Before and After my Training with Danny

I thought you guys might be interested in hearing progress I made utilizing some of Danny's consulting services.  For the longest time I've been trying to find someone to help me with mixing but there aren't a lot of people offering these kinds of services, especially for Sonar.  I could take a class, but frankly don't have time for that - and who knows how good the instructor would be at getting great guitar tones.  Danny is a master of great mixes AND a master of great guitar tones.
 
I've laid this out in 3 stages:
 
Stage 1: Nov 2010 -  Before any training - This is the result of me trying the best I could on my own.  Addictive Drums, Trilogy, Sonar 8.5:
http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=11349260
 
Stage 2: Sep 2011 - This was after Danny created a custom Drum Mix video me.  I also had him do a couple song analyzations (on other songs, not this one). Superior Drummer 2.0, Trilian, Sonar X1
http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=11349268
 
Stage 3: This is my current mix and after Danny created a custom Mix video on this song in particular.  This is still my own mix, but I incorporated a lot of cool ideas and EQ suggestions that Danny made in the video.  Sonar X1 Expanded
http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=10389337
 
What I really appreciate about Danny's approach is it is customized and targeted to exactly what I'm looking for.  I've learned a tremendous amount through this process and feel my mixes are a lot closer to "pro" now.  Danny has got a fabulous ear for this stuff and has a lot of experience.  Plus his willingness to share and go above and beyond.  I recommend his services to anyone that wants to bring their mixing to the next level.
 
Please make any comments and suggestions you may have.
 
Thank you
Geno

*Waits for Danny to come here and - *ahem* -"deflect" your vote of confidence!* :P

Hey Geno!

Wow this was awesome! I'm so glad the stuff we worked on has helped you out. I must admit though, and I mean this...you have always presented me with good stuff to coach you on. For some guys, like yourself, you were never that far off. You just needed a few examples in certain situations on what to listen for. Really that's all there is to it quite honestly. We can sit and spin our wheels forever guessing at this stuff, or we can have someone that knows a little something help us to understand what to listen for, how to listen for it and how to fix or alter things when need be.

That was really all you ever needed. Part of the reason for that is because you perform everything so well. That to me is 90% of the battle right there. It's rare we get a really good performer to sound bad no matter what we may use to capture that individual. You'll always sing and play like a maniac, so it really won't matter much what you sing through or play through. Of course if you used a bunch of lower end stuff you'd have to work it a bit but it would still sound good.

The biggest issues we had to cover with you were mostly effects use, panning, guitar tones, drum and bass instrument sounds and of course controlling low end. That's really not all that bad. And like I had mentioned to you before, your mixes without me were always quite good and were more than acceptable. But you'll notice now....they just have a different quality even though some of the same instrumentation is being used. The one mix is tighter and accentuates all the right stuff in my opinion. I think you're at a good point now...meaning, you're at the point of subjectivity. None of it is bad now, it's just a matter of who listens, what they listen through and how focused they may be on a particular genre of music.

You'll always have someone that says they like something that you don't like, better. You'll always have someone come and say "you need more bass" or "less bass". The object being a good engineer is to remain consistent to where all the instruments have a place and they all have a voice in the field while not having any blatant errors in a mix.

We can go back in time and rip apart any mix that people may have thought was incredible. It depends how WE hear that mix regardless of what other may say. There's things about Led Zep mixes that annoy me. Are they wrong? No way...but certain sounds will just not give some people that "ah" feeling. One of the best representations of this is old YES stuff with Steve Howe. I love the way that guy plays, but some of his tones just really annoy me to the point of nails on a chalk-board. That doesn't mean it's wrong though and this is where you sometimes have to have thick skin when someone comes out of the woodwork and comments on something you believe in.

The problem there is some people listen to something for what they think it should be instead of accepting it for the art that it is. The day we accept something that has no blatant errors for what it is, is the day we enjoy music for what it is. That said, as much as Steve's stuff bothers me at times, I sincerely think with a different or more polished sound, we'd lose the impact that it has and it would no longer be the same art. It could be worse. Sometimes a little dirt under the nails is a good thing.

So remember...show your heart, show your art, keep it audible, allow each instrument to have a voice, and keep those errors out of the picture. Sub lows, harsh high end, super wide/separated pans that could disconnect a mix etc. That's one thing that Mike Mccue has always rammed home that holds true when he mentions his admiration for "mono mixes".

The reason is...the mixes are tighter when they aren't so "stereo" and separated. Of course I'm not one that really likes mono mixes so much...but the point is to not disconnect a mix from itself and that's exactly what too many people do. If they took a bit more of a "mono approach" without totally going mono, the first thing they'd notice is how much tighter things sound. Another thing to keep in mind that is truly important....never mistake "big" for "wide". This is one of the biggest issues I hear in mixes today. People use all these stereo enhancement things and wide pans etc..they only sound good in earbuds or headphones. Put it on a decent system with real speakers and you cringe.

If you want a sound to be "big" it needs to be recorded "big". Effects, making things wide, HAAS delay....all that stuff is cool, but it's really not contributing to "bigger". Granted, a mono guitar with a stereo HAAS will definitely get a bit bigger, but my point is...it's really not enlarging the sound. The key to big is room, mic's, and the right "big procedure". Sometimes bigger is not always better...as we know in many instances. LOL! Big instruments take up more of the stereo field and sometimes need to be curbed to fit the mix. Other times they work....it depends what the mix is all about.

But keep some of this in mind man...because it truly is important and you'll see the more that you do this stuff, the more it will all make sense and just fall into place. Thanks for the most kind words, the plug and for posting this stuff up. I hope people enjoy it and it brings me a few more students. I so love teaching and creating videos for this stuff. The greatest feeling is when you get feedback like what you've provided here where it shows a difference and most of all....when you just know that the person you worked with GETS IT now and can whip up a mix in half the time because they know what's going on. I'm just glad everything worked out for you bro...thanks so much again and keep up the great work. :)

Herb & Chuck: Thanks for the kind words...I really appreciate them. :)

-Danny

OT, but this is good a time as any to ask Danny a question.  Just how friggin' fast to you type, man?  Your posts are epic.  On top of that, I never spot a single typo or misspelling.  How do you do it?  Are you a computer? 

dmbaer


OT, but this is good a time as any to ask Danny a question.  Just how friggin' fast to you type, man?  Your posts are epic.  On top of that, I never spot a single typo or misspelling.  How do you do it?  Are you a computer? 

Close to 60 words per minute while trying to type perfectly, over 100 being a bit careless like the posts I make on here. Oh there's mistakes and spelling errors. Some I fix, some I leave alone. Any-time you see "message last edited by Danny Danzi at..." I found a few typos and mispelled words and went back and fixed them. It's rarely due to changing or altering a comment. Any mistakes I make are due to going so fast not because I can't spell. I type better than I speak though...you know, Jersey accent and all. :)
 
Hmm...computer...well, close. I keep computer hours, (usually from 6 pm until 9-10 am the next day without failure even on holidays 7 days a week) I keep quite a bit of info in my little brain and have a hard time sleeping unless something keeps my attention because my mind just never stops. I'm either thinking about something musical, the work I have to finish, the jobs I didn't even start yet...the list goes on and on. It's so bad I can't sleep without a TV on with the timer set so that it keeps my mind occupied, I stop thinking so much, I fall asleep finally, and the TV auto-shuts off. :)
 
-Danny

And Danny - aren't you a two finger typist also?

I remember seeing Yes with Trevor at Alpine Valley a long time ago.  I think Trevor gave them a much more updated and current sound at that time, and of course their biggest commercial success with Owner of a Lonely Heart.  I personally really loved Trevor's influence and his guitar tone. 

Geno: Yeah...my mom used to call me "Two Fingers Louie". LOL! It's cool though because I'm really good at playing drums on the qwerty I type on using Bomes keyboard when I need it. Especially on my laptop or when I don't feel like walking over to my keyboard or getting behind my drum kit. :)

Tap: Ah I loved Trevor....I thought he really made a nice change to that band. A bit different than what most die hard YES fans would enjoy, but I think it was good for the times. I welcomed the change of a more processed guitar tone. I'm a strange guy...I have no problems accepting change or evolution with artists, sounds and genre's, yet when something really appeals to me, I can't get enough of it. Like for example, I totally love my guitar tone to the point of not ever thinking about changing it. I have a wide array of amps and other goodies here...but nothing ever pleases me like this tone. The downside...it's an 80's tone and I'm an 80's guitarist so I'll always get labeled as such unless I change how I play and change up the tone. The good thing for me is, if you asked me "ok, you can have any sound/tone you want" I'd tell you "I got it already!"

But getting back, Trevor to me had a....hmm....ok, to me it was kind of a Boston type sound on steriods. I've always loved Tom Scholz' sound but always felt it was a little thin. I felt Trevor had the same qualities only it was thicker and bigger sounding without needing all the layers. Plus the guy is a good player to boot and has done some incredible movie scores in his time.

Philip: Thanks for the kind words...yep, you know I'm always here for you if/when you need me. :)

-Danny

Philip - Thanks!  I'm glad you liked the mixes.  And yes - I can relate to the day to day heck-ness these days.