How can I rough this up a bit ITB?

Hi song forum!!
 
My band and I recorded this demo song at a local studio a couple of weeks ago. The guys want to send this out for mixing, but I did a quick prelim mix at home anyway and I thought it turned out pretty good!
 
Now, a few of the bandmembers complain that it sounds too pretty, glossy and boring and that it needs more edge, roughness and "authenticity" (for lack of a better English word). We're a band who rely more on quirky charm and vulnerable delivery rather than instrumental and vocal virtuosity (and we're not anally preoccupied with timekeeping either )! So I can kinda see where they're coming from!
 
 
As I said, we'll probably be sending this out for mixing, but as a guy who's spent the last 15 years trying to make my mixes sound as neat and unoffensive as possible, I'm still curious as to what steps a pro engineer might perform in order to make a rather nice and pleasant song such as this sound more gritty and in-yo-face!
 
Here is:
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_songInfo.cfm?bandID=779259&songID=10569044
 
Sven

Hi Sven, I'm very,very sorry..... but I like this as it is . Rather nice and pleasant !


Greetings, Rik

Thanks guys! Fuzzy bells? Sounds dirty... Certainly sounds like it could shave some of the gloss of the mix, I'll be sure to try it!

Jamesyoyo> All of the tracks go through a bus with UAD RealVerb for room glue. I could try crunching up that whole bus. Any suggestions on which dist plug might do a good job?


If anyone has ideas about "uncrunchy" mix improvements, I'd be happy to hear about those as well!!

Sven

I think the mix sounds fantastic, nice job! 
    Maybe some tape or tube saturation?  In the instrumental break before the last chorus maybe put some light distortion or saturation on the bass to fatten it up?  I dont think it's needed but that might give the illusion of a 'dirtier' mix to your band mates.

Have Mooch play on it. That will dirty it up considerably.







Seriously, I'd probably do what James said but then I like it pretty much the way it is (in the Senheiser IE-6 ear buds I'm listening on).

well, i just think adding 'distortion' is the wrong approach.

the end result is completely dependent upon your own subjective decision..
you can run it hard, or barely there.


it will fill out a certain spectrum, based on exactly how you dial the limiter in, without adding any dynamics, only what i call 'sonic filler'.


it's not the same as new york compression.

but it's in the ballpark.

try it, it's easy, quick, and you'll know right away if you like it or not.

Very pretty song.  It has this "Bread" feel.  I used to like them a lot.

I think it sounds great – yeah, it’s clean, pretty, sweet and her accent is charming. Clean is just as “authentic” as dirty. If you think the track doesn’t have enough edge, I’d redo the entire song and play it rough, play it with a bit more attitude – but it sounds great just the way it is. Right now you have a wonderful track.

Thanks for the comments, Vechung, Timidi, MannyNY and No How!


I've incorporated all the suggestions in this thread and posted a new file (sorry Dlogan, had to do the glockenspiel fx with PodFarm, haven't got the facilities for "real" reamping here). I think it turned out kinda cool! Funny thing, it's kinda close to the situations where I've had to decide between a 0.5" tape bounce of a digital stereo master and the original, with the digital being bigger and wider and the tape being more focussed and compressed!!

What do you think?

Dirtier mix: http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_songInfo.cfm?bandID=779259&songID=10582399


Sven

P.S.: Look, the differences are kinda subtle so I'll completely understand if you don't bother, but perhaps someone with goldener ears than mine can spread some wisdom?

Sven, I think this is a pretty song that should remain pretty. If you are dead set on trying to dirty it up a bit, I would suggest running it through the UAD Studer 800 plug because I think if you do anything to this, saturation would be a better bet than distortion. I'd leave this mix as is to be honest, but sometimes you at least have to give the others what they are asking for so they can hear the differences and know for sure. Great job, best of luck.

I would leave it like it is..... maybe add some saturation to it to get a sort of tape sound... but that's all I would do..........

.........besides trying to license this to ad companies.... this is the perfect song for  TV commercials these days. I could hear this playing behind all sorts of products.

Hi Sven!  Helen is amazing.  I'm jealous.  A lot.  The band is also wonderful.  Great playing all around.  Great song, in fact.  The "dirty" mix is slightly better IMHO. 

I would adore hearing this as a trip-hop piece if you ever feel like remixing it entirely.  She has the perfect voice for it.  Distorted drums and crunch guitar.... with a lilting vocal... OOH!  :D