Kevin Talley Mixing Contest - DEATH "Crystal Mountain" cover DIs

[Djabthrash]

My attempt, just a quick mix for now. No samples and lead guitars, using original rhythm guitar tracks. Any tip for this mix?

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/89852492/Music/KT%20contest.mp3

Very cool but :

-bass needs more processing (comp, mids filtering, etc), and it clashes a lot with the guitars on the palm-muted riffs among others IMO
-most of the OH (cymbals, HH, ...) get mixed up with the shells and rest of the mix : you should EQ more to get them to stand out more and get more separation

 

[Djabthrash]

Djabthrash, totally agree with you too. We can play alot with this stuff and learn from it too. I've always wanted to do a cover of this song, but never felt like programming the drums (too lazy to program cover drums). The tracks of the competition were a great opportunity to play with this and learn from eachother. The (hopefully) coming vocals inspired me to redo some things. Btw I forgot to answer about the guitars. They are quadtracked, but the guitar without the "lead riff" is mixed in less loud. Also, the part with less gain is done on purpose. It's a little like in the original song. But I did it the "lazy way", by just using volume envelope on that part so the amp doesn't distort as much. I'm still experimenting first, I might do it different when there's gonna be a "final version".

I did one more version of the mix, only changed the guitars a bit. I wonder which are best, these or the guitars from my previous post.

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/19759737/Crystal Mountain Kevin Talley - RaNk Mix V05.mp3

*edit*

Took my DIs off for awhile, there's a few edits that sounded ridiculous. I shouldn't have edited at all maybe. Will repost tommorow or so.

The mix in general is great but it sounds a bit muffled. See if you didn't go too far with lowpassing on guitars or OHs.

The low gain chorussey guitars sound very cool.

The retracked guitars sound very cool also, i just feel they could use a tad more gain and/or presence (which would help with fighting the muffleness of the mix anyway).

I love the drums (but i still feel the kick drum could use more boom )

 

[nezvers]

Just for contest sake tried something with original bass (don't like outcome of it).
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/12761142/NeZvers_studio/NeZvers - Crystal mountain - original bass.mp3
BTW: RaNk, I mix with with headphones too (room treatment is out of option and impossible and that ruin all point of monitor use).

 

[Djabthrash]

Just for contest sake tried something with original bass (don't like outcome of it).
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/12761142/NeZvers_studio/NeZvers - Crystal mountain - original bass.mp3
BTW: RaNk, I mix with with headphones too (room treatment is out of option and impossible and that ruin all point of monitor use).

sounds very good !

 

[RaNk]

Slee: Good mix, but the guitars are a little fizzy. I think it work better if they're less loud in the mix, since they're hitting the limiter all the time. Also agree with Djabthrash's remarks.

Nezvers: It works with this bass too, sounds nice. One of my favourites in this thread, your mix. Impressive about your remark on the headphones, cool. I tried it too, but can't make it work. Maybe I just have to practise more with it, so I can make a better reference with it. For balancing the mix it's great though, but I'm bad at EQing on headphones.

Djabthrash: Thanks for your comments and critics, I really appreciate it. I'm working on getting the mix a little brighter. Agree with the kick, will give it a little more boom. Thanks again.

For those still interested, here's my alternative set of DIs. Just redone a few parts insteads of editing. It's not perfect at all, but it's fine I think. As stated above, I made these for fun, not with the competition in mind (which I won't participate in anyways).

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/19759737/Death - Chrystal Mountain_Kevin Talley_RaNk_Alternative DIs.rar

Included are quadtracked guitars and my bass track, modified a bit to go with the guitars.

 

[nezvers]

Rank, over that I have to say that my headphones are shity 23.90EU t.bone HD 880 that came with Line 6 Pod UX2. Don't have money for better (slowly collecting money for some senheiser or akg headphones) because when I had money used for drum plugins and other plugs, but now I'm nearly broken (not going well with money), so trying to make good portfolio.
I'm doing this mix mainly for fun and because I love original song, but if I have chance to get into contest why not to use it. Maybe that can make my name out.

 

[RaNk]

Well Nezvers, great job seeing the lack of money for buying better equipment. If you're enjoying mixing, and keep practising, you will improve and there's always a way towards higher goals if you really want. Good luck with the competition too, it's a nice mix.

 

[HollowmanPL]

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/27042583/Krystal Montajn myks.mp3

My quick shot. It's not finished so there are many issues in this mix but I don't have time at the moment.
It was fun to mix such a cool drums.

 

[Djabthrash]

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/27042583/Krystal Montajn myks.mp3

My quick shot. It's not finished so there are many issues in this mix but I don't have time at the moment.
It was fun to mix such a cool drums.

nice !

You did a cool job with drums and the overall mix balance, but rythm guitars sound too chorussey and lack definition and clarity.

 

[Djabthrash]

Well Nezvers, great job seeing the lack of money for buying better equipment. If you're enjoying mixing, and keep practising, you will improve and there's always a way towards higher goals if you really want. Good luck with the competition too, it's a nice mix.

This !

And it's good to struggle with the limitations of some things for a while because then when you move up to better tools (and spend some money on it) you make some huge improvements quickly !

 

[Djabthrash]

For those still interested, here's my alternative set of DIs. Just redone a few parts insteads of editing. It's not perfect at all, but it's fine I think. As stated above, I made these for fun, not with the competition in mind (which I won't participate in anyways).

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/19759737/Death - Chrystal Mountain_Kevin Talley_RaNk_Alternative DIs.rar

Included are quadtracked guitars and my bass track, modified a bit to go with the guitars.

Is it me or you played the last note of the first tail of the first riff one half-step too low on the bass ? The note (well... root note of power chord actually) played on the guitars seems to be the right one, and seems to be one half-step higher than the one played on bass.

 

[HollowmanPL]

nice !

You did a cool job with drums and the overall mix balance, but rythm guitars sound too chorussey and lack definition and clarity.

No, my mix needs more work with snare to make it more punchy and let it fit the mix better. Also toms need a more booom.
Bass guitar is hidden because I don't like the way it sounds.
Guitars are rough so I didn't wanted them to be more noticeable and clean - just a background for leads. Amounts of gain, cut on mids :]
Chorus is only on the lead.
There're some compression issues with the leads and mastering and overall lead sound could be more standing out of the mix.

That improvements may make this mix sounds at least decent ;]
Sorry for my english ;]

 

[Djabthrash]

Guitars are rough so I didn't wanted them to be more noticeable and clean - just a background for leads. Amounts of gain, cut on mids :]

alright

 

[RaNk]

HollowmanPL, very nice mix, I like the overal sound. Drums are very nice sounding.

Djabthrash, thanks man for listening so carefully! You're totally right, that note is not good.

!!! Important !!! Well, semi-important of course...
For those who used my basstrack, I was off a seminote on the tail of the opening riff. I fixed it, so if you're using my track you can download the new version now. Sorry guys!

Same link, but here they are in one post:

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/19759737/Crystal Mountain _ RaNk Bass.rar
(For use with the original guitars.)

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/19759737/Death - Chrystal Mountain_Kevin Talley_RaNk_Alternative DIs.rar
(Complete pack bass + guitars.)

*edit*
Also a new mix, tried to make the guitars less harsh and more bright. But I'm not sure if it's an improvement right now. Also as an experiment I did a softer mastering to get closer to the original dynamics of the song.

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/19759737/Crystal Mountain Kevin Talley - RaNk Mix V06.mp3

 

[siee]

Thanks for the reply guys. There are a lot of great mix here, my favorite until now is HollowmanPL one. I like the sound of the drums and the overall balance of your mix, great job! Here is my second mix, added triggered snare, lead guitars, more eq on drums and some volume automations. Not very happy of the bass, I used the DI track but i don't like the sound and there's a lot of noise.

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/89852492/Music/KT%20contest%202.mp3

 

[Djabthrash]

Thanks for the reply guys. There are a lot of great mix here, my favorite until now is HollowmanPL one. I like the sound of the drums and the overall balance of your mix, great job! Here is my second mix, added triggered snare, lead guitars, more eq on drums and some volume automations. Not very happy of the bass, I used the DI track but i don't like the sound and there's a lot of noise.

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/89852492/Music/KT%20contest%202.mp3

I'd add more body/lows to the kick, and yeah the bass could be better, otherwise it's very good !

 

[Djabthrash]

HollowmanPL, very nice mix, I like the overal sound. Drums are very nice sounding.

Djabthrash, thanks man for listening so carefully! You're totally right, that note is not good.

!!! Important !!! Well, semi-important of course...
For those who used my basstrack, I was off a seminote on the tail of the opening riff. I fixed it, so if you're using my track you can download the new version now. Sorry guys!

Same link, but here they are in one post:

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/19759737/Crystal Mountain _ RaNk Bass.rar
(For use with the original guitars.)

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/19759737/Death - Chrystal Mountain_Kevin Talley_RaNk_Alternative DIs.rar
(Complete pack bass + guitars.)

*edit*
Also a new mix, tried to make the guitars less harsh and more bright. But I'm not sure if it's an improvement right now. Also as an experiment I did a softer mastering to get closer to the original dynamics of the song.

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/19759737/Crystal Mountain Kevin Talley - RaNk Mix V06.mp3

Good to hear my ear is not crazy

The new mix sounds killer. The only thing that bugs me is that i hear the rythm guitars sounding kind of phasey. Did you dual or quad tracked them ? Or used more than 1 mic on each take ?

 

[RaNk]

Thanks for your comments Djabthrash! I took care of some "problems" mentioned in your previous critics. Well I tried at least. Yes and the phaseyness is what bugs me too, I'll have to see to solve it. The guitars are quad tracked, and all on the same setup with 1 mic.

 

[Djabthrash]

Thanks for your comments Djabthrash! I took care of some "problems" mentioned in your previous critics. Well I tried at least. Yes and the phaseyness is what bugs me too, I'll have to see to solve it. The guitars are quad tracked, and all on the same setup with 1 mic.

Alright ! How did you pan those guitar tracks ?

 

[RaNk]

Djabthrash, the panning is:

Guitar 1 left 100%
Guitar 1 right 100%
Guitar 2 left 80%
Guitar 2 right 80%

Guitars 2 are 3dB lower in the mix than guitar 1.