Help a beginner with some advice on his first mix?

[Old_Gregg]

Hey guys and gals. I did make a thread in the rate my mix/tone forum a few days ago but didn't receive much in the way of advice (even after 2 bumps), so I thought I would try my luck here.

I'm just looking for any advice on any rookie mistakes I might have made...my main concern is the of clarity on the chugging bit in the verses but that could just be a result of a poor guitar tone...using pod x3 live plus ez drummer btw.

Either way any criticisms, positive or negative, would be greatly appreciated

Thanks in advance

Ps. the song itself isn't actually finished, but any opinions on the song (not the mix) would be interesting to hear too :Smokedev:

EDIT: forgot the link...I'm an idiot

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/20841509/different key solo drop C.mp3

 

[arv_foh]

needs bass guitar and the guitar is too quiet

 

[Old_Gregg]

Its got a bass guitar so I guess thats a massive fail on my part :/ its a crappy bass with old strings mind you so that could explain it...

Yeah I was worried about the guitars being a tad quiet but I think thats more of a tracking problem, will have to rerecord them I guess because from what I've heard its generally advised to not raise the guitar volume in the mixer (tiz already at 0db)

 

[MaellaJohn]

When recording, set the kick drum at -18 dB and mix everything around that. Just turn your monitors up.

And, I agree that you should turn your guitars up by a lot.

 

[Plankis]

There's nothing wrong with pushing the fader above the 0 it's the signal that never ever shall pass the 0 line. But when you're mixing you also want your summed signal on the master buss to hover around -18dBfs.
I'd say the drums are way too loud, and programmed very stale. There was a great thread a while back about programming drums, here it is: http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/...65-programmed-drums-grid-vs-uhm-not-grid.html

 

[ahjteam]

see the first two links in my sig

 

[Old_Gregg]

Ok thanks for all the advice guys

Will take it all into account for my next mix, I just have one more slightly noobish question that I've tried searching information about with no luck. In the master mixer thing on reaper there are 4 bars for the volume...I assume its 2 for left and 2 for right but my question is which one should be peaking at -18? The 2 thin bars on the outside or the slightly bigger ones in the center? Sorry if the answer is stupidly obvious but I couldn't find anything and just wanted to be sure

 

[ahjteam]

I think it's peak and RMS