MIX CHALLENGE - MC080 September 2021 - Mix Round 2 in evaluation (staff taking over)

[shoma]

I've just read in one of your pdf-files, that my mix has been diaqualified because the file could not be accessed. Could you please try again and be a little patient? I don't know why, but it takes sometime until the file loads, but at least it works from my computer, even if I'm NOT logged in to my google account. I did not change the url to the file. It's still the same. Please see attached screenshot.

Here is the thing... I actually did check your file first, and I did check it several times after my post from 0:10 UTC+2/CEST on 22-SEP-2021. I started downloading shortly after forum maintenance and was done with downloading the first batch at about 0:45min. Then I checked those files that I couldn't download before if they're accessible (basically offering a grace period). Since that that didn't work still, I moved on to the next batch.

I checked again on around 4:30 after I was done with every file and writing notes. Then suddenly, not only your was your post updated with documentation (0:44), but your file was also magically available with a time stamp of 0:46.

Yes, it's correct that I first uploaded just the audio file to have it here in time and I also noted, that I will add my description of how I did the mix in a short time, which I did. That's also how I did it the last years and this has never been a problem. It's correct, that the file did not have the correct user rights, which is why I edited them after posting my explanations on how I did the mix. So after spellchecking my text and reading through some of earlier postings regarding download the files I also checked the download again, but this time I logged out of my google account and it appears to be blocked. That's when I quickly edited the user rights again so everyone has access to the file. Timestamp acc. to Google Drive Wednesday 00:47

(see screenshot in Link)
In the screenshot you can also see the timestamps of when the file was uploaded and when I changed the user rights and that there has been no other file uploaded in this time. I'm not aware that anyone can change the timestamps of uploads or downloads, at least from what I can see it's not possible to edit out any of the timestamps of file or user activiy.

Sorry for bad english. No native speaker and sometimes it's quite hard to find the right words.


https://drive.google.com/file/d/16uIPC6 ... sp=sharing

Edit 1: wrong link...again

Edit 2: typo correction

[DIVESPANNER]

Thank you Mr. Fox that makes everything clear I understand what I've done now.

[Mister Fox]

@DIVESPANNER -- glad this could be sorted out.




@shoma -- regarding the upload

Don't see it just from my perspective as a host. Assume you've posted (for example) 2 days prior to the deadline, you think the link is okay. Our client accesses files as they come on, then never comes back later (because: no re-upload, right?). Your file is not downloadable, to not influence others, there is no further comment on the forum, the client moves on. Maybe the Song Provider tries again towards the end of the game, still not downloadable. Then that's it!

The game ends, then it's my turn as host, if I didn't already download material in parallel as well (which I've done in the past months, but not for MC080 since I was busy). Bottom line is still - your file was sadly not accessible, and I have tried to download several times. Your documentation also surfaced after the deadline.

The new link you are posting now, which I wonder what this is for, is also not accessible. On Firefox (not logged into Google) it asks me for a login, and on Chrome (logged into Google) it asks me to "request access".

I understand the frustration. But I also have to be fair to everyone involved. To both regulars and newcomers alike that check their files, get their documentation in order and do not post last minute.

[mattaroni_and_cheese]

@Shoma hate to say it but your link is still asking for permission to access. When I go into Google Drive, I can right-click on my file, and then click "Share". This comes up with a screen with two sections; the top one says "Share with People and Groupd" is for adding people and permissions, but the bottom one says "Get Link" and "anyone on the Internet with this link can view". I think this is the easy way to sharing ! You can try it out in a different browser as well just to double check it. Good luck !

[Square]

!!--my logic had a meltdown during my last bounce and the project is now unplayable. RIP my entry. I also don't know how to delete posts on here.--!!
Howdy y'all!
Gave myself a few extra days (this second time participating) working on this wonderful song & I feel like I learned a lot from this wonderful song.

Link to my mixdown: https://drive.google.com/file/d/17LV7xV ... sp=sharing

Thoughts & process

At first I found the song difficult to connect with, but on a second listen I think I caught the depth of the song-writing and the exciting possibilities of building an atmosphere when jumping in to the mix. The first exciting thing was the audio-quality -
Then, that cello-lead! <3
I made some notes on wanting to build a sense of openeness, while emphasising the emotion of being lonely.

Techniques on individual parts and summing: (everything is in the box on my macbook)

CELLO
Track: midcuts, Vintage tube (boosting >100hz aswell as <1khz) ->
SEND: Spring-reverb, ProQ (lowcut all mono signal, decapitator (beefy-preset with tweaks,) Overdrive ->
BUS: sharp cut 342hz (-15db,) slight multiband compression around 220hz -> Goes to master-output

Guitars:
MELODY
Track: Compressor (Logic VCA) FabQ subtractive EQ'ing, Puigtec EQP1A(4khz attenuated,) Izotope Trash2 (tape) -> guitarStack -> BUS

PLUCK & comp-DUB (split stereo pair)
Track:ProQ (subtractive, cut most lows,) Rbass 100hz+Rbass 235hz, Compressor (Logic Studio VCA,) Puigtec EQP1A, valhalla room -> guitarStack -> BUS
guitarStack: Pro-MB 5k control, Saturn warm tube saturation, Izotope Trash2 saturation(tape), ProQ mids-shaping, Ozone Imager +22,6w

COMP
Using the same Track chain as the stereo guitars, not going into the guitarstack but straight into the guitar bus.
BUS: api560 EQ, api2500 compressor


VOCALS: (soooooo much editing before processing anything - also did too much, accomplishing barely anything here LOL)
Track: HP200, CLA-7A, Pro-Q, ProMB (highs deess, mids,) API550(shaping), Rbass(bringing in new lows,) Izotope Trash2 (tape,) Pro-R ('Vocal Reflections Warm' preset at 7% mix,) Cerize (Parallel Compressor, spread, eq, texture)
SENDS :
chorus-Room - EQ, Chorus, valhallaroom
bandpass-blend - HARD CLA-76, shaped bandpass (900hz-2.5khz peaks)
Medium Room - EQ, Rverb, Microshift, direction Mixer(stereo spread)
Doubler/delay - MannyM delay (Vocal Wetness preset tweaked,) CLA-7A, Ozone Imager
Ambient Delay - Echoboy (Sidechained with vocal track), Valhalla vintage (70's concert hall,) HP

VIOLINS: Panning these was honestly the most fun thing when assembling the mix at first. Changed up the panning automation through-out the track at least three times before I settled on something I felt ok with.
EQ (hard cuts, subtractive only,)
I chose to cut out the strings on the second and third chorus, lowering them in the mix and adding: TDR Nova (Vocal sidechain,) ProMB (3-11khz compression)

PIANO: split the melody-part in to one track, the second chorus in to two tracks, and the third chorus in to three.
melody part: EQ, CLA-3A, Tremolo (SoundToys EffectRack,)
second chorus: Track1. EQ, Rverb, Devil-Loc(crunch), Pro-Q, TDR-Nova (vocal sidechain) Track2. Tremolo, Microshift(width)
third chorus: has a split of the second chorus tracks with tweaks on the devil loc on each channel, as well as the microshift-track.

PIZZ CELLO: Split in to stereo pair using two different delays with a >30ms difference > bounced in to >
Stereo track: Sausage fattener(YUP ) PanMan('hard random' preset with a LOW width-variance for just a slight movement)

SUMMING:
Cello legato + FX-send >> ALL BASS: MB Vocal sidechain (very minor at 230hz) >>master-output
All instruments (except cello legato) + FX-sends >> ALL MELO: API-2500 compressor + MB Vocal Sidechain(very minor at ~2khz) >>master-output
Vocal + FX-sends. >> ALL VOX: Little Alterboy (pitch harmonics,) I also did some last second EQ'ing & DE-ESSING here. >>master-output

Master-output: CLA-3A
I Hope you like it!

Unfortunately, i the highlighted section would need to mean that i cant consider the mix, to remove such a drastic amount of material especially on a project with such few tracks is not the job of a mixing engineer and would be a red flag for me on paid projects. I dont say this with any ill feelings either, just to me, in this situation, i would be a bit taken back having received a track that i would like mixed, being stripped so bare that, for me personally, I wouldnt be willing to go forward with revisions with that engineer and would look elswhere. I dont point this out to pick on you, or shame or whatever, but i do believe this is an important point to hold back the desire to alter something musically to be more suitible for your ears and musical views, and not the clients intentions, as this would quite often be met with resistance or a bit of loss of trust of the process and in my case specifically, it would be a loss of a customer.

[Square]

One thing i would like to open up for discussion, and although this is related to the challenge, its not in direct response to any particular tracks, but just a trend in what i hear in the mixes and a more philosophical view on mixing.

Lonliness as a human emotion is mainly a lack of companionship and the feeling of being hollow and a feeling of having less.

But conveying this emotion doesnt need to be accomplished the same from a mixing chain perspective, as in, having less is not always more in this situation.

What i mean is that, to convey the message of lonliness from an aural perspective, you would need to consider how this would 'sound' in life or media.

From my perpective a good reverb is an important tool here and i believe a well modeled longer form of reverb would suit the emotion. When you think of people together, reverb tails are shoter with more reflections, early reflections and phase cancellation. Thinking of a solitary person, you could imagine less movement around them, with their voice having nothing but the walls to reflect off of, so, less but longer reflections, and the cancellations would come later and less frequently. So in this regard, keeping something very dry may sound more 'involved' than something with a longer tail which could sound more 'solitary'

that being said, too much could sound a bit too out of the pocket for such a small and intimate production and can lead to it sounding too far away.

So from my listening perspective, finding the right balance in this, is one of the key factors in what i consider in this and this is where art, science and personal bias will come in.

And of course there are many other factors, such as dynamic range, which is particularly important here as that variance in volume is essential in conveying a 'softer' or more emotional sound.

I just found this interesting to see how everyone approached it and thought it was worth mentioning ^^

Enjoying listening to all the tracks

[delicate]

Is it allowed to review other participants' mixes here?

I wanted to leave comments on, say, two mixes posted right before me and two mixes posted right after me to encourage some discussion and maybe get peer-to-peer feedback going on. I think it might benefit our community.

[Square]

as a participant, i found it helpful to review others both for them and myself, just know that there will be emotions involved with it, and as for those being reviewed,as the song provider, i will try and skip these posts until ive listenned for myself so that i dont have that bias going in

[delicate]

as a participant, i found it helpful to review others both for them and myself, just know that there will be emotions involved with it, and as for those being reviewed,as the song provider, i will try and skip these posts until ive listenned for myself so that i dont have that bias going in

Yes, my concern was mostly about posting my own reviews before the song provider. Emotions... yes, but we are here to learn, both from reviewing and being reviewed; and also compete. I believe everyone can find a way to provide meaningful feedback in a polite manner.

Anyways, the benefits of ongoing discussions outweigh the downsides I think.

[Arthur Labus]

Feedback AFTER submission deadline is allowed and encouraged. As always.

"I now open the field for everyone to give each other feedback (highly encouraged)." - Mr Fox Post #101

Go for it. Maybe there will be more