Yet another mix

[Razorjack]

So, The band are taking ages to put the finishing touches to the tracks so I put this mix together for them to put on a compilation CD. Mixed using external comp and reverb/delay, everything else is in the box.

Titan

Let me know what you think.

 

[Brett - K A L I S I A]

What I don't really like or think could be improved :
- Don't like the guitar sound, very muddy (can't really hear what's going on, maybe too much distortion, sounds like an undistinguishable wall of noise)
- Vocals need some "editing" in places
- Snare doesn't cut through
- Kick is not powerful enough
- Keyboards are too loud

Other than that's it's great

Did you use the TC Finalizer ?

 

[Razorjack]

What I don't really like or think could be improved :
- Don't like the guitar sound, very muddy (can't really hear what's going on, maybe too much distortion, sounds like an undistinguishable wall of noise)
- Vocals need some "editing" in places
- Snare doesn't cut through
- Kick is not powerful enough
- Keyboards are too loud

Other than that's it's great

Did you use the TC Finalizer ?

Thanks for the reply.

I'll look into the guitar tone, I know what you mean (I'll drop out two of the tracks and see what I can do with just the two). About the snare, I think once the guitars are cleared up it will be clearer (it's only when the guitars are in that it gets lost). What would you suggest I do to the kick? It's been sent through a distressor already.

I didn't use the finalizer in the end, I used Waves L2 and some multi-band compression on the stereo bus.

 

[KillDivision]

Yeah, the guitars (obviously Pod XT) have no mids and lack tone.
Everything is very distant except for the loud vocals.

 

[~BURNY~]

I mostly agree with everything said. But I think a part of the mud come from the playing witch doesn't sound quite right.
About the keys being too loud, maybe a low shelve @500Hz or even higher could help.

 

[Frank'nfurter]

I go for the most Brett has said.
Personally I feel most disturbing these keys that comming from one side and they had more 'balls' than the guitars?!?
Drums and vox are ok though but take back the cymals a little bit.

Ah yeah, take a look at 4:53. There is a 'cut' audible in the guitars.

 

[Brett - K A L I S I A]

Why didn't you use the Finalizer in the end ? It sounds more transparent than the L2 and allows LOUDER mixes...

About the kick, it seems to lack the ooomph, the "punch in the stomach" if you see what I mean. Could be the bass (I think that's it) or keyboards eating it, or maybe it'd need a boost in the low end (or maybe even a sub-synth generator). But just like the snare, maybe it's the guitars... Aren't they going too low ?

 

[Frank'nfurter]

Why didn't you use the Finalizer in the end ? It sounds more transparent than the L2 and allows LOUDER mixes...

About the kick, it seems to lack the ooomph, the "punch in the stomach" if you see what I mean. Could be the bass (I think that's it) or keyboards eating it, or maybe it'd need a boost in the low end (or maybe even a sub-synth generator). But just like the snare, maybe it's the guitars... Aren't they going too low ?

Yeah, use the Finalizer. It's absolutely smashing! Way much better than a plugin.

 

[Hammer Bart]

- Don't like the guitar sound, very muddy (can't really hear what's going on, maybe too much distortion, sounds like an undistinguishable wall of noise)
- Vocals need some "editing" in places
- Snare doesn't cut through
- Kick is not powerful enough
- Keyboards are too loud

I agree with Brett. I think the issue with the snare is not just that it doesn't cut through, but also that it doesn't sound as if it's hit hard. It doesn't sound agressive. I have no idea whether you could get that fixed in the mix or if the drummer is to blame.
Mind you my own mixes are not great by any stretch of the imagination. I'm just telling you what I think could be improved to make it sound more sneapesque.

Also I think the guitar solo's are a bit harsh and dry sounding. I tend to like a more midrangey solo sound. As in a little bit towards Santana and away from scooped boss metal zone if you take those two as extremes. That's personal taste of course.

I really like how the vocals sound and how they 'sit' in the mix. The music is not my cup of tea. I'd say the keyboards are way too loud, but then again I don't like this kind of keyboard sounds at all.

 

[cornerarea]

Not my cup of tea either, but I still like the singer's voice, and it sits well in there.

But those keys: they are very confusing. WAY too loud, and muddy too. I think the guitars could clear a bit if you cut the lower end of the keyboards. Guitars could be more up in the mix.

I admit that I don't like keyboard sounds nearly at all, but those keys sound now like Jean-Michael Jarre is trying out his new synthesizer in the studio next door, no offense. Makes me feel pretty schizophrenic. I think that song would work well without the keyboard.

Otherwise, nice production, keep it up!

 

[Genius Gone Insane]

2nd and 3rd solos should be louder

 

[Razorjack]

I've fixed the kick and snare problems and dropped out two of the guitar tracks, also I brought the keys down. The key tracks are actually still scratch as the key player hasn't finished them yet. I'll get a new clip up tommorow.

 

[Hopkins-WitchfinderGeneral]

also give the vocalist a kick in the butt and tell her to stop sliding out of tune at the end of certain lines.

 

[Razorjack]

also give the vocalist a kick in the butt and tell her to stop sliding out of tune at the end of certain lines.

Don't get me started!! I'd kick all of them right now!!

 

[Hopkins-WitchfinderGeneral]

go for it!

 

[Razorjack]

Here's the new clip. I'm much happier with this mix, though there are still a few things I would change if I was getting paid.

Titan Re-Mix

This time the clip is in .m4a

 

[~BURNY~]

Much better. I'd filter the low mid from the cymbals though.

 

[Brett - K A L I S I A]

Yeah much better but watch out for the clipping...

 

[Frank'nfurter]

Now there is a hicup at 4:47.
Maybe a rendering fuckup?

 

[Razorjack]

Yeah, the rendering seems to be screwing up on me...I'm going to take a look at it and see whats going on as this is a regular problem.