Epic symphonic progressive metal(EWQL, Stormdrum 2, almost no Slate!)

[brianhood]

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/536384/Hope for the Dying/mix 1/4. Transcend.mp3

These guys tracked everything themselves on some sort of USB interface, so i had no control over the takes(there are a few sloppy parts). The only slate sample on this mix is just a bit blended into the snare. The guitars were tracked with some sort of non EMG guitar, so i had a hell of a time trying to get decent results. Cleans were a strat with EMGs(oddly enough), so again, more issues there.
I used my usual 5150 chain on guitars, and sansamp on bass.

This is the mix 1, so im interested in your input.

Also, as a side note, i'd like to say this was my first time working with East Quantum Leap CCC, and the Play engine is the most unstable thing i've ever worked with in pro tools. Mixing an album that has full orchestra on every song was not the ideal way to learn this program since it was crashing pro tools sometimes 3 or 4 times in a row. I've never be so frustrated in my life.

 

[ShamStalin]

*wow

which band is this? very good

Can't tell, I'm listening this through cheap headphone, lappy, have to listen to my Monitor speaker when I got back in my studio.

By the way, mind sharing what reverb/processing being applied to the orchestra? was it grouped in a bus or individual? thanks ^_^

 

[burligator]

I'd say the screaming vocals might be a little too upfront for this style. They caught me a little off guard after the intro. The orchestration reminds me of some epic black metal and the vocals are usually a little distant in that style.

 

[brianhood]

*wow

which band is this? very good

Can't tell, I'm listening this through cheap headphone, lappy, have to listen to my Monitor speaker when I got back in my studio.

By the way, mind sharing what reverb/processing being applied to the orchestra? was it grouped in a bus or individual? thanks ^_^

The band is Hope for the Dying (facedown records).

The orchestra stuff has no reverb on it. It's all the Platinum "surround" samples. I just added a bit of compression, which is basically a sin for orchestra mixing haha. It was necessary for the style of music that it goes with though. I also did a little EQ using the SSL EQ plugin.

 

[JeffTD]

I dig the synths and drums, snare gets eaten up a bit though.

The biggest problem is that the guitars are HONK CITY. Not sure if you'll be able to change that given the pickups, but they're like all boxy midrange on this end.

 

[The Front Studio]

I dig the cleans a lot, but I have to agree with burligator the screamed vocals caught me a bit off guard.
I don't really have complaints about the guitars... the cleans are amazing to me, but I don't really like the snare (but that's personal taste).
Honestly, that's one epic sounding orchestra! A friend of mine has the Silver edition and they already sound epic, but this really sounds amazing!

 

[pinguinpanic]

Really liked the mix and the song. In my opinion the screams are perfect the way they are, and the orchestra sound is pretty amazing.

 

[Marcobass]

The biggest problem is that the guitars are HONK CITY. Not sure if you'll be able to change that given the pickups, but they're like all boxy midrange on this end.

Agree 100%. The lead guitar during the chorus sometimes is lost. I think that it comes from that boxy sound. But that's because I like clear and shining guitars. And vocals are a little upfront too. The rest, sounds kick ass!!

 

[DanLights]

Synths sound damn good, scream vox are too upfront, guitars are OK but could be better, as Jeff said a bit too honky. And overall the mix needs some more glue, drums, bass and guitars sound all a bit too separated for my taste sometimes, but of course if it's mix 1 that's something you normally deal further along the road.

All this IMO of course, still, pretty good and great band

 

[demirichris]

Good job on the mix. I do think that the drums might be a little to heavy for this kind of thing, maybe a bit too upfront. Although you did a fantastic job finding room for everything in the mix.

The clean vocals on this are so good makes me wonder why they feel the need to the typical screaming stuff...I'm so over screaming vocals. 15 years of hearing it and it's all starting to blur together.

 

[Backe]

i think they overdid a bit with the orchestral stuff, just sounds like a "i wanna be different so we'll put this on top of the usual shit"-thing. but mix is pretty good, maybe a little more highend on the strings to give them some brilliance, a bit more highend on the clean vox too.

 

[ShamStalin]

Good job on the mix. I do think that the drums might be a little to heavy for this kind of thing, maybe a bit too upfront. Although you did a fantastic job finding room for everything in the mix.

The clean vocals on this are so good makes me wonder why they feel the need to the typical screaming stuff...I'm so over screaming vocals. 15 years of hearing it and it's all starting to blur together.

+1, yes that will kill the beauty of the song

 

[Shaun Werle]

Very cool! I am trying to mix/master bands more than track them lately