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"I've Been Down" - Hobo Train


garybrun

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After a long journey I have now finished the project.
Its had enough of my time.
Thanks to all that contributed to the process.


Well after much thought, listening and revisions I decided to strip the song down.
I thought it was too over crowded and needed more clarity.

Could I have your opinions on this version.

Its coming together now..


After this... I spotted a bass note that was too early!!
Can you see it?  ?
have to go back and do it again.

 

Groove Test?

 

Mix test with some automation.

Changes now made.. trying to bring them together and get a mix balance.

Vocal timings now fixed.

 

Think I hear some vocal timing problems after the main guitar solo

Trying to bring in everything and get clarity.
Not an easy task!!

Added vocals now.
Would appreciate comments on backing vocals too the mix... should they be louder...  also solo guitar is that loud enough??
Still need to automate guitars.

Checking on vocal levels for Lead and BG Vocals
Drums are added for a sense of timing.
No tuning effects added at all... jus straight tracks from the studio.


 

New backing track trying balance guitars with a few over all tonal corrections.

 

Working on masking and other stuff...
Still no automation added.
Guitar tones are enhanced to see if they stick out and not levelled correctly
This is the backing track..

 

Here is the second pass... trying to get clarity.
No automation yet..
Struggling with the guitars.. so many layers.
Also need a lot more eq to get rid of the masking.

Ill keep adding the progressions here.. newest on top for those who are interested in the project.
All feedback and tip good or bad recommended  ?


This is a new Hobo Train track "I've Been Down"
Ended up with 48 tracks and loads of guitars which is quite difficult to get the eq correct.
There is no automation done yet and is a rough mix... would value thoughts.

Would value feedback and comments on the song arrangement.

There is load to do yet..  just cant get the clarity at the moment as my ears are shot.
Its mixed LOUD!!
As that's how I imagine it to be played.
The first one is not so HOT!

Thanks In advance

Gary

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Edited by garybrun
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Gary , This is going to be another Killer song from you and the band . It's real easy to see why you want it Hot. I actually like the hotter version better , but you know how loud can influence your perception. Thats a lot of tracks to balance and I know you will get there. 

 The first time thru , my first impression was needing a little "air" in a few spots. I'm on the fence about the trailing end of the "6 feet down" phrase. I would probably play with that a little ?? The main spot that stuck out to me as needing attention was the "very ending" lead guitar. After the ending walk down and hitting hard on the main root note , it sounds resolved as it should be. I think the lead guitar should end at the same spot. It's pulling some power out of the ending.  Might sound different if he was on a diffferent note ??   Fantastic song and especially the high vocal sections.    Loved it ..  mark

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Posted (edited)
5 hours ago, mark skinner said:

Gary , This is going to be another Killer song from you and the band . It's real easy to see why you want it Hot. I actually like the hotter version better , but you know how loud can influence your perception. That's a lot of tracks to balance and I know you will get there. 

 The first time thru , my first impression was needing a little "air" in a few spots. I'm on the fence about the trailing end of the "6 feet down" phrase. I would probably play with that a little ?? The main spot that stuck out to me as needing attention was the "very ending" lead guitar. After the ending walk down and hitting hard on the main root note , it sounds resolved as it should be. I think the lead guitar should end at the same spot. It's pulling some power out of the ending.  Might sound different if he was on a different note ??   Fantastic song and especially the high vocal sections.    Loved it ..  mark

Thanks @mark skinner for taking the time.
We are going to  re record the vocals at my place...  as the tracks I was given seem to be sort of autotuned..  (I can hear it on the lead vocal).
Compression is need on the lead vocal too as he changes volume in quite a few places.
Will work on an instrumental.
Struggling with the guitars..   I'm not a guitarist.  Just a vocalist.
Some sound boxy and as you say need some air.
I started from scratch on mix two.. everything seemed to be so muddy and its very easy to run out of head room.
Learning all the time.
 

@jack c.  Thanks Jack for taking the time to listen and comment.
Appreciated.

Edited by garybrun
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Hi Gary

This is a really good track - I'm sure you'll get it sorted!

I have just got Sonible Smart EQ4 - i have only used it on a couple of mixes but I found it really useful on Groups of instruments - say Guitars - you put them in a group (up to 10 individual instruments)  then you can EQ individually from one instance of the plug in to stop masking etc. I am pretty sure I'll end up using it a lot

Anyway cool stuff, enjoyed the listen

Nigel

 

 

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1 hour ago, Bajan Blue said:

Hi Gary

This is a really good track - I'm sure you'll get it sorted!

I have just got Sonible Smart EQ4 - i have only used it on a couple of mixes but I found it really useful on Groups of instruments - say Guitars - you put them in a group (up to 10 individual instruments)  then you can EQ individually from one instance of the plug in to stop masking etc. I am pretty sure I'll end up using it a lot

Anyway cool stuff, enjoyed the listen

Nigel

 

 

HI Nigel.

@Bajan Blue
Thanks for the comments
I have Sonible Smart EQ and forgot about it  ?
I have now run it on the guitars and made an instrumental.
Will post above...  just need correct balancing.
I always want to play this track LOUD!!  ?

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Hello M8

Just lifting my hand up to say this sounds a tad too hot, is that your singing ?! .. Back there someone said a little more air overall and I think that's an idea as it would fill out some space to allow the vocal a little more shine without losing the power .. and that's the energy I love .. this has got to be the best bit of work here for a long time ! Boy man have you come a l o n g way ..

Much love

Steve

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Posted (edited)
12 minutes ago, Supa Reels said:

Hello M8

Just lifting my hand up to say this sounds a tad too hot, is that your singing ?! .. Back there someone said a little more air overall and I think that's an idea as it would fill out some space to allow the vocal a little more shine without losing the power .. and that's the energy I love .. this has got to be the best bit of work here for a long time ! Boy man have you come a l o n g way ..

Much love

Steve

@Supa Reels
Hi Steve..
Thanks for the comments and the listen.
The first one was very hot... its a work in progress and I am showing the various stages of the project.
Bottom first  ?

No its not me singing..
Regarding coming a long way ?
I have learned everything from you guys on here and spending a lot of time at the desk and online courses etc.
Cheers pal.

Gary
 

Edited by garybrun
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Clearly this is another excellent tune from Hobo Train.
The intro guitar is the one that seems "muddy" to me. Where do you have that one high passed?
Are the guitar tracks miced amps or are you running sims here?
If these are miced tracks, I'd suggest rolling off some more bass on the amp at time of capture.

As to "hot", I sent the tune into CbB and put iZotope's Tonal Balance and Insight on it.
LUFS at -10.9; is 10 too hot for a country rocker?
Not for my ears...

I'll hold my "like" and ?'s for the final mix.

t

some thoughts on guitar "tone".
I tend to play with way too much distortion (live especially).
When recording, at least IMHO, its better to get the "tone" and then dial it back!
When the mix gets "busy", all those amps at "11" tend to muddy up the mix; at least that's my experience...
YMMV

Edited by DeeringAmps
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1 hour ago, garybrun said:

@Supa Reels
Hi Steve..
Thanks for the comments and the listen.
The first one was very hot... its a work in progress and I am showing the various stages of the project.
Bottom first  ?

No its not me singing..
Regarding coming a long way ?
I have learned everything from you guys on here and spending a lot of time at the desk and online courses etc.
Cheers pal.

Gary
 

Godd'a say he's great vocalist !!

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Added vocals now to the mix..
Would appreciate comments on backing vocals... should they be louder...  also solo guitar is that loud enough??
Are the vocals too loud and should match the snare as normal protocol?
Still need to automate guitars.

Edited by garybrun
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You're getting closer Gary.
I'm happy where the backing vocals sit. Hopefully some more folks will chime in.
Couple of thoughts:
1) I'd like a bit more level on the snare, but as you often say "we all paint different pictures".
2) In the last run through the chorus, in the outro, the lead guitar does some "unison bends" (ala Jimi Hendrix)
and they have all but disappeared in this last mix. I'd pull those back up!

Overall ?'s.
Anxiously awaiting the final mix!

t

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34 minutes ago, DeeringAmps said:

You're getting closer Gary.
I'm happy where the backing vocals sit. Hopefully some more folks will chime in.
Couple of thoughts:
1) I'd like a bit more level on the snare, but as you often say "we all paint different pictures".
2) In the last run through the chorus, in the outro, the lead guitar does some "unison bends" (ala Jimi Hendrix)
and they have all but disappeared in this last mix. I'd pull those back up!

Overall ?'s.
Anxiously awaiting the final mix!

t

Thanks so much for taking the time to listen and comment.
Next step is guitar automation and vocal automation.
I poste everything on here so people can follow the journey and see how things progress.
This is what I would have liked to have learnt when I first started.

I have an amazing new UAD plugin (don't need hardware for this one)  "Sound City Studios"
Would recommend it to people along with "God Particle"
It gives me a new room sound that I never had before.

Be a while before the final mix.  ?
Then I have to show it to the band... and you know what bands are like..  loads of different opinions and all listening on different sound systems.
This is why I post here for feedback.

It would be great if we had a mixers forum on here...  then we could all chime in and help on another.
Thanks again.

 

Gary

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Decided to drop some of the guitars... think maybe it was a little over crowded.
Trying to work on bringing out clarity now..
Now master plugins added yet.
Maybe pushing the mix to hard just now?

Edited by garybrun
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Sounding Good Gary. I am hearing some excessive highs , especially on the vocals. Seemed to be present also early in the mix with the "sticks".

I hear what you think is a timing problem as well. I think it could be helped some with the highs reduced. It seems to be in a 'S' section. There is also a pop thats coming in near the end of the guitar solo.

It would be nice if Bandlab had a readable timeline as the song played. It sure would be easier to pinpoint exact times in a song for reference.                      Enjoying the journey ..        mark

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6 minutes ago, mark skinner said:

Sounding Good Gary. I am hearing some excessive highs , especially on the vocals. Seemed to be present also early in the mix with the "sticks".

I hear what you think is a timing problem as well. I think it could be helped some with the highs reduced. It seems to be in a 'S' section. There is also a pop thats coming in near the end of the guitar solo.

It would be nice if Bandlab had a readable timeline as the song played. It sure would be easier to pinpoint exact times in a song for reference.                      Enjoying the journey ..        mark

Thanks so much Mark.
I think my ears are shot... I also here the pop...  think its on a cross fade not added.
Also great idea on the timeline too.
Will give it a little rest

Edited by garybrun
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