The remix is in.  Thanks everyone for sharing your ideas!  Here's what's new in the remix:

1. new bass sound (using NI Guitar Rig now instead of Waves GTR), hopefully not so cluttered
2. EQd several of the synth and guitar tracks to mitigate some of the low-mid freqs
3. muted some synth layers here and there to promote less mix clutter
4. slightly changed the EP part, where I think dcumpian was referring to, making it go back to "those same notes" a bit less than before.  ;)
5. pulled out some drums in the middle rhythm guitar section
6. slightly shorter end fade

The remix is at the same URL as before... https://soundcloud.com/arcanor/on-the-way
 
 
Original post follows:
 
Hi all.  Been a while since I posted here, but I thought I'd drop in and see what you folks think of my latest attempt at "groove/chill electronica". It's also my first attempt at using Vocaloid Avanna.  Thanks so much to Malcolm Brown who helped me get started with vocaloids.
 
Thanks in advance for your listens and comments.
 
https://soundcloud.com/arcanor/on-the-way
 
On The Way - track listing
 
1. [steady basic rhythms] XLN Audio - Addictive Drums 2 - Reel Machines - 80s Linndrum
2. NI Kontakt - Epica (by Zero-g) - with individual subparts below
2a. [main theme synth pad] Orion
2b. [main theme alternate stringy synth pad] Fluter FX
2c. [percussive/melodic/delay accent synth] 16th Res
2d. [percussive arpeggiated synth] Answer is 4
2e. [dreamy alternate synth pad] Step FX
2f. [dark alternate synth pad] Void
2g. [dark FX synth pad] Windy FX
3. [vocals] Vocaloid Avanna
4. [electronic blips/beeps percussion] Arturia Spark - DR-606
5. [main electric piano rhythm] AAS Lounge Lizard EP-4 - BFly Rhodes 1
6. [bass] Fender Precision bass - via Waves GTR Tool Rack, Bassics patch
7. [heavy jungle beat percussion] Arturia Spark - Techwayz
8. [rhythm guitar] Fender Stratocaster guitar - via NI Guitar Rig 5, modified Twang Reverb
9. [growly arpeggiated synth lead] NI Massive - In The Starlabz
10. [electro arpeggiated synth lead] AAS Ultra Analog VA-2 - Peg 2
11. [electric piano lead] AAS Lounge Lizard EP-4 - custom setting with tremolo and more tine
12. [lead guitar] Fender Stratocaster guitar - via NI Guitar Rig 5, different modified Twang Reverb

This is really good Walt. I love the textures. Sort of a CSN guitar. I like the way everything plays off of everything else.

Thanks Robbie. :)  I've been working on learning how to better use my tools, and produce less "linearly".  Not sure how well I did at that actually, but I think this song is a step or two in the right direction.  I'm trying to think differently.  It's kinda hard seeing as I'm 48. ;)

I like this. You stick with the four chord thing throughout, with a kind of chorus, but you make some really unexpected choices with melody and improvisation, plus the many different textures going on, make it pretty cool in my book.
 
that said, with all that going on, all that kitchen sink in the lower registers, I wonder if removing one element occassionally might make the 200 - 500k range a little crisper? I found it hard to distinctly pick out the different instruments in that register.
 
It might also be my ears, because that's the same area I have a hard time de-cluttering in my own mixes!
 
I see the idea behind your vocaloid female vocals, glad you like them, but I don't know if it adds so much for me. Is it "mysterious sensual lady" or kinda just "gibberish"? But if this were my song, I'd hack off the first part and get right to the beat. 
 
anyway, kudos, very nice job! I can tell you know what you are about here. I listened to some others from your "cerulean" album, pretty great! Check out Somafm.com/groove salad, if you don't know this one, it's an internet radio station, your stuff would kill there
 
-Tom
 

Thanks for the listen and comments Tom, and nice to meet you. :)
 
I'm a huge fan of SomaFM and Groove Salad in particular.  In fact, I'm a bit of an addict... I have an old iPad next to my bed, hooked up to a small speaker system (with a small subwoofer), and all it does is stream Groove Salad 24x7x365, and display a digital clock.  I literally always have Groove Salad on in my bedroom, as long as my internet connection is working.  I actually sent SomaFM an email inquiry about licensing info over a year ago, but I never got a reply at all, so I've been discouraged about sending any of my music there to see if they might actually play it.  I will eventually try again though, because it's been a dream of mine (heh) to hear my music on Groove Salad.
 
I might agree with you about the low-mids.  I have tried to move things out of there, by muting parts at different times to limit the number of concurrent contributors.  Perhaps I could do some specific EQ to help more.  Also, I could probably mute a thing or two that I wound up leaving in.  I will look at this again.
 
As for the Vocaloid, yeah, I see her as a "mysterious sensual lady" as you suggest.  But I understand she won't appeal to everyone.  She is a bit "odd" sounding.  However, she's relatively easy to work with, once you get past the clunky dedicated editor and corresponding Japanese translated 130+ page manual.  She's programmable, so there's never any complications with having to get a mic out, or do a re-take if I change a lyric, etc.

I really enjoyed this tune....really just took me for a great ride. I normally get quite bored w/o lots of vox...but this was just so darn creative.
 
loved it...really nice!
 
 

thepogue
I really enjoyed this tune....really just took me for a great ride. I normally get quite bored w/o lots of vox...but this was just so darn creative.
 
loved it...really nice!

Thanks Tom.  I don't do a lot of vocals in my electronic music.  I kind of gave it up when I quit making pop/rock songs a few years back.  That's because I am doing most everything myself and my voice isn't really suited for this musical style.  However, now that I've got Vocaloid Avanna, I am hoping to include more vocals in future songs, as long as people don't find her too "odd" sounding.

Enjoyed that Walt nice tune the mix sounds well here though as noted there are a few places when we hit a little gooyness in those lower areas though all in all it works.
 
Thanks for sharing

Wookiee
Enjoyed that Walt nice tune the mix sounds well here though as noted there are a few places when we hit a little gooyness in those lower areas though all in all it works.
 
Thanks for sharing

Thanks John!  You have good ears.  I'll be revisiting the low-mids in my tune before the next remix.

Good stuff Walt! It's got a lot of interesting things going on and it all works well together.