In Progress: Could use some feedback (Fredman/Slate/API)

[Glenn Fricker]

Hey guys,

Working away on this mix, I think I've got it where it needs to be, but any suggestions/critique will as always, be much apprecaited!

Guitars are Fredman Technique style, thru API 512c's. Kick is Steven Slate.

Here's the link:
SONG LINK

Revised on suggestion:
REVISED MIX

 

[greyskull]

guitars are a little dark for my liking, but hey ymmv they seem a little weak somehow. not sure . drums sound ace

 

[kaomao]

this is really old school sounding
Anyway I am just talking about the guitar tone, I would scoop the guitars in a different way.
I'm not really into old school scooped guitars, by the way those drums sound great!

 

[Glenn Fricker]

Thanks guys,

I was trying a little experiment with the Fredman technique by mixing the off axis mic louder than the on axis one. ...I really needed a second set of ears for some verification. Conclusion: They just don't have the same kind of cut as the other way.

So, here's a new version, with the guitars mixed with the on-axis louder, how I normally do it. They definitley sound a lot more "pissed off."

BTW, thanks for the compliments on the drums! I've been working my ass off on snare sounds & I'm very happy with how this one turned out.... especially because it's 100% real.


Here's the revised mix:
REVISED MIX


Thanks again for your honest comments. You've been a huge help!

Oh yeah, now the interesting bit: Everyone except for the bass player in this band is only 17 years old....

-0z-

 

[KeithRT99]

sounds pretty good. the snare sounds good, but alittle small though.

 

[ScottCash]

Don't know if this is useful or not but the cymbals in the beginning are panned so hard left and right that I found myself being distracted from the song. Like I was ping-ponging. Just an observation. You rule.

 

[JeffTD]

I wish the guitars were "bigger" sounding - and they definitely need less gain.

Drums sound great, kick a bit on the clicky/lifeless side to me, though. Snare sounds good, could use a bit more smack from the compressor.

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

Guitars sound ace. Like you said mixing the off axis lower is the way to go (I exsperemented with that as well and it just didn't seem to work out as well).

 

[Unavailable]

Drummer is sloppy.

But, once again, you've tickled my fancy.

 

[Radd]

Sounds great. So what are the guitar/pu/amp setups?

 

[Glenn Fricker]

It was a Schecter Hellraiser into a Maxon 0D808, 5150 green channel, Marhsall 1960AV cab, 57's in X/Y config, API 512c.

 

[Radd]

Nice. I was gonna guess the hellraiser.

 

[Nebulous]

Cool, considering they were so young. You pulled a decent sound out of them. Guitars are nice, snare is pretty awsome for all natural IMO. Did it take much post processing to get it like that?

I sort of agree with afew of the comments made already, but considering their age, they wouldn't have been the easiest to coax into the right mindset and take.

 

[Glenn Fricker]

Yeah, they certainly raised a stink when I told them "Click it or forget it" about 2 months before they came in. Funny thing is, when they finally did get around to tracking, they were saying things like "Man, you were right! The click really tightened us up!"

As for the snare, it didn't take too much post processing. Just the right head, tuning, and most importantly, I moved the strike zone about 3 inches above dead center, where I'd normally have a drummer hit.

Now, a dead center hit on a snare sounds best to the ears in the room, but to a mic, it can sound a little too papery. After months of really intense listening to some of my favorite recordings, (and some massive cleaning up of my mixes due to the much improved guitar sound) I realized I was directing the drummers to hit in what might not necessarily be the best spot. Moving the zone up a few inches, just above the horizontal plane of the snares, resulted in a much better "crack." Experimentation is the key!

Anyway, thanks for all the feedback, guys. We start on vocals this Sunday. I'll be sure to post this when it's finished.

-0z-

 

[fistula]

i like the whole mix except the kick - this kick is not for this song.... too much bd plastic on it - somethink more clicky should be nice here

 

[TheDude]

i like the whole mix except the kick - this kick is not for this song.... too much bd plastic on it - somethink more clicky should be nice here

Hahahaha, the only fake part! In your face Slate! Hahaha kidding, but funny as hell!

 

[Glenn Fricker]

Yeah, I thought that was kinda funny, too! Goddamnit, Slate! You screwed up my mix!


(Just kidding!)

 

[ElektricEyez]

Man your mixing skills amaze me. I'm just sitting back learning how it's supposed to be done. After reading these posts, I have learned a lot already from guitar mic'ing techniques to recording acoustic drums which I am still learning. I had went through your drumming post and at the time I bought a Beta 52, and recorded it, read your drumming post, and then took your advice and returned it for a D6, and compared my recordings of the 3 different mics, and the D6 was of course a better option (once I figure out how to post a song, I should post the recordings so others can hear the sound samples side by side), glad I read it. It seems for every post you list, I learn something new. I'd like to hear what you can do with a natural kick, instead of the Slate drums.

 

[Glenn Fricker]

For a natural kick, just scroll down my hi-res player on my myspace & check out Dreams Destruction, In4Life, or No Better Way.

 

[fistula]

Hahahaha, the only fake part! In your face Slate! Hahaha kidding, but funny as hell!

Yeah, I thought that was kinda funny, too! Goddamnit, Slate! You screwed up my mix!

hahaa.. thats my opinion - in this song kick should sound in the center with this clicking stuff, but with slate sample it sounds like it beats your whole face) a wall that comes to you from the front an smashing you! instead of a strong fist smashing your head) but thats producers\musicians choice) hehe