Any pointers on this mix would be appreciated, thanks everyone


This is a cover of the old Lobo tune from the late 70's, let me know what you think....

 

Last edited by a moderator: Feb 3, 2022

As an era-specific mix, this one is actually a good and solid one, but it's a bit sterile and basic by nowadays standard... but i still like it, and it allowed me to enjoy the song, so a big thumbs up from me.

 

Good Job
1-The bass pumps a bit too much .
2-While listening i had the feeling that the bass guitar / bass drum were getting in the way of each other .

 

Last edited: Feb 3, 2022

Well i was able to hear it all the way without complaining, so yeah, i'd say it's pretty good. Has a bit of a "live performance" air to it.

If you want to fiddle with it a bit more you could try to add more body and work on a wider stereo image, but in my opinion it's very listenable as it is.

 

If you allow my amateur advice, I'd say the drums need more stereo space, and a little bit more mediums to sound more natural.

The sound of the e-guitar solos, especially by the end of the song, (it's a telecaster, isn't it ?) is far too nasal and piercing for my ears, it should benefit in adding more warmness...

I don't know how you recorded it, if it's with a real guitar amp and a microphone pointing to the amp's speaker, I think the microphone is not adapted and lacks subtlety. There is intermodulation distortion in the recording (that have nothing to do with guitar distortion, but more with the inability of a microphone to reproduce correctly a signal).

Suggestion: You should try to record again the same solo guitar, but with the input gain of the amp to a minimum (2-3), so that you get the purest sound possible, and using if possible the neck ("rythm") guitar mike, and capture the result with a better sounding, transparent microphone.

If you ever need a reference, think more "Dire Straits" than "Stevie Ray vaughan", because I think this beautiful song could really benefit from a pure, transparent Fender sound, with a great reverb / subtile delay and, if you want, a bit of chorus.

The voice (is it your own voice? ) is nice, the interpretation is OK, but the sound lacks harmonics, once again I think the quality of the microphone (correct me if I'm wrong, but I think it's a dynamic mike?) is the cause of the lack of finesse in the sound.

The general level of the mix is very low, perhaps it's voluntary? Just know that you could push the level few db higher without prejudice. Just remember to add a limiter on the master track, set it to -1 db, attack and release on "auto", so that you'll don't have to worry about crossing the limits.

Sorry if you find my message too long and useless, of course everything is above all a question of taste, perhaps finally you will prefer letting the song as it is now, because sometimes, "better" is the enemy of "good".

 

Last edited: Feb 3, 2022

I tried to make it a bit nicer

Spoiler

 

The voice sounds boxy (cut 200Hz) drums are too narrow and lack character, guitar / piano and other side effects are too loud. In general, sound should be more loudness curve and the effects (piano, picking guitar, etc.) should be just color and mix them would be quieter and more to the side.

 

Snare..

Maybe a hair of Reverb to make things more glued/nicer too..

And yeah, what Avenger did,
a little bit of Filtering, stereo spreading/panning, Compressing and Warming could go a long way,
but it depends on the artistic vision too, less production=more natural in a way, if that's what you're after..

 

Last edited: Feb 3, 2022

what No Avenger did is polish for me...the song has lost its originality...it sounds totally digital now, cold and surgical...the soul that the singer gave to the song has been totally lost. .. no offense , No Avenger ... I only say my opinion .

 

Competent but... for me, the chorus doesn't shine as much as it should.
Sonically the only obvious energy you are adding to distinguish the verse from the chorus is some shakers.
You bring in the piano for the second chorus, but more use of that or a simple string arrangement following the chords might give more contrast?

 

You have no clue.

 

 

Last edited: Feb 3, 2022

Hem... Ya know that tigers have great appetite for human meat, huh? It's like a delicious, irresistible treat for them...

I could only suggest you to never, ever look at his eyes, and trying to get away as discretely and quietly as possible...

...but I'm afraid it's already far, far too late...

>>====>>> GoooOOOoood byyyyye, Deceptive!... RIP

(And huh... hhhrrrrmmm... Bon appétit, No Avenger!)

 

Last edited: Feb 4, 2022

you watch too many thrillers ... fresh air is healthy

 

Sorry, I don't talk to skeletons! >>===>>>

 

Sounds good as is.

As mentioned before that telecaster could use a little less honk and more tonk though.

 

I remastered it in Ozone 9, let me know what you think

 

Sorry to be brutal,

but that doesn't sound like anyone's even attempted to mix that Most of the instruments are basically untouched. The drums are paper thin. Everything sounds like it's squashed down the middle or warbiing around the mid side which creates an effect like sea sickness, The frequencies all over the place it is disorientating like you haven't considered any panning width or positioning for each instrument.

Vocals down the middle {reverb to add width if needs be} then give the other instruments a space as if you were looking at this band on a stage.

And uninstall Ozone it is garbage. Make it not a turd before trying to polish one.

 

Whatever you did in terms of EQ/Filtering/exciting,
Compressing and maybe Reverberating.. is a Positive improvement.

In terms of Color and overall sound quality it's now on a higher standard.

-However while the relative Levels may actually be well Balanced,
Panning the instruments this way is a bit Risky..

It may appeal some listeners more than other,
and it may work better in some listening scenarios than other..

I do not really like it because I listen with headphones,
and except in some Jazz or Orchestral stuff I'm used/like to hear things laid out differently.

Namely, I like the Bass, Bass Drum and Voice in the Center.

The rest of Drums/Cymbs/Perc and Guitars/Synth/Strings etc, are good being spread like that.


It may be a more safe and regular/boring approach,
but chances are it may sound better to a higher number of listeners/scenarios.

It's only on certain styles like for instance classic Jazz trio where things are spread differently,
like having Piano in one channel, and Bass+Drum in the other.

Or Orchestral music having the Bass on the right channel, etc.

But in Rock and any other modern style,
I think Bass, Bass Drum and lead Voice in the center is the way to go.

You can be more creative with Snare and HiHat,
some ppl like it in the center too, and for certain styles like Hard/Heavy Rock is also a must,
but I like it spread left/right, and it's arguably a more modern approach which could fit this lighthearted acoustic rock style..

 

Last edited: Feb 13, 2022