MIX CHALLENGE - MC102 February 2025 - Mix Round 1 in evaluation

[Dodgingrain]

Thank you @Edling for submitting the band's song. Nice track. Truly enjoyed working on it. @Mister Fox, thank you for keeping it together.

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

My mix objectives: density, clarity, depth, and power... yet maintain the flow

BASS: compression, eq
----- sansamp parallel (feed from clean track)
--- bass_amp: lowender
DRMS: eq, compression
--- kick:eq
----- parallel compression
--- snr: eq, compression
---- snr tom and bottom: transient controller
----- snr fx: non-lin; add plate for choruses
--- toms: eq, compression, transient control, room, plate
---- hi and low tom: eq, transient controller
----- parallel compression for toms
--- cymbals: eq, lo-fi
---- hats and overhead: jjp-cymb-perc
--- amb: jjp-cymb-perc
GTRS: compression
--- G1 (crunch and dist): eq, compression, spring rev
--- G2 (tremolo and wah) eq, compression
---- tremolo: tube DI, spring rev
--- G3 (acoustic and solo) eq
---- acoustic: eq, compression
---- solo: eq
KEYS: eq
--- lead: eq
--- mellotron: eq
--- strings: eq
LV: tape simulator with dolby A
----- plate
--- lead: compression, eq, deesser
--- bg verse : compression, eq
BG: compression, eq, tape simulator with Dolby A, widener

Really like your Bass tone, sounds awesome that way.

[maxovrdrive]

Thank you @Dodgingrain. I was already "done" but the track lacked something. It needed some weight. Lowender on the bass really filled up the bottom.

[Blaze74]

Hello everyone!

I came across this site thanks to a friend and I really liked the idea.
This song has been in my head for days, so I decided to play it with you. Thank you for the opportunity!

This song is so catchy, I love emotional and meaningful music. It immediately draws you in.

For me, it painted a picture of lying back in the field and listening with your eyes closed, so I only added the small details that complemented this feeling.
The most important thing was to make it fly, but also keep the Rock flavor, so I used echoes and delays, which gave a lot of space on some tracks.
Of course, balancing the tracks was a basic activity for even better compatibility.
I automated the lead vocal equation so that they differ in the verse and chorus due to the vocals.
I wanted the solo to sound a little smoother, so I used an overdrive plugin.
I used 3 types of reverb. Lexicon 224 for the vocals, and 2 other DAW reverbs for the instruments, and a simple delay.
Multiband compressor, ssl bus compressor, Limiter for the mastering.

That's how it worked.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/15OdUM2 ... drive_link

Thank You!

Blaze

[John Rowley]

My submission for the challenge:- https://drive.google.com/file/d/1o2FW02 ... sp=sharing
An interesting song to mix.
Basically volume balanced and panned out instruments for space.
Vox fx was cakewalk stock reverb and Tal reverb 4 plate.
Snare fx was Sunset Sound short reverb and The Farm Stone Room long reverb.
Used SSl channel strips for drums, bass, guitar and vox.
On vox plugin order was channel strip CLA76 comp, TR5 de-esser, Opto comp.
Ozone 11 EQ on pads and keys.
Used SSL G Buss on the master fader.
Mixed using Ollo X1 headphones with Scarlett 2I2 4th gen interface. PC Win 11 Cakewalk
Lead Vox centre with the 2 dubs panned 10% L R
Backing Vox 15% L R
Keys Pad and Dub 45% L R
Keys Strings and Dub 55% L R
Key Lead 35% L
Key Mellotron 35% R
Guitars Distortion 100% L R, Guitars Crunch 60% L R
Guitar Solo 25% L, Guitar Acoustic 25 R
Guitar Tremolo 80% L, Guitar Wha 80% R
Drums OH 10% L R, Drums Ambience 20% L R
Hopefully have captured the flavour of the song!
Thanks john Rowley

[DannyC]

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

Thank you for the music. I really like the song and its melancholy mood. As such, I want the mix to reflect the song that way: moody, dark, longing, etc...and whatever processes I used are geared towards achieving it. There is an EQ, compressor, saturation, in most of the tracks. The EQ mostly tries to keep the hi mid in check to maintain the feel of the song; brighter sounds tend to be too happy, not for this song for sure. The strings in the chorus is harder to control to me. It is too bright. The snare is kinda hard too since I want to keep it dark but still cuts thru the mix. I added some distortion to the voice in the chorus bc I wanted to have a little more growl in the part.

In general, my whole mix is trying to capture the mood of this:
"You break my pride, but I don't need your help to understand that I am too plain to live"
(I have been there more than once, and I appreciate the lyrics).

I am not sure I achieve what I set out to do with the song, but I appreciate the opportunity just the same. Good luck to everyone. Thanks for the listen.

[DSBotez]

Hello There,
Thanks Edling for sharing the stems of this song.. I reallly like it
Now It is crazy to think that it was recorded 16-20 Years ago, but the sound feels fresh and new, as if it could have been worked on in the last year.

My Version/Submission

My version of the song features some automation for chorus intensity, as I felt it was lacking.
The room mics for the drums are full of energy, but perhaps a bit much for the verse, so i also automated them to only appear in the chorus.
I really like the country-style guitar that picks on the end of the lyrical phrases of the verse.. I gave it a bigger presence with some reverb and raised its level.
I am not sure if the bass in my version is too loud, but it does play a important role in the song.. so I figured why not. As for its processing, I just used the DI Signal and amped it up differently.

The Vocals have a nice feel, but do depend on the backings in the chorus. so I took some time to try and make them blend... whether it was worth it or not. I hope they don't sound to nasal or harsh.. but bright and energetic..

I love the strings and the pad.. did not change much

Please let me know what you guys think

[Uberproduktion]

Hi, my first mix challenge on this forum!

Given the theme of the song I was going for a heavier sound than the original!


My mix uses four rather unusual submix buses:
- Snare (including OHs)
- all other Drums
- Instruments (including all reverb-auxs). Used strong VCR-style-distortion on this bus
- Vocals. Very clean contrasting the Instrument Bus

Big part of the atmosphere are the reverb channels:
- short experimental convolution reverb. Impulse was stepping on snow
- long slightly-modulated plate rev

Mixed on consumer-grade stereo speakers with mono-subwoofer with no room treatment, lol.


link to the wav file
https://drive.google.com/file/d/116hF4Y ... sp=sharing
Let me know, if there are any technical issues

Always love feedback!
Greetings from Germany
Chris

[DSBotez]

Oh.. while I was trying to use it as a reference track, I noticed that the youtube version of the song is set at -10.9 LUFS... basically 5 dB louder than the permissable -16 LUFS.

[ludojazz]

Hi everyone,
this is my first contribution here. I'm French, I'm not sure about all my translate so... sorry. (i know that google is my friend but it's always better to do by himself lol)
The link here => https://drive.google.com/file/d/1oVbBCn ... drive_link

I hope understood all informations about rules for this contest.
That's a beautiful song, nice voice and all tracks are good !
It was a pleasure to mix this song. Really !
In details :
Gain stagging, Balance, Eq and Compress if necessary, effects (Room, Plate, Hall, Vocal Plate, Delay ST, Width Reverb)
I used Group for Snare, OH, Drums in totality, Bass, Guitars, Keys, Orchestra, BV and Lead. I used Para Comp for Drums, Para Comp Mono for lead, a Rear Bus without Drums and Bass and A SUM Group for all before my Master.
In this section (SUM), I apply a Magneto, compress, color and a masterdesk to finish.
-16.2dB LUFS and -2TP

I remained logical about the feelings I had with the song, I listened to the original once a first version was done and then I tried to improve a few points that I found interesting.

[mj247]

Hi and thanks for the challenge
objective to make it a rock track
I used mc d ultimate channel strip on all tracks EQ and compression
parallel compression using a fairchild on each section
vocal verb LX 480
drum verb abbey road chamber
guitars seventh heaven basic
keys r verb
automation on vocals and guitars and eq on snare to make it cut in chorus
exported fro studio one project page at -16

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dIgp1g ... sp=sharing