Death Metal debut album mix. Please help me improve it! :) Real everything!

[CarlBlomqvist]

To be honest i liked the first version of this, now it sound's too middy.

I agree with other comments to bring the guitar a bit forward but you
have too do it real gentle and subtle. There's also not much low end in the
guitars. Liked the first better

I posted a new version now. Check it out. More low end in guitars and a tad more scoop. I think it sound great.

Yeah I agree ^^^ I liked the first version the most. Sounds good IMO. There's a lot going on in the song and it sounds cluttered but I think thats the song writing itself. I quite like the rawness of it all.

I don't agree at all ^^ Way to muddy/scooped. Middy guitars kind of fits the music we play. This is the most intensive track, but the rest of the record has got more progressive songs. I'm pretty happy with Version 5. Check it out.

I like the version 4 more. Way to scooped sounding in the first clip.

Sounds awesome Carl!

I agree! Thank you
Check out Version 5. I think it's very close to final.


LINK: Version 5!

 

[RaNk]

I really like it (especially the V5), it sounds so heavy and real. Because it is of course. The vocals are very nice. Only thing I would change is make the hihat a little less harsh/dominant (see eg around 0:20), the rest of the cymbals sound so nice to me. And maybe the kickdrum just a little less clicky. But overall it's great.

 

[Firaxis]

massive improvement man, nice one!

 

[CarlBlomqvist]

I really like it (especially the V5), it sounds so heavy and real. Because it is of course. The vocals are very nice. Only thing I would change is make the hihat a little less harsh/dominant (see eg around 0:20), the rest of the cymbals sound so nice to me. And maybe the kickdrum just a little less clicky. But overall it's great.

I take it you're a drummer
The hihat is like 70% leakage from the snare mic. That's why it is so centered.
I can't lower it without lowering the snare sadly. I already sidechained out a bit.

massive improvement man, nice one!

Thanks! Be sure to check out the album and video when it's out

 

[RaNk]

I take it you're a drummer
The hihat is like 70% leakage from the snare mic. That's why it is so centered.
I can't lower it without lowering the snare sadly. I already sidechained out a bit.

No I'm no drummer, but you got me on this: I (sadly) didn't record/mix real drums for years now. I just didn't expect it to be leak on the snaredrum because it only became more obvious after the V3 mix, while the snaredrum didn't really change much itsself after that. Maybe I should listen even more closely.

But I really like it, and every mix is an improvement over the previous ones. I like the realness of it and this kind of productions are becoming more rare nowadays. Also the mix still has nice dynamics still while it's super loud, which is a great achievement.

 

[CarlBlomqvist]

No I'm no drummer, but you got me on this: I (sadly) didn't record/mix real drums for years now. I just didn't expect it to be leak on the snaredrum because it only became more obvious after the V3 mix, while the snaredrum didn't really change much itsself after that. Maybe I should listen even more closely.

But I really like it, and every mix is an improvement over the previous ones. I like the realness of it and this kind of productions are becoming more rare nowadays. Also the mix still has nice dynamics still while it's super loud, which is a great achievement.

You're actually right, and I just got why that is haha. I EQed the snare some, added some highs to it, and well... That naturally affected the hi-hat as well. I think it's kind of a problem, but I don't think it's the end of the world. But still, you noticed it. Maybe I can automate the EQ or something... But that would take a lot of time, and might result in an uneven sounding snare or something...

Thank you for you kind words. When I started this recording, I was aiming for the more natrual kind of mix, because I'm a little bit tired of the average "generic" mix. Especially sturgis-type productions, which is what most of my clients wants to have...

Cheers
Carl.

 

[RaNk]

You're actually right, and I just got why that is haha. I EQed the snare some, added some highs to it, and well... That naturally affected the hi-hat as well. I think it's kind of a problem, but I don't think it's the end of the world. But still, you noticed it. Maybe I can automate the EQ or something... But that would take a lot of time, and might result in an uneven sounding snare or something...

Thank you for you kind words. When I started this recording, I was aiming for the more natrual kind of mix, because I'm a little bit tired of the average "generic" mix. Especially sturgis-type productions, which is what most of my clients wants to have...

Cheers
Carl.

Nah it's not the end of the world at all lol, it's just a small detail. Personally I wouldn't try to automate this. I'm no pro, but why not go sit between the V3 EQ and V5 EQ (for snare)? Also, the last 2 mixes seem louder. This creates more highs in the whole mix to my ears, there's already loads of. Does the snare really need those extra high's? I like the version 3 snare also. That's just my opinion of course, maybe the others disagree. Maybe you want those extra highs in because you're working alot on this mix without too much rest?

But whatever, it still sounds great no matter if there's some 'life' in the mix here and there.

 

[CarlBlomqvist]

Nah it's not the end of the world at all lol, it's just a small detail. Personally I wouldn't try to automate this. I'm no pro, but why not go sit between the V3 EQ and V5 EQ (for snare)? Also, the last 2 mixes seem louder. This creates more highs in the whole mix to my ears, there's already loads of. Does the snare really need those extra high's? I like the version 3 snare also. That's just my opinion of course, maybe the others disagree. Maybe you want those extra highs in because you're working alot on this mix without too much rest?

But whatever, it still sounds great no matter if there's some 'life' in the mix here and there.

Yeah, that's a valid point.

About the mastering. It's not the mastering that makes the highs, it's me who added some more highs to OH because I compared the mix to other mixes and it felt like I had to little highs (I'm talking 9k+). But yeah, I might as well lower the ~5k I added on the snare.
And I'm taking ~10min rest every 30 minutes actually, so I don't think I'm tirering my ears out to much, but you might be right.

 

[RaNk]

Yeah, that's a valid point.

About the mastering. It's not the mastering that makes the highs, it's me who added some more highs to OH because I compared the mix to other mixes and it felt like I had to little highs (I'm talking 9k+). But yeah, I might as well lower the ~5k I added on the snare.
And I'm taking ~10min rest every 30 minutes actually, so I don't think I'm tirering my ears out to much, but you might be right.

Yes of course I'm absolutely sure you know what you're doing, especially since the mix got so much better in a few days. I certainly don't even think I could do some things better, at all. Again, it's just my small opinion on things I hear as a listener.

 

[CarlBlomqvist]

Yes of course I'm absolutely sure you know what you're doing, especially since the mix got so much better in a few days. I certainly don't even think I could do some things better, at all. Again, it's just my small opinion on things I hear as a listener.

I'm not criticizing you hehe. I'm taking what you're saying seriously. It's really helpful

 

[Sickan]

Låter jävligt argt!
Jag tycker basdisten sticker ut för mycket (behövs subs med), du borde sätta en multibandscomp på gitarrerna - de äter upp basen. Cleangitarrerna har för mycket lows, de kan få lite multiband med. Gitarrerna är ganska höga överlag, kan sänkas lite.
Sången är för låg, de kan bli lite blötare med!
Tomsen behöver mer lows och kicken hör jag typ bara ett högfrekvent smack på. Kan du göra en mildare cut på överhänget? De kan få mer kropp imo.
Du borde använda Toontracks Drumtracker så att du kan göra ett midispår av virveln för att senare blenda in något annat.
Om du använder CLAkompressorerna borde du sätta analog på off, de lägger till en hel del noise.

 

[HollowmanPL]

I've listened to the 5 version.
I'm lovin' these vocals
Guitars in my opinion could have more gain and should be more 'in the face' (or just drums are too loud?)
kick is awesome!!

 

[CarlBlomqvist]

Låter jävligt argt!
Jag tycker basdisten sticker ut för mycket (behövs subs med), du borde sätta en multibandscomp på gitarrerna - de äter upp basen. Cleangitarrerna har för mycket lows, de kan få lite multiband med. Gitarrerna är ganska höga överlag, kan sänkas lite.
Sången är för låg, de kan bli lite blötare med!
Tomsen behöver mer lows och kicken hör jag typ bara ett högfrekvent smack på. Kan du göra en mildare cut på överhänget? De kan få mer kropp imo.
Du borde använda Toontracks Drumtracker så att du kan göra ett midispår av virveln för att senare blenda in något annat.
Om du använder CLAkompressorerna borde du sätta analog på off, de lägger till en hel del noise.

Har lowpassat och sänkt en del 5-6k på basen. Tyckte det lät för hemskt där uppe. Så det är bättre nu. Och det är en C4 på gitarrerna, men den kanske behöver ställas in bättre.
Cleangitarrerna har jag inte gjort ås mycket med, men jag ska göra det du sa!
Höjer sången lite, sänker gitarrerna lite.
Har redan tagit hand om smacket i kicken, och tämjt subben lite i den, för den ringde i 100 år förut.
Jag är rätt nöjd med virveln faktiskt, så jag vet inte om jag behöver det.. Känns som att det kommer ta 100år. Så mycket läck..
Och ja, jag hade glömt stänga av analog... haha. Det var länge sen jag började slänga på kompressor på denna mixen

I've listened to the 5 version.
I'm lovin' these vocals
Guitars in my opinion could have more gain and should be more 'in the face' (or just drums are too loud?)
kick is awesome!!

More gain? Hmm... No. I think they're pretty "perfect". The distortion on the ENGL Invader is very "smooth". I guess you're just used to a more bitey distortion.

 

[RaNk]

I'm not criticizing you hehe. I'm taking what you're saying seriously. It's really helpful

Nah not felt criticized hehe, just wanted to give more confidence as it's progressing really good already.

 

[Sickan]

Jag är rätt nöjd med virveln faktiskt, så jag vet inte om jag behöver det.. Känns som att det kommer ta 100år. Så mycket läck..

http://www.toontrack.com/products.asp?item=41