CURRENT CHALLENGE - GENERAL INFORMATION
Time Frame: Saturday, 01st April 2023 to Friday, 21st April 2023 (21 days)
Challenge submission will end on 21-APR-2023, 23:59 UTC+2/CEST (Germany) - until further notice.
Want to find out if you're still within the deadline, please either consult the
Global Countdown (dedicated page), or the countdown on the
landing site. There will also be short reminders on Social Media and on
Discord.
Song Provider: SilverStoned (represented by
@JeroenZuiderwijk)
Song Name and Length: EyeOfTheNeedle, 4:07 min
Song Information: ??? BPM / Signature: 4/4
File Format: WAV, 44kHz, 24bit
GENRE: Hard Rock
Preview of the Song (Demo Mix):
INFORMATION: This version might sound different from the provided multi-tracks.
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SOURCE FILES:
Main Mix Package - full package (389,18 MB, LZMA compressed, zip)
IMPORTANT NOTE: download window might show a smaller file size, file unavailable after 21-APR-2023
The provided files were packed as ZIP with LZMA compression (specs from 2015).
File size extracted: 1703,47 MB, packed 389,18 MB (ZIP, LZMA)
In order to extract the files, we can recommend these programs / apps:
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A word from the song provider:
JeroenZuiderwijk wrote:SilverStoned plays rock with infuences from the '90's and '70's. The songs are written by Ronald Lolkema (guitar) and Jeroen Zuiderwijk (guitar / vocals + this month song provider).
When we started this band it wasn’t my intention to became the lead singer (I’m not a great rock singer) but it was hard to find a good singer and after a while I liked the idea of singing my own songs. I’m still learning though.
"EyeOfTheNeedle" is a song from the album “OneManForARevolution” with rock/punk/grunge style of songs. "Eye Of The Needle" is a song about many things in life but mostly about friendship and lost friendship. Most songs on the album took us just a couple of weeks to write the basic structure. But this song proved to be difficult and took a very long time.
We almost ditched the song entirely but I’m glad we didn’t. It has had many different versions before Ronald came up with this version. When I heard it, I knew it was going to be one of my favorite songs of the album.
It is a classic rock song. So although the guitars need some 'dirt' there is in my opinion no room for ‘metalzone’ heavyness. The recorded tracks are not great, I realize that ,but the unpolished sound is also part of the character of the song. And I think that is part of the challenge this month.
I had to work hard to make it sound like it does in the original mix but I think it still misses impact and dynamics. And I think it can sound so much better with the right mix. That is why I am curious to hear how other people would mix this song.
So don't be afraid of some grittiness and the guitars don’t have to be perfectly timed. On the other hand if you manage to make it sound great with a polished clean mix... you should feel free to do so. Don’t feel restricted in any way.
If you are looking for reference music I suggest listening to bands like:
Greta van Fleet, Foo Fighters, Nirvana, The Black Crowes, etc.
A few words by the Mix Challenge staff:
The "Words by the Mix Challenge staff" have been "hidden" for MC091 / April 2023 for easier thread readability. As of MC092 / June 2023, and depending on the overall feedback of the game's layout overhauls, this text block might only be part of the bundled TXTs in the future.
► Show Spoiler
Mister Fox wrote:This production shares a lot of elements form 1990s Grunge music.
The genre was mostly defined by it's signature snare sound (depending on the depicted feeling, a certain distinct room sound on the snare, and a lot of intentional parallel processing), a certain balance of the vocals compared to the music arrangement, and also had a late punk rock feel depending on the used guitar distortion (Crunch tone, to straight up fuzz pedals. Often cases, the mix feels "dry"; but this doesn't mean that reverb isn't used. Take a closer listen at productions from this era, and you might notice, how much is actually going on in the background.
It is imperative to look at the guitar setup (add-on TXT). Else, working yourself through the project might get a bit confusing. I highly recommend to decide on "either / or" regarding guitar DI versus a "printed sound" - on top of the material that is not available in DI form otherwise.
You might notice timing issues here and there, most notably with the the guitars (quote prominent at the 0:39min mark, and also with the outro section). This is also due to the nature that this production is "drifting" in speed, probably due to a lack of a used click track. Those are the only parts where I'd nudge one of the guitars, and/or find a solution to make it "fit in" with the rest of the arrangement. The rest I'd leave untouched. Not being "perfectly quantized / cut to beat" is part of the charm of this production.
This is your chance to step away from pre-defined rules regarding "how to mix Hard Rock", to push your skills, to learn something new. Depending on how you balance these instruments, you can drastically change the mood and feel of the production. It is your task, to find a sound that compliments this song nicely, while still adding your own personal sonic finger-print.
References:
Please have a look at Youtube with the search term "90s Grunge". You can find two large playlists might offer you some inspiration for your own mix.
Else, maybe have a listen to "Alice in Chains" (more rough sound), Soundgarden (more mellow), "The Toadies" (with "Possum Kingdom"), "The Fly's" (with "Got you where I want you"), "Silverchair" (with "Tomorrow") and "Temple of the Dog".
Please enjoy this challenge!
More technical details are in the Mix Pack bundled TXTs. In there you can find the lyrics of the song (incl. a translation to English), more information about the individual files, possible changes to the time signature, and maybe even additional tips and tricks relevant to this production. Additionally a TL;DR Rule Set and, depending on the song provider's approval, an available "Off-site redistribution agreement" for a possible portfolio presentation.
Please consult the official
Rules and Guidelines for a more detailed set of rules, including how to document your edits, maximum loudness values and delivery formats (see
Rule Book - Post #6).
Failing to adhere to the rules will result in disqualification. There will be no additional reminders given.
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LICENSE SPONSORS (Bonus Prizes):
A huge thank you goes to our very generous License Sponsors for this month's game. Those being (in alphabetical order):
Acon Digital,
Hornet Plugins,
IK Multimedia,
Kilohearts,
Metric Halo,
NOS Audio,
NUGEN Audio and
Tone2
A detailed list of offerings can be found in the following information block.
► Show Spoiler
Available Bonus Prizes for Mix Challenge participants:
Note: All licenses are NFR (Not-For-Resale), except where noted.
Changes to available prizes on short notice may be possible and will be announced separately.
Acon Digital is kind enough to give away a single plugin of winner's choice (exception: Verberate Immersive)
License will turn into NFR
More info on Acon Digital:
https://acondigital.com/
Hornet Plugins is kind enough to give away one license from the depicted tools (see image) to the winner
License will turn into NFR
More info on Hornet Plugins:
https://www.hornetplugins.com/
IK Multimedia is kind enough to give away one license of T-RackS Tape Machine Collection to the winner
License will turn into NFR
More info on IK Multimedia:
https://www.ikmultimedia.com
Kilohearts is kind enough to give away a "Sound Design Playground" Bundle, consisting of licenses for Snap Heap and Multipass
License will turn into NFR
More info on Kilohearts:
https://www.kilohearts.com
Metric Halo is kind enough to give away a single plugin of winner's choice
License will turn into NFR
More info about Metric Halo:
https://mhsecure.com/metric_halo/
NOS Audio is kind enough to give away one license of NOS Roomer to the winner
License will turn into NFR
More info on NOS Audio:
https://www.nosaudio.com/
NUGEN Audio is kind enough to give away one license from the depicted tools (see image) to the winner
License will turn into NFR
More info on NUGEN Audio:
https://nugenaudio.com/
Tone2 is kind enough to donate a license of
Ultraspace to the winner
License will turn into NFR
More info on Tone2:
https://tone2.com
THANKS FOR THE LICENSE DONATIONS!
And also a thank you to all former contributors as well.
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Good luck to all participants.
And most importantly, have fun!
BEFORE WE GET STARTED:
MIX(ING) CHALLENGE THREAD INDEX
. Like the song!! Thanx 
