Rate my mix (first post of my mixes)

[systmovadown]

Hey guys,
I've really learned a lot here
I'd just like to share for critique and whatnot.

http://www.lightningmp3.com/live/file.php?fid=7976

tell me anything in terms of improving ..
thanks:zombie:

 

[AudioPhile777]

you should give us some details as to how it was recorded... sounds like POD guitars, right?

the guitar sound too undefined... maybe bring the mids up and the lows down... try using some impulses instead of the pod cab sims... or maybe just use a different model for starters...

make the vocal brighter...

the snare is almost non-existent...

and some overall volume leveling... certain instruments get lost as different times....

that should be a good place to start...

 

[systmovadown]

thanks
yeah i just got a pod so.
but uh drums are real..kicks are sampled
what should i do about the snare? bring it up a little?

 

[AudioPhile777]

tweak the eq... bring up some of the hi-mids... or try mixing in a sample on the snare, but only enough to give it the 'crack' its missing...

 

[systmovadown]

ive tried puttin in a sample with the snare
the snare drum is just hit very unevenly

 

[AudioPhile777]

ive tried puttin in a sample with the snare
the snare drum is just hit very unevenly

Then compress it enough to where it doesnt lack in the volume department, and add some higher freqs to it and you should be good...

 

[systmovadown]

i fixed a little bit of everything here.
made it not so dark sounding.

http://www.lightningmp3.com/live/file.php?fid=7977

 

[AudioPhile777]

That sounds way better/clearer... now I can tell the guitar playing isnt so tight... lol...

The snare still sounds like he's hitting a wet paper bag...

the vocals sound very one dimensional/boring and like he was cupping the mic...

thats probably all I can think of on that mix...

Sounds way better than the first mix, though...

 

[systmovadown]

thanks alot
mic cupping is actually what everybody does here in jersey.
when i offered the condenser doing the vocals, the vocalist looked at me like i was a retard.

anything about the snare though?
any more tips on making it less so paper baggy?

 

[AudioPhile777]

mic cupping in a studio makes it sounds like... well, he's trying to eat the microphone...

less paper bag-ish... uhm... I would start with either scooping out the lowmids or adding in something between 3k-8k...

 

[Jarkko Mattheiszen]

Overall that isn't such a bad mix, definately better than the first clip. I'll have to agree with Audiophile, though. The vocals have "MIC CUPPED" written all over them, and I have never been a big fan of that. Sure it makes the vocalist sound a bit bigger and badder, but shit, why don't they just practice to make their growls sound better without cupping? Cupped vocals always have a nasty, muddy sound to them. That's just my opinion, so don't be insulted if you're a cupper yourself Other than that, I would probably blend a good, punchy snare sample in there and leave the recorded snare sound more in the background, and then compress it to hell to get rid of the unintentionally varying velocities on the hits. Finally, you might want to fiddle around with eq'ing different areas some more, perhaps even the master channel. To my liking the whole mix sounds a bit too full in the mids area, perhaps making some room in the 400-600 herz area would help give some overall clarity.

All in all, good job, just needs some more tweaking!