Cool, I feel like I am making progress!! Funny thing, maybe its my age, we weren't trying to write an 80s tune, just turned out that way. All of our songs probaby are the same. If I had a time machine, I might have a shot!! LOL.

I agree with the snare sound needs to be better. I will post another verison with some snare changes, drum panning, and revist the solo section.

Thanks so much for taking the time to listen and comment. I really appreciate!
you guys rock!!

Heheh. I'll definitely defer to your experience, Danny and Tracey you should totally take his word over mine. You both know I'm still schlepping around all this stuff and that was all meant more just to give you some things to play around with... not necessarily use on the final cut.

Anyway, Danny I think we may, perhaps, just maybe be having a differing of personal taste on most of that more than anything. Actually the fact that you understood where I was trying to go with all that gives me a little satisfaction knowing that at least it made SENSE to a dude like you as opposed to just being a bunch of incoherent gibberish. It means I might I might actually be learning something other than just randomly twisting dials. lol

But yeah... I do actually like more of that live feel which is probably where we're going astray. Not huge stadium type live but cozy little club live. I'm also on my Labtecs which are just teeny little computer speakers but as I think I've told you I do most of my pleasure listening and vid watching on so I'm really used to how they respond to things... but they are what they are. Crummy computer speakers. They do tell me though when things are awry. For example... if I listen to one of MY old mixes on them I can tell there is stuff very wrong even if it sounds great on my good monitors. When I listen to one of YOUR mixes on them everything is right where it should be. Yanno? I just find them to be a good gauge for stuff like that. That's why I mentioned the bass. It just wasn't really there and I figured the clone/low shelf trick might help. Maybe not.

All the other stuff I said was meant to be ULTRA subtle and I guess I should have put more emphasis on that. Just very light verb or delay to give a bit more of a live space sound... but yes, that is definitely a taste thing on my part. If I can make something sound more live I'll totally do it. That said I actually very much dislike excessive and especially trebly reverb sound like used to get layered on tons of stuff in the 80's. Just not my thing so subtle subtle subtle. Like not even really audible. Just a little breathing room.

As far as the "squishy squashies" that kind of made me laugh. I've had someone else on here ask me WTH I meant by that (might have even been you actually) but I mean that guitar mid range "fizz" that happens to a lot of distorted tracks.  I think I picked up the "squashy" thing from one of the Anderton vids where he's talking about amp sims... but I mean "fizz" I guess. I just think that effect sounds " squishy squashy" so that's what I call it. There really is extremely little on this if it's even there at all (and maybe I'm just hallucinating) but I can hear something in there that could use some taming. You're right though (of course you're right... you're Danny!)... a full notch would probably not do what I'm imagining it would but some kind of high mid attenuation or SOMETHING might be good. I am however kind of weird about my distorted guitars so again could be just a taste thing.

So not arguing or nothing just figured you were kind enough to take the time to explain (and I do appreciate it as always) so I thought I'd attempt to give some of my reasoning. It's probably totally whack but those are definitely things I would try. If they flopped well at least the effort was made. Cheers, man.

Tracey, this really is a killer track as is. Like I said I thought maybe you'd have some fun messing around with some of that stuff but do it for fun. If something sounds good, cool. If not... well it's always neat to try new stuff, eh? Cheers.

Agree that the snare could sound a little bigger but all in all this is a great sounding track! It has a fantastic vintage (80's metal) sound and the vocal sits perfectly in the mix. The guitars sound great, the bass has a little of that low-mid fullness which fills your ear a little too much, although maybe that's just the Grado cans I listened to it on. Overall very impressed!

Beepster


Heheh. I'll definitely defer to your experience, Danny and Tracey you should totally take his word over mine. You both know I'm still schlepping around all this stuff and that was all meant more just to give you some things to play around with... not necessarily use on the final cut.

Anyway, Danny I think we may, perhaps, just maybe be having a differing of personal taste on most of that more than anything. Actually the fact that you understood where I was trying to go with all that gives me a little satisfaction knowing that at least it made SENSE to a dude like you as opposed to just being a bunch of incoherent gibberish. It means I might I might actually be learning something other than just randomly twisting dials. lol

But yeah... I do actually like more of that live feel which is probably where we're going astray. Not huge stadium type live but cozy little club live. I'm also on my Labtecs which are just teeny little computer speakers but as I think I've told you I do most of my pleasure listening and vid watching on so I'm really used to how they respond to things... but they are what they are. Crummy computer speakers. They do tell me though when things are awry. For example... if I listen to one of MY old mixes on them I can tell there is stuff very wrong even if it sounds great on my good monitors. When I listen to one of YOUR mixes on them everything is right where it should be. Yanno? I just find them to be a good gauge for stuff like that. That's why I mentioned the bass. It just wasn't really there and I figured the clone/low shelf trick might help. Maybe not.

All the other stuff I said was meant to be ULTRA subtle and I guess I should have put more emphasis on that. Just very light verb or delay to give a bit more of a live space sound... but yes, that is definitely a taste thing on my part. If I can make something sound more live I'll totally do it. That said I actually very much dislike excessive and especially trebly reverb sound like used to get layered on tons of stuff in the 80's. Just not my thing so subtle subtle subtle. Like not even really audible. Just a little breathing room.

As far as the "squishy squashies" that kind of made me laugh. I've had someone else on here ask me WTH I meant by that (might have even been you actually) but I mean that guitar mid range "fizz" that happens to a lot of distorted tracks.  I think I picked up the "squashy" thing from one of the Anderton vids where he's talking about amp sims... but I mean "fizz" I guess. I just think that effect sounds " squishy squashy" so that's what I call it. There really is extremely little on this if it's even there at all (and maybe I'm just hallucinating) but I can hear something in there that could use some taming. You're right though (of course you're right... you're Danny!)... a full notch would probably not do what I'm imagining it would but some kind of high mid attenuation or SOMETHING might be good. I am however kind of weird about my distorted guitars so again could be just a taste thing.

So not arguing or nothing just figured you were kind enough to take the time to explain (and I do appreciate it as always) so I thought I'd attempt to give some of my reasoning. It's probably totally whack but those are definitely things I would try. If they flopped well at least the effort was made. Cheers, man.

Tracey, this really is a killer track as is. Like I said I thought maybe you'd have some fun messing around with some of that stuff but do it for fun. If something sounds good, cool. If not... well it's always neat to try new stuff, eh? Cheers.

Hahaha nah man, no reason to take my word over yours. Here's the thing Beeps...and this may help ya. Do what you feel, say what you feel, tell it like you've lived it, explain it step by step, but try NOT to produce someone else's music unless they ask, know what I mean? I try not to give subjective advice these days because, well, when something is good and there are no blatant errors going on, it's like looking at a piece of art. Most times we won't say "why did that dope use red instead of green!?"
 
I don't hear what you're hearing on the guitars. I absolutely love that rhythm tone and wouldn't change a thing. It's like, gainy yet it doesn't trip over itself and sound like a run-on-sentence when guys use too much gain. It's almost got a George Lynch type of sound, set in a smaller sound size, the more I listen to it. Guitar tones are weird. I actually have a difficult time telling someone about their tone unless it just leaps out at me as sounding obnoxiously horrible. It's a preference thing and people put loads of hours into the tones they use most times. I try to always tread softly whenever I can. :)
 
On the live room stuff, I think it was good Trace didn't go this route this time so we could hear what he was really getting. Yeah, you can always liven something up a bit if need be, but I think the core of his mix is there now...so he has room to grow with a little roominess if need be. I wouldn't do it though because I like the impact this has being a bit more dry...but that's just me. :)
 
I'm glad I didn't upset you. I didn't want you to think I was picking on you or bashing you because of your opinion. Then I thought to myself, we know each other good enough to where you know I'd never do anything to insult you or bash on you...so I felt safe. :) Yeah, you weren't talking gibberish other than that squishy squashy thing. LOL! I just love that rhythm tone....I don't hear what you hear on my end though in all 3 sets of monitors. I keep trying to listen for it but I'm failing over here. LOL!
 
sharkE: (gotta never forget that e, dude nearly ate poor Jeff Evans for that lol) I'm hearing that low mid fullness as well...just a little too much. Right at about 350-380 hz or so? Yeah, just a little too much on this end too. Not enough to bother me, but I hear what you hear and heard it before....it just didn't bother me enough to say anything. See how text can screw with us? I heard it, knew it was there, but really didn't think about it until I read your post...listened again and said "yep, that's what I hear also." Definitely not your cans...that's good ears man. :)
 
-Danny

I really liked your mix.  Lead could have more edge.  Vocals are awesome.  I liked seeing it sung.  

Rimshot

Danny Danzi


sharkE: (gotta never forget that e, dude nearly ate poor Jeff Evans for that lol) I'm hearing that low mid fullness as well...just a little too much. Right at about 350-380 hz or so? Yeah, just a little too much on this end too. Not enough to bother me, but I hear what you hear and heard it before....it just didn't bother me enough to say anything. See how text can screw with us? I heard it, knew it was there, but really didn't think about it until I read your post...listened again and said "yep, that's what I hear also." Definitely not your cans...that's good ears man. :)
 
-Danny

Ha...Don't even know why that E is there...well I do actually, a nutjob customer called me a "shark" one time and I found it amusing, so it leaped into my head when trying to come up with a random user name in another forum, and shark was taken, so I figured to hell with it and add the E. As for the 350-380Hz thing, I think my ears are just very sensitive to that frequency. It gives me a feeling of fullness in the ears which I find uncomfortable when overdone. Not in this mix, because it was ever so slightly present and certainly not enough to spoil my enjoyment of the song at all, but the frequency is one that seems to dominate my hearing range. It fills my ears when I hear musicians performing in the subway and if it's too prominent it can actually make my eyes water 

Hey,
 
Absolutely killer job on this monster 80's rocker!  Nice thick wall of guitars, excellent vocals and a tasty solo, all sitting in a punchy vintage sounding mix.
 
Great work by everyone involved, keep 'em coming! :)
Bob

Goofball question: when panning the drums / toms, that center tom, where does it go? I have tried 20% left or 20% right etc. I feel like it gets lost when it gets close to center. What do you guys do?

Tracy I think its a great idea you put this in the forum here,
i got your message in my cake walk inbox:
I also deleted it instantly. if you addressed me as, hey Charlie, I know your a metal head too can you tell me what you think?
I may have read it. 

I did have a listen to it here though, I must say its impressive, I am from the cloth of metal myself, you've got great pipes man.
you should try and save more resources when singing, if your going to sing seriously, don't wave your hands or a big no no is to raise them above your head/chest area.
a lot of singers are fooled in to thinking they can expand their lung capacity by doing this, its a farse,
ever see layne staley of Alice n chains ? he sang with almost a deapan stare and very little movement.
he had more wind than he knew what to do with.
its easy for us as singers to get excited to as we sing, and there is nothing wrong with that, it appeals to us and inspires us to actually sing better.
im just saying be aware of your surrounding.
 
again great job on the vocal, and the mix is pretty good too.
I enjoyed it.
don't mind me always, I can be a dik

Strong vocal and great band. Song sounds great.