Slay this one

[ArnaudM]

Hi,

I finally finished that damn mix. Have had a lot of troubles with the OH (I did not record the drums, and the cymbals sound REALLY crappy) and the bass (same problem...).

They wanted something really heavy and fat. I did my best.

But please tear it apart. I personally think the tone is good, but I also know it could be improved.

Help me to please to be a better person

Here it is :

http://hiroshimastudio.bandcamp.com/track/dread-union-blood-la-piedra-rara

 

[Axell Strad]

Whoa there is nothing to add even. But maybe make more pressure feelings to cymbals. or something that will make them more visible.

What's the guitar chain was involved?

 

[The Uncreator]

The vocals weren't entirely to my liking, maybe a bit more growl as opposed to what feels like rough talking? Either way though, that was fucking sick man. Excellent production.

 

[ArnaudM]

Guitar chain :


Schecter Loomis + TubeScreamer + Laboga Mr Hector (Diode position), Two Notes Torpedo Cabinet simulator, 4 tracks.

DI then reamped twice, the first time through the TS, the Laboga in Tube position and the same cabinet simulation, and the second one with the Softube Metal Amp Room plugin.

Thanks for the kind words. Very difficult to do something interesting with the cymbals : dreadful takes. Just a couple for the OH, overcompressed moreover. The studio tech they hired for the session was a dick.

AM

 

[ArnaudM]

Besides the artistic choices (way of singing , songwritting), which are a matter of taste, and the cymbals I just had to cope with, I think the guitars still lack something. It's a matter of perception : the tone is very good but I feel they like a bit 3D. Don't know how to make them sound as if they were playing right in front of you, out of the amplifier, without being tweaked as hell. I can't manage to fix it : creating a tone I just has to be slightly EQ. It's so overprocessed. Maybe that's because I did it and knox exactly which are the tricks I used to make them sound huge, but there's something unnatural and overkill that prevent them from being really beautiful. Please share your feelings about it.

 

[Nuno Filipe]

The guitar tone sounds kinda hollow, not bad, though.

 

[ArnaudM]

That's also my opinion. Lacks beef. I'm not so satisfied with the Mr Hector amp head in fact. Terrific on stage but quite difficult to use in a studio configuration.

 

[Djabthrash]

The guitar tone sounds kinda hollow, not bad, though.

I agree with this. How about trying to blend a wee bit of a room guitar track for this "3D" feel ? (easy to do with the Torpedo plugin IMO, I'd use a R121 and put it far from the cab).
I don't mind the current tone though (bit i'm curious to hear what you can do if you wanna go more 3D ).

The mix in general is very cool.

The only thing that bugs me is that the backing vocals are a bit too loud (maybe try to back down the volume of the other elements of the mix when they kick in (with automation i mean) ?).

Music and vocals reminds me of Brujeria.

 

[ArnaudM]

Thanx for the tip. You are right : I alway use proximity mic takes when I record guitars. I've sometimes tried to catch a bit of ambiances and rooms, but I always got something confused and tiny. But it's been a long time ago, before I used the Torpedo box, which is kinda marvelous when you want to experience a bit.
Though, I'm not satisfied with the Laboga amp. Lacks character and depth. Good live amp, again, but a bit, well, hollow, that's really the word.
The backing vocals were recorded track by track, which is not such a good idea if you're searching for a mob effect. If I had been the recording tech for the b. vocals, I would have added stereo takes involving a bunch of dudes with beers, to give the choirs a bit more realism. Then, I think, it would have been easier to mix the result a bit more in the foreground.

 

[Djabthrash]

Thanx for the tip. You are right : I alway use proximity mic takes when I record guitars. I've sometimes tried to catch a bit of ambiances and rooms, but I always got something confused and tiny. But it's been a long time ago, before I used the Torpedo box, which is kinda marvelous when you want to experience a bit.
Though, I'm not satisfied with the Laboga amp. Lacks character and depth. Good live amp, again, but a bit, well, hollow, that's really the word.
The backing vocals were recorded track by track, which is not such a good idea if you're searching for a mob effect. If I had been the recording tech for the b. vocals, I would have added stereo takes involving a bunch of dudes with beers, to give the choirs a bit more realism. Then, I think, it would have been easier to mix the result a bit more in the foreground.

Never been the fan of the Laboga tone live, during rehearsal (tried once) and on records, but in here i think you did a fine job with it.

About the gang vocals, i wasn't complaining about how they sound, but just how they kick in a bit too proeminently and it seems you didn't automate the volume down on any other tracks when they kick in.