Dead mix, dead drums

[Disfunctional]

This is my first mix and I really am just looking for some pointers. I know it sounds really thin, the guitars are a bit tinny and the drums sound dead.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3995418/slow-04-m.mp3

I tracked the guitars x 4, bass copied and then eq'd differently.

I have eq'd and eq'd again and I still just can't get the sound right. I am using apTrigga2 with some samples I got off this forum for the snare, but it just has that hollow cheap sound.

Any help would be great.

 

[fuimjb]

I suggest shelling out $99 and going with Steven Slate Drums 3.5 EX. Best $99 I've ever spent. You get great drum sounds right out of the box.

 

[Disfunctional]

I think I will get them eventually, but am just wondering what I am doing so wrong in the mix I posted?

Really want to understand why it sounds the way it does and how I can improve it, especially the drums.

Thanks

 

[oroinvictus]

There's not a lot you can do with the avatar kit. It just isn't that good. Superior drummer tends to either sit under the mix or on it. Like fuimjb said, shell out for SSD. Try just dual tracking the guitars, see what kind of a difference you're getting.

 

[fuimjb]

What are you using for guitar? It sounds very thin. And how do you have everything panned? Guitars hard left/right? They sound more towards the middle than hard panned. That will help you a lot. And I recommend only dual tracking until you master that....then move to dual tracking. And it also sounds like all of you drums are in the middle....even your hi-hat/overheads.

 

[Disfunctional]

Unfortunately I'm having to use a Fender Mustang for the guitar, which explains the thin sound.

I have four tracked layers of guitar, main riff is dual tracked, with each two panned either side around 20-30%.

My drums have the hi-hats, snare panned right around 35% with everything else down the middle. I just can't seem to get rid of that hollow drum sound even with a decent sample and EQ. It has parallel compression on it too.

Any other comments?