Finishing a Full-Length (awesome band), need some feedback ;)

[Soundlurker]

Hey guys, I'm pretty stoked about this one. I was headbanging and mixing at the same time, all the time Hopefully some of you will like the band as well, but even if you don't, your feedback regarding the mix is more than welcome. It sounds a bit different than my usual stuff, due to the band having some specific requirements but I won't spoil what they were so that you're not biased while commenting.
*UPDATE*
comparison between the old mix and the new one:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1891957/before.mp3

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1891957/after.mp3


Cheers!

Edit: forgot to post their myspace: http://www.myspace.com/overdawn

 

[Mago]

Sounds cool dude!
Snare maybe a bit thin and lacks a bit of low end...
also vocals are a bit much upfront when there are a lot of tracks
guitars are a bit hollow but I like it

 

[Ermz]

Hey man,

Not really sure how to put this any other way, but the mix really isn't doing it for me. Guitars are really hollow, snare woody, but not much body to it. Vocals are really obnoxious.. I guess could be from the deathcore style as much as anything, but there has to be a way to take them back into the mix in a way to make them gel a little more. Kick is a bit too typewritery for my taste. I guess the whole thing isn't really my cup of tea. Sorry dude.

 

[Wild Hades]

I agree with the above comments, expecially on the guitars hollowness... really strange...
I think the vocals are too dry, with more ambience they should sit in the mix better.

 

[barricade]

Yeah...the guitars are rly hollow and the vocals are 2 much on top of the mix.
Could need a little more lowend maybe!...the other things are cool imo!

 

[Soundlurker]

Ermz, there's no need to put it any other way dude I'm very grateful that all of you have a perfectly valid point. I much prefer to have this feedback before releasing this rather then after.

If anything, you are reaffirming 3 of the probably 4 or 5 concerns I had.

The guitars are a mix of the original tracks they sent me and some of my more usual tones. The guitar player made it clear that he'd prefer I used the original tracks and that's completely understandable, but unfortunately I think that's where this hollowness is coming from, they are just too boxy sounding even though the tone is otherwise nice.

With the drums I had to really go out of my comfort zone, as the drummer wants everything to sound very tightened and with a ton of high-end (I actually expected someone to mention the toms are too bright). Basically I'm saying that the current snare has the minimum amount of high end and maximum low end I could use to have the drummer say they are ok.

The vocals' dry sound has been making me run in circles for some reason. They are either too dry and upfront or washed in reverb. What are you guys hearing exactly - lack of ambience or is it more a dynamics thing in your opinion?


I don't mind having to fix stuff in the mix at all but now comes the hard part: convincing the band that these changes are for a better end result and not because I'm the mix Nazi.

Again, cheers to all of you and keep it coming. I"ll see if they agree on me making a total makeover version of the mix.

 

[Ermz]

Best way is to show them the consensus here. Sometimes bands get some very weird ideas in their heads about sonics, that aren't at all realistic, nor beneficial to their cause.

And I maintain the apology. I know how shitty it is to have someone blasting a piece of work you've put time into.

 

[Soundlurker]

Yeah, I'm all for having a slightly more unique sound but there are just margins that you have to consider before it becomes this:

And no apology is needed whatsoever. I didn't come here to say "oh hai guise check this stuff and say it r0x0rz so I can feel cool" I'm actually pumped up to make what I think is a proper mix that retains their requirements as much as it's practically possible.

 

[Mago]

Lol seems I could have used a bit straighter words in that case

About the Vox: I think they could use a bit more ambience, but as the rest of the mix is also quite dry I don't think it's that much of a problem.
but volumewise they arent very constant I think

 

[Soundlurker]

Cool, I'll experiment with the reverb and try to even things out as well.

BTW, just did a test reamp and it sounds sooo much better. Can't wait to put these in a proper mix. I'll keep you posted.

 

[Soundlurker]

Ok here's a comparison between the old mix and the new one:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1891957/before.mp3

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1891957/after.mp3

I just realised the reverb plugin occasionally stops working while exporting so that may be why the vocals were dry :Spin: I'll be changing it soon.

The guitars should sound tons better now, I think I kept the good stuff and this time it's without all the boxy nastyness.

The drums are changed just slightly.

Please share your opinion, since my ears went into overdrive today :zombie:

 

[Soundlurker]

oh hai huise give opinion plox

 

[Wild Hades]

Guitars are definitely better now and the vocals are sitting better too but I think they could be improved more playing with the ambience...
Gotta say I prefer the attack of the snare on the "before" version, maybe you should bring back some highs to it?

 

[Mago]

Guitars are much better now.
Harsh vocals sit good imo, but the singing needs to sit better with ambience as hades said.

 

[Soundlurker]

That's good to know, as I'm currently reamping all of the guitars... 2-3 hours of fun :Spin: Still, a lot better than re-recording, I guess.

I'll be bringing a bit of the high-end on the snare back and I've already tried a different reverb, that seems to be doing the job.

The band seems to be quite happy with the new guitar sound so that's a releief
I'll keep you posted.