Kevin Walsh

Here's a new one, it's getting close, but it's still a work in progress. I think the ending will be reworked pretty heavily. Still, it's at a point where some critical feedback will help me put this on to bed. Thanks for listening and critiquing! Update: Added a new mix and a bit of a re-worked ending. Thanks! Update 2: Posted a new mix that addresses vocal clarity, thank you, Kurt! Update 3: A new mix was added today

I use a tool called Equalizer APO that implements the Windows sound system's audio enhancements capability. This allows developers to write things like custom EQ tools that can be inserted in the sound drivers chain for Windows. Equalizer APO is one of those, and it has the ability to act as a VST host, and I load the Slate plugin so that all Windows sound is processed by VSX. Works great. Oh yeah, 👍 on your comment about how well the plugin and phones work together, the system is just incredible and IMHO it blows Sonarworks completely out of the water.

Sorry, I was referring to fret_man's post. I had it running systemwide until I got the Slate VSX headphones. Sonarworks has been bumped from pride of place by those wonderful (but pricey) phones.

I was assuming that the OP is using ASIO drivers in the DAW. I didn't think the systemwide service sat in front of the ASIO stack. In any case, the VST plug in does have to be disabled at render time, at least with the version I have. Perhaps newer revs are different.

I believe the Slate system automatically disables the plug in when you export. I also have A Sonarworks and I'm pretty sure it must be disabled manually.

I picked up a pair about two months ago. I always mix with headphones and then struggle with making them sound right. Not using headphones wasn't an option. The VSX system has been a game-changer for me. I'm with you, I love them and I recommend them. The Archon mid-field with ear profile 2 is my go-to setup as well.

There's a method to the madness here and I like where you're going with it. I'd take some time to make the vocals stand out a bit more, they're really well done. Not so much make them louder but give them a bit of space to let them be clearer. Maybe duck the overall instrumental mix very slightly with the vocals using the bus compressor's side chain input and maybe using some judicious panning of the instruments to make a hole for the vocals. By the way, loved the "woo-oo" thing at the end, actually quite musical. I've always liked you're music, and this is a great addition.

Lots of stuff to like in this one. As always with your stuff, there are great vocals supporting a good melody over some truly interesting harmony. Sometimes I hear a strong Atlanta Rhythm Section vibe in there. Great playing everywhere you look. As for the mix, you always do a great job getting a "modern/vintage" vibe going with all the parts, nice and clear but smooth too. To my ears some additional work needs to be done to get all the parts to gel together better, but I'm not sure what that would be. Perhaps some light compression on the sub-mixes? Finally, that is one groovy bass line, bro!

Thank you all, I'm calling this one finished. Whew. I appreciate your many listens of this track and your willingness to share your opinions!

Thanks for listening, David! My sense of honor compels me to protect your status as an innocent so I will refrain from explaining the lyrics.

Thank Missy for me, won't you? Thanks for listening, Wookie. I see you have a few new ones out there that I have yet to give a listen to. Something to look forward to!

I've posted a new mix taking into account all of your feedback. Please let me know if it hits the mark better. Thank you!

Thank you for the kind words, Steve. I've added the lyrics as I wrote them before recording the song but there may be a few differences in the final version. I'm embarrassed that I let the cut-off at the end go out the door. Thank you for the feedback and the support! Compulsion - Kevin Walsh verse 1 a quiet compulsion rollin round in his head another day that makes her wish she was dead she don't mean nothing she drives him out of his head she don't know why but fine she says, still in his bed verse 2 she knows it's all in the eyes they say everything he gave her nothing she gave him everything a quiet compulsion rolling round in his head awake alone on the edge of her bed she don't mean nothing she drives him out of his head she don't know why but fine she says, still in his bed bridge (keep quiet) keep quiet now the slightest creak will give yourself away and then he'll know eyes in the back of his head will see you breaking the rules and that'll be all, yeah that'll be all she don't say nothing she drives him out of his head she don't know why but fine she says, still in his bed

Thank you, Kurt!

Thanks for your feedback! Are you talking about the short little instrumental bit at the very beginning?

Thank you! People are always telling me to turn down the bg vocals, guess I went too far.

Good feedback as always., thank you!

Thanks for everyone's great feed back. I've finished (yet another) remix and I think this song is ready for another round of criticism. Your input on ANY aspect of the song is most welcome! Happy New Year! Update: I've posted a new mix taking into account all of your feedback. Please let me know if it hits the mark better. Don't forget to refresh the page before listening. Thank you!

My goal is to get the hardware and software out of the way of letting things flow. When I have to restart the DAW or wait for something to finish it destroys the vibe.

Same for me!

😲 No way! I am in the Always Upgrade Always camp, which is imho vastly superior to the "Always use obsolete hardware in a futile attempt to get developers to write more efficient code" camp. Faster is always better. Always. I will certainly update my 3950X to a 5950X after the holidays. The IPC and clock improvements are simply to great to ignore.

Pro.

Nice work! I feel your mixing pain. I finally broke down and bought a pair of Slate VSX headphones. Has a plugin with a bunch of different room emulations (including two cars, lol). Oh man, what a difference. They were a little pricey but they are way cheaper than getting a decent set of monitors and fixing the acoustics in my room. I'm not endorsing them, mind you, just telling you what I did to try to solve the very same problem with bass that you describe.

Thank you Daryl, I appreciate you listening closely enough to find that!

Well, much as I hate the licensing technology, you can't really complain about their support desk. They got back to me and after uploading a system information file turns out that the license manager had bound to a built in network connection that I've never used and never had a network cable connected to. I had tried the disable/re-enable thing they tell you to but I didn't really think of the device I never use and which did not have a cable attached. In the end I actually had to connect a cable to it, disable all the other network connections on the box and refresh my licenses in Waves Central. And there they were. I quickly moved them to the cloud and from there to a USB thumb drive that will henceforth live on the back plane of my PC. He couldn't explain why it connected to the unused NIC except to speculate that if I disconnected the cable from my main one for some reason it would mess things up. Whatever the case, it's actually the third time this has happened and the first time I was able to get by without waiting for a year to go by before I could recover the licenses. I suggested that this licensing scheme is fraught with peril for un-technical people, a comment for which the support guy had no response. What a pain.