New song from The Writhing Baby Monster Heads: What I'm Scared to Know

So this is actually one that I did about 2 years ago. I don't think I even ever let anyone hear it because I thought it kind of sucked. But, I was going through old projects to see what I could toss and came across this one and realized immediately that it had a lot of atmosphere and that it was just my sucky skills from 2 years ago that was the problem, in terms of knowing how to put the raw materials together.
 
 
As usual from back then it had like 5 plugins per track and all kinds of atomic level automation because I couldn't figure out how to make things sound right. So I tossed everything and started from scratch. Hooked up my wee bit of outboard gear and did a new mix and it came out really interesting with just the right balancing and some EQ and compression. There's a lot of atmosphere in there.
 
 
Here are two files. One is a really high bit rate WMA Pro file, so try that one and if it works for you it'll be a lot better. I'm not sure if WMA Pro files will play on most folks systems or not. It works fine for me and it's way higher bit rate than a 320 MP3, without being appreciably larger. I've also linked an MP3 for those who can't play it, or have some sort of political vendetta against MS or something. 
 
Chris Lago's mastered version
http://www.charmedquark.com/Web2/TmpAudio/WhatImScaredToKnow-CLMaster.wma  
 
Original mix 
http://www.charmedquark.com/Web2/TmpAudio/Final/WhatImScaredToKnow-FinalCD.wma
 
http://www.charmedquark.com/Web2/TmpAudio/Final/WhatImScaredToKnow-FinalCD.mp3
 
* As always, there's no modern cheating. It's just EQ and compression and one reverb and a little automation. It may sound overly fat on some people's systems but I like it like this and hopefully it's acceptable. The only compression added was to the drums and an LA-2A on the vocals.
 
* And my new 'band' name is now The Writhing Baby Monster Heads 

 
Hi there Dean
 
Awesome tune - I love the laid back relaxed feel.
 
Mix is perfect here.

I am the Dynamic Range Avenger :-) I don't play the loudness game at all. It's ruined music. Ultimately the reason you have to turn mine up is that almost everything else today is from significantly to vastly over compressed. I'm going more for the Dark Side of the Moon type of dynamics.

Those of who aren't beholden to the forces of evil should fight the good fight and retain dynamics. There is no loud without quiet, maaaaan!

Thanks. I'll send you a bowl of BECAN, whatever that is :-)

Thanks! I guess that's always kind of the thing, right? Many songs that we know and love may not have been seen as all that good if someone else had done them in a different way probably.

Thanks! Every song I post there's always 'vocals should be higher/lower' comments :-) I'm pretty much old school about vocal levels, and don't like them too out front (these days using hyper automation usually.) This one is more out there than I usually like, but it's fairly scooped out so it needed more oomph to get through and be intelligible.

I guess it depends on your idea of 'properly mastered' :-) I don't think too many things today are properly mastered. It more like blastered. Personally, I think we need an overreaction back the other direction to counter balance the huge damage done. But of course we have a whole generation of people who think that utterly crushed is how things should sound. But, those of us who don't do it for money are free to piss into that wind.

One of the guys over on Gearslutz, Chris Lago, wanted to take a shot at mastering this tune, so I sent him the WAV to play with. I updated the original post with his mastered version. I imagine it would appeal to the modern tastes more than mine. It's not modern super-crushed but considerably louder, and a more mid-scooped frequency balance, which probably sounds more comfortable to modern ears as well. And it definitely has it's only inherent charms as well, with a stronger bottom end and the mid-scoop removes a lot of the roominess of the drums, which I think that many modern listeners find sort of repugnant.

Yeh, on the left is a Strat through a 70's Vibrochamp pushed into overdrive. That's a classic sort of sound. In this case it was through a very expensive Effectrode Vibe Chorus, a tube based chorus pedal that is just super-lush. Unfortunately I had to sell it for some bucks a while back. All the Effectrode pedals are really nice.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Qp3qjN2URE

It's up to us old farts who have no commercial aspirations to fight the good fight for dynamics and depth.