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One More Day - Re-master- Need to sign off on this one.


garybrun

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I know I have posted this song a few times but I am really working on the master as there has been something missing for me and i would value your ears once again please.
I would really like to sign off on the project... for some reason it hasn't allowed me to do that.
I would really like to do the song justice in honor of the lady who wrote the words and her message.

The first one is my mix and master.
I enclose a 24bit 48khz wav file.
One More Day Gary mix and master   91.8mb  48khz 24bit
Plugins used on my mix..

Mastering The Mix Mix Room
Soothe 2 preset Master by Goodwin II
Waves TG Mastering Chain preset Lamps bright & Open
Gullfoss Master
Mastering The Mix Levels

The second mix is run through AAMS Mastering Software.
AAMS Software Master  84.3mb  48khz 24bit

Thanks once again for your ears and patience.

Gary

This was a collaboration with @Grem and @Simeon Amburgey

Edited by garybrun
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Listened to this on my studio monitors and my AKG K240 headphones.

Gary they both sound good. I would go with either one.

That said, I prefer the AAMS master. Has a little warmer sound. Why IDK!

But both versions seem to me to have a certain perceived volume on some sections and a lower perceived volume on other sections.  IOW in the beginning sections of the song all the way through the first chorus all volume seem good. But when the last chorus comes in the volume seems to not be as loud (not a volume drop) and the very end of the song when you sing the last few words. That last chorus to me loses some of it's impact because it's volume seems to not be as loud as the rest of song before it.

The piano seems to get buried in that last chorus also. Strings and the voices (male voices I never even heard before!) sound nice and clean. In fact both versions sound clean and clear.

 

Are these the same mixes as the versions before?

I listened also to the version in the video and I do notice these versions seem to me to have more pronounced transients. For me I would tame those down a little. But I have been listening for over an hour now trying to be helpful and I just am starting to nitpick!! LOL : )

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Hey Gary . . . both mixes capture the power and beauty of this piece. I am moved by it very deeply either way. Super clearness in all the instruments.

The AAMS (2nd) mix (on my close headphone listens) seems to make the lead vocal have slightly less edge, a bit rounder, smoother.

Gary, the vocal performance is among the most expressive, emotionally, that I have heard in a long time online here no matter how you mix it. I hope many more will get to listen to this.  The fidelity of the recording is of a very high standard here.

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8 hours ago, Grem said:

Listened to this on my studio monitors and my AKG K240 headphones.

Gary they both sound good. I would go with either one.

That said, I prefer the AAMS master. Has a little warmer sound. Why IDK!

But both versions seem to me to have a certain perceived volume on some sections and a lower perceived volume on other sections.  IOW in the beginning sections of the song all the way through the first chorus all volume seem good. But when the last chorus comes in the volume seems to not be as loud (not a volume drop) and the very end of the song when you sing the last few words. That last chorus to me loses some of it's impact because it's volume seems to not be as loud as the rest of song before it.

The piano seems to get buried in that last chorus also. Strings and the voices (male voices I never even heard before!) sound nice and clean. In fact both versions sound clean and clear.

 

Are these the same mixes as the versions before?

I listened also to the version in the video and I do notice these versions seem to me to have more pronounced transients. For me I would tame those down a little. But I have been listening for over an hour now trying to be helpful and I just am starting to nitpick!! LOL : )

Brilliant... thanks a bunch.

No... the mixes are different.
Will comment more later...

Edited by garybrun
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Advice given from a producer on another forum..
 

Quote

 

Really nice song and performance.

I think you could add to the emotion by dropping out the bass on the verses, and bringing it in on the pre chorus into the chorus. The bass goes on through the whole song and I think it's taking away from the dynamics of holding back and then filling out the song, to support the emotional content.

Would love to hear some drums on the track at some point, to take it to another level. Maybe timpani or big bass drum hits like a taiko drum.

I'd play with the vocal reverb, maybe add some predelay to bring the vocal a little closer to the listener.

There's something, maybe an instrument, that sounds fizzy/distorted and I found it a little distracting. I'd isolate that and fix it, mute it or re-record that particular instrument. Maybe a synth fuzz or strings? Not sure.

Good luck! These are my first impressions and takeaways.

 

 

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15 hours ago, Grem said:

That last chorus to me loses some of its impact, because its volume seems to not be as loud as the rest of song before it.

The piano seems to get buried in that last chorus also

Gary

I'd agree with these comments but I've listened to several iterations of this song now and they're all pretty outstanding. I mean, my point is that when you have something this good to work with, you can get away with a few imperfections in the mix. The difficulty in accepting that as critique, is that when something is this good - you really do want it to be perfect and I understand that view completely.

I'd say you're close to done here and the AAMS mix just edged it for me.

Andy

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Strings pad only to 1.19 with a build up of  snare to it from 1.18. then a bass drum with reverb on a 4/4 measure around 1.19 then the piano coming in at this point to give a different feel to the whole song. Your vocal is strong and emotional and I feel you shouldn't hide it under the string and piano ... If it were me and I wanted to find the feeling wanted I would cut everything back and then build/mix the track to the vocal.   Something has a bit of rumble at 4.35. 

I agree with the observations made here, notably Andy's and the last chorus.

BUT it's a great track played well sung well and has that live feeling which I love ... so AAms does it for me.

Stay well mate

Steve

 

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Hi Gary

I had another listen to both versions, and I'd have to say that I ever so slightly prefer the AAMS mix - the vocals seem to have a bit more 'body' to them. I'd also agree with the comments from the other forum: something sounds fizzy/distorted; not sure if that's an effect that's a little too hot, or maybe a recording that might benefit from cleaning up somehow.

As others have said, you have some great material here - my comments are coming from an over-analytical engineering mindset.

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17 hours ago, Grem said:

Listened to this on my studio monitors and my AKG K240 headphones.

But I have been listening for over an hour now trying to be helpful and I just am starting to nitpick!! LOL : )

Nitpicking is good and what I came here for!  ?

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2 hours ago, garybrun said:

Nitpicking is good and what I came here for!  ?

 

2 hours ago, garybrun said:

Thas what I want... thank you for taking the time.

Well then let us hear what you come up with. And don't take the first ones in this post down. That way I can listen to them all and compare. For the sole reason of learning from this. 

It is so interesting how we all hear the same thing, but hear it in a different way. Especially something as emotional as this. I preferred the AAMS trk because to me it sounded "warmer".

2 hours ago, antler said:

I ever so slightly prefer the AAMS mix - the vocals seem to have a bit more 'body'

And antler hears it in a slightly different way. I think of it as warmth, but hearing antler's description, I would shake my head and say "Yeah, it has more body!"

So keep us updated Gary.

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I didn't think this one could get any better. Between your mixing chops, Simeon's playing on keys and Grem it's a winner. The vocals seem much better now as well.

Between the two mixes , it seems to me the 2nd track was boosted more and has some added high end EQ in it. Not necessarily better just different. I would call the 1st mix warmer and the second more overt. Which one you like or not I guess depends on a person's taste. Both are good mixes.

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

 

Very nice piano and vocals there Gary... liked the overall feel of the track... 

I am not too much into the audio technicalities as such, as I focus a lot more on compositions & arrangements than the audio engineering aspects. 

But I can say that to my ears, overall, your mix and master (the first link) sounded better than the second. The first one had a lot more balance and clarity of the instrument sounds and vocals coming through... good one... well done ?

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