's way too present.
Btw if my double kick and tom fills technique were better, I'd drum that way. It's just my personal perspective but maybe I'm travis barkering it a bit too much haha

 

[jimwilbourne]

I honestly think the Cymbals should be loud. I hate it when there are almost none audible cymbals in mixes. Imho, you can sometimes replace hihats/cymbals with white noise in some metalcore mixes.
When they're loud, they're so fucking rad.
Maybe I've overdone it.
The snare, yeah i get you on that. I really need to find some balance when I use the snare sample I'm using in this mix (and several others). It easily goes from way too soft to way too loud.
The guitars, I'm trying out new, custom tones and this is one of them.
I'm glad you said that, cause no one has mentioned the guitars before.

Thanks for the input!
I think I can put up a 2.0 tomorrow

I get you man. I'm about loud cymbals as well. I'm right here with you.
but they are too loud compared to everything else in the mix.

the guitars aren't being felt in the mix at all like the snare & cymbals are.

usually, I have to turn the snare and cymbals down myself.
to help with this, I've found that it helps to set them at what sounds right in your monitors and then turn them down until they're 1.5 bits below what you like. ("bits" is not referring to data space. but rather an arbitrary unit of gain.)

 

[The Front Studio]

I get you man. I'm about loud cymbals as well. I'm right here with you.
but they are too loud compared to everything else in the mix.

the guitars aren't being felt in the mix at all like the snare & cymbals are.

usually, I have to turn the snare and cymbals down myself.
to help with this, I've found that it helps to set them at what sounds right in your monitors and then turn them down until they're 1.5 bits below what you like. ("bits" is not referring to data space. but rather an arbitrary unit of gain.)

Thanks for the tip man!