Rate my mix/tone [getting back into it]

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lilhermiejobo

Member
Mar 6, 2007
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I've recently come back to my recording gear and I've been having a go at recording some ideas for collaboration projects and such.
Anyway, I've started a rock song with a commercial edge to it and I'm wondering what sort of comments you folks might have for me in terms of mix quality and your thoughts on how I could improve the overall sound.

If you've got a spare minute or 2 I've rendered a clip in hopes of some constructive feedback.
Project Mix 1
Project Mix 2

EzDrummer for all drums
Pod xt pro for all guitars and bass
No vocals as of yet so its a bit boring in parts
I'd be happy to post settings if anyone is interested

*updated mix and added second link*
 
alittle too much reverb on the drums imo and kinda muffles things up
the tone is nice and i would be interested in the settings.
 
I hear what you mean with the reverb... I kinda thought I should have set the verb hp higher but I didn't want to lose that space/area in the snare sound... maybe I should pull back on the decay?
I really should get into the habit of exporting more than 1 drum track instead of trying to mix drums in the midi program so I wouldn't have to go back as many times.
I'll get a screen shot of those settings for you.
 
lilhermiejobo said:
I hear what you mean with the reverb... I kinda thought I should have set the verb hp higher but I didn't want to lose that space/area in the snare sound... maybe I should pull back on the decay?
I really should get into the habit of exporting more than 1 drum track instead of trying to mix drums in the midi program so I wouldn't have to go back as many times.
I'll get a screen shot of those settings for you.
Click to expand...

What DAW do you use?? In cubase at least, you can set it up so ezdrummer puts each drum on it's own channel, and you can go ahead and mix it like a real drum kit.

You just have to set it up in the ezdrummer mixer.
 
ATM, I use Fruity Loops' midi to program EzDrummer via multi-track into the fruity mixer and then eq, compress, et cetera. I bounce a single master-track of the drums after several plays through with live guitar to see how it all sounds together. I do nearly all adjusting to the drums before I export a wav file.
I'm also using the first release of Nuendo 1.5 (with 1.6 update patch) and unfortunately that doesn't support the multi-track vsti of ezdrummer. I can't really afford to splurge on a new DAW which is why I've been using the 2 programs together.
I do mix the ezdrummer like a real kit in terms of each drum getting its own respective channel in the fruity loops mixer as well as eq and fx, group sends and master bus.
The only downfall in my mind that holds me back is Nuendo 1.5's lack of multi-channel vsti support which causes me to go back into FL and make adjustments and then export another drum track or section to be pasted into the project mix.
Anyway, do you have any comments on the clip mix I've posted?
 
Good call, dude. I've used reaper back in the states on a couple projects but I didn't realize it'd support the multi-outs. I dont know why I didn't consider it. Thanks for that.
 
Word, that must be a royal pain in the ass to flip programs like that.

anyway, the guitars sound pretty great and I'm actually really digging the song. The snare works great for this song, but the kick needs more click and way less reverb(?) in my opinion. Toms could come up a bit, volume wise, maybe hit them with some compression. The cymbals... well, it's ezdrummer. I would probably boost the highs on them a little bit, and again less reverb.

hopefully there will be vocals on this song at some point?
 
[UEAK]Clowd;7520285 said:
Word, that must be a royal pain in the ass to flip programs like that.

anyway, the guitars sound pretty great and I'm actually really digging the song. The snare works great for this song, but the kick needs more click and way less reverb(?) in my opinion. Toms could come up a bit, volume wise, maybe hit them with some compression. The cymbals... well, it's ezdrummer. I would probably boost the highs on them a little bit, and again less reverb.

hopefully there will be vocals on this song at some point?
Click to expand...

It definitely can be. It partly explains why I dont often post complete songs.
It becomes such a chore bouncing back and forth between things and making adjustments that it just drains me after so many hours and I lose focus on a project.
Thanks for the compliments and the suggestions as well, dude.
I've updated the original post with a new drum mix. I took your advice and as well I backed off on the hard limiting on the drum track and it seems to have gotten rid of a bit of that reverb sounding resonance noise.

I would love to have vocals on this at some point. I'm hardly a vocalist, so when I get this project finished I'll most likely be looking online for someone who might be interested.
 
The guitars sound really good for a POD (no offense!). I also second the Reaper suggestion, it's an incredible DAW.
 
Why would I take offense? You said my guitar sounds really good. I'd more likely take offense if you said something along the lines of "you cant play for shite." :lol:
I've downloaded Reaper and I'll see about having a go on something else with the multi-track output for ezdrummer.
Thanks!!!

I've re-added both links so you guys can do comparisons.

Listening to the 2nd one, the drums dont sound quite as powerful as the 1st clip... maybe I backed off the limiter too much?
I tried moving the lead guitars eq freq a tad lower which seems to sit better in the mix to my ears at least...and added a slight high end spike for pick clarity.
 
Awww, how disappointing!!!
No one is up for comparison listening to my clips?
I felt like a kid at christmas jumping out of bed when I woke up to come unwrap comments from you dudes
Gosh golly I'm pathetic :lol:
 
Cool clip man!

I agree with what has been said so far about the first clip.. the reverb has a really short tail, you could try and lenghten that one, and then just a little less reverb.

Second clip, i think this one sound better.. different levels yes, but i think it sounds good like it is.. you could turn up the snare a wee bit for more attack in the mix, but it sounds good as it is in my opinion!
 
Bob, do you suppose I'd get a better result from turning up the top or bottom snare mic?
I read in one of your posts that you add bottom for crack.
I got a bit star-struck and forgot to ask in my last post :lol:
 
AB-MB-24482.jpg
 
lilhermiejobo said:
Bob, do you suppose I'd get a better result from turning up the top or bottom snare mic?
I read in one of your posts that you add bottom for crack.
I got a bit star-struck and forgot to ask in my last post :lol:
Click to expand...

lol.. but yeah, i think just a little bit of added volume on the snare would do the trick.
 
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