Finally a full song/mix for my Band

[Mago]

Cheers Guys,

finally I managed to record everything for at least one song for my bands album, and mixed a "final" version for now.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3961577/Before_The_Fire_Mix_2010-05-03.mp3

Updated Version:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3961577/Before_The_Fire_Mix_2010-05-05.mp3

I recorded, mixed and mastered that stuff, played the rhythm guitars + did the growls.
My Girlfriend does the clean vocals.
Vox were recorded with PG81
Guitars Vox Tonelab (as usual)
Drums were Mic'd, but I reprogrammed toms and overheads with SD2.0 (fucked up the overhead mic positioning )
Kick is a blend of different sampes, snare is a blend of differend slate samples.
Strings are Symphonic Orchestra

Tell me what you think

I'm not sure about a bunch of things, but I'll have to mix it anyway again when I have recorded everything for all the songs ...will take *some* time though

cheers & thanks for listening
Marco

 

[HandsOfDespair]

Great song! I think the snare don't really fit though, I think a ''lighter'' snare like those in S2.0 would have fit better than slate snares, yours is quite dark too. The mix is a bit boomy too.

 

[Erkan]

Listening on very unsuited headphones but it "seems" to sound good! I love the clean vox, your gf is a pretty awesome singer I must say!

One thing bothers me about the guitars, not sure if I should call it fizz or grain but it's definately something in the higher frequencies and how they are shaped that bothers me a little bit. It doesn't sound bad, just "boring". Don't really know how to explain it I would guess it's just a personal opinion/preference so it shouldn't matter.

Good job!

 

[MetalAaron]

Jesus. I just need to quit. This is fucking awesome dude.

 

[Mago]

Great song! I think the snare don't really fit though, I think a ''lighter'' snare like those in S2.0 would have fit better than slate snares, yours is quite dark too. The mix is a bit boomy too.

Thanks a lot man! You mentioned the biggest points I'm concerned about haha
Can't really mix bass atm (speaker on the desk in a corner uke, and my previous mixes never had any low end, so I overdid that part, thanks for confirming that for me!
Also + 1 to the snare. I liked how it sounds, but I'm not sure if it fits that much. Seems as the snares I like doesnt fit my music ^^
Gotta try some SD2.0 Snares, but it's a lot of work, the snare isnt triggered, just recorded...and I dont want to programm the snare, so maybe I have to make some samples from SD2.0 myself

Listening on very unsuited headphones but it "seems" to sound good! I love the clean vox, your gf is a pretty awesome singer I must say!

One thing bothers me about the guitars, not sure if I should call it fizz or grain but it's definately something in the higher frequencies and how they are shaped that bothers me a little bit. It doesn't sound bad, just "boring". Don't really know how to explain it I would guess it's just a personal opinion/preference so it shouldn't matter.

Good job!

Thanks a ton Erkan! She's glad to hear that
haha big OUCH at the "boring"
But taking a look at the high end of the guitar never is a mistake I guess (always raise the high end at end of mixing sessions and lower it the next day)

Jesus. I just need to quit. This is fucking awesome dude.

Thank you Aaron! Didn't mean to make you quit though, just to entertain a little

 

[jauernis]

Holy shit! This is seriously amazing...your gf's vocals are insane sits perfectly! You guys have more songs??

 

[XnaySaturo]

I'd have the vocals sit just a bit louder in the mix, but apart from that, everything SLAYS. It really sounds amazing.

 

[Mago]

Holy shit! This is seriously amazing...your gf's vocals are insane sits perfectly! You guys have more songs??

Thanks Dude !
Yeah we got more songs (gonna be about 10-13 for the album, it depends on which ones we will take + if we record some other ones that were written after the big recording sessions), but this is the only one were we have the vocals finished ^^
all the other ones just have guitar + drums, some have bass, some have the soli...but nothing finished yet unfortunately. I hope I can do a lot during summer, during the hollydays from college...I just dont have enough time atm
We also have 3 old songs up on myspace BUT they are old and sound like crap lol

I'd have the vocals sit just a bit louder in the mix, but apart from that, everything SLAYS. It really sounds amazing.

Thank you alot! Im so glad to hear that
Haha I think I'm one of the view guys who likes the vocals quite low (even my own), maybe because I mix on headphones too much (they always end up louder on the speakers).
My headphones are fucked too.
I should mix during day I guess^^

 

[Nauru]

The snare is soo dry, I think that's part of why it's not fitting. But it sounds good otherwise, i'm really digging the orchestra stuff.

 

[Mago]

The snare is soo dry, I think that's part of why it's not fitting. But it sounds good otherwise, i'm really digging the orchestra stuff.

Thanks!
Yeah I know that theres not much reverb/room sound on the snare, but if I turn the slate room sound up I dont like how it sounds (makes the whole mix muddy somehow)
I'll have to try out some different room sample I guess, or some SD2.0 snares.
Havent tried putting some reverb over the dry snare, but why should I do this if I got those Z4 and Z5 samples?

 

[Nauru]

Cause your room samples aren't cuttin it! There's nothing wrong with verb over room, it's just what the song needs. It's a different sound, and with a touch of verb it could help just glue the snare in the mix.

 

[Nuno Filipe]

You already know what I am gonna say isnt?lol WTF is that snare? ahah More serious, this time isnt so much a matter of preferences but the snare is really muffled. The kick can come up bit. But the snare is bringing some boomyness to the mix, in a bad way. Your voice could have more brightness to sit better in the mix. And I agree with erkan, the guitars sound good but there something harsh in them on those high frequencies. You just have to work some minor things, try to control better the low end. Btw, I wish had a girl to sing like this in my songs!lol

 

[Felix Neumann]

Congrats Mago, it sounds very cool! Your girlfriend sings like an Elf and you growl like an Orc I like the song A LOT and how the vocals sits in the mix. Good job, dude!

 

[espjunkie]

sounds really good. The only thing I would really add is turning up the growls keep it up

 

[Mago]

Cause your room samples aren't cuttin it! There's nothing wrong with verb over room, it's just what the song needs. It's a different sound, and with a touch of verb it could help just glue the snare in the mix.

haha, well that sounds like a reasonable arguement!

You already know what I am gonna say isnt?lol WTF is that snare? ahah More serious, this time isnt so much a matter of preferences but the snare is really muffled. The kick can come up bit. But the snare is bringing some boomyness to the mix, in a bad way. Your voice could have more brightness to sit better in the mix. And I agree with erkan, the guitars sound good but there something harsh in them on those high frequencies. You just have to work some minor things, try to control better the low end. Btw, I wish had a girl to sing like this in my songs!lol

I was SO waiting for this to come due
Thanks a lot Nuno, I'm gonna play around with the snare for sure (try to find a lighter one were I can raise the high end more...for that snare more highs sounds like BS)
I've cut out some highs on my vox because without the sticked out REALLY much in the mix...maybe overdid that one, but I think they sit quite well...
Nuno, you've got great ears I think, because in the last songs I posted (that metalcorish stuff without vocals) I think I had the lowpassfilter about 1-2k lower, and you said the guitars rock lol
at least I think so...could also be that the guitars have the exactly same sound and that this mix needs less highs.
If you want her to sing some on your songs PM the lyrics and the song, I'm sure she'll be happy to do so

Congrats Mago, it sounds very cool! Your girlfriend sings like an Elf and you growl like an Orc I like the song A LOT and how the vocals sits in the mix. Good job, dude!

Thanks a lot Felix!
haha, well I also look like an Orc sometimes
But she only sounds like one....I don't think that most elves look like my little italian girl

sounds really good. The only thing I would really add is turning up the growls keep it up

Thanks man!
Yeah, I've allready told that I need to mix more on my monitors to get the volume for the vocals right But I tend to mix them quite low (dont want to hear me in the middle that loud all the time )



Thanks a lot to all of you guys for checkin it out and your kind words!
I'm off getting some sushi for bouth of us, later on this day I want to post and updated version, would be geat If you'd tell me If theres any improvement (obviosly on the snare lol and the low end)
cheers Marco

 

[Nuno Filipe]

I was SO waiting for this to come due
Thanks a lot Nuno, I'm gonna play around with the snare for sure (try to find a lighter one were I can raise the high end more...for that snare more highs sounds like BS)
I've cut out some highs on my vox because without the sticked out REALLY much in the mix...maybe overdid that one, but I think they sit quite well...
Nuno, you've got great ears I think, because in the last songs I posted (that metalcorish stuff without vocals) I think I had the lowpassfilter about 1-2k lower, and you said the guitars rock lol
at least I think so...could also be that the guitars have the exactly same sound and that this mix needs less highs.
If you want her to sing some on your songs PM the lyrics and the song, I'm sure she'll be happy to do so

Your voice sits well in the mix but it seems to have to much low end and body. But maybe it´s the way you wanted it. Also raise a bit her voice, because it´s too much in the background.

For what I undestand you have almost the same guitar settings as the other mix isnt? But the problem here it´s that you have a different snare, different kick also? It seems so. And sometimes just a different snare could give problems in sitting some other things. At least my experience tell me that. Ah and the more important!lol In this mix you have 2 voices, in the other mix you didnt have any vocals. The vocals share a lot of frequencies with the guitars. So what you will do with the vocal tracks will influence the guitar sound. That´s why mixing can be a really PITA!lol

About the offer you said, it´s really awesome of you Btw what kind of music she feels more confortable to sing?

 

[Mago]

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3961577/Before_The_Fire_Mix_2010-05-05.mp3
Here's the updated version
I changed the snare, more smack than punch, with more highs and less low end/boomyness, kicked out ambient and used reverb
Also took out some high end on the guitars
raised clean vocals in volume (gotta take a look at the dynamiks, dont want to overcompress. she never moves from the mic during loud parts^^)
raised highs in growls a little
tamed bass / low end

better now?

Your voice sits well in the mix but it seems to have to much low end and body. But maybe it´s the way you wanted it. Also raise a bit her voice, because it´s too much in the background.

Yeah I kind of wanted it with a bit more low end (aka balls ) but also our 2nd guitar player told me its a bit bassy, hope I fixed it now

For what I undestand you have almost the same guitar settings as the other mix isnt? But the problem here it´s that you have a different snare, different kick also? It seems so. And sometimes just a different snare could give problems in sitting some other things. At least my experience tell me that. Ah and the more important!lol In this mix you have 2 voices, in the other mix you didnt have any vocals. The vocals share a lot of frequencies with the guitars. So what you will do with the vocal tracks will influence the guitar sound. That´s why mixing can be a really PITA!lol

In fact I think EVERYTHING was the same EXEPT the fucking bass, which was a gettobass there, and here its a real bass. this bastard must have fucked up everything haha
+truth about vocals. I could give more space to the guitars in the other mix...I also think that there werent any strings...so, totally different playground^^

About the offer you said, it´s really awesome of you Btw what kind of music she feels more confortable to sing?

She said she's happy about every practice she can do, and to fuck up some others songs rather than just the ones of her bf
Mostly she's into Metal...but she had some years of singing lessons, so I guess she's capable of a lot of stuff (Pop/Rock).
The only things she really doesn't do is Classical Opera singing...and country I guess haha
She's also Iron Maiden fan btw

 

[Teddyboy]

Haven't heard the first version,but is the second one is good!!! Everything seems well balanced! I would bring the bass more upfront and used more verb on the snare. Try actual reverb and not z4-z5 samples if you think they create the problem and eq it a bit. By the way,nice snare! What Slate snares did you use? I also agree with Erkan about guitars' high frequencies. The don't create a problem,but sound weird to me. I guess it's a matter of taste

 

[Mago]

Haven't heard the first version,but is the second one is good!!! Everything seems well balanced! I would bring the bass more upfront and used more verb on the snare. Try actual reverb and not z4-z5 samples if you think they create the problem and eq it a bit. By the way,nice snare! What Slate snares did you use? I also agree with Erkan about guitars' high frequencies. The don't create a problem,but sound weird to me. I guess it's a matter of taste

Thanks man!
about the snare: theres allready only reverb and no z4 or z5 on the snare, maybe some more reverb helps, but I need fresh ears for that

The Snare now is 50/50 SD2 and Slate.
SD2 was the 14'' or 15'' Z-Nir Custom (something like that)
Slate was Snare 3 I think...
the SD2 snare is EQ seperatly, and the snare mix is EQ Comp and Rev
no ambience on slate or SD2...it didnt give any advance to to sound imo

About the guitars:
Well for now I have to leave it, and take a look at the highs again later...
Maybe it's just the "ampsim highs" I cant get rid of, because in the end the Tonelab is also just an ampsim, even if it has a tube louded in there.
I dunno haha
But I hope I can get a Reambox this sommer or so + I could crank my 6505+ with the V30's and an sm57 at the new rehearsalplace. so maybe I'm even gonna reamp the guitars if I get a box before the rest of the recordings are finished!
...and those highs wont be in the game on myspace anyway haha

 

[shogger]

Wow Mago!

This is a very cool song. Sound overall is much to my taste, very cool. The only thing that I don't dig is the guitar sound. Sounds too grainy, not solid enough. Dang, your girl friend has a cool voice! I like the snare. Orchestra is cool. Like the composition and the musical flow a lot.
Looking forward to the whole cd.

Shogger