Critique: Bring Me Close To You

This is not totally done yet, but I'd like comments if you have them. Top song on my link.

Thanks!

Donny

Very nice! I really like your vocals too. I guess the only crit I have is that the side-stick seems a little too prominent. Very nice playing and great tune!

Donny,

A good song man! Maybe the vocals are just a teeny bit up front? Nothing like a good minor key song to stir up the emotions... fit the lyrics like a glove. A cry in the dark man!! A refuge....

Thanks for the comments folks. I've got a female vocal that's going to be doing counter melody/harmony that I hope to add, maybe this weekend. I've added a little compression on the piano to smooth it out a little, so the file that's out there is a little better to me now.

I just seems that things are off to me on my mixes. I have to consistently boost the highs alot on individual tracks or on the main bus to get the "sparkle and sheen" on commercial mixes, and it's still not exactly what I'm looking for. I'm chopping off below 45 Hz, then I've got a shelf on the highs, starting at about 10 Khz, probably about 5 dB. Is that unusual to have to do that? After that I run it through something like Boost, Izotope, etc. and I still don't get the volume I feel I should.

I have to consistently boost the highs alot on individual tracks or on the main bus to get the "sparkle and sheen" on commercial mixes, and it's still not exactly what I'm looking for. I'm chopping off below 45 Hz, then I've got a shelf on the highs, starting at about 10 Khz, probably about 5 dB. Is that unusual to have to do that?

I'm in no way an expert on these things, but I notice that a lot of DIY mastering tools have presets with exactly the high shelf you mention so I figure its not uncommon. Have you tried using a 'sizzle' track to get those highs? Basically to make one just put a high pass on a bus according to taste route the tracks that you want boosted in that area bounce it down then just introduce it slowly underneath your main mix 'til you get the brightness you are after.

Also with the loudness issue have you tried setting up a new 'mastering' project with just your completed mixed 'wav' and using the LP64's and Boost11 on a little splash of homogenizing 'verb (or Ozone being as you have it) to give you that 'extra' little you feel is lacking.....to me this sounded reasonably mastered for the kind of music you are doing but you seem to have managed plenty of dynamic room between elements to be able to 'push' it some more if you so desire. Providing that you are achieving a consistently upward trend in gain I can't see that this will cause any harm to try out.

HTH

Hey,

Thanks for the feedback folks. Have a listen if you can. Here's what I've done:

1. Small boost around 125 Hz on vocal to accentuate the predominant vocal range.
2. Small dip on bass, piano and pad around 125 to make a pocket for the vocal.
3. Hi shelf on drums for air, high pass filter to ease back the thump. (To me, getting the drums more crisp seems to help everything be perceivably crisper)
4. Hi pass on the bass to ease it back a little.

There is nothing at all on the master buss. This is the straight mix which was then Wave Hammered in Sound Forge for -8 dB threshold, so its pretty simple.
I was comparing my mix to Bonnie Rait "Longing in Their Hearts" CD within Sound Forge. Not exactly like hers but it still compared well. I was REALLY careful to not squach it any. That sound is beginning to drive me NUTS!

Thanks! I just did a little more and reposted it.

It's funny how learning often seems to occur in cycles. It's been a little while since I've done any "work" with this stuff and I had forgotten some things, but I'm using some new tools as well. I was totally unaware of how to use the Spectrum Analyzer in Ozone 3, and its really revealed some things about my mixes and provided a way for me to make some adjustments. This stuff can be SO exciting!

Donny

Donny, Very lovely song to our Lord and Savior. A nice clean and clear contemporary christian pop tune. Nice vocals and instrumentation. Nicely done. I enjoyed this. Blessing!! John