New song. Need some opinions on the mix.

[Keregioz]

Hello guys...

Ok, this song is not the kind of music you're used to around here, it's a metal ballad that turns kinda heavy later on. I've listened to this song so many times during mixing and mastering and changed so many little things and my head is full right now. I need some fresh opinions on the mix. So go ahead and listen to it and tell me what you think...

The song it's called "Transparent Walls" and you can find it here: http://www.audiostreet.net/artist.aspx?artistid=54218

Also i should mention that the rhythm guitars on the second part of the song are Revalver mkII and the solos PodXT. Drums are drum kit from hell except the kick which is from Andy's samples.

 

[Tym_ex]

Hey Kimon,

Cool song, Nevermore meets Pink Floyd or something
OK now for some mixing commens:

-the acoustic guitars sound a bit lofi, cheap mic or pres?

-the drums (snare esp) can use more reverb, to fit the song better

-cool vocals but in terms of production it would be cool if he went along more with your climax building in the song. In the middle of the song he's already singing as loud as at the end of the song. Make him SCREAM some more at the end Who's the singer? He's pretty good and I like his voice!

-distortion guitars sound a bit washy, too much SSHHHHH. It makes them stand out well with the synths going on but it also gives them less definition in terms on which notes are being played. Maybe you should produce them a little less "metal" and more poppy, like Avril Lavigne or Nickelback's sound (you know, less 4Khz and more controlled low end, make them sound smooth).

But overal nice ballad, great vox, nice moody leads (esp the distorted leads!)

 

[Keregioz]

-the acoustic guitars sound a bit lofi, cheap mic or pres?

Yes... Pres are the cheapest kind .... On the basic riff you hear on the intro i used a wireless shure mic, which is definitely not cheap but also not suitable for acoustic instruments. I had to procces them a lot to get rid of hiss. The guitars on the first chorus and the classical guitar solo were recorded with a more suitable (although cheap) mic (rode NT1A). I suppose the guitar being also pretty cheap and crappy didn't help either. And the mp3 encoding maybe? However after listening to the final mix i hoped i would get away with it... apparently not . You think i could make them sound better somehow?

-the drums (snare esp) can use more reverb, to fit the song better

Yes the snare has almost no reverb at all...i'll see if i can get it to sound better with some reverb.
Edit:I have uploaded a new version with reverb added to the snare... You think it's better?

-cool vocals but in terms of production it would be cool if he went along more with your climax building in the song. In the middle of the song he's already singing as loud as at the end of the song. Make him SCREAM some more at the end Who's the singer? He's pretty good and I like his voice!

While recording we also thought that in the end we should do something more... but we couldn't come up with something satisfing. I hoped the guitar solo/melody during the last chorus would help. The singer is a friend of mine, his name is David Ashton.

-distortion guitars sound a bit washy, too much SSHHHHH. It makes them stand out well with the synths going on but it also gives them less definition in terms on which notes are being played. Maybe you should produce them a little less "metal" and more poppy, like Avril Lavigne or Nickelback's sound (you know, less 4Khz and more controlled low end, make them sound smooth).

Yes... this is my typical attempt to make modeler guitars to stand out more in the mix which i think you're familiar with . Now that you have expirience mixing rhythm guitars by real amps, do you find them easier to stand out in a mix? It's a common problem i have in my songs, because they have a lot stuff going on at times (synths,solos etc.). It was a conscious choice to make the production more "metal"...but i wasn't aware that there was a annoying "shhh" sound as you put it. I guess maybe during the countless listening, mixing and mastering i got used to it? I'll see what other people think...

But overal nice ballad, great vox, nice moody leads (esp the distorted leads!)

Thanks for listening... I'm glad you liked the song and even more glad that reminded you of pink floyd .

 

[Tym_ex]

You think i could make them sound better somehow?

Hmm, maybe some good EQ (the Waves SSL one or something?)

I have uploaded a new version with reverb added to the snare... You think it's better?

I'll listen to the new version later.

While recording we also thought that in the end we should do something more... but we couldn't come up with something satisfing. I hoped the guitar solo/melody during the last chorus would help. The singer is a friend of mine, his name is David Ashton.

Cool you had the same idea But well, the solo and stuff does cover it up a bit, but it also makes it more clear that the whole song is building up to a climax and the vox stays the same, bigger contrast you know. And I bet the guy can also scream his lungs out or not? Seems like he has a really good voice.

Yes... this is my typical attempt to make modeler guitars to stand out more in the mix which i think you're familiar with . Now that you have expirience mixing rhythm guitars by real amps, do you find them easier to stand out in a mix?

Hmm interesting, never had a problem with this myself. Come to think of it, I guess it's more the other way around for me!

 

[Keregioz]

Cool you had the same idea But well, the solo and stuff does cover it up a bit, but it also makes it more clear that the whole song is building up to a climax and the vox stays the same, bigger contrast you know. And I bet the guy can also scream his lungs out or not? Seems like he has a really good voice.

I'm not sure what you mean by "scream"... i mean he is already pretty loud by the end of the song... What we thought of was some vocal fills behind the main chorus, but we couldn't make it work right. Btw thanks on behalf of the singer .