variaxman
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1st mixdown ..looking for feedback
Hi, here is a song I'm working on called "I Know".Its still kinda rough but I needed to "walk away" from it for a bit and get a different perspective from some fresh ears  . Any feedback/critiques/suggestions are welcomed.Thanks!! I Know
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variaxman
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RE: 1st mixdown ..looking for feedback
2005/08/07 20:03:08
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OK..seeing this got so much response for the 1st mix  ..I thought I would post my 2nd mix.Its kinda intimidating to post on this forum with so much talent and great music,but I figure its kinda like learning to play guitar,it's always great to jam with somebody better then you to help your own playing improve.So with that in mind,I give you the 2nd mix of "I Know" I Know
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M
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RE: 1st mixdown ..looking for feedback
2005/08/07 20:23:30
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Hi, variaxman!
I'm in on the 2nd mix, evidently. I think you have a tough arrangement to mix. Each guitar part that comes in adds a layer until you eventually overwhelm your other instruments (and voice). This seems very difficult (to me, anyway) to do successfully. How do you handle it? Start with the vocals really loud? Keep jacking up the vocals as you add guitars? Very tricky.
I don't know that I have any great suggestions, either. I think you'd have to start by mixing the section where all guitars are in and the vocals are in. If you can make all the guitars work and achieve their own space in the mix against the bass and drums (with the vocals still present and intelligible), then you can start thinking about deconstructing back to the beginning.
Okay, specifically, I thought the vocals weren't present enough (perhaps a little muddy and not loud enough). The guitars overwhelm the mix, when they're all in. And you could back off on the reverb some on the guitars (for my tastes, anyway).
Are you doing everything on this? Guitars, bass, vocals, etc?
M
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variaxman
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RE: 1st mixdown ..looking for feedback
2005/08/07 20:34:18
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ORIGINAL: M
Hi, variaxman!
I'm in on the 2nd mix, evidently. I think you have a tough arrangement to mix. Each guitar part that comes in adds a layer until you eventually overwhelm your other instruments (and voice). This seems very difficult (to me, anyway) to do successfully. How do you handle it? Start with the vocals really loud? Keep jacking up the vocals as you add guitars? Very tricky.
I don't know that I have any great suggestions, either. I think you'd have to start by mixing the section where all guitars are in and the vocals are in. If you can make all the guitars work and achieve their own space in the mix against the bass and drums (with the vocals still present and intelligible), then you can start thinking about deconstructing back to the beginning.
Okay, specifically, I thought the vocals weren't present enough (perhaps a little muddy and not loud enough). The guitars overwhelm the mix, when they're all in. And you could back off on the reverb some on the guitars (for my tastes, anyway).
Are you doing everything on this? Guitars, bass, vocals, etc?
M
Hey M! Thanks for the listening,yeah,this whole mess is all me !I think Im making my arrangments to dense by adding to many guitar tracks...you know,"I have 24 tracks at my disposal..might as well use em all!".I hear what your saying about the verb as well,I think that is contributing to the muddiness of the mix.Im trying to get better at using eq and panning to maybe create some sonic space in my mix,but I keep on ending up with soup it seems.Oh well...back to the drawing board! Thanks again for the feedback!
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Imajica
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RE: 1st mixdown ..looking for feedback
2005/08/07 22:26:11
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variaxman:
I got a kick outta this.. thanks.
I just stepped away from my own mixing and this was a nice break
like the layered guitars... the mix itself doesn't sound that muddy (at least on these speakers)
The doubled (tripled)vocals seem to be getting in the way of themselves tho
I kinda dig the overall effect, kinda like a crowd singing
Good luck
John
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variaxman
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RE: 1st mixdown ..looking for feedback
2005/08/08 12:15:47
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ORIGINAL: Imajica
variaxman:
I got a kick outta this.. thanks.
I just stepped away from my own mixing and this was a nice break
like the layered guitars... the mix itself doesn't sound that muddy (at least on these speakers)
The doubled (tripled)vocals seem to be getting in the way of themselves tho
I kinda dig the overall effect, kinda like a crowd singing
Good luck
John
Thanks for the feedback John!As far as the vocals go....the sound I'm striving for is kinda "Exile On Main Street"Stones or a Mott The Hoople kinda thing..kinda swagering and sloppy,but catchy in a sing-along kinda way.I definetly have "sloppy" down to a tee I think !Just struggling with clarity... Thanks again for listening and posting!!
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mlockett
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RE: 1st mixdown ..looking for feedback
2005/08/09 02:33:01
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A little Dylanesque at times. I like the tune; I think the composition is very good, so as a positive note, when you get this finished you should have something good to show for your work. I'm with M on the vocals not being present enough. From listening to the song, I feel like I'm listening to a guitar player, who decided to do the full band thing (the guitar parts exhibit more confidence), but I think you can pull it off. Add some presense to the vocals... the doubling thing just isn't working, IMHO. If you can't get a strong, clean double (I seldom can), you could trying making one take the lead vocal, then take the other(s) and make them background vox... lower the gain... change the EQ, etc... You might keep the vox layered at points for effect. The crowd concept is less convincing when all the voices are the same person. You got something very good to work with... keep at it!
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variaxman
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RE: 1st mixdown ..looking for feedback
2005/08/09 09:01:06
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ORIGINAL: mlockett
A little Dylanesque at times. I like the tune; I think the composition is very good, so as a positive note, when you get this finished you should have something good to show for your work.
I'm with M on the vocals not being present enough. From listening to the song, I feel like I'm listening to a guitar player, who decided to do the full band thing (the guitar parts exhibit more confidence), but I think you can pull it off. Add some presense to the vocals... the doubling thing just isn't working, IMHO. If you can't get a strong, clean double (I seldom can), you could trying making one take the lead vocal, then take the other(s) and make them background vox... lower the gain... change the EQ, etc...
You might keep the vox layered at points for effect. The crowd concept is less convincing when all the voices are the same person.
You got something very good to work with... keep at it!
I agree about the vocals...I guess not being very confident singing,I go for the "strength in numbers" method and double track em to death .I am going to redo the vocals with a single vocal track except for the chorus and see how that sounds,also try to eq them a bit brighter and lay off the verb a bit.Thanks alot for your feedback...very helpful to hear things through someone elses ears!
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variaxman
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RE: 1st mixdown ..looking for feedback
2005/08/11 19:48:49
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Well,I tried to take the advice/tips i received on this tune and attempt one more try at it.I re tracked the Lead vox,cut out a couple of guitar tracks, and hopefully cut down a bit on the sonic clutter.Anyone who has been following this struggiling newbie on this tune,please feel free to post your critiques...very helpful!Thanks! I Know p.s. I promise this is my last posting on this song...time to move on
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