OK, the new ones up and it's the demo I'm going with.  Fortunately, we have an "In" with the producer.  Wish us luck.

(same link, new one up at 4:36 on 7/3/10)

Big production! No comments on the mix, except whenever I do a late night mix, I always do a new on in the morning when I have fresh ears on and that makes quite a difference.

Yes, overall I'm pretty happy with it.  I just CAN'T WAIT to get my new speakers and my room treatment done.  Tired of the constant back and forth to the car!!  LOL.

I'm listening on computer speakers so that's not a good way to critique the mix...... and mixing  something with headphones to submit to a producer is not a good idea either. Having an  "IN" with a producer is a sweet ticket to have.... but.... you still have to submit the best tune and mix of ALL the ones he/she will be reviewing for that coveted spot in the flick. You can best believe that the other submissions will be mixed on some nice reference monitors. The producer will not choose your mix just because they know you if it doesn't also "deliver the goods" musically. They will choose the best sounding mix every time even if the song is not exact over the exact song that doesn't have a good mix.

I'm not telling you this to discourage you.... in fact, just the opposite.... be encouraged. You have the talent to write & record, and a connection in the business.... but understand the high bar that exists, and understand that connections AND talent AND a broadcast quality mix are required to jump over it.

Mixing on headphones, burning a CD and running to the car to listen to the mix..... let me ask a question.... do you see anything wrong with that picture?  I'm not saying it can't be done that way and I wish you the best..... however......  I understand too that you want so badly to get this tune in the film, and you're doing all you can..... and truth be told...I'd be doing the same thing too if I was in your shoes.....

after you submit this tune.... get yourself a set of studio reference monitors and you will hear things in the mix that your headphones and cars stereo ( both of which are colored) don't let you hear. The tunes you send in have to be a "wow moment" for the producer, or they will pass on the song.

Best wishes on the tune in the film.

I think you have too much reverb on the strings.

I do my strings with different levels of Lex reverb and then add Perfect space to the entire mix.

One thing that helps a lot with strings is using multiple samples from different libraries if you can or different patches if not, with each one having a different reverb. Sometimes it even helps to throw a few solo strings into the mix. Make sure you pan them each a little differently as well.

I always love guitars with an orchestra, so kudos there.

Ron

Thanks Guitarhacker,

I'm no noob to the business, nor to mixing, so I'm not really sure what the point is.  I also pay for my equipment out of pocket, and don't charge up a storm spending money I don't have.  So it's taking a while to get the "ideal" situation and equipment that would make my job easier.  But I still haven't let that prevent me from releasing two studio and 1 live album, nor from getting my first royalty check from both last week.

Working on getting the reference monitors too.  I'm saving up for some awesome ones, rather than settling for something within my budget.  I'd just have to replace them with what I really need down the line anyway.  But sometimes you have to send the best you can muster at the time and within your budget at the time, and there's a deadline for the film submission.  So I do it and move on with my life.
Whether or not it gets accepted into the film is not the reason we did this.  I've always wanted to re-do this song and this film was a good excuse.  If it gets accepted by some long shot, GREAT!  But if not, I still have what I wanted.  I did this because we wanted to, and we're releasing it as a single irregardless of what happens.  I like it.   MOST importantly, we had fun doing it!

The fact is, I don't really care about "competition" or "high bars".  Just look at the Top 40; the stuff that's popular nowadays.  If that's what people want, then I can't (read:  won't) compete with that, and I'll just do what it is that I've always done:  make music for myself.

So far, it's worked pretty well.

Thanks to all that have taken the time to listen and your critiques.  Some of it was used for sure! 

That's pretty much what I was talking about too...

Most of the "top 40" you hear in films these days tends to be oldies..... 

very cool that you're actually making some moeny from the recorded stuff you did.... not to many are.  So depending on how big the checks are.... use that to get the monitors.

So depending on how big the checks are.... use that to get the monitors.

Guitarhacker


Oh yeah!!!!  (Not quitting my day job - YET - though!)