The problem I have with earbuds is that I'm forever adjusting them to get a good sound. Everything's sweet and then you swivel your head and lose the bass in one ear. 

But a huge percentage of music these days is listened to on crappy ear buds. The number of people who inflict those horrible iPhone buds upon their ears is startling. Nonetheless, you have to make sure that your mix sounds good on them. Same goes for low-grade computer speakers. I've heard a few top producers say they continually check their mix on a $30 pair of laptop speakers. It's a bit like the old days when they'd take a mix out into the car park to check it on cheap car speakers.

It's also worth making sure that your music is listenable on just one stereo channel, because if it's played in a store or somewhere where they have ceiling speakers, there's a good chance you're only to hear one side of the stereo field. The ceiling speakers in my gym, through which they play a classic rock station, only play one side. It sucks when they play something like "Wish You Were Here" and you hear the intro solo without the guitar strumming. 

If you're interested in checking your mix on multiple types of speakers that you just don't have access to then it's worth investing in a VRM box at some point. That has a lot of speaker simulations. I continually check my music on the Auratone setting to make sure the mids sound good. And you can also choose computer speakers, TV speaker, 90's Hi-Fi as well as a good range of quality studio monitors. 

I forgot to ask the most important question I had (totally spaced out today because of other mayhem)... despite their low level, what do you guys think of those drums? Do they sound natural? Could maybe the average listener mistake them for an actual drummer on a real kit? It was my first time messing around on that level and it's kind of important to me to be able to pull a convincing fake out. I just can't physically play or store acoustic drums anymore and this aspect was what concerned me the most about my journey into fully DAW based production. Cheers.

Well done, Beepster.  I like my TH2, as well.  Drum volume, not much else.  Have fun.

Good advice all around there, sharke. Thanks. I've got a couple stereos but they aren't set up but I definitely use my crappy Labtec powered computer speakers as a final gauge of what's going on... which is why I was a little disappointed with this one but comparing it to my last attempt it's a lot better. I'll get there. 

Thanks, Lynn. :-)

I like it.  

Cool, dude. ;-)

NICE!!! great job on the drums using a pad.  the way they sit in the mix reminds me a bit of mastodon during the blood mountain days.  i think you can fatten them up with some doubling and multitracking a bit.  
e.m. had a great interview with mike elizondo about recording the hunter here: http://www.emusician.com/features-interviews/0777/mastodon/144592 check it out - great read about putting together a great album.  
and the drums - if they sound like they fit then they sound real because they're organic to the song... drums are processed a LOT in recording today anyway.  


again, well done!

Awesome. Thanks, swamptooth.

Okay, guys. I think I'm gonna chill out for the night. Thanks for listening and all the input. You guys rock. :-D

beepster this is off the hook bro..im floored hommie...wow.
your guitring is awesome,great sound out of the th2 as well.
but the riff progressions and leads are right up my alley man,id love to share some work someday and have us work together on something possibly in the near future when its good for both of us.
loved it..absolutely loved it.

but your drums are non existint bro.
you have session drummer 3,you should be able to have an almost realistic sounding drum track,that to me sounded like a bad hair day hi-hat track with some drums in the distant backround.

but you know what,its going to take some time getting used to session drummer or any other drum software,its possible that could have been ez drummer,it kinda sounded as such.

but over all,i really liked this alot man.
great job,looking forward to hearing more,maybe someday with the beepster chops (vocals) ???

nice.