Band of young kids, hard rock/alt metal.

[Jordon]

Finally finished the hard rock/alt metal band I've been working on the past month or so. Cool kids, real young, 15-19. The drummer's the youngest, and I was really impressed with him, didn't require too much editing really.

Went over the final mixes with them tonight and everyone seems really happy, me included. Considering how small the budget was for the 7 songs and how much "producing" went into them, I'm quite pleased. Now it's up to you guys to tear my mix apart and tell me how much I suck

I wasn't sold on the singer at first, but the more I listen to him, the more I enjoy it.

Besides a few minor tweaks I want to make, it's ready to get sent off for mastering.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3463841/Fall Away.mp3
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3463841/Break Me (Feat. Scott Klonowski).mp3

 

[Cheesebone]

Holy shit, lol you're on here?

BTW great job with these so far!

-Dave

 

[Jordon]

Of course I'm on here! Is that Mr. Lizzio?

 

[Cheesebone]

Bingo mofugga!

 

[Jordon]

Woot!

And nice, I just noticed a click in the first track on the lead vocal before it kicks back into the last chorus. Musta hit converter a bit hard on the way back in from the LA2A. Wonder how that got by me.

 

[OneDaySky]

Good Job Jordon, its pretty generic hard rock, but for a bunch of youngsters, i take my hat off.
Well done man, decent production.

 

[Wyldechyld]

Sounds good.. Like OneDaySky said it's pretty generic but it is still good.

 

[Jordon]

Anyone but me think the vocals are too loud in the first track?

 

[jauernis]

Jordon agree with the vocals they are sitting too high on the first track and not sitting as good as they could. Would be nice if you could try to add a little low end to his voice especially in the verses. Otherwise very niiiiice!

 

[Jordon]

Yea, the vocals have been pissing me off in this project. I've never had a problem getting them to sit in a mix in the past, and I'm starting to think it may be the odd tonality of his voice. They sound really boxy at times, but I cannot get rid of it. Maybe I'm over-thinking it a bit too much and I just need to buckle down and tweak them till they work.

 

[oskob]

About the vocals, it sounds a little like you're trying to make him sound in a certain way that you'd like him to sound. Maybe let the characteristics of his voice determine the sound instead of trying to change it to you're taste(or something?!). Hard to tell how that would sound, but since you said yourself that you had a hard time getting the vocals to fit, maybe just changing angle would help! What do I know?!

The guitars sound just a liiitle bit lifeless in some way, lacking some warmth.

Also, I would have put a little bore bite in the bass sound. But really nice that you don't let the bass drown in the guitars as many people tend to do.

Besides these minor things, really awesome!

PS. Just like you said, the more I listen, the more I like the vocals, but I still remember my first impression that it sounded a little out of place. Maybe step away from the mix for while and then listen with clean ears, so to speak, would give you some ideas!

 

[Jordon]

Other than having him get a bit aggressive here and there with his vocal parts, I really didn't push him too hard to try things he wasn't used to. He's only been singing for about a year and definitely hasn't has much (if any) formal training. He actually sang mostly country music before this band, so I don't think he's quite used to the style of vocal required just yet.

Any thoughts on what I could try out with the guitars? I'm open to suggestions. I'm happy with the individual tones, but I agree, they don't "jump out." I never thought I'd say this, but it's almost like there isn't enough fizz on them, like I LP'd em too low.

I like being able to hear the bass! I HP between 80-120 hz almost as a rule and just let the bass be an angry low bastard. Might have to bring up the distorted bass track a bit more.

Any more suggestions are very welcome. It'll be sent off to Plec at The Panic Room for mastering in a few weeks, so I want to get it as close to "perfect" as I can get this particular project.

 

[Jordon]

Anyone else got any suggestions?