Rough mix of a hard rock band I'm currently producing.

[Jordon]

Here's a rough mix of a band I'm currently producing. Finishing up vocals this Thursday. Drums are 100% real with the kick, snare and toms stacked (not totally replaced). Kick was stacked with some samples I've taken from kits I've recorded. Snare was I think 12A from Slate, toms were stacked with the fat toms. This is my first time working with Slate samples (found the studio's copies laying around in a CD case), and I gotta say, I see what all the hype is about. The toms samples made the kit especially lively.

I contributed some guitar parts in the choruses and bridge, and will more than likely lend my voice for harmonies and backing vocals.

Vocals need some de-essing, but that'll be taken care of when we finish them up.

It's and mp3 and also has a bullshit master on it, so keep that in mind.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3463841/old%20one%20rough.MP3

I'll have pictures of the miced up kit and more details about the recording later on.


Also...SoundToys Echo Boy and Crystallizer are like crack to me now. Echo boy is amazing on vocals.

 

[Morgan C]

First off, overheads sound amazingly clear. What mics did you use on them, and what was the room like?

On the mix, waaaaay too much bass. Vocals are a bit thin, and snare is too soft/muffled. Has great potential tho, I dig the guitar tone.

You may want to edit a bit, like in the verse, everythings a bit messy. BUT it works with a mix like this though, kinda dirty and big, and I'd keep it like it is if you're not cleaning up the mix too much.

 

[Jordon]

First off, overheads sound amazingly clear. What mics did you use on them, and what was the room like?

On the mix, waaaaay too much bass. Vocals are a bit thin, and snare is too soft/muffled. Has great potential tho, I dig the guitar tone.

You may want to edit a bit, like in the verse, everythings a bit messy. BUT it works with a mix like this though, kinda dirty and big, and I'd keep it like it is if you're not cleaning up the mix too much.

The overheads were a stereo-matched pair of AKG C 414 B-XLS. Not my favorite for overheads, but the cymbals used and the drummer's excellent cymbal control/technique had a lot to do with it, I think. The hi hat was miced with an SM81, but that mic is just used for balance. Same with the ride mic. There were 2 rides and a wuhan very close together on the kit. I used a Neumann TLM103 for that cymbal group, which was fantastic. Would you believe the studio only has a 7 1/2 foot tall ceiling?

I kinda figured it was bass heavy. Haven't had a chance to try it in different systems yet.

What did you mean by "edit a bit?" In general or anything specific? The drums are most definitely edited as tightly as I'd want for this type of song. Guitars and bass could probably use some more tightening up, even though there were edited previously. To be honest, the guitarists aren't the tightest players in the world, and I'm worried about going overboard editing them. Like a dumbass, I didn't take a DI track for the guitars...so editing is a bit of a pain.

I keep asking this band if they wouldn't mind tuning up a step or so. They're in G# and I just think almost everything sounds sloppy that low, with very few exceptions. Not to mention the runaway low end. The guitars are HP'd at about 150hz, and they still seem a bit too squishy to me.

 

[Morgan C]

What did you mean by "edit a bit?" In general or anything specific? The drums are most definitely edited as tightly as I'd want for this type of song. Guitars and bass could probably use some more tightening up, even though there were edited previously. To be honest, the guitarists aren't the tightest players in the world, and I'm worried about going overboard editing them. Like a dumbass, I didn't take a DI track for the guitars...so editing is a bit of a pain.

In the verse there's a very choppy beat (play, then silence, then play, then silence), which the bass/guitar/drums are all playing together. Except they're not all playing at the same time. It's really up to you whether you want to edit out all the silences and make sure everything hits on 1, but tbh I dig it as it is. For a more commercial sound you'd want to do this, but I don't think a dirty mix of a rock band in G tuning is going for commercial ;p

 

[Jordon]

Ya know, I have some spare time after my session this morning. I think I'll try an edit like that just for the hell of it.

 

[Deltones]

I agree with Morgan C about the editing. It's pretty jarring at times and it should revised so that it's more seamless.

I like the vocal quality of the singer i.e his tone. And benediction of benedictions, no trace of "alright, let's sound angry and brootalz now. Grooooowwwlll" so far.

 

[Jordon]

Thanks for the comments, fellas. It's always a good thing to get other sets of ears on a mix, and I definitely trust a lot of members on this board. MorganC has helped me out in the past.

Hearing the mix again with fresh ears today, I'm hearing some things that I think could change. I'm going to re-edit the verses. Might do 2 different edits, one super tight, and one just a touch loose. Bass'll come down, and I'll try to add some body back into the vocals. I have them HP'd pretty high, so bringing that down might do the trick.


Deltones: The only scream in any of their songs is actually on this tune. I went into the booth and did it real fast for them, then, obviously, effected and stutter-edited it. It's going to be pretty far in back, more textural than anything.

 

[jauernis]

Very good job Jordon! Yeah I have to agree add some meat to the vocals will help it sit even better. I like the bass as loud as it is...remind me of Breaking Benjamins Dear Agony...to me just clean up a bit of the mudiness.

 

[XnaySaturo]

Sounds really good. As for tips, everything's been said, really.

 

[xFkx]

Too much low end, and the rest seems muffled to my ears