Experienced ears and decent monitors needed!

Lo-Fi Massahkah · Post by **Lo-Fi Massahkah** » Thu Sep 02, 2004 7:54 pm

Greets!

I've been working on this new song, and I'm kinda pleased with the arrangment and instrumentation. But I'm having a hard time with the mix. That's a general problem for me... I don't really know what to listen for - and I don't know how to remedy what doesn't sound good. I have no clues how to make a sound "fit" or "blend". It's all trial and error and that is to much hit and miss for me right now.

Also I think my monitoring is nowhere close to flat or ideal in any way. They're a couple of Jamo 100 euro wooden cabinet computer speakers. This particular song is mixed to a large extent on my K141 headphones, though.

The song sounds completely different on the Jamos and my hi-fi system. Completely...

I know a bunch of experienced people reside here and I'd be thrilled if you'd listen to my song on your monitors and gave me a few pointers on what I could do to improve my mix.

Here's the song: Resistors, Capacitors and Delay Lines

Thanks a lot!
/Mikael

peeddrroo · Post by **peeddrroo** » Thu Sep 02, 2004 8:06 pm

i listened to it on my crap pc speakers (my internet pc...). but they don't cheat on bad mixes...
IMO your's sounds ok.
i think there's a bit too much of instruments overlapping in the freq range.
you should try to put some eq on each track. take a little bit off the mid-range for the bass, cut the lower range on the synth, this sort of things...
the drums sounds good.
maybe you can add some reverb as well, just a tiny bit.
i felt like the overall mix sounds too "in front" (direct transl from french, hope you'll get it).

i may be completely wrong, and i'm curious about other ppl comments.

Spaturno · Post by **Spaturno** » Fri Sep 03, 2004 12:23 am

It's a good work. The only problem is to much stereo effect.
Try to raise the sound in the middle of the pan, and then play a lot with frequencies, expecially with the bass. It seems very good but many other sound "eat" its frequencies. This is why you ear different sound from different players.
Now it's spaghetti. You have to do lasagna. The ingredients are the same.

Personally I would add some reverbs or effect to the voice, but I have to listen it stoned and the I can really judge.

Bye

AdamJay · Post by **AdamJay** » Fri Sep 03, 2004 1:38 am

i agree - too much stereo effect.

instead of panning the instruments themselves - try panning the subtle fx on the instruments.

Lo-Fi Massahkah · Post by **Lo-Fi Massahkah** » Fri Sep 03, 2004 4:56 am

Peeddrroo, Spaturno, AdamJay - thanks!

If there are other aspects, please keep them coming.

Cheers,
Mikael

FaX-01 · Post by **FaX-01** » Fri Sep 03, 2004 5:51 am

Actually I like the stereo spread myself.
I even dig the tune

.
I would actually be gating the snares to give them more clip and boosting them at around 2.17hz for more snap .
IE: so they're all most like stacatto-ish rim shots ,clips and clicks.
IMHO it would be enough to let the track breath fairly well.
The vocal is very well recorded I might add and sits very naturally in the mix.

Lo-Fi Massahkah · Post by **Lo-Fi Massahkah** » Fri Sep 03, 2004 1:12 pm

FaX-01 wrote:I even dig the tune

Thank you, Sir!

buzzcock · Post by **buzzcock** » Fri Sep 03, 2004 4:37 pm

If you want my honest opinion, I would lose the auto-tune effect on the vocals. It's pretty played-out by now.

On my genelecs there are PIERCING hi-freqs which would probably not be so annoying on a regular stereo. Works maybe for Autechre, not so much for pop.

I do like the stereo effect, but the overall image could use more depth. Some reverb perhaps?

There doesn't seem to be much of a Bass Part per se. You got a really punchy kick drum and then nothing stands out until you get to the vocal range.

Constructive crticisim... and merely my opinion.

Lo-Fi Massahkah · Post by **Lo-Fi Massahkah** » Sun Sep 05, 2004 8:57 pm

First - thanks a lot everyone for helping me out!

I've had a new go at the song, the result is here: Resistors, Capacitors and Delay Lines

Cheers,
Mikael

Per Boysen · Post by **Per Boysen** » Sun Sep 05, 2004 9:47 pm

Very nice song! Especially this second version. Listening here with good sound card and high range headphones and my ears kind of long for some sounds to be less rich of high frequencies. Sometimes I just put lowpass filters on all tracks and try out different blendings. suddenly a certain mix stands out as a good blend. Right now my ears feel that spikey high frequencies are coming from too many instruments at the same time. not all the time though, only at certain parts of the song. Like in the beginning, the bass could actually be just a little bit less sharp (bringing down the cut-off just a little on the bass synt) to leave some space for the sharp drum hits. I also get a feeling that those drum fills (before the vocal kicks in) is lacking a little mid frequencies. The supatrigga drums are actually playing the lead hook at that starting part of the song and could IMHO have a more aggressive EQ (at the beginning).

Just my 2 coins

Nice song.

RiotNrrd · Post by **RiotNrrd** » Mon Sep 06, 2004 4:44 pm

I haven't listened to the piece, but for a tip on getting good mixes here's something I've learned: mix your pieces with the volume on your monitors turned way down. At low volume it's easier to hear which voices are out of balance with the rest of the piece.

If you're used to mixing with the volume turned up, it may be kind of weird at first to try this. But I swear it works - it's the best way to get a good arrangement of levels and pans.

Then you can turn up the volume to do some final tweaking. But give the low-volume mixing a try and I think you'll be happy with the result.

Lo-Fi Massahkah · Post by **Lo-Fi Massahkah** » Fri Sep 10, 2004 9:12 pm

Thanks alot for all your help!

I've done a third attempt of getting this right, and I don't think I'll get much further on my monitoring of today.

Please have a final listen and, hopefully, enjoy!

Resistors, Capacitors and Delay Lines

Cheers,
Mikael

Vercengetorex · Post by **Vercengetorex** » Fri Sep 10, 2004 9:33 pm

That poor 8086! Somebody save it!

Seriously though... This is a great tune! I think you are pretty much there with the third mix (Honestly though, I liked the high cutoff on the bass synth in the second version... 2¢) Were I you, at this point I would begin asking myself if it is to where I want it... and start taking it to friends homes to listen on thier stereo systems (of ALL kinds, not just Hi-Fi's). Pop it in in the car. Pop it in in a couple of cars! Everybody has that friend with the WAY overblown car stereo (like 2000 watts of subs...) check it out in his car... Then start thinking about mastering. Unless of course you have a label to foot the bill to send it to Bobs place in Orlando... Anyway I am rambling... What I mean to say is...

Vercengetorex · Post by **Vercengetorex** » Fri Sep 10, 2004 9:34 pm

Sounds pretty damn good.

Lo-Fi Massahkah · Post by **Lo-Fi Massahkah** » Sat Sep 11, 2004 5:10 am

Vercengetorex wrote:Sounds pretty damn good.

Thank you, Sir!