SOUND ON SOUND

Hi all - first post on here (but long-time SOS reader).

I used to have a small home studio when I was gigging lots, but life got in the way of music. Now getting back in to mixing etc; amazing where technology has got us compared to 18 years ago when I was last playing around!

I've been re-teaching my mixing techniques, and would welcome some critique on a mix I've just done. I found the multitracks to a great track on the Cambridge-MT site, and had a crack...

This is the original reference mix: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g87dpRh8X-A

And this is my attempt: https://soundcloud.com/user-885467395/c ... 7FMhhqd1mV

Really appreciate any comment. I'm pretty happy with it, but I'm a bit biased... My one issue at the moment is that I'm mixing primarily on headphones (but a pair that I understand well), checking on a few systems here and there. Need to get some decent monitors sorted next!

[Tim Gillett]

Welcome to the forum.

You've obviously kept some things similar to the reference but others not. eg: I notice the main vocal sounds quite different in tone. Did you have a problem with the vocal in the ref mix?

Hi Tim. Yes I wasn't a fan of its harshness - the printed stem has some distortion on it which made it quite 'telephony', especially when the vocalist is pushing it a bit. Attacked it with some dynamic EQ to tame the bits I didn't like when it was getting rougher. I wanted a bit of a smoother, rounded sound. I also thought the mids in the reference were a bit crowded at times, to which the vocal was contributing a bit.

[The Elf]

Nice to have you here! :thumbup:

That's sounding pretty good (I didn't listen to the reference), but the vocal needs de-essing and generally making sound 'expensive'.

Don't worry about mixing in headphones; despite what some may say it is perfectly possible to create commercially acceptable mixes in headphones, providing you fully understand what you are hearing - and I'm living proof! ;) :D

Nice to have you here! :thumbup:

That's sounding pretty good (I didn't listen to the reference), but the vocal needs de-essing and generally making sound 'expensive'.

Don't worry about mixing in headphones; despite what some may say it is perfectly possible to create commercially acceptable mixes in headphones, providing you fully understand what you are hearing - and I'm living proof! ;) :D

Thanks for the comments - I was worried about over-doing the de-essing on the vocal; there is de-essing on there already, but I suspect not enough. What would you look at doing with the vocal to add that expensive fairy dust?

[The Elf]

What would you look at doing with the vocal to add that expensive fairy dust?

That's quite a difficult task to do over a forum, especially without hearing the source material, but I would consider...

De-essing, de-midding, HF boost, compression/parallel compression, automation, FX automation, 'epic' delay/reverb.

[Hugh Robjohns]

You can't beat a nice epic delay/reverb! :lol:

What would you look at doing with the vocal to add that expensive fairy dust?

That's quite a difficult task to do over a forum, especially without hearing the source material, but I would consider...

De-essing, de-midding, HF boost, compression/parallel compression, automation, FX automation, 'epic' delay/reverb.

Thanks for this - so all these ingredients are there (less parallel compression), but clearly not quite weighed out correctly. I'll have another go at them; thank you for the ideas.

[The Elf]

You can't beat a nice epic delay/reverb! :lol:

:lol:

Think 'Alpine'! ;)

[Martin Walker]

You can't beat a nice epic delay/reverb! :lol:

:lol:

Think 'Alpine'! ;)

Surely 'Alpine' refers to the slopes used in EQ roll-off settings? :tongue:

[Sam Spoons]

Whatever it is it's gotta be cool...

Surely 'Alpine' refers to the slopes used in EQ roll-off settings? :tongue:

If it's not +9db or more I'm not interested :bouncy:

[Arpangel]

You can't beat a nice epic delay/reverb! :lol:

Blimey Hugh, I actually agree :D
A nice expensive valve compressor with huge meters and knobs would also work well, but only if you listed it in the credits, and preferably, included a picture, that always makes a massive difference to how things actually "sound"

:D :D :D