MIX CHALLENGE - MC076 May 2021 - Winners announced

[Alex Van mixland]

Hello,
Here is my mix to R3:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XZFIds ... sp=sharing

What i changed:
- In chorus vocal i had more chorus effect with more highs which i reduced.
- I turned off delay on lead vocal. I changed on some words what i had from 1/2 delay to 1/4 and with less feedback.
- Prechorus has more claps
- The telefone voice has more gain now.


Thank you,
Cheers!

[diegoneryproducoes]

Hi @Christoph_K
I opened and distorted male backing vocals! My V3:

https://mega.nz/file/yt5gAYxB#b9rToQA8t ... cMcuQ5nCpc

[Mister Fox]

It's the 12th June 2021, 0:50 (UTC+2) - the 3rd Mix Round has officially ended.

As far as I can see, everyone has sent in an edit.
We have no submissions after the deadline.



Please check your upload links again, and have an eye on this thread for the final feedback and results.



I'm now opening up the room (again) for Q&A's and giving each other feedback (which is highly encouraged)

Please check out all other games on the community.


See you on the flipside.

[Mister Fox]

Let me quickly respond to a possible huge goring problem here. And I try to keep things as simple as possible:

Sorry about the disappearance. I can never get my mixes into the exact 24bits required and I still don't understand why. I use Reaper for mixing and I always render in 24bit. I read the report and it was said that I was already eliminated, so I didn't enter the site anymore. I see now that I received a Joker, whatever that is, I don't know how I would use it. Sorry for the ignorance, I don't speak and I don't read your language well.

@Christoph_K grateful for the feedback and the wildcard! I would never give up on this contest! Please forgive me. Unfortunately I thought I was disqualified with the 23bit mix and for that reason I didn't enter the site for all this time. I was very happy to know that it was in its TOP 15 in front of so many professionals. I love working with music and your music is wonderful. I made changes as asked and I hope you like it.

Let me explain the "disqualification":

Your entry didn't have any documentation. You sadly only posted a link to your mix, and then moved on. As per the well known Rules and Guidelines, you are asked to at least provide minimal explanation as to what you did with your edit. At bar minimum, explaining one sound you're proud of creating, not just posting screenshots. You have been a member of the forum since October 2020, participated in 4 games, you should know the rule set.

Sadly, that (documentation) didn't happen - and that is the only reason why you have been "put out of the game" (see Statistics Sheet, Additional Info column). Your entry was fine otherwise.



Regarding "23bit render":

This is a common technical result if you don't fill up the whole dynamic range of a WAV file. If you render in 24bit, and your maximum signal strength is lower than -4dBFS max (or -4dBTP max), then changes are bits start to "drop off". This could mean a render issue, but in most cases it is just "dynamic range not filled up completely there is enough headroom". Don't worry about it, things are fine. It starts to become problematic if it drops down below 22bit (signal way too low, or something else happening).



The "Wild Card"

Since this still seems to be confusing for some (I will get to a dedicated post eventually, I just need enough spare-time) -- basically, getting offered a "wild card" or "joker" is only an option to advance into the next round. You can not request a "wild card" yourself, only the Song Provider can decide if you are allowed to go into the next mixing round or not.

By getting this option, you can decide yourself if you want to progress or not. Should you decide to do so - important: within the given time frame of the next mixing round (you have been sent a newsletter about this) - you will get a new role on the forum displaying that you have used up one of your two available "wild card". You stepped away however, and didn't submit anything until Mix Round 3 started. In fact, you've not only submitted an edit labeled as "Round 2", but also another one called "Round 3".

This game mechanic is explained in minute detail here:
viewtopic.php?p=10333#p10333

However - I am sorry to tell you, but basically gave away your unique chance (forfeit it). Submitting your mixes now won't get you back into the game (sadly). Please learn from this experience, and try again with the next Mix(ing) Challenge (for example: MC077/June 2021).




I hope this clears up the confusion.
I am opening up the room (again) for Q&A's and giving each other feedback (which is highly encouraged)

[diegoneryproducoes]

Você diz que participei de 4 concursos.
Fui desclassificado em todos. Razão: Mixagem com 23bits.
Imaginei que seria novamente desclassificado e foi o que aconteceu.. Novamente os 23bits.. Não descrevi o que fiz porque estava sem tempo e precisava postar imediatamente o link com a mixagem. Depois que anunciaram os desclassificados fui cuidar da minha vida.
Eu só soube que tinha recebido um "wild card" porque queria entrar no próximo concurso MC077. Você deve ter os dados! Você deve saber que não vi a notificação! Quando vi já estava fora do prazo para enviar uma nova mixagem.
Estou aqui para aprender e para melhorar minha técnica. Por isso fiz a MIX V2. O provedor gostou da MIX V2, então fiz uma MIX V3 como forma de me desafiar e entregar dentro do prazo. Como eu disse antes, amo trabalhar com música e jamais teria desistido de observar o andamento do concurso, porém, fui desclassificado desde o início das rodadas! Sendo assim, não havia razão nehuma para voltar aqui. Qualquer coisa além disso é suposição. Pode ter certeza de que aprendo com os meus erros. Boa sorte a todos! Abraços!

[Mister Fox]

The following has been translated through Google, as I am not capable of reading/writing Portuguese.

Even though our community is international, please write English so that everyone can step in and help if needed. Thank you.

You say I participated in 4 contests. I was disqualified at all. Reason: Mixing with 23bits.

I thought it would be disqualified again and that's what happened.. Again the 23bits..

I just went the extra mile and checked all games in question:

MC070 - entry submitted after the deadline (22nd October, 0:29 UTC+1/CET), no forum username associated (file could not be linked to user on forum)
MC071 - entry submitted after the deadline (22nd November 0:19 UTC+1/CET), no documentation
MC072 - documentation posted later, bass re-tuned, no disqualification (song provider did not choose your mix for Mix Round 2)
MC076 - no documentation

23bit did register on 3 out of 4 games, because the maximum signal strength (dBTP / decibel true peak) dropped below -6 dBTP, therefore the analysis tool registered 23bit and not 24bit, even though the file is 24bit. The Statistics Sheet(s) do not take this as a point for disqualification.

You were mainly disqualified because you submitted your entry outside of the allowed time frame, and/or lack of documentation. This page has a world clock at the top of the forum, and there is a Global Countdown that is linked to the server where the game time frames are set to be fair for everybody (Central Europe / Germany). So if that timer reaches 0:00:00 - you're out of the game.

The rules are well explained (several times even), so is the Statistics Sheet (I do invest a lot of time for this after all). Please don't interpret things as you seem fit.

I didn't describe what I did because I was out of time and I needed to post the link with the mix immediately. After they announced the disqualified ones, I went about my business.

The Rules and Guidelines clearly state: document your edit. I can't let the comment "I was out of time" stand as it is. You prepare everything before you post.

I only learned that I had received a "wild card" because I wanted to enter the next MC077 contest. You must have the data! You should know I didn't see the notification! When I saw it, it was already out of date to send a new mix.

Sorry, but I won't let that argument count.

The forum's mention feature ( @<name> ) should have pinged you at least 3 times (twice by @Christoph_K, once by me, @Mister Fox), and I did send out a newsletter to every Mix Round 2 participants on 29-MAY-2021 at about 20:00 UTC+2/CEST. In fact, I do that since Q4/2020. Unless you've turned off the newsletter feature in the User Control Panel (Tab: Board Preferences > Edit Global Settings > Newsletter), you were informed!

Else, subscribe to each thread individually - as this is not an automated process. Do this at the bottom right with every thread you want, it's listed in the dropdown menu linked to the monkey wrench symbol.

I am here to learn and to improve my technique. That's why I made the MIX V2. The provider liked the MIX V2, so I made a MIX V3 as a way to challenge me and deliver on time. As I said before, I love working with music and would never have given up watching the contest progress, however, I was disqualified from the beginning of the rounds! So there was no reason to come back here. Anything beyond that is guesswork. Rest assured that I learn from my mistakes. Good luck to everyone! Hugs!

It is great to see that you didn't give up and posted your edit regardless. But again, this (sadly) does not offer you to get back into the game.




I hope I answered all remaining questions.

Please do take this as learning experience. And if you want to, try again for MC077/June 2021. The deadline for this particular Mix(ing) Challenge is 21-JUN-2021 at 23:59 UTC+2/CEST. The community remains open for everyone. It is up to you if you want to stay and participate in the future.

[Mister Fox]

The "Overview of Submissions" PDFs have been updated.
You can check them through the upper post (post #79).

There were two additional submissions after the deadline on 23-MAY-2021 and on 03-JUN-2021 (during Mix Round 2, post has since been withdrawn). These mixes have been added to the Statistics Sheet. Apologies to these two participants (@dirtymike and @KarlxVinten), but there sadly won't be any additional feedback other than numeric readouts (sampling rate, bitrate, LUFS ILk, dBTP max).

Please take note of the Rules and Guidelines for the Mix(ing) Challenge, and also the Global Countdown.

[Christoph_K]

Ok, this was tough - as always I guess. This is it:

@Alex Van mixland
Pulling down the chorus did help the lead vocals in the chorus a lot! The claps in the second verse could still be louder and brighter. The telephone is good now. All in all this is the most well balanced mix in this competition. I compared this one a lot the the mixes from @dnlptn and @Marv, they play in the same game but this one won the fight between these three.

@Blang
The Drums have just the right punch, the vocals are in your face, the BGVs have the right stage. At the and the „aah“ is missing - but I didn’t realize that also for the other two rounds, my bad. Besides that, what can I say? This one is just cool!

@dnlptn
The lead vocals are much better now, eq and de-essing wise. Only in the last chorus the de-esser is still too audible IMO. The reverb is much better and consistant. The reverse crash still hurts a little bit. You really improved this mix from round to round in a very good way!

@Dodgingrain
Your mix is the most spacious one. Plus the kick really kicks it much better now! Not sure if it wouldn’t have been better if it did that just right from the start. But the lowend really improved a lot with this version. Also the rest of the balances is really nice. The lead vocals sound - well - kinda sexy In the ending the „aah“ is missing - but I didn’t realize that for the other two rounds as well (see my comment to blang). Generally I like the mix, but it still misses some punch.

@Frequency Painter
Fat. That’s a smasher! The boxyness is gone, well done! The kick still doesn’t push enough compared to other mixes, it’s maybe just a db or 1,5. The „Sky“ in the first and second chorus and the „Here we go again“ in the third are a too low. Also the „Uuh Uuh“ at the end of the second chorus could stand out more. Compared to the other mixes the balances between vocals and synths make the mix maybe a tiny bit dense. The ending is really cool!

@Marv
The congas have finally find home, so did the BGVs, great! The muddyness around 200 and the boxyness around 750hz are also gone. The distortion thing in the lead vocals is gone, they still are a little bit too rough around 2.8k though. The keyboards are good now.

So, finally, we have a result:

First place: @Blang
Second place: @Frequency Painter
Third place: @Alex Van mixland

The race was tough between @Blang and @Frequency Painter. Both could be ready to master. The reason why I go with @Blangs mix is that it has the most punch which drives the track really well. Also I thought it has the best main guitar sound. Plus the pre chorus is bad ass. @Frequency Painters mix sounds more spacious which I also liked a lot. It has more depth. But the balances of the BGVs tipped the scale here. @Alex Van mixland has nailed the balances best, it's the cleanest mix. But the other two had a bit more excitement and better transitions between the parts, which brings about more movement. @dnlptns and @Marvs mixes share place 3,5 and @Dodgingrains mix lands on no. 4 .

Phew, that was fun and a lot of work. Don't know if I would do it again - but probably yes

Thanks to everybody for the efforts and the time you have put into this! And thanks @Mister Fox for doing all this insane work here on MIX CHALLENGE!

- Chris

[Mister Fox]

First and foremost, congratulations to the winners!


The Winners Podium is
1) @Blang
2) @Frequency Painter
3) @Alex Van mixland


We perform with the usual - please select one license out of the pool (in order of the winners podium) and mention it in this thread, then (important) get in touch with me via PM with your full name, email address and your plugin selection. If one company has been selected, it's not available for the rest of the podium anymore.

I'll update the "winners podium" thread shortly.

Thanks again for your participation. You can leave the thread alive if you want to exchange tips/tricks, edits, etc.



Please don't forget the Songwriting Competition - which needs as much love as the Mix(ing) Challenge.

See you on the flipside.

[Frequency Painter]

Hi Chris and everyone,

What a great surprise, thank you so much!

Now the competition is over, I just wanted to post another version of the mix. From the beginning I felt the kick didn't fit the arrangement well. I replaced the BD and to be honest, to my ears at least, it opens up the mix a lot. The BD I chose is not ideal, I just did a quick replacement with the first kick I found working better.

Cheers,
FP

https://www.dropbox.com/s/vfqrfrlpolkqg ... 1.wav?dl=0