MIX CHALLENGE - MC078 July 2021 - Winners announced

[MattRocket]

Hi!

mix: https://www.dropbox.com/s/5fzerk1b4s7mw ... t.wav?dl=0

First I focused on drums, bass and vocals. I wanted punchy drums, El Cabu up front, Ayoub just behind.
With the other intruments, I tried to create depth and texture.

Kick: +5db boost at 270Hz
Added sub frequencies (MBassador)
removed resonance and added attack (dbx160, Transpire)
Snare: +4db at 4kHz
removed resonance and added attack (dbx160, gate)
saturation, bosst at 220Hz and 7kHz (BritChannel)
room reverb (ValhallaRoom)
Overheads: Low cut at 128Hz
room reverb (Reverence)
I tried to reduce crash cymbals with automation
Drums bus: compression (TDR Molotok)
parallel compression saturation (1176 VLA-FET, SDRR2)
Bass guitar: "Bass DI" track for the low frequencies (LowShelf boost at 150Hz, compression)
"Bass" track for the dirt (boost at 700Hz, saturation), stereo chorus for a wider Bass (ValhallaSpaceModulator)
rythm guitar: Doubler and reverb to add space
saturation
solo guitar: a lot of compression (MJUC, 1176)
saturation (Quadrafuzz)
tone shaping (SlickEQ, Wires)
Keys: doubler and reverb to add space
Organ: saturation, chorus, eq, delay, reverb
Brass: Low cut at 435Hz
Room reverb (Reverence)
Ayoub: compression (MJUC, 1176) deesser
delay, short and long reverb
El Cabu: compression, deesser
Mix Bus: gentle EQ
glue compressor (BUSTERse, DC8C3)

[maxovrdrive]

Many thanks to Sun Followers and @Los_ady for providing us with this month's challenge.

Here's my mix:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iozHV4 ... sp=sharing

I'd just like to note that I updated Reaper 3 times during the course of this mix... wow. Another tidbit was that this is where I "tested" my latest purchase -- Kit Plugins 'BB N105.' I like the plugin as the eq easily bites and a little goes a long way. The only drawback was the heavy CPU usage so I decided to "freeze" the tracks once I had it to where I wanted it.

So all tracks except the Sax/Trumpets and the RHY GTR started with the N105. The RHY GTR used the Lindell 80 Channel. The KICK had a compressor and a clipper, while the SNARE had a deesser (to control the high hat bleed) and a compressor.

The BASS required some attention in the verses as the notes were getting buried. Saturation to the rescue.

Both GTRS had the Neural Plini after the N105.

The PNO had two room verbs after the N105. The organ had a leslie.

All vocals had a somewhat similar chain composed of: N105 > apUnmask > soothe (not all) > reacomp (not all).

All tracks were frozen as the N105 was taxing my aging CPU.

All tracks go to their respective AUX channels for further processing: eq, compression, parallel compression, saturation, deessing (vocals). Master bus had processing which includes saturation, compression, limiting (safety).

Of course, automation (volume, width, and other plugin parameters) created the movement throughout the track --- panning plus using width to narrow some elements in the verses while opening them up in the choruses.

[aalekso0]

Thanks, Sun Followers for this nice Song.

Mix:https://www.dropbox.com/s/lzshvaqw3u3ey ... 0.wav?dl=0

Mixed in Studio One.

Drums:
Kick Gate, eq, Stock Compressor, and Pteq-X
Snare Gate, eq, Stock Compressor, Saturation (IVGI2).
OH, eq, Stock Compressor, Nova Dynamic eq, de-esser and added A1Stereo control.

Riser:
only eq added.

Drums Bus:
Eq, vca compressor, Saturation, and Bitter Sweet added some attacks.

Bass:
Duplicated eq compressor and added little distortion on the copy.

Guitar:
Duplicated L+R SSL Channel and send to Guitar Bus.

Solo Guitar:
Nova Dynamic eq, Compressor, neve 1073eq and send to guitar Bus.

Guitar bus:
Saturation, Spring reverb, and delay.

Piano:
Neve 1073 and Reverb added.

Organ:
SSL Channel and panned to left.

Brass:
Panned left and right and send to Bus eq, compressor more eq saturation
added pitch proof subtle harmony for fuller sound and reverb.

Vox_AYOUB:
Panned Left and right eq, de-esser, compressor, SSL Channel, and saturation short and long reverb.

Vox ELCABU:
eq, de-esser, compressor, SSLChannel, and saturation short and long reverb.

Adlibs:
duplicated Panned left and right eq, de-esser, compressor, SSLChannel, saturation, short, long reverb, and delay.
And Last adlibs LC and HC for telephone FX, pan automation.

Master Bus:
Api-2500 Gentle compression, j37 tape saturation, and LoudMax.

Good Luck all!

[javiramallo]

Hi to everyone.
First and foremost: Thx "Mr Fox" for the great effort to keep MC alive.
Thanks Also to "Los_Ady" for let us enjoy and learn with this production which is funny and interesting.

MIX>>>> https://drive.google.com/file/d/1niGwHJ ... sp=sharing

Wav - ST, 44.1KHz, 24Bit
LUFSI -16.5 LUFS
T. Peak -1.2 dBTP

Fun mix. I really enjoyed working on it.
Now I describe how I tried to get the goal of a natural sounding mix. I hope have get achieved.

Vox: I tried clean de mid low spectrum part where the proximity effect live.
Also I gave some bright with an exciter.
A tad of reverb of valhalla vintageverb and a tad of delay of the Echoboy.
As a comp I used Vertigo VSC-2 in adition to some automation in different parts of the tracks.

Kick: I used a dynamic EQ to eliminate those horrible resonances at 2, 3 and 4.4 kHz.
after this: some compression, transient, and sub-generator.

Snare: I used both microphones. No phase change was needed.
The overall sound of the snare came from a mix between the snare mics and the OOHH mics where the snare was actually present.

OOHH, they were treated to create a good snare feel while also creating beautiful cimbals. I hope I got it.

Toms: were edited outside of the OOHH tracks as an independent source cutting them out of those tracks.

DRUM BUS: a millennia TCL2 gave an open feeling on it.
Some EQ too.

BASS: I used both mics. No phase change was needed.
Meanly I used the BX XL v2 to get a dinamic control. Also I used some of EQ and a limiter.
The only special was the use of the XL v2 where the bass is divided in 2 bands to be trated by independent. In this case, 200Hz was the cutting freq. This plugin also, provides a saturatior control in order to add some of it if you want , I wanted.

GUITARs: Came with reverb on it so I considered that the only thing I wanted to do was some EQ and compression, nothing special. I would like that they came without reverb.
In the solo guitar I used some Echoboy delay to recreate that delay in the demo track. I guessed that the author would like keep the delay feeling,

Keys and Brass was treat in the same way: some compression and EQ, I consider that nothing spacial really.

In the master bus I HP at 45Hz, I do this thing always.
Also some Final EQ and a TRUEPEAK limiter, I tried in this occasion the demo version of the TDR limiter 6 GE. Great!


I employed the major part of time in this mix in Not mixing.
I mean let rest my ears during lots periods of time. This, in order to obtain this fresh ears feeling that we get when listen our mixes after a while without listen it.

Hope you like.

Cheers From the Sunny Spain.
Javiramallo.

[dadomachado]

Hi All,

Thanks for this great song. Very fun to work on. Follows my mix below:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1nqZ-zN ... sp=sharing

I started creating subgroups for Drums, Bass, Keys, Guitars and Vox. I went with Slate's VCC on most tracks (US A).

Drums

Used a gate on the Kick, some EQ, compression and Waves Smack attack. MV2 to make it punchier. Sent both snare tracks to a Snare buss and applied some EQ and compression on it. Also used MV2 on it and sent it into a Plate Reverb. Just a little EQ on the Overheads. Sent most tracks into a buss for some paralel compression (Soundtoys Devil-Loc)


Bass

Apllied a LP on the DI track to get only low end and the opposite on the Amp track. EQ and compression on both tracks and some distortion (PSA1000 on the amp track) for some grit.


Guitars

Some EQ. I've used Leapwing StageOne to make it wider. Also sent it to some chorus (Fuse Audio). Added some delay to the Solo track.


Keys

Some EQ (mostly HP) on both tracks.


Lead Vox

Subtractive EQ to remove some ressonances, desser (sibilance) RVOX and CLA-2A, another light deesser and added a little high end using black rooster pultec EQ. Sent the vocals into a room reverb and some delays (Valhalla Delay)


Ended up with some automations to make some parts stand out (mostly on the adlibs)


I hope you like it and would really like to hear all feedbacks.

Cheers,
dadomachado

[studjo]

Hey Guys

I heard some great stuff already and I'm defenitely not in my pond for this track but here it is:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/11XJevl ... sp=sharing

I used a ton of outboard EFX:
PCM60 Plate on horns - love that thing
PCM70 as a basic room for the instruments (Git/Key/some drum)
H3000 for that EFX on the Rap vocals and b voc
SPX90 for the Snare Ambience
480 for general Drum Ambience

Since we had no Tom tracks and I had the feeling that the floor Tom is a bit low I duplicated every Tom hit on antoher Track and used that on to give me more impact

I hope this was for some interest to some of you - off to the holidays!

[timecodeaudio]

HI Guys,

Had a lot of fun mixing this!

I'm using Pro tools in a Mac mini. Inserted in pretty much all channel the Slate Digital Virtual Mix Rack. Grouped Drums and use some compression and analog simulation on it. Also used some reverse effects in the bridges. Used both bass tracks in a summing track with a CLA-2A glue. On guitars, used amp& cabinet simulation to color it. On Piano, added some virtual space and reverb to open it a littel bit. Grouped the brass ensemble and addded som parallel compression to put it in place. For vocals, i've literraly draw volumes and panning to have an extra pressure on with the backing MC's. All that to have the vocal placement in order to impress listener. Verbs and delays were added to alll entities reinforcing space windening. The final output got a master glue with FG-X Virtual Mastering Console.

Hope you enjoy it!

Thanks!

https://www.dropbox.com/s/e3a5yxhjqbyjn ... o.wav?dl=0

[CaptainBink]

Hello Everyone

My Mix: https://www.dropbox.com/s/tytvt94ea6puk ... k.wav?dl=0

This is my first mix challenge i have done, and had a lot of fun doing it.

The DAW i used is reaper, I didn't use to many plugins I mostly stuck to EQ, compression, and delay.

Drums:
I just added EQ to all the drums as well as some compression.

Guitar:
Just used EQ to cut out all the low end and added a bit of distortion.

Bass:
Used EQ to Give more Low and mid range and distortion.

Vox:
I used EQ, compression, and delay.

Thanks.

[Loopwook]

Thanks for the song

The mixing was done on headphones in 2 hours

I used mainly proQ3 Fabfilter for Eq on separate tracks

I tried to align the drum tracks to top snare

I grouped everything and put compressors on the busses

I have used some delays and reverbs on the vocals and snare

I used long release compressors on kick and bass

I dont know if this is the sound they were looking for but I think it all came together

Cheers
Loopwook

https://drive.google.com/file/d/11CbJOc ... sp=sharing

[s&f]

hi, thank u for letting us mix ur song.

Here's my submission for this month
WAV
https://www.dropbox.com/s/h9zp7msp3m9hz ... F.wav?dl=0
MP3
https://www.dropbox.com/s/406bvk7d4mxr7 ... v.mp3?dl=0

I tried to mix this song different times this month. I realized that it's very hard to reach a "rap sound" without limiting. so, first of all, I used limiting in the mixbus.

my approach was to try to enhance the original mix, so the final volume is very similar if u increase 7.2dbs.

drums - saturation, a lot of parallel compression (smasher) and bitcrush. automation on fills

bass normal compressions and saturation

guitar - I doubled it and gated and added another spring reverb to make the reverb more apparent. solo a little automation

keys compressions and saturation

sax and trumpet - I used gulfoss and compressions saturation

chorus a lot of Parallel compression

LV - lots of parallel compression

BV - lots of parallel compression. but I noticed that the "S" collided a lot with the vocals. so I side chained from the vocals the high frequencies.

mixbus a lot of parallel compression and limiting about 6 dbs.

thank u!