Hello. I am a complete novice when it comes to mixing. I have been doing my best to learn from books, forums and the internet. I used to think mixing was just about panning and set volume levels. I never realized just how much work goes into mixing. I just recently discovered the Mixing Secrets Multitrack Library website which provides tons of free sample songs for people like me that want to learn and gain practice mixing.
 
This is my first mix from that website. The song is called "Preach Right Here" by the band The Butterfly Effect. I have included my mixed version of the song and the song with all 26 tracks as it was downloaded from the website so you can hear the difference between the mix and they way the song was left to be mixed.
 
I am always seeking advice and criticism. I can take it. :)
 
Cheers.
 
Song as downloaded:   https://soundcloud.com/god-z/preach-right-here-original-before-being-mixed
 
Song as mixed by me:  https://soundcloud.com/god-z/preach-right-here-mixed-version
 
 

I have no clue why my links don't appear in my post. Frustrating.

There they are!

I think you did a great job with this one! This is a personal preference.."if it were me" I might bring the vocals up more and I would definitely add more bass to the mix.  I liked the way you mixed it though with those exceptions. 
I understand you're starting out. Maybe you already have done this...I would try the mix in different systems to see how it translates. Did you pan the guitars? It sounded like maybe you did...I'll need to listen again.

Thanks Starise. The funny thing is right at the end of doing the mix I decided to drop a few db's on vocals and bass. Maybe I shouldn't have.
I panned all the guitars to where I felt they had their spot in the mix. I am trying to train my ears to recognize troublesome EQ'ing issues. But that is probably going to be a lifelong learning quest.
I did listen to the track in mono and it seemed ok.
I did one other mix just before this one (at least since learning a bit about mixing). I recorded myself doing a cover of "A Pair Of Brown Eyes" by the Pogues. But that was a fairly simple mix with a small number of tracks that didn't have to fight for a spot in the mix. With this mix I did go listen to it in the car (I read that most mixers do reference their songs in a car system and I quickly learned why).
Thanks again.

Hi Chad,
 

god-z
I just recently discovered the Mixing Secrets Multitrack Library website which provides tons of free sample songs for people like me that want to learn and gain practice mixing.

This is a great idea, and something I should do myself, sooner rather than later...
 
This is a great song, by Butterfly Effect, and from where I'm sat, your mix sounds very good. I'm listening on headphones so I can't comment much on the bass... Perhaps it does need a bit of a boost, but where the bass appears almost on its own, it is nice and clear, so perhaps a bit of "room" needs making for it here and there.
 
cheers
 
andy
 
 

One thing that might be making you want to take away bass in your mixes is if your room is "bass heavy" with bass resonances...in this case, you will hear bass that really isn't there courtesy of your room. The trick is either to correct your room with bass absorbers, electronically ..or both. The path of least resistance would be to learn where your room "sucks" in the overall sound balance. If you suspect it sucks in the bass ranges then try a mix that sounds a bit bass heavy in your room on another system in another environment. If that mix sounds better in a more neutral environment then you need to disregard what your brain and ears are telling you because your room is lying to you.
 
This is unscientific and a hit or miss kind of approach but some mixers have made it work....ideally room correction is probably the best way to go.

I've downloaded the same track, and I'm struggling.
 
I finished a mix without even listening to the preview mix provided by Mixing Secrets, and, wow... I was so far off compared to the original, more so in the overall lack of bass this time, than anything else. SPAN was telling me bass was okay, but my mix is sounding too thin by far.
 
Actually, it my be that "lower mid range" area that I'm having trouble with.
 
It sure has been fun though, mixing something that is not mine. but I doubt I'll be doing much of this, as educational as it may be. It's making me realise that I am more of a "composer" than a "mixer."

Thanks Andy and Starise for your input.
 
I can tell right now that my listening environment is less than favourable (I am Canadian and we love sticking "u"s in our words. LOL). I am currently set up in the dining room. There are no acoustic treatments in the room at all. I am using KRK Rokit 5's as my monitors but I did just recently buy Auralex pads to sit them on. Unfortunately I am going to have to make do with this setup for a while. I also use Audio Technica M50x headphones to mix but not when EQ'ing.
 
I am slowly learning the characteristcs of my monitors especially where the bass is concerned.
I originally had the bass level higher in the song but dropped it a few db's because I thought it muddied the mix too much. Probably the wrong thing to do. I should have maybe sculpted out room better for the kick drum and bass guitar better with EQ. Then I would be able to bring the bass up a bit.
I did just go listen to the song in the car. I definitely want more definition on the kick and bass guitar with a bit more volume in both.
 
Looks like I am going back to EQ'ing again.
 
Cheers.

Andy, don't give up on the mixing. I believe it will definitely help you down the road. It will even help you with creativity in how you imagine your songs will sound as well as give you the tools to make it happen.
 
That being said, I understand what you are feeling because it gets frustrating. Everything I was trying always sounded thin too. One thing I just realized, and please anyone can correct me if I am mistaken, is when I look at the frequency spectrum on the master buss after mixing I see consistency in the wave forms across the whole spectrum. I also learned after trying to EQ on headphones that I constantly made my mixes thinner than they were originally.
 
I have 2 books about mixing that are good resources that are helping me. They are:
- Mixing Secrets For The Small Studio by Mike Senior (which works with the Mixing Secrets website)
- The Mixing Engineer's Handbook by Bobby Owsinski
 
Maybe check them out too.
 
Good luck.