New guy in need of advice / criticism

[BrunoSardine]

Hey all,

I've lurked this form off and on for awhile but just now registered because I'm frustrated with mixing and I need the collective's help and input to steer me in the right direction. There's a lot I don't know about mixing and that's why I'm here.

This is a very short test track to sample what I'm currently working with. I don't have a bass guitar so I just tracked my 8 string through Pod Farm. I plan on getting Zombass or something along the likes of it to supplement.

https://soundcloud.com/peter-anthony-luisi/ibanez-tam10-test

The guitar used on this is an Ibanez TAM10, this is the first guitar I've played with an HSH configuration so I'm still trying to figure out the best approach tone-wise.

The main thing I struggle with are my drums, to me they sound extremely flat and thin. Although there's a chance that the rest of the mix is overpowering the drums.

Any help and input is appreciated. I'd like to learn more about mixing but when I know very little about mixing it's hard to figure out what to do next, what approach to take, and where things need to be changed.

Thanks,

-Pete

 

[rapucore]

You need all elements to mix. Get a bass or buy Trilian or something. You can't replicate commercial low frequencies without them already existing.

I recommend spending time and reading the informative posts at Andy Sneap-forum. You'll get tons of info there.

 

[BrunoSardine]

Fixed the link since it wasn't working.

 

[rapucore]

The rest of the mix is actually too quiet compared to the drums. The drums do sound weak, thin and lifeless though. Just little snaps and pops.

 

[BrunoSardine]

The rest of the mix is actually too quiet compared to the drums. The drums do sound weak, thin and lifeless though. Just little snaps and pops.

Normally I set the "guillotine" preset to SD's mixer so the shells have a tight sound with no trail, and I leave the cymbals with some trail

However right after that I'm not sure what to do. After EQ and compression they still sound horribly dull. There's a key component here that I'm missing that I can't identify myself

 

[rapucore]

You should create the ideal drum sound from scratch without any presets. Then you'll be in charge of every move and will know when something starts to work against the purpose.

 

[EnjoiTrent]

Drums need more length, shortening them just makes them a stick attack with no actual drum even making the sound.