Patch of Blue

[KSband]

This is a track I've been working on, I could use some opinions on the mix of the various instruments. I feel like I've been having a hard time getting the levels right. On my phones it sounds perfect and then on the monitors it sounds like the guitar is way to loud and bright.  Maybe the monitors are too harsh, they are Event 20/20's.  Been using an old Harman Kardon receiver in the standard stereo setting.

https://www.bandlab.com/studedude/patch-of-blue-1d84d33a?revId=923ac9a0-bd5e-ec11-94f6-a04a5e79a6b8

Edited December 16, 2021 by KurtS

[jack c.]

On my phones it sounds perfect and then on the monitors it sounds like the guitar is way to loud and bright.

 

                               use both to blend song.

Been using an old Harman Kardon receiver

                       i would use an amp for  monitors only.song is right on to me ears.jack c.

[antler]

Mix sounds quite good to me. Could be my setup, but the lead guitar sounds slightly panned right in the first section. Something to try might be a tiny bit of master bus compression (slow attack/release, shallow ratio, and fairly low threshold) - it should help gel everything together a bit. If the compressor pumps, try feeding the sidechain with a version of the mix that's been passed through a HP filter, maybe set to around 150Hz. Some compressors have this option built in, otherwise you might have to be a little creative with routing.

Excellent guitar work by the way!

Edited December 17, 2021 by antler

[KSband]

Thanks for listening guys! Good ear, it was panned slightly,  trying to separate the sounds.  I do have some compression on the master too.

[David Sprouse]

This was very ez on the ears.  I think you may have nailed it.

[KSband]

Thanks David!

[Larry T.]

Hello Kurt....nice piece, enjoyed it....i hear nothing that needs to be changed....no glaring out of time parts, no EQ's off....sounds real good ????

[KSband]

Ok, thanks for checking it out. I think my monitors and headphones sound very different,  makes it hard to decide. 

[noynekker]

Hi Kurt . . . great swatch of blue you've painted here ! The electric guitar work sounds very pro, and I really like the palm mute bass picking sound you've captured, especially when you play on the off beat. The things that stand out in this version of your mix is that perhaps the crash sounds overwhelm for an instrumental, and personally I prefer the kick to have more boom to it . . . unless you're catering to that mobile phone crowd, where it don't much matter.  Otherwise, the relative instrument levels sound good to my ears, an enjoyable listen.

You've mentioned a classic issue with mixing . . . it sounds so great on headphones, but the monitors are coloured differently . . . yikes, the room, the volume, the time of day, ambient noise, fresh ears, wasted ears . . . so many variables. I like to check final mixes on the big 5 . . . headphones, mid quality ear buds, small speakers, near field studio monitors, car stereo (mixing for club system is another skill altogether)

 

[KSband]

Thanks for the comments noynekker!  I used a guitar pick on the bass for that sound, never used one before, it totally changes the tone.  I'm using Ezdrummer for the first time on this project  and I agree the kick isn't my favorite. I sampled the available kicks and wasn't in love with any of them.  I can't say I love their symbol sounds either. The ride has a weird quality in a mix. I have been using Jamstix and I like it's kick and symbol sounds better but Ezdrummer is so much easier to work with.