Turn this thing around advice needed

[Paul Bush]

Hi Chaps, 

Here is my first proper attempt  at a mixdown  ..Its the best I can do as i have rerally no idea on production , I just cant get that wide effect- sound , I need all the advice i can get so take off the kid gloves and give it to me between the eyes I ve got thick skin so no need to hold back thanks very much for listening cheers Paul DB

postscript . Ive read all  the tips and Ive remixed so maybe its a bit better ,

 

Edited March 16, 2020 by Paul Bush

[DeeringAmps]

Not so much a "mix" comment, but I "hear" a quick double tap on the kick in those "pauses"; just me.
As far as the mix, sure there are some levels and little things, mostly "stylistic", but a few that need addressing.
Not sure on the kick, Bose cans are so "hyped" I can't give accurate advice there, but I'm thinking it needs something.

4 hours ago, Paul Bush said:

give it to me between the eyes I've got thick skin

If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen! Right?

All said and done; fine tune! Gotta give you some props there!

t

[Paul Bush]

Thanks Tom , Im in awe of so many other musicians on the forum that get such a clean cut, and seperate mix , The really sruggle with the reverb on bandlab its just either right in yer face or in St Pauls Cathederal and the more I use it on the seperate the more it seems to get muddled/ muddy   I should take some  time an play around with it more , There were some timming issuse either with the vocal or drums I thought . I use EZ drums direct in stereo .thanks for your time cheers paul

[David Sprouse]

Can't help you with mix, but it's  a great tune.   There's sort of a swiss army knife plugin by UA called K-stereo that is good I hear.  It changes mid/side stuff.   

Edited March 15, 2020 by David Sprouse

[Paul Bush]

Thanks David , Ive been messing around with this song for so long now (maybe three months) and the more time I invested the less I liked the song I thinks that what you call overkill , I´ll give the K-stereo a try .. Im going back to basics now and write with the guitare instead of piano ( I`m not a pianist) thanks for the tip cheers paul

[Wookiee]

You asked for it @Paul Bush for a first attempt this is not bad, you have a reasonable tune and the vocal is good and the mix is close.

Most here would agree there is no real fast track it is down to practice and learning what works.  One of those lessons is that FX presets are only ever a starting point.
 

[Paul Bush]

Hi Wookie ,  I took my time and still managed to rush it  , i just wanted to try out all those knobs and buttons the song itself was just a vehicle really , Ive now had a listen im my car and the main vocal is too loud  . There´s nothing worse than working on a song that you heart really isnt in it,  that said Ive heard worse .... thanks for the candid and honest comments cheers paulDB

Edited March 15, 2020 by Paul Bush

[PhonoBrainer]

It's honestly not bad!

OK, three months, actually, is not that long. Take a breath, take a breather, set it aside if you need to. Come back to it in three years if you need to. And that's why I have half-finished songs that are 25 years old . . .

 

Ideas? Sure!

1) Those piano stabs, do they also have a string pad playing in unison, underneath? If so you might drop the string pad, see if it helps the clarity.

2) Drums seem to have their own reverb thing going on, more stairwelly than the other instruments, and if Bandlab can't help you, then . . .

3)I liked the lead vocal a lot and the bgvs are very well placed and thought out!

4)Is there a bass guitar on its own, or is it mimicking the piano stabs? The bass guitar is not very present and it could add some slight differences or little fills or something.

 

mixing is a dark art that we are all trying to learn. What you have here is pretty decent so far, keep at it!

cheers,

-Tom

 

[Paul Bush]

The strings i played seperately , i wanted them in the more background

I did use the bandlab reverb but I may have used the  ezdrums reverb as well now I come to think of it whoops

yes I played the bass (badly ) Ive only ever written one song where I was proud of the (walking) bass line this wasnt one of my shinning moments

thanks Tom.

Im really overwhelmed with encouragemnt from this forum . cheers Paul