Big sound + Clarity

[outbreak525]

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/13291790/Ape Grape Uno.mp3
You're hearing a low D on guitar in the beginning.
And that fade into the second part is an F#.

Something about this mix doesn't work. It's not the tuning, that isn't changing. It could be the guitar tone but I don't know.

Can anyone spot out what's wrong with this mix and help me with it?

Thanks!

edit: I'm hearing a strange popping on beat with the drums at some parts that sounds flooded with mids. I have absolutely no idea where that came from and it's nowhere to be found in the mix. Very strange.

 

[mburton21]

Hmm... It sounds like it's clipping like a sonofabitch at times on my little speakers here. Can't tell much more til I get home.

 

[Morgan C]

First off, awesome fucking music and arrangement man. Can't wait to hear this finished.

As for the weirdness, I think I can hear it. The kick seems to be pumping the drums weirdly, maybe change or remove the compressor you've got on the drumbus or masterbus, or play around with it. TBH I'd change the kick sample itself because S2.0's kicks sound like ass.

Also, the drums could use a little more humanising in spots.

 

[Ozterkvlt]

I'd like to hear this with less compression, for me it's very hard to make out what's happening when everything's so compressed. The popping is maybe clipping, are you sure nothing's clipping there?

 

[OneDaySky]

Sweet Love the brutality Yeah i can hear major pumping issues. i like the snare, works in a exotic way for the music, Kick could def be improved. And maybe pull back on the Drum master compression.

Otherwise, love it man. Cant wait to here it one its been tweaked some more

 

[Scott Horner]

Yeah man, this whole thing is clipping horribly. Back off the limiting and this will sound awesome. Also, not really a fan of that high-pitched snare. I'd say tune it down a bit but that's just me. Song is really cool though.

 

[outbreak525]

Thank you everybody with input. This is my life and a precious song to me so I need the best mix possible.
I've been messing around with everything for a while now. Can't get the bass drum to be perfect... and my drummer is in <3 with these drums so I just need to keep them for him haha.
I didn't realize the master output caused things to clip I just thought it increased the volume so I didn't need to turn my speakers up so high.
But now this is really quiet. More suggestions? This song's gotta be out by 4/20!
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/13291790/Ape Grape Dos.wav

 

[ahjteam]

I see a few red flags here without even listening to the clip

 

[outbreak525]

I see a few red flags here without even listening to the clip

Whattaya mean?

 

[ahjteam]

I'm hearing a strange popping on beat with the drums at some parts that sounds flooded with mids. I have absolutely no idea where that came from and it's nowhere to be found in the mix. Very strange.

red flag

This is my life and a precious song to me so I need the best mix possible.

red flag

Can't get the bass drum to be perfect... and my drummer is in <3 with these drums so I just need to keep them for him haha.

combined with the comments: red flag

I didn't realize the master output caused things to clip I just thought it increased the volume so I didn't need to turn my speakers up so high.

big red flag

But now this is really quiet.

red flag: unbalanced/bad mix

This song's gotta be out by 4/20!

red flag




Anything more? I quickly listened to the .wav clip and the drums are too dynamic, they eat like 10-20dB of headroom.

 

[outbreak525]

K I'm floored.
Be we as humans learn from our mistakes!
Any advice on the "dynamic drums" ?
I don't really know what you mean.

 

[ahjteam]

well, if you are using a host that uses vst plugins, try the sturgis method: put gvst gclip on the snare to tame the dynamics of it. you can find it on google. Also put a limiter of some kind as the last plugin on the master bus and set the output to -0.3dB

edit: I don't have my dongles with me here so I can't open Cubase and do this, but I quickly tried with the hard limiter on Audacity, I could take out about 10dB of headroom from the drums with the hard limiter without losing much. if you do it properly on the mixing stage, you will get way better results than me fucking around with a really bad hard limiter plugin from audacity.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1338211/temp/AGD_quick.mp3

 

[outbreak525]

Well the limiter really beefed up the sound, I liked it. Thank you though, I'll be taking your advice and using it when I get the chance

 

[otop]

Sorry, but the only big sound I am hearing is the 808 hits every few seconds.

 

[outbreak525]

Sorry, but the only big sound I am hearing is the 808 hits every few seconds.

I'm looking to achieve the big sound. Mind helping out?