Rate my mix - first sd3 recording

[maddnotez]

Hey guys, my first attempt at recording with some new gear. Hoping to get some feedback. Mostly a reader here. Ive learned mostly everything from this forum or on forum members youtube channels.

Anyway here is the song:

https://m.soundcloud.com/maddnotez/song-1-with-bassmaster

The chain and notes:

Guitars - Charvel 2005 reissue with MCP Hothead into TC impact twin. Quad tracked - Thermionik Ogre and Ignite Emissary. 2 low mids 100% pan and 2 high mid 80%. LeCab with Catharsis IRs

Drums - SD3 with one of the Foundry Preset kits, untouched by me

Bass - $300 Sterling Stingray into a Sansamp > Interface. Added second track, distorted, barely audible with Ignite and IRs.

Basic mixing - High Pass/Lo pass on guitars, the bass was boosted somewhere around 50 and between 1k-2k from a tip i saw here that I liked. I cut the guitars at the same frequencies to make room.

I regrettingly attempted limiting for some volume.

Things I am aware of - Better performance, there are some hiccups especially with the Bass.

The Left guitars sound lower in the spectrum than the right, need to even them out.

Need to figure out how to limit or compress (lack of proper term) the bass to keep the volume under control for the parts where i get overly excited or when they are difficult I cant play them extremely well.

Need a real guitar recording setup instead of VST along with a type 85.

Need better monitors/headphones/room

Sorry for the extremely long thread. Just want to be very detailed. Please give any feedback you can good or bad. Ive not had any luck elsewhere. I really need to take my mixes to the next level and am prepared to take some classes, get better gear and do whatever it takes.

 

[maddnotez]

Not that anyone cares but I redid this using Ozone.



Also did more of a death metal type of song. Any feedback would be appreciated.

 

[uglijimus]

Granted i'm listening to this on a single ear bud at work but sounds great. I also really like the music. Is it your original?

The death metal song is a bit "bursting at the seams". I think there need to be more compression on the bass? It's hard to say though. I sounds fairly dynamic for not using "real" instruments.

 

[maddnotez]

Granted i'm listening to this on a single ear bud at work but sounds great. I also really like the music. Is it your original?

The death metal song is a bit "bursting at the seams". I think there need to be more compression on the bass? It's hard to say though. I sounds fairly dynamic for not using "real" instruments.

Yeah I just write my own stuff. I'm somewhat inexperienced with mixing. Ive done it off and on for a while but I've never worked with stems or anyone else's music. I'm very interested in getting legit sounding recordings, I think these are "ok" but I want much better.

A mix of these two songs is what im going for next. I want the bigger drum sounds like in the first song I posted (those may have been a little overbearing) but I want the clean guitars and overall mix like the second one. Will try to get all of that in one.

I just got a two notes captor so I can use my real amp now and I got Ozone Elements and Neutron. I plan to upgrade to the full versions when there is a big sale and maybe some of the Waves stuff.

After getting Neutron I feel that a major thing I am missing is good gear and plugins. I'd love a great preamp like I've used in studios but overall the main thing I am trying to figure out is how to glue everything together to make it sound as one.

I know I just need experience but these days too many people are getting Amazing results and I need to get there as well.

Thanks for listening and for the reply.

 

[uglijimus]

I can tell you one thing that I have heard countless engineers say, "great gear is never the answer". It helps, but those top level people are able to get near perfect results WITHOUT the next shiny, flashy plug-in. They only use those shiny, flashy plug-ins to get to get from point A to point B FASTER, but it doesn't make it better.

There are some audio podcasts out there I recommend you listening to: recording rockstars, working class audio, etc. I understand your enthusiasm for wanting great sounding mixes right now, but it takes lots of time and patience.

 

[Andrew S]

Yeah I just write my own stuff. I'm somewhat inexperienced with mixing. Ive done it off and on for a while but I've never worked with stems or anyone else's music. I'm very interested in getting legit sounding recordings, I think these are "ok" but I want much better.

A mix of these two songs is what im going for next. I want the bigger drum sounds like in the first song I posted (those may have been a little overbearing) but I want the clean guitars and overall mix like the second one. Will try to get all of that in one.

I just got a two notes captor so I can use my real amp now and I got Ozone Elements and Neutron. I plan to upgrade to the full versions when there is a big sale and maybe some of the Waves stuff.

After getting Neutron I feel that a major thing I am missing is good gear and plugins. I'd love a great preamp like I've used in studios but overall the main thing I am trying to figure out is how to glue everything together to make it sound as one.

I know I just need experience but these days too many people are getting Amazing results and I need to get there as well.

Thanks for listening and for the reply.

Sign up for NailTheMix!!!! It is hands down the best mixing education you can get for just $20 a month. This month we're doing bless the fall, last month we did Lamb of god and the month before that was converge. You get the Multitracks from the actual song at the beginning of the month then at the end of the month you get to watch whoever mixed that song mix it in front of you. You also get a chance to ask them whatever you want.

 

[maddnotez]

Thanks for the tips. Might have to check those out.