Phase

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producer
Member Since: Dec 07, 2006

Hi Guys,
I have uploaded a work-in-progress that's finally in the mixing stage - definitely not quite done, but I would love input on it at this stage anyhow because i always love a few sets of objective ears. It's under my profile called "Hide". I'm thinking specifically of the EQing of VOX (both lead and background) & guitar (both crunch and solo) and also the overall spectrum of the instruments. Its a ballad, though not a love song, and even though the song isn't an 80's rock tune, we're going for the 80's bigness but definitely more modern sounding. I'm not sure that I'm capturing all of the instruments properly during the loud parts...thats where I'd love input. :) Currently I am up to 37 tracks and at full mast, the final dirty part seems "kinda" clean but something about it sounds a little gritty and messy especially towards the end where the most tracks are being utilized. Maybe I am mixing everything too loud? any recommendations, I would love to hear. Thanks guys.

Matt

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www.TheLondonProject.ca
Member
Since: Feb 07, 2005

Oct 19, 2008 11:48 pm

Great song, I enjoyed it a lot. Mostly subjective comments from me.... during the chorus I would bring up the guitars a bit. Regarding the last minute or so... try bringing down the faders of the instruments that are not taking the lead and try and only have one lead for the listener to focus on. Maybe weave the instrumetents in and out of focus (automation). If any of that makes sense. Again, it is just suggestive comments.

Member
Since: Jul 02, 2003

Oct 20, 2008 01:57 am

Good one, I enjoyed listening to it. The mix sounds really nice to me, it does get a little lost at the end, but still sounds good to me, the more there is in the mix the tougher it gets to give everything it's own space. In addition to using some automation, may be try finding some frequency's in the less important instruments to notch out to let the important parts come thru a bit better. The things I'd work on purely from my own preference would be, to take some of the bottom out of the kick and possibly lower it a bit, I agree with BH that raising the guitars during the chorus would be good. I think the vox are perfect the way they are, nice work on those both performance and mix wise.

Dan

Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002

Oct 20, 2008 10:20 pm

Nice tune indeed. I really liked the level's during the verses for sure, those are perfect. I have to agree with the guitars coming up ever so slightly during the chorus part. Not very much at all, just a little bit. Maybe give them a little more bottom end during the chorus only, that is only personal opinion though.

I really liked the piano and strings, that added a good deal of feel to it.

I kind of like the kick the way it sounds here is pretty good. The lead guitar solo was very good. But as stated, a little bit more out front during the ending and it would be killer.

Otherwise, killer tune for sure.

producer
Member
Since: Dec 07, 2006

Oct 21, 2008 10:57 pm

Thanks so much guys for your kind words about the song. Unfortunately I didnt write the song...i wish i did :), i wrote just the particular arrangements that I performed (the bass line, pianos, orch synths and some production ideas). Even just your 3 comments did IMO wonders to a song that has been recorded at least 2 maybe 3 times in the past few years that never really caught what we were trying to accomplish.

Just by doing some of the little suggestions, i think the choruses and ending sound much more organized...but i still want input. theres always room for improvement. :) I posted my updated version for additional feedback if you don't mind taking another listen to see if you think its going in the right direction. Thanks again guys. I've said it before, I love this forum!

www.TheLondonProject.ca
Member
Since: Feb 07, 2005

Oct 21, 2008 11:11 pm

Wow, way better... good job, great tune. The only thing I can think of is get the song length down to under 4 minutes(but that is post stuff anyways). I think the bass could use a little room as well. Notch out some space for it and maybe bump it up a tad. Suggestive comments for sure so take it with a grain of salt. Still sounds really good.

producer
Member
Since: Dec 07, 2006

Oct 21, 2008 11:47 pm

Thanks BeerHunter, funny you should mention the bass, it just occurred to me, i, at the very least, have to punch a part or 2 or simply redo it altogether...thanks for reminding me!

During the bridge climb...right before the acapello (with piano) part the 2nd to last note i played before it was a minor and its a major scale so it sounds kinda dissonant...and rightfully so, i played the wrong damn note...haha. listen for it, it can be like a wheres waldo. when i fix all that riff-raff, ill definitely do some notching per your suggestion.

as for the 4 minute thing, well as a little background about the project-if anyone cares-, this song is part of a 10-song concept album that Dan (my co-writer) and myself just finished writing, recording and tracking. Its one of those projects where we aren't too concerned with what happens to it as long as we love it and we did it grassroots-style. we have been thru quite a journey to get 'there' and then another one to ultimately get back to where we came from and this has become kind of like a life's work type thing; even though it didn't take a lifetime to write it...thank god! At the very least, Part 1 of this concept series is primarily just ours... :) THANKS again for your help.

Sorry about the rant, I felt I had to disclaimer what this song (and album) are to us.

Still would love all sorts of opinions. Cheers!

producer
Member
Since: Dec 07, 2006

Oct 21, 2008 11:56 pm

After rereading BH's post and my response, I feel i should disclaimer my last post because over text, sometimes things get misunderstood.

BeerHunter: I realize you said "Suggestive comments for sure so take it with a grain of salt." so I want you to know that your comments are very valuable to me and I hope i didnt offend you with the whole 4 minute thing.

What I should have said is, yes, 4-plus minutes is too long but we have a different agenda...Maybe that clears it up. :)

www.TheLondonProject.ca
Member
Since: Feb 07, 2005

Oct 22, 2008 01:19 am

Hey no worries at all. Just thinking of the radio constraints.... can easily be done in post anyways.

I tune down down...
Member
Since: Jun 11, 2007

Oct 22, 2008 04:12 pm

The verse is almost note for note (on the guitar) with 3 Libra's by APC. Haha.

Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002

Oct 22, 2008 06:28 pm

I'll give it another listen later tonight or tomorrow afternoon.

Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002

Oct 23, 2008 05:06 pm

Yep, nicely done for sure. I'm with BH on giving the bass just a bit more tweaking for its own space in the chorus area especially. During the verse it seems to be fine and sitting well. But once the strings start and then the chorus kicks in full tilt it does get a little soft.

You can always just tweak it for that part alone and leave it as is during the verse.

Otherwise, I really like this.

producer
Member
Since: Dec 07, 2006

Feb 22, 2009 12:01 am

Its been some time since we have worked on this tune, but I posted the latest version with new instraments (ie. acoustic guitar) and did some EQ work which seem to make this song quite smoother. Please let me know what you think. My biggest quam is the Snare drum...I dont understand, we recorded 10 drum takes that day and all of them mix just fine, but i cant figure out why i cant get this snare to sit nice! any suggestions?

(PS. we had to check out the 3 Libras 'conspiracy' and as it turns out, APC is in a different tuning and also a different key. the finger picking is similar and the time signature is the same but thats just about it...i think we are good. thank god :))

Member
Since: Jul 02, 2003

Feb 22, 2009 12:20 am

The mix sounds really nice timexone. I think the problem with the snare, and this just my opinion is 1, it's pitched a little to high for the song, and I think I would try it with less of or maybe tighter on the snare or whatever the part that makes a snare rattle is called. :D Might be able to do it with EQ as well, bumping up the lower frequencies of the snare and/or lowering the higher freq.

Still a great song, enjoyed the listen again!

Dan

Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002

Feb 22, 2009 12:46 pm

Yep, the tune sounds great as well from here. I have to agree with the snare thing on this. It isn't too loud really or anything like that. It simply sounds as though it is tuned a bit high for the song. Those guitar parts are very low and the strings for the most part are in a bit lower key. And the snare is tuned up a bit. It just needs to boom a bit more.

But very cool tune indeed, I liked it.

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