markno999
Dan,
 
Understood, I am a big fan of the Waves SSL stuff.   Your result is very, very good.  I wouldn't change anything about the top end of your mix.   The drums and bass are really the most affected by the compression to my ears.
 
Please feel free to use or ignore the following information regarding Waves SSL.   Having experimented quite a bit with different scenarios, I have found the best result when utilizing the Waves SSL Channel on every track is to go a bit lighter on the track compression and feed the tracks into an Instrument Bus running the SSL Bus Compressor and a Tape Emulator of your choice (I use the Waves Kramer Tape or J37).  The Bus compressor seems to give more weight to the combined tracks than the individual track compression, and, locks the parts together nicely.  The SSL Bus Compressor with the Tape gives the bass and drums a nice low end punch and the Rhythm guitar a bit more substance too.   Typically I would have a Drum, Bass, Rhythm Guitar and Lead guitar Bus, Piano/Organ, strings, etc..   all with the SSL Bus Compressor inserted.
 
PS, Listened to this tune about 6 times this afternoon, superb....
 
Regards    

Thanks for the advice re Waves SSL! I will try your suggestions...
 
Regards,
Dan
 
 

Postcards from the edge... You're too close to the middle? 

Very nice Dan. I really liked the guitar sound, very clean slide work! I would like to hear a little more piano too, but I'm sure you'll get it the way you like it.
The arrangement was killer. Liked the "kick up" (my term, I'm musically ignorant) at around 3:00, and the reggae type rhythm instrument at around 4:00 was too cool.
Nice atmosphere all the way around, really enjoyed it.

Nice work Dan.  I found myself thinking this is the longest intro..... ever...... then after about a minute, it finally dawned that this was instrumental.... there would be no vocals.
 
Loved the clean mix and the sparking guitars. Lots of reverb but it fits what you're doing with the guitars, makes them dreamy sounding.  Nice breaks and movement in the song. Pushing the 5:20 limits requires enough musical  ideas to keep the listener interested, without throwing so much stuff in that it sounds like a mashup of several songs.....you handled that extremely well..... I found myself NOT wanting to jump ahead, out of boredom, but instead, wanting to see what was next.
 
All around good job.

rscain
Very nice Dan. I really liked the guitar sound, very clean slide work! I would like to hear a little more piano too, but I'm sure you'll get it the way you like it.
The arrangement was killer. Liked the "kick up" (my term, I'm musically ignorant) at around 3:00, and the reggae type rhythm instrument at around 4:00 was too cool.
Nice atmosphere all the way around, really enjoyed it.

Thanks Bob! I've gone back and forth with the piano and while it is a little buried, mostly, this tune isn't about the piano. The two sections where the piano parts are important, the piano is well audible. Consider it a tease...lol.
 
Regards,
Dan
 

Guitarhacker
Nice work Dan.  I found myself thinking this is the longest intro..... ever...... then after about a minute, it finally dawned that this was instrumental.... there would be no vocals.
 
Loved the clean mix and the sparking guitars. Lots of reverb but it fits what you're doing with the guitars, makes them dreamy sounding.  Nice breaks and movement in the song. Pushing the 5:20 limits requires enough musical  ideas to keep the listener interested, without throwing so much stuff in that it sounds like a mashup of several songs.....you handled that extremely well..... I found myself NOT wanting to jump ahead, out of boredom, but instead, wanting to see what was next.
 
All around good job.

Yeah, I got a little worried when I saw the 5:00 mark in the Sonar BIG TIME widget, lol. I listened to what I had sketched out before seriously starting to record parts and couldn't find anything to cut, which was weird, for me. The last 20 seconds could maybe be shorter, but I kind of like the slow release. Glad you enjoyed this!
 
Regards,
Dan

Ahh, Mark is "the man." I would accept his advise, I swerve in to a good mix from time to time, but it's happenstance :-( He's one of the mix masters IMO.

Nice one Dan!  Very clean and clear.  Reminds me a bit of some old Bruce Hornsby, albeit without vocals.

I really like this Dan. Definitely potential for a TV/Movie theme or would sound great with vocals.
I agree with the comments about compression.

Waltenstein Studios
Nice one Dan!  Very clean and clear.  Reminds me a bit of some old Bruce Hornsby, albeit without vocals.

Thanks for the listen Walt!
 
Regards,
Dan