Female fronted Progressive Metal - NO AUTOTUNE - my best mix ever.
- Thread starter Glenn Fricker
- Start date
Skinny Viking
¯\(°_o)/¯ How do Lydian?
dude Glenn this sounds SOOO much better
I don't think the vocals need much more than what you're doing already as far as compression goes .. maybe just the slightest bit of some saturation if there is none, just to give them a tiny bit more edge. Other than that, the slightly "weaker" sounding spots should be fine with maybe just a little volume automation.
Musically the sound is just big big titties. Love that snare and the thump in the kick, all the other instruments are just perfectly blended. Fantastic job sir!
I don't think the vocals need much more than what you're doing already as far as compression goes .. maybe just the slightest bit of some saturation if there is none, just to give them a tiny bit more edge. Other than that, the slightly "weaker" sounding spots should be fine with maybe just a little volume automation.
Musically the sound is just big big titties. Love that snare and the thump in the kick, all the other instruments are just perfectly blended. Fantastic job sir!
grywolf627
Member
^^Summed up my thoughts perfectly. This version is much better (though there's still some small pitch issues). Keep us updated on this band/CD please. I really like this.
And that guitar tone....what can I say? Can definitely hear the Fredrik in them.
But what's this? Glenn Fricker recording an Ibanez? Did the world just stop turning?
And that guitar tone....what can I say? Can definitely hear the Fredrik in them.
But what's this? Glenn Fricker recording an Ibanez? Did the world just stop turning? 
guitarguru777
Member
God dude I love your mixes ....
My issue is she doesnt sing with any power. I am struggeling with right now myself right now as we just picked up a clasically trained female opera singer as a lead vocalist. Shes a huge Within Temptation fan but she just doesn't understand HOW to get the vocal tone ...lol
I am trying to get her to BELT OUT some shit but shes giving me the "I dont want to ruin my voice" speech. Its all that airy heady vocal shit like this. These vocalists are so hard to work with when it comes to metal.
What everyone is hearing is her vocal technique that doesnt fit the music. Its not how Glenn mixed it at all. Although the 2nd version is better, its still not quite what should be over this type of music. She needs to give you more volume when she sings, theres a section in the bridge where she does it PERFECT (1:23). If she would have sang the entire song like that it would have been fucking amazing. If you notice that little section sounds PERFECT in every way, it's the way she sang it, she came off her diaphram for 3 seconds and just gave you all the power in her lungs and it lends a certain type of "grit" i guess you could call it. Her voice thins out a bit and get kinda piercing. THATS how these chicks need to sing over this stuff.
Alas not your fault Glenn, love those drums and guitars though man! Kick ass!
My issue is she doesnt sing with any power. I am struggeling with right now myself right now as we just picked up a clasically trained female opera singer as a lead vocalist. Shes a huge Within Temptation fan but she just doesn't understand HOW to get the vocal tone ...lol
I am trying to get her to BELT OUT some shit but shes giving me the "I dont want to ruin my voice" speech. Its all that airy heady vocal shit like this. These vocalists are so hard to work with when it comes to metal.
What everyone is hearing is her vocal technique that doesnt fit the music. Its not how Glenn mixed it at all. Although the 2nd version is better, its still not quite what should be over this type of music. She needs to give you more volume when she sings, theres a section in the bridge where she does it PERFECT (1:23). If she would have sang the entire song like that it would have been fucking amazing. If you notice that little section sounds PERFECT in every way, it's the way she sang it, she came off her diaphram for 3 seconds and just gave you all the power in her lungs and it lends a certain type of "grit" i guess you could call it. Her voice thins out a bit and get kinda piercing. THATS how these chicks need to sing over this stuff.
Alas not your fault Glenn, love those drums and guitars though man! Kick ass!
Mix sounds good, sounds a little dated to me, though, but it works for this stuff.
As far as the vocals go, I think her vocals are weak, like others have said...To the point where I don't really understand what she is saying. But I think this about most bands like this. It takes a REALLY great and powerful female vocalist to mesh with this kind of music.
As far as the vocals go, I think her vocals are weak, like others have said...To the point where I don't really understand what she is saying. But I think this about most bands like this. It takes a REALLY great and powerful female vocalist to mesh with this kind of music.
ParsonsMatt
Alas, Tyranny
Listening to the second mix...
I LOVE IT! The vocals rule. They are quiet but fuck it, it sounds awesome I think.
I LOVE IT! The vocals rule. They are quiet but fuck it, it sounds awesome I think.
jauernis
Member
I concur! Listened to the second mix as well and I think the vocals blend great. Can I ask what you specifically did to make the vocals blend on that second one..drastic difference to my ears from the first. Could use a little bit of tuning here and there if you are not opposed to it...but love it!
grywolf627
Member
spioraid
Fancy a pint? Or two?
Essentially it comes from practicing on hitting the right notes and not focusing on anything else. It's a very segmented way of learning that works great after you've mastered all the steps. I've found encouraging them in their performances to use as much vibrato as their vocal chords can take and friggin' go Bel Canto on each track. When it comes to metal it's easier to go over the top and tame down a few spots than underdoing it and having to constantly push them to try harder. If they still aren't comfortable going all Russel Allen on the track then you probably just have to write to their voice.
And Glenn, awesome stuff dude. Loving it!
Thanks guys! I appreciate all the advice... The band will be back in the autumn for an EP, so I'll know where to push. I'll see that she buys a copy of "The Zen of Screaming" and works with that.
As per the vocals, I went from a small "hall" type reverb to a long Plate type, then added in a mono echo under the main vox, matched to the tempo.
As per the vocals, I went from a small "hall" type reverb to a long Plate type, then added in a mono echo under the main vox, matched to the tempo.
lolzgreg
Cereal Shipping Sneapster
It's nice to know that some of the best sounding metal mixes and production is from a dude who lives 20 minutes from me!
Ya I like the second mix a little bit better.... The first one sounded like what I hear at concerts though (in terms of the louder vocals)... I just went and saw Peter Frampton with the Steve Miller band (not metal I know ) and I love the fact that at concerts they're mixing so loud that they can push the vocals SUPER HARD but the master's so loud that everything else still shines through (plus it was an outdoor concert which are my favorite when it comes to the sound!) Sorry for that off topic-ness!
) and I love the fact that at concerts they're mixing so loud that they can push the vocals SUPER HARD but the master's so loud that everything else still shines through (plus it was an outdoor concert which are my favorite when it comes to the sound!) Sorry for that off topic-ness!
guitarguru777
Member
Glenn .... by no means am I saying she needs to scream ...lol
Just get her a copy of the last Within Temptation album and tell her DO THIS WITH YOUR VOICE!
LOL
Just get her a copy of the last Within Temptation album and tell her DO THIS WITH YOUR VOICE!
LOL
I liked it. Good song, but some takes could definitely be better. The solo didn't flow that good, sounded like he was making it up as he played and couldn't keep up.
I'm digging the vocalharmonies, the unison ones were a bit unnecessary though. They sound so airy and sits perfectly in the mix. Are they just doubletracked? How different is the processing on them compared to the lead vocal?
I'm digging the vocalharmonies, the unison ones were a bit unnecessary though. They sound so airy and sits perfectly in the mix. Are they just doubletracked? How different is the processing on them compared to the lead vocal?
I don't get this. If she is classically trained, she is absolutely correct not to belt out the notes. Belting won't literally "ruin" that kind of voice, which is the point you seem to be objecting to, but it's detrimental to traditional technique and is a bad habit to fall into (that is, forcing the notes to come out). If she plans to continue singing opera, she needs to maintain the techniques that she developed with her instructor.
That being said, on the far end of the spectrum, extreme metal "technique" is one of the worst things you can do to your voice, but fuck if it doesn't sound good on top of heavy music.
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