MIX CHALLENGE - MC074 March 2021 - Winners announced

[Square]

Hello all!

Lots to work with here, very interesting track.

Ive moved the overall tone slightly up to emphasise all of the mids and mid highs, this gave me a bit more room to work with with all the moving parts.

I tried to have one 'Main' instrument or feeling at a time to keep it moving.

I worked a lot with the stereo image of the track, adding depth and wideness.

I made the vocals a bit more staccato and clear, while still keeping them effected.

Added a flanger effect to the guitars for when the drums kick in to add a bit of extra wormhole!

Overall i tried to keep the Sci-Fi Vibe going and the progression of entering a wormhole, the track starts out warm and increases in brightness and intensity, i tried to capture that in my mix.

My most used plugs for this were, envelope shaper for when i split the frequencies of the drums and shaped the different frequency zones.
Reverb on most things. (reverence)
Various delays, mostly H-delay.

I found the saturation on the very first bass to be a bit hard to control, the noise was difficult to control while still keeping the bass strong, but i think i found a happy medium for it.

some of the later rhythmic parts too were a bit noisy and needed treatment so they could all sit well together.

I very much liked how there are so many small and moving parts that add up to the sonic field that is the song. Very nice.

Overall though, great sounds to work with, very unique song, very enjoyable.

All the Best,

Square

https://drive.google.com/file/d/15cfHb_ ... sp=sharing

[SuC76]

Hello,



Here's my mix:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1V0ET2i ... sp=sharing




KICK, SNARE - , stock eq, slightly added parallel compression

BASS - Waves cla76, Waves la3a, stock eq

SYNTHS, ORGANS AND STATEMENT AMPS - subbed into one group, little bit of single eq and group eq, room rev. and some delays and trem

FX - subbed into one group, some automation

LEAD, BACKING VOX, HARMONY - subbed into one group, added some parallel track to lead, and some short and long delays

TAL-Flanger added on the end of whole track




DAW: Ableton Live 10



Mixbus:
VTM Brit-N, UAD-Pultec, VTM

[Loopwook]

Thanks for providing the song and the challange

I think the song need to be a bit aggresive and big to make up for the soft beginning and the drop. The first minute the sound was a phase shifting but that's only an issue if played in mono and the sound scape was shurely meant for headphones so I didn't correct much. I really have no clue what I do other than tweek the different plugins until it sounds a bit better to me. I will anyways try to describe the process.

I liked the dry Kick (034) and I used Audified u73b Compressor with (long release) and the other kick (34) was sent to the Percussion bus.
In the perc bus I used Eq, compressor and clipper (AIR audio tools StandardCLIP).

Vocal bus used Oeksound spiff and Softube Weiss for De-essing. FabFilterq3 for highpass filter 140 Hz and cut 340, 1500, 2600, 4100 Hz and Softubes FETcompressor.

Keys (59) was sent to 1. bus with GRM Comp filtering and UBK Novatron compressor and then Boz digital Paniculator to mono. 2. bus with DrMS for room and the Paiculator to mono. 3. McDSP 6034 multiband compressor "dirty lead".

Git (track 57-58) I used RP Delay and Cytomic The Scream, The Glue and United Plugins Royal compressor. Git (track 55-56) I used D16 Devastator and Line6 Echo Farm into Sonnox Oxford TransMod.

Sub Bass (47) was sent to busses with 1. McDSP Revolver 2. Audified u73b Compressor 3. FabFilter Saturn tube + Kazrog True Iron
Bass 2 (45) I kept 40-500 Hz and a notch filterand Soundtheory Gullfors plugin to removed some resonance and finaly did some leveling with Sound Radix Powair.

Clap (42) was auto panned with Soniccharge Permut8, reverb (JMC Hyperspace) and SIR audio tools standardCLIP. On the later part I used McDSP EC300 delay and Futxbox to back off the sound.

Hats (41) was squeezed with Box digitals Imperial delay + RP Amod "git ana phaser" + FabfilterQ3 for high pass 400 Hz, and dip 2350 Hz and 8700 Hz and Sonnox Oxford Evolution to cut some sustain.

Snare (35) sent to three bus A, B and then both sent to bus C. On A I had Soundtoys EchoBoy "high and bitey" and Eventide Tverb "exterior dynamic liviner an spreader". On B FabFilterQ3 for notch filtering and Lowpass filter. Then tamed with McDSP SPC2000 parallell compression and shaved off with Newfangeled Saturate.

On the Snare bus C I used Rx7 De-reverb, PA SPL transient shaper (add attack and lowered sustain) to FabFilter timeless "amplitude modulation" and finaly hit with a Eli Arousor compressor and sent it all to the Percussion bus that in turn send some to a Softube Tsar reverb.

I saved some low end for the mastering to compress later on and I didn't use anything but dithering on the stereo bus. This is really a challange and a learing experience. I think adhering to the rules helps a lot to improve the mixing skills.

Cheers

Loopwook


https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mdZ2Eq ... sp=sharing

[DimitrisPalantzas]

I might have treated it more like a drum 'n' bass track. I'm not sure if that's accurate.

wav: https://drive.google.com/file/d/14J3zj_ ... sp=sharing
mp3: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1a5nfBN ... sp=sharing

Pulse Arp: Boost 4.7 dB at 900Hz. Panned moderately to the right.
Dark MultiSaw: Boost 2.5 dB at 1.2KHz.
Drop Arp: Boost 2.3 dB at 1.4KHz.
Sub Bass: Boost 2.2 dB at 200Hz.
Bass: Panned moderately to the left.
Clap: Some huge TAL-Reverb-4.
80s Hip Hop - Hat Loop 01_80bpm: Panned halfway to the left.
Synth - Attack 2 : Panned moderately to the left.
Percussion: Boost 6.4 dB at 2.5KHz and 1 dB at 9.7KHz.
Hats: Hard panned Left.
Kick: Boost 1dB at 120Hz.
Chord Riser Low: Panned halfway to the left.

Here are the FX chain screenshots of the rest of the tracks:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/ ... sp=sharing

Any feedback is highly appreciated.

Thank you.

[Naturecord]

This track was in a very unfamiliar style for me, so very interesting to work on

I enjoyed working on getting all the elements to fit together. My main challenge was the snare. In the reference mix it was quite pronounced and also with quite alot of effects. I tried to blend in a flanger track underneath to mimic the same feel, but less in front to still try to make it pop more. In the end I see that I could spend even more time on it to make it right, as I feel it is important to the mix. I was second guessing myself until I had to submit a mix on this element.

On the mixbus I have glue compression (two in series just touching: ssl buscomp and shadow hill), slate saturation and some minor EQ scooping out some mid freq, removing low (under 100) from the sides to consentrate the low end.

On Vox I put a uad neve 1073, a uad faircild 670 comp, a maag4 and EQP-1A EQ and Echoboy with some automation. Then played around with some verbs and plates (Lousterous, valhalla shimmer and uad 480)

On keys, synths and strings I did not do too much.I grouped most of them to an aux, put some EQ to remove some low end, tried out gullfoss just a touch to create some separation. Some fresh air on top, and a Studer 800 saturation for colour and drive. It is sent to Valhalla vintage verb to try to get a feel of being in the same room. Some tracks have some minor EQ to make them pop a little more, and scooping out some 300hz to try to not get to muddy. On the tracks that were most panned from center but still “in front” of the song, I choose to send them to a verb on the opposite side, to avoid a feeling of leaning too much to one side.

Bass tracks have a Fabfilter EQ to clean up, a Massive Passive EQ to color and a 1176. I doubled the tracs and sent a signal removing the low end (under 400) and crushing it with a devilock to get some drive on the top.

Drum AUX has a compressor (Shadow hill), a EQP-1A, Decapitator and a limiter on it to tame the snare from peaking. It has a drum plate and a drum verb (lex 224). It also has a parallel compression track (Slate Distressor) and a parallel destruction (Devilock)

Kick has a transient designer, MH Thump and a SSL E stripe. Some Fabfilter EQ to shape it.

Snare has a SSL channel strip, a decapitator and some fresh air. It is also sent to an effect track with a moogerfooger phaser (it has been going in and out of the mix, left it in. I had quite a nice natural snare sound, but it seemed from the reference mix that there was a wish for a more processed sound so decided to leave it in)

All Aux except vox is sent to a parallel compression track that is automated and fed into the mixbus slightly. It has The Monster and Distrressor from Slate on it.

Here is my attemt:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/vwxbwcqmfrfht ... d.wav?dl=0

Track should be:
-18.4 lufs int
-2.9db Peak

[Cubic]

Here it is guys. Thanks

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Lk58zi ... sp=sharing

[satchboogie]

Sorry. Next time i will be in time. Thank you for the opportunity and I hope that you give a quick listening. I couldn't finish though i wonder if i achieved any values within it. (Especially in the lowmid-low range)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fk11EH ... sp=sharing

satch

[Mister Fox]

It is the 22nd March 2021, 00:35 UTC+1/CET - the first Mix Round has officially ended

Another very warm welcome to all new participants (from which there are plenty) and as usual, a huge thank you to everyone that is spreading the word about the Mix Challenge. Please help get the Songwriting Competition as popular (less than 3 days left).


STATISTICS:

• If I didn't miscount, we have 39 submissions this month (39 prior to the deadline, 40 including entries after the deadline)
• We have 1 submission after the deadline (as of 22-MAR-2021 0:35 UTC+1/CET)
• We have 1 submission that could not be downloaded by the time of this post and is therefore disqualified
• We have 0 submission that has been withdrawn (but counts as entry within the deadline)
• Overview of Submissions - is your entry within given parameters? (PDF - updated: 23-MAR-2021, full sheet)
• Overview of Submissions (disqualifications only) (PDF - updated: 23-MAR-2021)

INFORMATION:
Statistic sheets have been updated
Statistic sheets are not available yet, please wait for the official announcement post



INFORMATION:

Until the end of 2020, I provided a data sheet each month showing all entries and what values they have in terms of loudness (LUFS ILk), maximum signal strength (dBTP), if they are in the correct bitrate and sampling rate, if they were downloadable, etc. You can read about the whole process here.

As of 2021, I'm continuing this endeavor as additional learning tool for the Mix Challenge. This data sheet is not an automated process. I will post separately once I have the data sheet prepared and uploaded (which will be linked to from this post you're reading right now).



I now open the field for everyone to give each other feedback (highly encouraged). This will be independent to the client feedback however.


Please watch this spot for the client feedback and Mix Round 2 participant announcement.

Good luck to all participants.





The Songwriting Competition 43 (SWC43) is still in full swing.
The deadline is 24th March 2021, 23:59 UTC+1/CET. The genre is "Ambient" - interaction is highly encouraged.

Please spread the word!

[Dodgingrain]

Hey all,
I'll do my best to get through these as quick as I can and I hope to leave everyone some good feedback. I appreciate everyone working on the mix, I look forward to seeing what you all came up with!
Thanks,
DR

[DimitrisPalantzas]

Hello All,

Drums: Did quite a bit of eq here to remove some of the ringing. Also did some parallel compression for impact.

Bass: Side chained to the kick for clearity and some multi and compression for consistency.

Synths: A lot of fun sounds to work with here. Did a lot of eq and some automation to help with the transitions.

Guitars: Tried to give them their own space with some eq and a bit of phasing effects for movement.

Vocals: Added lots of delay/reverb to keep it in the spacy realm.

Thanks!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/11LDVdx ... p=drivesdk

Great job! ..so full sounding. I wanted to say that I listened to all of the mixes and this one is my personal favouriite.