Modern Rock

[Pedro Teixeira]

I'm mixing this band's album and I'd like to know what do you guys think of this mix so far, there's still a bit of automation left to do in vocals mainly. But I'd like to know what do you guys think, what's good/bad?

It's not exactly metal, this is one of the heaviest songs in the album, there's some other heavy songs too, some more classic rockish.

https://files.getdropbox.com/u/617922/HB%20Rough%20Mix.mp3

cheers

 

[Morgan C]

I'd make the starting hits on time with the guitars, they're slightly late. I'd rather them in time with the guitars than in time with the invisible click imo. And the transition back in at about 1;35 is a bit out.

Mix-wise its pretty damn good. The vocals sit REALLY nicely, what'd you do to them?
I would lower the uberhigh frequencies on the cymbals, they're quite piercing atm. The vocals a touch too (on the ess's its a little sore. 'promiSe you' in the chorus.)

 

[Pedro Teixeira]

Yeah, you're right with the starting hits, I just edited them a bit roughly, gotta fit them better.

Vocals actually the merit is in the vocalist, he's pretty darn good, chain I believe is eq > rocket compressor (with extreme settings) > some more EQ and a limiter, also smashing the life out of it.

About the cymbals, yeah I do agree, although in my BX5a and in my ATH-M50 cans they don't feel piercing at all although I do feel they have a bit of high end there, they do not pierce at all, I don't get it, it must be my room or something, but either way the cans would've snagged that! But when I listen in some cheap ass Sony or Sennheiser cans I definitely hear the piercing cymbals. And about the vocals do you think I should just de-ess them or just attenuate those frequencies a bit?

Thanks for the comment, glad you liked it

 

[Morgan C]

For the vocals, I dunno. Overall they're pretty bright but they're sitting really nicely. I'd say attenuate the frequencies a bit, and if that makes em not sit well go for a VERY slight de-esser.

 

[Pedro Teixeira]

Also, there is a subdrop right in the beginning when the toms hit, it isn't really noticeable but the band wants it there. I just can't seem to make it pump enough, it just distorts the mix, because there is that riff playing along... Comp in the master is doing about 2/3dB GR, with really slow attack and fast release... and without messing with that I can't find a way to make the subdrop loud enough... at the end of the song, yeah it's loud, because there's no instruments playing, it gets all the headroom for itself... but in the beginning... blargh :| And I've used subdrops many many times in really heavy mixes and it worked right with all instruments in the play..

 

[John_C]

Overall that's a really good mix. Perhaps too much dynamic range in the vocals, perhaps some volume automation is needed