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I'm Going Down - Mix 5


garybrun

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This is another mix I am working on by Hobo Train... a Norwegian country band.
It was written by the lead singer as a tribute to his friend that committed suicide.
I'll fork all the stems soon of all the songs so people can add their own take on it.

Im waiting on the proper vocals..  I've used their roughs(vocals where all in a single track stereo file), also a organ track should be on its way soon.
This is the first time I've used effects... what do you think?
Also I now have a mix template and a reference from the previous song..
As always I value your opinions and comments.. good or bad.
Bad is good  🙂... remember this is a work in progress..  but just wanted to share it with you guys and gals.

First mix ideas..

Working on more eq settings.
Still waiting for vocal, organ and a few guitar corrections to come through.


Mix 4...


Mix 5

 

Edited by garybrun
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These guys are good. I think the kick is a little to much. Overall it sounds kind of like the meters are just in the red where you get some distortion. Are you using a lot of compression and trying to get max volume? Seems a bit squished.

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8 hours ago, KurtS said:

These guys are good. I think the kick is a little to much. Overall it sounds kind of like the meters are just in the red where you get some distortion. Are you using a lot of compression and trying to get max volume? Seems a bit squished.

Hi Kurt.
Thanks so much for taking the time to listen and comment.
I am not trying to get max volume.. its just that the vocal stem was not so clever  (just a knock-up stereo track of all the vocals) but I am expecting the real tracks today as individuals.  The kick was also too high and very difficult to control so I tired to duck it with eq.  Again waiting on a new drum stem today.
I just knocked up a quick mix to get a feel of how the song will go and experimenting with efx and other guitar sounds.

I am not a guitarist..  and the most difficult part for me has been guitar tones.
Also 5 - 6 different guitars I have found very hard to mix as many are in the same frequencies,  So cut and boost in eq to try and make them stand out as individuals is a learning curve 🙂

One of the best investments I have made is a book "Template Mixing" by Billy Decker and also his coarse from Produce Like A Pro "Mixing with Templates".
It has really changed by work flow to the better.. and I can hear it now in the sounds I produce.

I know my threads seem to be quite long...  but I do it as I hope they are helpful to people so they can see how things progress and how different peoples suggestions on the forum help to mold and create a final mix.

I have asked the forum bakers for a new forum that will allow us to just post mixes so we can have a dedicated area just for this.
I myself personally really like all the criticism and suggestion..  you learn a lot this way.

For all those that do post and comment... it is really appreciated.
As my skills and knowledge increase I hope they are visible in the threads.

I am no expert..  but I am more than willing to help anyone with their songs as I am concentrating on mixing and mastering..  not song creation for myself.

Thanks everyone.

Gary

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  Sounding Good. Great guitar work !  Gary , these are my first impressions for mix 4.   (1) I missed the low end stuff (instruments  not fx) in the start of the intro..   (2) I believe the main vocals need boosting , mainly in the verses , choruses are better but still slightly low. (3) I thought the harmony vocal was panned too far out to the right. (4) The lead guitar is coming in pretty "hot" . May be helped with the vox boost ??  Anyway  , Great start .  Really liking this band ..  mark

Edited by mark skinner
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14 hours ago, garybrun said:

add effects like in the first track

I don't miss it

12 minutes ago, mark skinner said:

(1) I missed the low end stuff in the intro..

Maybe Mark is right

13 minutes ago, mark skinner said:

main vocals need boosting

Spot on there.
You have the solo guitar riding the top of the mix, that's where I would put the main vocal as well

14 minutes ago, mark skinner said:

harmony vocal panned too far right

Just the one harmony vocal? If there's more than one I'd pan them L and R.
If not, center it up, and use some mid/side to pull out the center...

16 minutes ago, mark skinner said:

lead guitar is pretty "hot"

With the vocal up, as Mark said, it might be just right.

Give it a rest and come back to it...

t

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4 hours ago, mark skinner said:

Gary and Tom , I missed mix 1 and edited my first response.   I don't think I was clear about the intro ..  mark

@mark skinner @DeeringAmpsThanks guys for the comments...  I agree 200%.
While working on tone... its hard to remember the full picture.  🙂
The ones you struggle with are always the ones you over compensate with... hence main vocal  🙂
This is a really hard one to find a tone..  I have never heard a vocal like this.
Don't get me wrong its good, unique,...  but so easy to get "tinny"

There is no low end in the intro.. all I have is "sticks" and I'm not sure what to do...  hence the added effects in the first post  : -)
Another idea I have is to give the whole intro a "telephone" like sound with the vocals.. and bring it all in.
Think of black and white and the changing to colour.

Regarding background vocals...  on the previous track (Hobo Train) everything was in mono..  right up the Center  and used a 76 compressor in mono.
Now everything is different..  so not sure to do the same or pan??  I used mid side on the previous track.
I think when I automate the lead vocal the guitar should fit ok.
Also struggling to get the bass not too sound "fluffy" and "woomph"..  but adding 800hz seems to help that.
I have found I seem to add a little more bass (hence kick and bass with the compression over emphasizes it) so I take a capture signature of a reference track and that fixes it... well it did in "Hobo train" but with this one it doesn't seem to work.
So posting on the forum gives me another set of ears until I  learn to trust my own!

Thanks for taking the time to comment.
I enjoy these things... as its like we are all building the track together.

I haven't done anything more today... as I need to take a break from it...  I've lost all perspective.
That's the beauty of posting on the forum...  those who comment bring you back on track.
Ill come back maybe to it tomorrow.

One thing I can say..  I'm proud of Hobo train... seems like I have past a milestone..  don't know if you understand what I'm trying to say?
Wish they would hurry up and open the new forum @Wookiee as I'm sure the songs forum will soon get fed up with my postings!  🙂

 

Edited by garybrun
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Gary, you are really putting in the work on this one.  I strive to mix half as well as you. 

The group is very talented, and the songs are very good.

This mix was a little hot on my computer speakers, but overall everything was clear.  Be careful for paralysis by analysis.

I will need to investigate this "template mixing" thanks for the tip.

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 Gary , I think the intro sounds much better. Seems some EQ fixed it. You've got the vocals sitting Nice , and the interaction of the main vox and harmony is Perfect. They sound So much tighter and pitched Extremely well with each other. Guitars are Nice and smooth . The main lead break is Awesome.  3rd listen and I can't find "anything" I would change. I'm on a laptop with headphones,  so I can't get critical at all about tone , but it sounds Great to me.  I think they'll really like this one when you are happy..    mark

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6 minutes ago, mark skinner said:

 Gary , I think the intro sounds much better. Seems some EQ fixed it. You've got the vocals sitting Nice , and the interaction of the main vox and harmony is Perfect. They sound So much tighter and pitched Extremely well with each other. Guitars are Nice and smooth . The main lead break is Awesome.  3rd listen and I can't find "anything" I would change. I'm on a laptop with headphones,  so I can't get critical at all about tone , but it sounds Great to me.  I think they'll really like this one when you are happy..    mark

Thanks Mark for you ears and the tips.

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