so a buddy and I are starting a "project"....movie based, Predator content inside

[bryan_kilco]

Me and a long time pal have started gathering ideas for a "side project" which we will never play out....just for fun. We are probably going to base our material off of movies, and use quotes from movies since there will be no lyrics/vocalist.

This one's based on Predator. Comments/critiques/advice VERY much welcome on the mix. Dont mind the slight sloppy playing...this is just "brainstorm" mode right now.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/6443251/Predator 1 Mix 2.mp3

 

[taylorshreds]

Guitar sound too mid rangy for me, needs more low end. Cymbals are way too loud and bright, and mix needs moar basssssssssss. Drums sound decent.

 

[bryan_kilco]

Thanks! See, my analyzer is showing a huge low end spike and scooped mids....Its a free one, think its called MAanalyzer.....can these things lie? Or should I just be using my ears more?

Using TSE 808 - LE456 - Lecab with Guitarhacks impulses, HP at around 80Hz and LP at like 10-12kHz. I had a small boost at around 3kHz on geetars to get a bit more clarity. Bass is pitched down guitar, dup'd and ran through an amp sim and impulses and the dup has a bit of grit but is way lower in the mix compared to the clean bass.

 

[jackbraglia]

HP at around 80Hz and LP at like 10-12kHz.

definitely knock that low-pass up to 8 or 9k. and also cut at 4k to get out that "amp sim" fuzzy crap, just mess with the Q til it sounds right, and you'll notice a huuuge difference

 

[JakeAC5253]

I hate to be that guy, you know that guy, the one who says that visual aides are bad and that you should be using your ears, but it is inevitable. I have really tried to use them for good purpose. By this point I have done a few years worth of side by side tonal comparisons and sometimes when I get two tones that are particularly interesting I wonder what they look like EQ curve wise so that I can analyze just what it is that makes one tone better than the other. Time and time again I have been disappointed to find that they look almost identical regardless of how different they may sound by the ear. I've tried using different analyzers and different settings and all this, but never has what I hear been attributed in a constructive way to what I see, much less be able to look at an analyzer and be able to form a decision based on that alone.



For anyone who hasn't used an analyzer before and wonders what they are missing out on...
Spoiler Warning: ^

 

[jackbraglia]

I hate to be that guy, you know that guy, the one who says that visual aides are bad and that you should be using your ears, but it is inevitable. I have really tried to use them for good purpose. By this point I have done a few years worth of side by side tonal comparisons and sometimes when I get two tones that are particularly interesting I wonder what they look like EQ curve wise so that I can analyze just what it is that makes one tone better than the other. Time and time again I have been disappointed to find that they look almost identical regardless of how different they may sound by the ear. I've tried using different analyzers and different settings and all this, but never has what I hear been attributed in a constructive way to what I see, much less be able to look at an analyzer and be able to form a decision based on that alone.



For anyone who hasn't used an analyzer before and wonders what they are missing out on...
Spoiler Warning: ^

you cant compare one sound to another using a spectrum analyzer, that's just silly, because sounds are evolving, not to mention harmonic content. a spectrum analyzer is only useful for comparing the overall frequency content of one sound or mix to another. you'll never be able to actually "see" the difference because its in real time...

 

[JakeAC5253]

you cant compare one sound to another using a spectrum analyzer, that's just silly, because sounds are evolving, not to mention harmonic content. a spectrum analyzer is only useful for comparing the overall frequency content of one sound or mix to another. you'll never be able to actually "see" the difference because its in real time...

I'm talking about something like using the exact same DI's of a guitar performance reamped through the same amp with maybe a different overdrive pedal in front of the amp. The end signals have the same input waves and are in sync with each other but sound different due to different middle processing. When you have both analyzers open next to eachother what you can do is set the displays to RMS and crank the decay control so that the displayed curve is an average of the last second or so of played material. The idea is to in theory bring both displays to an accurate portrayal of the harmonic content attributed to both pieces of gear. Again, despite it being a very well thought out process with many variables in check, the technology fails and the ear prevails. And yes, even on long held notes the visual differences are negligible versus the great and obvious differences in sound.

 

[jackbraglia]

I'm talking about something like using the exact same DI's of a guitar performance reamped through the same amp with maybe a different overdrive pedal in front of the amp. The end signals have the same input waves and are in sync with each other but sound different due to different middle processing. When you have both analyzers open next to eachother what you can do is set the displays to RMS and crank the decay control so that the displayed curve is an average of the last second or so of played material. The idea is to in theory bring both displays to an accurate portrayal of the harmonic content attributed to both pieces of gear. Again, despite it being a very well thought out process with many variables in check, the technology fails and the ear prevails. And yes, even on long held notes the visual differences are negligible versus the great and obvious differences in sound.

yeah it certainly does make a lot of sense on paper. but as we both know, in practice it just seems to fail us time and time again.

 

[bryan_kilco]

definitely knock that low-pass up to 8 or 9k. and also cut at 4k to get out that "amp sim" fuzzy crap, just mess with the Q til it sounds right, and you'll notice a huuuge difference

Maybe it's what I'm mixing on then. Don't have treated room or monitors. Usually if I bring the LP down below 10k, the guitars just sound like mush with no attack or bite. Maybe I'll do as you say and burn a copy to listen to in the car.