Mike Stier 4 Posted September 5, 2022 First time fully completing a song... Influences - Minus the Bear / Cursive / Mid 2000s emo Think I'll revisit mix after I get some more experience, but let me know what I should rework when I do! Thanks, let me know if you have a track I can check out. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
noynekker 459 Posted September 5, 2022 Great first song post here Mike ! A very cool song, with some interesting change ups, unpredictable is always good . . . yes, you could dial in the mix a bit better for presentation, but the passion and performance is all there, no doubt about that. I'm OK with your thick sounding guitar mix, but if you could carve out a bit more space for those amazing vocals, and more some definition in the kick drum and low frequencies, that would really help this piece. There's also a very thick sustained pad instrument that could be tamed a bit to add clarity ? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lmu2002 35 Posted September 5, 2022 Very nice song and songwriting! It's hard to believe it's your first 👍 A few ideas: I'm not sure whether it's a genre thing but the drums sound very mp3/data compressed, hihat particularly. Maybe a more natural sounding kit wouldn't hurt? I would also try lower velocities on drum hits to align the energy with the rest of the instruments. there's two L/R guitars with very busy content. You could try how it works with just one, and add a second only where it's necessary and where they can play together with a solid timing I also encourage to turn up the vocals, they sound very cool and should be the at the very front and center of attention 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dream Art Scientists 84 Posted September 5, 2022 (edited) Great song and great singing! I would agree that the vocals could stand a bit more clarity in the mix. The guitars on the left and right sound really clear, but maybe turning them down a bit in the mix will allow the vocals to stand out out more in the mix. I am mix challenged, so I can't really offer any specific suggestions other than that. However, maybe you intentionally wanted the vocals to be further back in the mix... All around really good job on the mix though, to my ears! Edited September 5, 2022 by Dream Art Scientists 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mark skinner 852 Posted September 5, 2022 Fantastic song! Your musical talents Really shined thru on this song. Properly mixed and mastered this would be Steller ! Welcome to the forum. Enjoyed it .. mark 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bajan Blue 1,402 Posted September 5, 2022 This is a really good track - I agree with the comments above re the mix - definitely needs a bit of tweaking. but definitely worth the effort as I think as Mark says above, this could be stellar if mixed properly Welcome to the forum Cool stuff Nigel 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Old Joad 2,317 Posted September 5, 2022 Welcome to the forum. Cool song, it's a little bit of a Smashing Pumpkins thing going on🤩 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DeeringAmps 2,067 Posted September 5, 2022 2 hours ago, Old Joad said: Welcome to the forum Yep, welcome. Lots of good advice above. Best way to learn to mix? Lather, rinse and repeat... In a word; mix! t 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Stier 4 Posted September 6, 2022 All around, thank you all for the feedback! Working on 2 other tracks, and then I think I'll be a bit more versed in mixing to revisit again. Learning a lot right now. Couple notes and action items I'm going to act on from the feedback - -Drums where done using MTPower Drum Kit, I've since been working with ez drummer3, I think a rerun with that and some velocity changes would help with the drum sound. -Dial back on double tracked guitars- I read some advice that said double track everything. After some more practice I think double tracked rhythm is great, melodic only when its a lead part, otherwise a single track may be "clearer" -Dial back on pad to clear up mix, thinking dial down volume some, and do a low shelf. -Bring up foundation -Bring vocals out more - Thinking I'll have to do some overall volume rebalancing, and then some small wide EQ cuts in some of instrumentation to make space. Thank you all for the feedback - loving cakewalk right now! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
whoisp 294 Posted September 6, 2022 Lovely track, there's some easy tweaks here and there with the mix (master is good enough) Drum needs some compression to let those harmonics ring on and maybe a kit change (preference but black velvet heavy kit) maybe some little pause and gaps on the drums to break them up from such a standard beat in places (to drum machine sounding but the rolls are good) You could maybe add the odd percussion sound in areas to help the change in drums, they stay very steady when your vocal gets more emotional and drums needs to go with voice, needs to add the odd cymbal or something. Some space needs creating in areas for vocal, i even think some parallel compression on your vocals could help. i would maybe create space with EQ but i try not to do to much with EQ if i like a sound so will i always use pan as everything sounds down the centre in your track (drum and bass yes centre , but keys and rhythm guitar you could place with pan and maybe create more width with far pans, you could even bring the vocal out with width and centre to glue track more. Maybe a smidge of reverb or delay to fit in between, however i will always use automation "automation is your friend" like compression on a master . I am not being critical i love the track (demo) so more post production will help you learn. Compression can be a ***** to learn due to the different types which can make a track pump or sustain or add colour and life like saturation another friend. Again a nice track, really well written P Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
whoisp 294 Posted September 6, 2022 9 hours ago, Mike Stier said: All around, thank you all for the feedback! Working on 2 other tracks, and then I think I'll be a bit more versed in mixing to revisit again. Learning a lot right now. Couple notes and action items I'm going to act on from the feedback - -Drums where done using MTPower Drum Kit, I've since been working with ez drummer3, I think a rerun with that and some velocity changes would help with the drum sound. -Dial back on double tracked guitars- I read some advice that said double track everything. After some more practice I think double tracked rhythm is great, melodic only when its a lead part, otherwise a single track may be "clearer" -Dial back on pad to clear up mix, thinking dial down volume some, and do a low shelf. -Bring up foundation -Bring vocals out more - Thinking I'll have to do some overall volume rebalancing, and then some small wide EQ cuts in some of instrumentation to make space. Thank you all for the feedback - loving cakewalk right now! When people say double track, it can be a lazy gimmick at times. If you double track you can pan on left and one right to create width. Or parallel comparison is sort of a double track with glue in the back ground brining out second track with colour and harmonics, nice with saturation or tube/tale emulator. Double track is also good to sit one track more in background with a different EQ to make it shine and the forward track more warm so not in your face, send these to buss then that bus glues them if you add some compression saturation or whatever you feels works, you can't replace a good ear lol 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PavlovsCat 3,309 Posted September 6, 2022 (edited) Wow, I love the track! Great job on the songwriting, playing and vocals! I'm also am a fan of Minus The Bear. Kudos. So many folks here post music where the playing is pretty good, but also nailing the songwriting and vocals, that's rare (I was once a good musician, but never had a very good voice, so I certainly don't have the whole package like you -- I'm completely envious!). You've got it all. Nothing but respect. I'm going to follow you on SoundCloud. If you were playing a show locally, I would absolutely want to go see it with a song like this. Keep it up. Also, how am I only the first person to give that excellent track a like??? Come on guys. Mike is super talented. Give him the likes his talent deserves!!! Edited September 6, 2022 by PavlovsCat 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Stier 4 Posted September 7, 2022 12 hours ago, whoisp said: When people say double track, it can be a lazy gimmick at times. If you double track you can pan on left and one right to create width. Or parallel comparison is sort of a double track with glue in the back ground brining out second track with colour and harmonics, nice with saturation or tube/tale emulator. Double track is also good to sit one track more in background with a different EQ to make it shine and the forward track more warm so not in your face, send these to buss then that bus glues them if you add some compression saturation or whatever you feels works, you can't replace a good ear lol Thanks for the detailed feedback, I’ll definitely be experimenting with these techniques as I continue to mix. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Stier 4 Posted September 7, 2022 4 hours ago, PavlovsCat said: Wow, I love the track! Great job on the songwriting, playing and vocals! I'm also am a fan of Minus The Bear. Kudos. So many folks here post music where the playing is pretty good, but also nailing the songwriting and vocals, that's rare (I was once a good musician, but never had a very good voice, so I certainly don't have the whole package like you -- I'm completely envious!). You've got it all. Nothing but respect. I'm going to follow you on SoundCloud. If you were playing a show locally, I would absolutely want to go see it with a song like this. Keep it up. Also, how am I only the first person to give that excellent track a like??? Come on guys. Mike is super talented. Give him the likes his talent deserves!!! Feeling the love, thanks for your kind words. I’ll be sure to check out your stuff on SoundCloud as well! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jwnicholson78 216 Posted September 7, 2022 Welcome to the forum! I thought it was a great song, and agree with the comments that that vocals good be a little more forward. I thought they really shined, and I would love to hear them a little more. Also, you have a great bass line, I would like to hear a little more low end. For me, the weakest part was the drums. I struggle with them too, but in some places I thought they could have used a little more variation. Overall really well done, especially considering it's your first finished track. jeff 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Johnbee58 416 Posted September 9, 2022 Welcome to the forum. I enjoy the song very much. I would try to balance the mix to highlight your vocals (maybe some automation) because they're drowned out in quite a few places. IMHO, I think the vocals/lyrics are the most important part of a song and should always be up front.. 😃John B 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wookiee 2,064 Posted September 11, 2022 Greetings to the Songs forum, good first effort lots of valuable advice given above re the Mix, to my furry ears the kit does sound over compressed. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
