vocal 

Thanks! Part of my problem may be a muddy room :) I don't have the best mixing environment.

 If you're serious about mixing and you (like everyone else) don't have an ideal mixing environment, then consider looking into ARC 2 software.  It calibrates your room and speakers and helps to remove the room from your mixes.  It has done wonders for numerous people on this forum.

I don't think it is that muddy either. Panning certainly would help, the middle is pretty cluttered. Nice tune, though I think there is something missing...
 
Regards,
Dan
 

I took a shot from the hip.
 
http://stabilitynetwork.blob.core.windows.net/g-tunes/20150411_ForumExample2.mp3
 
I tried a video showing the things I was trying...
 
http://youtu.be/Ki_s3X6LYyA
  
I hope this isn't inappropriate. I'd be glad to kill the links if it bugs you.
 
 
 

Lynn
 then consider looking into ARC 2 software.

Me, after looking into it: "Hey, I found something that can really improve my mixes!"
Wife: "And how much is this going to cost?"

gswitz
I took a shot from the hip.
 

I think it's a big improvement, it's definitely closer to the sound I'd like to hear.
 
And thanks for the video (and your time), that gives me plenty to mess around with. And no, the links don't bother me at all!

Thanks again for all the suggestions. Here's the new mix:
https://soundcloud.com/artturnermusic/instrumental-rock-remix-2
 
EDIT: gswitz I still think I like your final result better.

• I completely removed the left hand from the piano part (tough for a piano player to do).
• Changed the VST piano patch to one with less reverb (It's the CFX Concert Grand Abbey Road and you're essentially choosing different microphone placements).
• Panned guitar far right, organ far left, piano slightly left, drums slightly right, bass in the center
• EQ'd drums separately to reduce mids and boost highs
• Tightened guitar in F (yes, it's in D-minor but it hadn't occurred to me to do F as the relative major)
• EQ'd the full mix to slightly boost highs and reduce a little bass
• At this point I didn't like the sound of the Nomad Brickwall Limiter, so I switched to IL Maximus using the "Transparent" preset.

Much improved mix (I think). I know the tune still needs something more interesting to happen.
 
 

Panning helped. Piano, guitar and bass sounds much clearer. Interesting when the mix is dramatically cleared up, you can hear all the performances much better.
 
The organ on the left doesn't contribute much to the mix.
 
EQ: a little too much mid and low end cut out of the mix - example, the snare now sounds a bit thin, the overall mix has lost a bit of warmth. Be careful not to carve out too much (EQ)! 
 
Overall Instrumentation-arrangement requires more interesting changes however, vocals could be all that's needed. And highlights for example, strings and piano bass.
 
When taking the piano bass out. I usually play single or two notes (octave apart) on a separate track (for more control) to reinforce the bottom end (panned dead center). I usually add the piano bass to i.e. Chorus, to give certain parts of the arrangements a nice dramatic lift (piano bass 'grunt')... Blend the piano bass in - start with zero level and raise the vol up (piano bass) till you get that nice bottom end growl.
 
 
 
 

SongCraft
The organ on the left doesn't contribute much to the mix.

 
I like the Organ on the left. It has a nice smearing effect.
 

SongCraft
EQ: a little too much mid and low end cut out of the mix

I agree with SongCraft that Remix 2 seems a little two light in the lows and low mids. It does depend a bit on your audience. My daughter loves music with very little bass and tons of high end.
 

SongCraft
Overall Instrumentation-arrangement requires more interesting changes.

I agree with this if the song needs to stand entirely on its own. However, if it's background for a scene in a movie where the hero/in is preparing a bunch of stuff for a major event in the movie (like preparing weapons or has finally decided to take action and is doing a list of things alone before s/he faces other characters) it would work quite well as is.
 
In general, I like SongCrafts comments.
 
If you want me to send you the project I saved working on your track, I'd be glad to. It does use some FX you may not own. I could replace those with Sonar Platinum FX only if you prefer.

It surprised me that I liked the clean punch of the song without the organ.
 
However, I also liked it when I switched from a rock B3 to more of a Farfisa kind of sound.
 
It is primarily intended for background (goes pretty well with snowboarding/skateboarding videos). But I still may go back in and add some subtle variations here and there.
 
Thanks again for all the help...gswitz I PM'd you about the file.

Later version is definitely better. For me, there are times when the 'busy-ness' of the bass seems to contribute to the problem I think you are facing. The frequency of attacks seems, in general, to make the rhythmic message overplayed. And, I think that can contribute to a "false tonality" kind of problem.
 
I knew I should not have had that second drink....
 
I guess what I mean is that sometimes the bass seems to mimic the melody. In doing so, it adds an element of "everyone doing the same thing." If the bass were simpler, the rhythm of the piano would be more obvious.
 
Specifically, throughout the bridge section and the A chord on the verse section should not be 16th notes. If a bass player played 16th notes on my gig I would not let him put his rig back on the bus.
 
 
"Save that for your solo record...."