Sound Clips: Mixing in the studio. Want some opinions...

[fiveightandten]

UPDATE New mixes, 2/2/14:

The initial post is below. We remixed a bunch of songs today. The only one i've posted before is Song #2. Here's the new mix:

Song 2 - V2 mix
https://soundcloud.com/fiveightandten/hardwindblows-21-eq-l8-16

I had him turn up the guitars, based on people's comments. He's going to listen to the mix on some more speakers outside of the control room before touching the drums or anything, as that's a lot more work and more sensitive. Thanks again for the input everyone.

And a new one I hadn't posted before. Lot's of guitar in this one:
Song 3 - V1 mix
https://soundcloud.com/fiveightandten/redlights-11r-eq-l8-16


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(Original post follows)
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We started mixing for a full length we're putting together. I'd like some unbiased opinions on the mix, tones, whatever.

We're a rock band, so no metal going on here. FWIW, i'm in all the right channel guitars, all the centered guitars, and some stuff that goes to the left. Most of the left is my other guitar player.

Anyways...

Song 1 - V1 mix: (pretty much complete)
Slow and melodic, with some angular rock in the bridge
https://soundcloud.com/fiveightandten/sleepwalkercons-11-eq-l8-16

Song 2 - V1 mix: (rough mix, and it's missing vocals in the choruses and end)
Darker and more aggressive
https://soundcloud.com/fiveightandten/hardwindblows-16-eq-l7-16


And here are the setups used, in case anyone is curious...

Song #1
0:00 - 0:37 and similar repeats
Right - '92 Rickenbacker 360 >> Boss TR-2 >> '95 Vox AC-30TBX
Left - '08 Gibson Les Paul Custom >> '85 Marshall JCM800 >> Avatar 2x12 (Greenbacks)
Left/Right B bender guitars - '99 Fender US Telecaster (with Hipshot B bender) >> Orange AD30TC 2x12 combo

0:38 - 0:51 and similar repeats
Right - '95 Les Paul Studio >> '95 Vox AC-30TBX
Left - '08 Gibson Les Paul Custom >> '85 Marshall JCM800 >> Avatar 2x12 (Greenbacks)

1:33 - 2:01
centered lead - '95 Les Paul studio >> Fulltone fulldrive >> '95 Vox AC-30TBX
Right - '95 Les Paul Studio >>Orange AD30TC 2x12 combo
Left - '08 Gibson Les Paul Custom >> '85 Marshall JCM800 >> Avatar 2x12 (Greenbacks)

2:02 - 2:19
Right rhythm - '00 Gibson SG '61 RI >> Orange AD30TC 2x12 combo
Right Lead - '95 Gibson Les Paul Studio >> Seymour Duncan pickup booster >> '95 Vox AC-30TBX
Left - '08 Gibson Les Paul Custom >> '85 Marshall JCM800 >> Avatar 2x12 (Greenbacks)

2:20- 2:42
Right - '92 Gibson Les Paul Standard >> 1971 Orange GRO100 >> Avatar 2x12 (V30's)
Left - '95 Gibson Les Paul Studio >> '95 Vox AC-30TBX
Left and right Octaves - '92 Gibson Les Paul Standard >> 1971 Orange GRO100 >> Avatar 2x12 (V30's)

(No new setups after that)


Song #2
0:00 - 0:57 (and similar sections)
Right: '95 Gibson Les Paul Studio >> '95 Vox AC-30TBX
Left: '08 Gibson Les Paul Custom >> '85 Marshall JCM800 2204 >> Avatar 2x12 (Greenbacks)

0:58 - 1:05 (and similar sections)
Right : '99 Fender US Telecaster >> '95 Vox AC-30TBX
Left: '08 Gibson Les Paul Custom >> '85 Marshall JCM800 2204 >> Avatar 2x12 (Greenbacks)
Centered Trem guitar: '95 Gibson Les Paul Studio >> '95 Vox AC-30TBX

1:06 - 1:13 (and similar sections)
Right : '99 Fender US Telecaster >> '95 Vox AC-30TBX
Left: Late 80's Fender US Telecaster >> Fender Super Reverb

2:58 - 3:18
Right: '95 Gibson Les Paul Studio >> '95 Vox AC-30TBX
Left: '08 Gibson Les Paul Custom >> '85 Marshall JCM800 2204 >> Avatar 2x12 (Greenbacks)
Centered rotary guitar: '00 Gibson SG 61 RI >> Line6 PODxt rotary drum affect >> '95 Vox AC-30TBX

3:19 - end
Right: '92 Gibson Les Paul Standard >> '95 Vox AC-30TBX
Left: '08 Gibson Les Paul Custom >> Orange AD30TC 2x12 combo
Centered high guitar: '00 Gibson SG '61 RI >> Line 6 PODxt rotary drum effect >> '95 Vox AC-30TBX

 

[8len8]

You might get more replies in the Recording forum...

 

[ES330]

listened to both
1) the intro rhythm guitar sounds so faint and distant
definitely change however you're recording it.
and turn it up for it's lost in the mix.
song mixed way too drum heavy

2) drum heavy as well, but not as much as 1)

 

[fiveightandten]

You might get more replies in the Recording forum...

I want the opinions of musicians, as opposed to recording engineers. Thanks for the suggestion though.

listened to both
1) the intro rhythm guitar sounds so faint and distant
definitely change however you're recording it.
and turn it up for it's lost in the mix.
song mixed way too drum heavy

2) drum heavy as well, but not as much as 1)

Thanks for the input.

1) The intro rhythm guitar is purposely automated down in the beginning. As a guitarist, I clearly want the guitars to always be loud, though it's interesting to hear you say it's too drum heavy. Do you think *everything* (meaning bass, guitars & vox) needs to come up in relation to the drums? Or just guitars?

2) I thought these were at a good level. I'm curious to see if others echo your sentiments, or if we have guitarist's syndrome

Thanks again for the input. We'll be in there this weekend putting 9 songs into the ground, so this is really good to have some outside opinions at this stage.

 

[tucsonsound]

Listened to 1), ease up on the drum compression and gating, it's over the top for the down tempo beginning. Did the drummer mix it? The snare is sitting about where the lead vocal should be and isn't hiding it's processed sound very well.
2) pushes the drums back enough to where the over-processing isn't quite as grating. Maybe try bleeding each track into the same verb send so the whole thing is less dry and more cohesive. If I walk into that mix, I'm hitting bypass on the drum processing, pulling their faders back an inch, and bringing a mix verb in to add some differing depth to all the instruments. HTH

 

[8len8]

I want the opinions of musicians, as opposed to recording engineers. Thanks for the suggestion though.

The Recording forum here is mainly Guitarists who record.

 

[fiveightandten]

Listened to 1), ease up on the drum compression and gating, it's over the top for the down tempo beginning. Did the drummer mix it? The snare is sitting about where the lead vocal should be and isn't hiding it's processed sound very well.
2) pushes the drums back enough to where the over-processing isn't quite as grating. Maybe try bleeding each track into the same verb send so the whole thing is less dry and more cohesive. If I walk into that mix, I'm hitting bypass on the drum processing, pulling their faders back an inch, and bringing a mix verb in to add some differing depth to all the instruments. HTH

Thanks for the input.

1) No, all the mixing is being done by the engineer at the studio, with a few of us around working with him. The drummer actually wasn't even there for it. As i'm not a drummer, i'm more interested in the respective levels than picking apart the drums if the drummer and engineer are happy with them. Other than the snare, do you think the drums are sitting in ok?

2) This one is still rough, and doesn't have the vocals to much of it. But it sounds like you're also thinking it's too drum heavy.

Thanks again for the input. I appreciate the detailed comments.

The Recording forum here is mainly Guitarists who record.

Thanks for the heads up. I haven't spent much time in there. Not sure I should cross post at this point though.

 

[Jordan63]

Some cool tones on track 2. Drums seem super compressed, kick louder than snare. Singer could have double tracked vocals a little tighter, I am sure a plugin could align them better. Drums seemed too forward, maybe some reverb could put them a bit farther back in the mix. Liked your gtr playing.

 

[Jordan63]

Drums seem wayyyy too loud on track one and the verses are all kick and snare, which sound like samples, can't hear really any cymbal work. Guitars should come up in volume. Song 2 sounds better mix wise than 1. Lots of words from the vocalist in song 1, seems like they are jammed in there. I like the guitar tones.

 

[Weerez935]

Liking both tunes. Especially the second, the intro to 1, and 1 after about 1:40. I think some of the lead guitar fills could be brought up a bit, but I do like how the intro on one sounds.

However I do agree with the drums. There is so much compression on the kick and snare it just sounds off especially in the first song. Turn the compression down on the drums, on the first song I would add a nice verb (toms, snare, kick), on the second song I would boost the vocals or turn the drums down. Overall it's cool stuff.


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[fiveightandten]

Some cool tones on track 2. Drums seem super compressed, kick louder than snare. Singer could have double tracked vocals a little tighter, I am sure a plugin could align them better. Drums seemed too forward, maybe some reverb could put them a bit farther back in the mix. Liked your gtr playing.

Thanks for the input. The vocals haven't been touched on that, so some of that stuff can be addressed. Good input there.

It seems there's consistency with respect to opinions on the drums, and guitar levels. Thanks for the kind words about the guitars. We did this piecemeal, and recorded the drums, bass, acoustic guitar in the studio. We did guitars ourselves at our practice space with an older Protools setup that the engineer VERY kindly lent us. This saved us a bunch of cash, but having never recorded on my own before this, it was a learning process (for both myself and the other guitar player).

Drums seem wayyyy too loud on track one and the verses are all kick and snare, which sound like samples, can't hear really any cymbal work. Guitars should come up in volume. Song 2 sounds better mix wise than 1. Lots of words from the vocalist in song 1, seems like they are jammed in there. I like the guitar tones.

This seems to echo the above comments. Thanks for taking the time to listen to it and providing some feedback.

I appreciate the input. If you guys hear anything notably sour in there, i'm all ears for it being pointed out. There are definitely some bends I didn't quite hit, and a note here and there where my guitar could've been intonated better. Sometimes it's tough to know if you're over-worrying, or if other people pick up on it.

 

[fiveightandten]

Update. Bump it up!