| | | |
The Man With No Band
|
2/27/2010 11:23:50 AM
First Mix Up ... When She's Around
So ... I need your ears friends ... I'm all in for ALL comments ... good and bad ...
When She's Around
This is my first attempt at trying to mix this tune properly ... suggestions, critiques, opinions ?
I'm having fun ... so you can't hurt my feelings ... :)
A VERY Big Thank you to Moray and the guys from My-T-Hi !!!!!!
Peace
Sam
|
|
My-T-Hi
|
2/27/2010 7:53:12 PM
Sounds great with the vocals added.
|
|
denise cascione
|
2/27/2010 8:02:31 PM
now thats love......
d
|
|
The Man With No Band
|
2/28/2010 9:23:15 AM
---- Updated 2/28/2010 9:23:40 AM
Thx Denise ! ...
You too Moray ... Do you think I have the levels right ? ... I was going to add some more guitar but that will have to wait a bit as I'm still pretty sore ...
Come on ... the rest of you mongrels ... Speak your piece ! ...
|
|
J. Patrick Sharpe
|
2/28/2010 9:36:44 AM
Hey Sam! The song sounds great! Nice work all around. I think the levels sound fine in terms of vocals versus music. But I am no sound guy. There are plenty of people here on IAC who have good ears (you know, all professional like) for that kind of stuff and I ain't one of them :) In terms of adding more guitars, I wouldn't do it in this case. I think this cut sounds real clean and if you starting adding more guitars it might start to muck it up. But you know I am biased toward the less is more approach to recording. I think you should hold out for some more review by the many artists here who are real good with recording multi-instrument, rock style songs.
Nice work my friend. It does my heart good to hear your music and see you collaborating with other great artists!!!
-Patrick "JP "J Paddy" Sharpe ;)
|
|
The Man With No Band
|
2/28/2010 10:11:41 AM
---- Updated 2/28/2010 10:12:46 AM
Thx Patrick ... as always a true friend ...
I used four different sets of speakers, while mixing ... and it just blows me away how different the mix sounds in each set ...
I really got to hand it to the guys who can find that middle ground, where the mix sounds good in all different systems ...
I notice large differences in my stuff ... but when I listen to some here ... I'm amazed that I can not tell much difference, no matter what speakers I'm using ... I don't know how they do it ?
The five areas that really are noticeable to me when I mix my own stuff are ...
1. The bass line ... When I set the bass level in my favorite pair of speakers, then switch to another pair ... the bass is usually almost non-existant, or it booms really loud.
2. The vox ... the same as above
3. The drums ... the most tricky for me ... I'm wondering if I didn't leave them to low in this mix ? .... I really like the fills here, but the song isn't very moving or many chord changes ... so the beat is not a very intricate one, so I figured that I'd leave the drums in the background ... but wondering if there should be more punch ? ... again it is the variance in speakers ... and my medium hearing loss that makes this tricky ...
4. Eq ... this I'm trying to learn ... The bass here had a fairly noticeable rumble at the lower end ... I Eq'd it a bit and was able to get most of it out ... but was afraid to go any farther as I felt I was almost getting it too "tinny" ... I left Morays guitar alone ... cuz I like the sound and because I have "NO" experience eq-ing electric guitars ...
5. Deciding when to quit adding instruments ... I can really hear a Hammond playing on this one ... with a completely different flow ... not following the same same song structure but rather a melody all it's own offsetting the repetition ...
Thoughts ?
|
|
SILVERWOODSTUDIO
|
2/28/2010 3:11:39 PM
It stands fine as is--- very tight and polished
II do agree with the idea of an exrta guitar or keys coming in at verse 4 to thicken the field and lift to a higher level----I also think you could double track the vocal at that point------ then back to square one for the last verse---
just if it works for you---either sing along with yourself--a harmony-- or use the same track slightly offset--
a very cool result from both of ewe!!
|
|
The Man With No Band
|
2/28/2010 5:57:14 PM
Thx for the input Robbie ... 'tis greatly appreciated !
I hope eveyone will take the time to go and listen to
My-T-Hi ... Good stuff !
|
|
My-T-Hi
|
2/28/2010 6:43:58 PM
---- Updated 2/28/2010 6:45:32 PM
Hi Sam
Bass rumble is probably more on the mic bass amp track, I think the line out the bass amp is cleaner, but the EQing you did works great...
Did you fade the guitar up at the part without vocals? that seems to work well.
The drums could maybe go a touch up in the mix. Probably the stereo drum track is cleaner sounding than the overhead mic (which might not be needed much)..But I think some of those fills are on vocal parts so you would'nt want to drown them out. (The drummer didn't listen to your track before recording so he just put in fills wherever felt natural with no regard to the vocal line)
I got to go off to Singapore today for a week, not sure if I can tune in here that much, but I'll get back on Friday.
Cheers for letting us do the backing for you... I'm kind of thinking we might do a cover of this at our next gig in Osaka... Is that OK with you?
Cheers
Moray
|
|
The Man With No Band
|
2/28/2010 6:53:18 PM
Thx Moray ... I do think I will boost the drums a tad ... hey ... treat this tune as your own and play it EVERYWHERE ... LOL !
I would love to hear what the people say that hear it live ... and nothing would please me more than to know the song is getting heard ... No matter who is Playing or Singing it ...
I didn't fade the guitar ... but I did do a slight compression on the over-all mix ... which would have probably boosted the guitar a bit during vocal ?
Have a GREAT week in Singapore ... if I do any more tinkering I'll keep you posted my friend ....
|
|
Kevin White
|
2/28/2010 6:54:44 PM
---- Updated 2/28/2010 7:03:46 PM
Ha, Sam. You're starting to pay attention to production aspects?
Welcome to the next level. :)
Moray gave you good advice above.
I don't need to add anything ... but good for you!
Biggest hurdle newly minted mixers need to adjust to? Listen critically. Listen like a listener.
It was the first thing I needed to overcome. I was so enamored w/ my new found ability to do all sorts of neat shit ... and so inhibited by my personal bias (I hate my own voice), that I totally was listening on my level, not the disassociated level.
One's ears are one's most valuable tool, and the equipment cost is free. It's the brain that gets in the way ... so try to drop all pretense (very hard), and listen like a clinical listener and you'll begin to ... know.
It's simple ... and really hard. :)
K-
|
|
The Man With No Band
|
3/1/2010 12:28:47 PM
Thx for the words Kev ...
I just boosted the drums a bit here on (mix two) ... and did another slight compression ... I can't go much farther there I don't think, I started with a compressed vox already ... and it's almost too much ?
|
|
My-T-Hi
|
3/1/2010 5:35:42 PM
Drum level seems much better now (in the wee headphones I've got with me this week)
I wonder if you might have a shade too much compression on the overall track? I hear slightly too big volume swells in the guitar/bass/drums when there are no vocals.
Anyone else feel that?
Anyway,getting better all the time.
Cheers
Moray
|
|
Vincenzo Pandolfi
|
3/3/2010 5:48:48 AM
Hi Sam,
I like the song, I like the arrangement and the mix, but I think you can still do better with the vocal treatment (I don't mean your voice by the way) I just think that is a little muffled for some reason. Everything else is pretty crisp, but to me the voice sounds like it has a high range filter on it. Then Sam, I am no sound expert, besides, I am probably going deaf!!
Ciao,
Vincenzo
|
|
The Man With No Band
|
3/3/2010 12:41:43 PM
Thx Vincenzo ... I thought the vox was a bit "muddy myself" ... so this morning I cut a vocal with my Shure mic ... "muddy" ... then I switched to a Peavy ... still "muddy" ... (light bulb went off) ... dug the mic out I made myself ... hey ... it's not so bass heavy ... sooooo besides just getting over bronchitis and loosing a little "punch"... I think it's better now ... check it out here ... oh yeah ... I took some compression off the mix also ...
Mix Three
|
|
Steve White
|
3/3/2010 6:22:32 PM
Hi Sam :)
Love the groove. :)
First question. What are you using to record and mix with?
PC or something else?
For me?
The only thing I hear that I'm not great with is the vocal.
It sounds too something, I'm not sure what though. Maybe too close to the Mic? Or too much EQ and Comp? It does sound more like a setting thing though compared to a too close situation.
I'll check back as soon as I can.
Steve
|
|
The Man With No Band
|
3/3/2010 6:40:35 PM
Hi Steve ... HA ! ... just when you must have been posting, I went back to mix two ... after letting my ears rest and listening to mix three again, I thought the vocal stunk ... LOL !
I'm using the PC to record with ... and Running through a preamp ...
I did no eq on the vox at all ... and very little compression on mix three ....
Mix two has a lot more compression ,,,, I'm going to try and repeat mix two with less compression ...
I KNOW what my main problem appears to be .... The two store bought mics I have just aren't very kosher with my vox ... or maybe I just stink more than I thought ... hee hee !
|
|
Steve White
|
3/3/2010 6:59:14 PM
Cool Sam :)
Let me know when it's ready and I'll listen again.
What recording software are you using?
Steve
|
|
The Man With No Band
|
3/3/2010 7:05:36 PM
... Steve... all of the music tracks were recorded in Osaka by Moray and My-T-Hi ... Moray sent me the tracks as separate tracks and I recorded the vox using Audacity ... and mixed the tracks with the same program ...
|
|
Steve White
|
3/3/2010 7:36:35 PM
Hi Sam
Got it. :)
Have you ever tried "Reaper"?
It's free and comes with a ton of effects. Uses very little pc power.
Steve
|
|
Bob Rylett
|
3/4/2010 6:22:49 AM
Sam I am one of the ones that adores the song...it is and always will be the start and finish..no one remembers if the mix was perfect while they are singing to you in the car or in the shower...i find that people that harp on production aspects are frustrated songwriters....and you are a great songwriter...cheers to when she's around brother...sounds great...
|
|
Vincenzo Pandolfi
|
3/5/2010 1:34:29 AM
Bob, I fully agree with you that the song is great, but Sam specifically asked our help on technical mixing aspects of the productions, and that is exactly what we are doing.
Ultimately as in all cases we all have to make our own decisions about our music and how we want it to sound.
It is like a painting, no one can tell us whether the blue should be bluer or the yellow more yellow, otherwise we end up with a Camel which is supposed to be a horse designed by a committee!!
Personally, I was very happy with the first home version of Sam's songs. in my opinion his songs just need him and his guitar, no amps, no fancy mics, just Sam.
Vincenzo
|
|
The Man With No Band
|
3/8/2010 3:33:07 PM
Thx Bob ! ... yeah I'm not to concerned with the production side of things ... but I like to learn, and do want to present listenable tracks ... :) ... You are a kind man and I really appreciate your presence around here ... and your sound just RAAAAAWWWKS !
Hey Vincenzo ... thx for all you do around here, and a special thx for the things you do specifically towards me ...
I think I'm done tinkering for awhile ... I just put up mix 4 ... and this is the final for quite sometime ... I cleaned up my vox, it could be a bit out to front...but my ears are growing tired of listening to myself ...
Just got a My-T-Hi cover track sent to me from Moray ... Now THAT makes me feel GREAT !
Hope you all enjoy ...
Peace
Sam
|
|
Andy Broad
|
3/9/2010 8:18:15 AM
Nice to see how it's progressed from the preview you sent be email!
Sounds good overall.
Ist listen I thought maybe brighten the vocals slightly, seocnd listen I'm not so sure.
Good song though whatever :-)
|
|
| |
�2015-16 IndieMusicPeople.com All Rights
Reserved
| |