A question for my CH buddies:
 
Is the guitar too loud?
 
Please consider that I have left the voice to inhabit the full dynamic range... so sometimes the guitar is louder than the voice as per the intent of the artist.
 
How about in general?
 
I think I am yearning for a bit more definition in the guitar, but of course it is the way it is, and so I am afraid that I made it a bit too loud as compensation.
 
The singer-guitarist is 17 years old so for the most part I am amazed at the level of talent and the delivery of the material.
 
Please offer some critique about the "whole" rather than any specifics that can't be fixed now that the tracks have been recorded. I tried both singing and playing and playing then singing overdubs. This singing and playing take was the obvious keeper so any editing is curtailed by the fact that the 3 tracks have lots of bleed.
 
Detailed comments about stuff I might be able to tweak with some level adjusts or processing techniques are appreciated as well.
 
Thanks in advance.
 
Thanks everyone for the great help and suggestions. I pulled the link and made a review mix today.
 
best regards,
mike
 

The balance is not bad...just a very minor tad down on the guitar would probably help the vocal
stand out a little more and help with the build up on the louder parts...
I don't think there is a problem with the definition of the guitar.  It sounds
good and balanced and clear.  Overall very nice...

BTW...she has a GREAT voice...

That's my 2 cents...

Thanks for listening and offering an opinion Larry.
 
It's very helpful.
 
best regards,
mike

Speaking as a guitar player..... there is no such thing as the guitar being too loud.
 
Speaking as a mix engineer (which I'm officially not) ........ it's possible.
 
On the specific example, I think it is good for the most part. If there are parts where one overtakes the other, ( in the artistic POV of the artist in question) .............a simple volume envelope inserted into one track or both would be the fix I would use to remedy the disparity.

Always a tricky one as I get to record a solo guitar singer/songwriter occasionally I am aware.
 
For me the balance sounds reasonable throughout, as suggested perhaps a little envelope tailoring might help.  It sounds very dry to me.

Thank you Gents,
 
I'll get in there and work the envelopes. I am transitioning from rough mixing a few different takes to focusing on this one take.
 
Very dry? That's a very helpful comment... I always think I have put too much reverb on it and I usually do. I have some reverb on it now and I'll try some more.
 
Thanks for the straight forward help!
 
best regards,
mike

How about sidechaining?

 
I don't side chain often, and if you mean to set up a duck for the guitar when the vocal is present... I think of that as an industrial short cut for occasions when time is more important than sensitivity to the art. There is some material where it is part of the art but in my opinion, this isn't one of them.
 
I just need to get in the mood and go in and do some work. I find it difficult to review and rough mix 6 takes and then immediately go to a serious mix. The process of asking questions here and getting some time away is helpful and now I have a sense of focus.
 
Thanks.
 
best regards,
mike

I was just ducking with you McQ.
 

Hi,
 
I'll listen to this when I get home from work ...
 
In general:
 
I think that one being louder than the other is a moment to moment thing ... and should not be a rule ... but we're stuck in this rock'n'roll definition that when the voice comes up the guitar goes down and when the guitar comes up the voice goes down.
 
You don't need to do that ... and you can hear it in Amon Duul 2 and even one of my favorites ... Cheap Thrills!
 
There is room for both to shine, if dones ... right ... with the proper accents ... but the guitar has to be there to accent the moment, not to take it away from the voice and vice versa ... and I think that is the part that we fail to work on and understand!