EDIT 18-08-23 - revised mix

Thanks so much for the feedback so far - I’d really appreciate it if anyone would share their thoughts on this revision

Quick “am I insane" question - the electronic/bird/artifact-ey bits under the 2nd chorus don't need to be there but sound musical to me...?



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<original post>

I'd really appreciate feedback/critique/advice on any and all aspects of this

 

Last edited: May 18, 2023

Piano is too loud and too center, vocals are overly compressed and recorded too close to the mic, snare sounds like a wet towel, bass drum and bass are too weak, overall too much mid-highs (particularly 1000-2000 area) (except in the vocals, where nasality prevails due to proximity effect and compression) and too little everything else. Also everything, and not only piano, is panned around the center, so the track feels narrow.

 

Not too worried about all the sounds or the mixing itself, it can work it has a nice balance vibe that can be itself and there is artistic intent to contend with. I like the foundation of the track, it has something that is work worthy.

The main issues are the heavy handed pitch correction at the end of some phrases, some very poorly placed artefacts that ruin the mood and the lack of any real tension and release. I can approximate when things should get tense and angsty from the musical structure but the dynamics, the psychoacoustics and mixing don't deliver.

It a bit of tease as promising so much in the fluffing stage but then there is no release, no climax it builds and finishes off flat. It's like you spent all night chasing the hottest person in the bar with lots of mental perp. about how things would be and when you finally get them in bed they just lay there and repeat who "oh yes, your the daddy" on a loop in a very flat and deadpan way till you just get up go to the shower wash and leave the house... and it was your house!

 

I liked the compression and volumes. A nice, in-your-face, kinda sultry, sumptuous sound - if you want a compressed, narrow sound, do it! It hit me right away. Piano is fine loud because there weren't many other instruments, so took up the right amount of space. Personally, I felt something was missing when the lows dropped out, and true, the drums aren't powerful, but maybe you wanted it that way. And I do agree that the song didn't build and release, but again, maybe you wanted a steady sad/calm mood/feel. Perhaps you were trying for a lowering and then buildup of energy when the bass dropped and re-emerged. If so, it didn't work for me, though the additional instrumentation toward the end helped. All-in-all, I very much liked the feel and the 7-note hypnotic melody, but I would have liked to hear it going someplace further.

 

Like the arrangement and the composition of the first part. Are the vocals from emvoice or V synth or just heavy processed? Overall will benefit a lot if some elements are more wide and and the percusion more present and punchy. I'd try to mix drums and vocals first and then the rest, now the drums are too in the back for my taste and the kick is too thin also. But don't get me wrong: is a nice track, just need a little push.

 

I like it.

It could use a better mix.

Good effort!

 

I am new so can't comment on the mix. But to my ears it sounds nice.
Good vibes
Thanks for sharing your work..

 

Piano is too loud

 

What a beautiful song... and the arrangement was very well done too... I love the overall mood and the vocal! But it has a lot of compression, piano a little loud, a little distortion on the drums (especially on the bass drum, I understand what you want, but the result is not very good). Nothing a good mix can't fix. The hardest thing you've ever done. Congrats and go on!

 

@justwannadownload @JMOUTTON @thebert @Demloc @deaman @Ichos @Galladino @Mynock
Thanks for taking the time to give feedback (especially the detail). I've just edited the 1st post with a revision that tried to implement some of your advice if you have the patience/interest.

It is a real singer - she's a great singer but the recording had some issues, so while my processing has undoubtedly caused some harm that I could undo, I don't know how much better I can make the vocal sound.

Hopefully, the new version has improved on some of the other points - tension/release is probably still an issue, but the song is kind of about frustration so I'm trying to keep that feeling too (rightly or wrongly).

Thanks again, and I'd appreciate any and all feedback

 

Now there's not enough high mids and too much boomy subs :sweat_smile:
Do not worry tho, you'll get there. Ears are very trainable.

 

It doesn't sound like a human singing which I really don't like, and if on the outside chance it is, the autotune thing sounds pretty awful. . The song itself is ok.

 

To me is a great improv over first version, everything sound more grounded now. I agree on the boomy subs and I think that fixing it will bring those mids back. The panned guitar sound a little cheesy on headphones so I would suggest other more elegants ways of making width and depth with panning like MID/SIDE phase shifting. I leave you this video of Dan Worrall (and to see a lot of his content cause simply rocks)

keep up the good work!

 

Getting closer, needs some fader work to balance things out. It's still really flat, not in the 'I cut myself at night when nobody is looking' but more in the 'I don't feel it, so meh.'

Try it without any auto tune and see if it breathes better. The auto tune does no favours to intimate songs.