Hi Everyone,
I'm looking for mixing and mastering and arrangement feedback and any comments you may have. Thanks everyone! 
https://soundcloud.com/jonesresidence/dont-say-no
 

Hi Aaron, that's a nice song. Was it written by you?
 
Well, I'm still learning myself really, but this sounds okay to me.
 
Everything is in the right place and has its own space. Levels good. Nice backing vocals.
 
If I had to be critical... Are the rhythm guitars panned hard L/R? I can never tell. Personally I go for around 80% rather than full L/R. That's just me though.
 
cheers
 
andy
 
 

Overall, the mix is missing brightness and definition. Vocals are missing air and sibilance. Buildup in bass and lower midrange (160-500 Hz). Rhythm guitars need mid cut, hi and bass boost, you hear the fundamentals but no harmonics so no depth. Production wise, you might consider adding bass and drum parts. Needs spatial depth, a mix is front to back as well as right to left, maybe add reverb or delay.
If you're going for early 70's AM (Eric Carmen), it's ok, but you can do better. :)
Good first start.
 
 

Hey,
 
I think the arrangement is interesting. Are you mixing through saturation? The console or tape emulator? Or maybe the TL-64 Tube Leveler? I think the whole mix could benefit from the treatment that kind of saturation provides. You should start mixing through saturation early. Also, I think some elements could use some high-passing. I think removing some the sub and bass energy from most elements, aside from the bass of course, could help bring some clarity and definition TomHelvey was talking about to the forefront. I think the vocal could benefit from a bit more overall compression and some more fine-tune control over the sibilance. The fricatives are popping out a bit too much at times, you could always adjust that with level automation, dipping the level of the S's and the T's.
 
I think some of those moves would definitely help the mix out.

Two great reviews there, and they show how much I have still yet to learn 
 
This is why I always keep an eye on all the songs I listen to here, instead of just posting a comment and never coming back... I learn something new every time 
 
I also listen to the songs again, with each comment that gives clear opinion and advice, and try to hear what the reviewer is referring to. I struggle with that sometimes, but at others I think, "yeah, of course..."
 
@ Tom,
 
Please forgive me... I'm not having a go here, I'm just trying, as always, to expand my knowledge and understanding 
 

TomHelvey
Overall, the mix is missing brightness and definition.

I honestly didn't pick up on this, and on my fifth or so listen later, I still don't. This could be for a number of reasons, besides lacking experience. I listen on my headphones, so I usually struggle picking up bass. And I can no longer hear anything above 14kHz. But I still feel that at certain parts in this song I can hear a reasonable amount of brightness.
 

TomHelvey
Vocals are missing air and sibilance.

I'm still not sure what "air" means, even though I have heard the expression before.
 
On my first listen, I was going to comment on the amount of sibilance "almost" needing slight attention but decided that it was okay.
 

TomHelvey
Buildup in bass and lower midrange (160-500 Hz).

I am still working to understand this area, having see a few videos and tutorials on it in the past month or so. I personally wish that peeps using SoundCloud would make tracks available for download because I could then drag them into Sonar and use SPAN. I'm afraid, again, because I use headphones, I have to trust to SPAN a lot of the time.
 

TomHelvey
Production wise, you might consider adding bass and drum parts.

I actually prefer this song with no drums.
 
There is a bass part in there, but it is quite understated and only pops through the mix at certain points.
 

Amine Belkhouche
I think some elements could use some high-passing.

Yeah, I agree and I've started sticking EQ on pretty much all of my tracks in order to remove both low and high frequencies from elements that do not benefit from them. This is one area that I "think" I do understand 
 

Amine Belkhouche
The fricatives are popping out a bit too much at times

I had to google "fricatives," so thanks for that haha! I am a man with quite a small vocabulary I'm afraid 
 
 
Apologies again, for commenting on the comments... I hope you all don't mind
 
cheers
 
andy

Haha, of course not synkotron. I'm here to learn just as much as anyone else.

First mastering is a contextual thing and should not be considered until it becomes relevant.  Mastering is something that was applied when the disk was being prepared for cutting either for the optimum groove/stylus performance or for the collective balance of a collection of tunes.
 
In the main what is these days called mastering is all about loudness and not about balance.  

The things to do is get the source recorded to the best of your ability then get the mix right.
 
The comments above are giving good overall advice.  My mix observation is that the vocal is a little to upfront and in my face.  As noted above the tune could do with some width.
 
Welcome to the songs forum and thanks for sharing.

synkrotron
I listen on my headphones...

Unless you're using K701's, you should probably get some good monitors. Without decent monitors, you're only hearing half the mix. :)

Hi Tom,
 
I'm on a budget that doesn't include a new pair of nearfield monitors I'm afraid... I've already got some Tannoy Reveal and I made a big mistake getting them to be honest... Plus, I don't have a dedicated "studio" any more so headphones are the only real option right now.
 
I am currently looking at some open back headphones though, so I'll have a look at those AKG 'phones.
 
cheers
 
andy

Aaron, welcome to the forum.  This song has a really nice melody, and you brought it out very well.  I like the BG vocals and the way you arranged them.  The guitar, while not overly bright, sounds warm and natural, and that can be a plus depending on what kind of playback system the listener has.  Tom has a good point about a low-mid cut, because in many cases that is where the mud lies.  Sometimes that cut, alone, will make everything else sound brighter.  As for adding other elements to the song, I say, season to taste.  It's your song.
 
@Andy- If you're only able to use headphones, check out the VRM box from Focusrite.  It's not too expensive, but it can give good results.