MIX CHALLENGE - MC103 April 2025 - Submissions until 21-APR-2025 23:59 UTC+2/CEST

[Swiv_In_Da_Mix]

Hey Swiv_In_Da_Mix I just checked out your mix and noticed it sitting around -11.3 LUFS while the maximum loudness permitted is, -16 LUFS. Maybe normalise your mix and reupload it.

Re-Uploading is not allowed. The entry is final.

The Rules and Guidelines have been crystal clear about that.

Please do not assume my role as host and keeper of the rules.
Thank you.

Re-Thank you DSBotez & Mr. Fox for bringing this to my attention, my intention was not to break any rules especially on my first post, I accept my disqualification.

Respectfully,
Swiv_In_Da_Mix

[Mister Fox]

With just having the wrong Loudness Specs, you could have still advanced, if the Song Provider would select your for Mix Round 2. Since you now removed your entry... I unfortunately have no other choice but to label your entry "tagged OUT". I am sorry about that @Swiv_In_Da_Mix.


On that behalf:

I am now giving an official first and final warning to @DSBotez for influencing another participant which ultimately resulted in a full disqualification. This should not have happened.

If anybody else does similar, I will introduce harsh penalties.

Thank your for your understanding.

[MartialFromentin]

Hello everybody!

Here is my mix: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BNIHSB ... sp=sharing

The goal was to keep as much groove as possible (I really love the verses with clean guitars, very groovy) and to get some kind of "airy bridge".

Kick: Pultec EQ, saturation, VCA comp.
Snare 1: analog EQ
Snare 2: analog EQ
Claps: analog EQ
Toms: dynamic EQ, VCA comp.
--> Drumshells: a little bit of soft clipping
Cymbals: Maag EQ
Room: EQ, 1176 parallele comp.
Congas: transient shaper
--> Drums bus: dual mono dbx160 (parallel comp.), saturation

Bass: dynamic analog EQ, Distressor
--> Bass bus: Basslane, SC (kick) dynamic EQ

Clean guitars: LA2A, Helios channel strip
Crunch guitar: Helios channel strip
Bridge guitar: Helios channel strip, optical comp., stereo widener
Chorus guitars: Helios channel strip, vari-mu 670 dual mono comp.

E-pianos: 1081 EQ, optical comp.
Bridge Synth: Phaser, 1176
Pad synth: dynamic EQ
--> Synths: saturation (Heatwave)

--> Instruments bus: FAST Reveal (lead vox SC)

Lead vox: gain rider, Silk Vocal, Pultec EQ, 1176, LA2A, Fresh Air, de-esser, tube saturation, limiter (and delay automation for the bridge)

BG vox: gain rider, Silk Vocal, limiter, Pultec EQ, de-esser

3 filtered reverbs: "presence" (predelay), room and hall

--> Mix bus: SSL bus comp.

Audio interface: Native Instruments Komplete
Speakers: Presonus Eris+sub
Small room, no treatment.

I hope it's not too bad...

Good luck!

[DSBotez]

I unfortunately have no other choice but to label your entry "tagged OUT". I am sorry about that @Swiv_In_Da_Mix.

Sorry @Swiv_In_Da_Mix did not mean for the confusion. I just thought I could help you out, but It seems my misguided suggestion has also upset the host and keeper of the rules.

[Rc²]

Here is my submission

Despite the fact that I don't speak German I think there is an emotion that is clearly translated by the vocal execution and song arrangement that I really wanted to accentuate and not loose with over production. It is simple, humble but joyful (and was to mix too!)

From a mix perspective to match this, I then wanted to keep the sounds simple and sweet and went for drier, less complex mix than I usually do. It has a general verb over it and a gentle delays on the guitars. I really wanted the kick/bass to glue and pump the song along as that is what I think provides the bouncy/happy/joyful feeling underneath it.

Obviously I used the usual tricks (in moderation) saturation, eq, compression.

The main things that I usually don't do. I used ADT on guitars, keys to widen the mono instruments so they could be simple sounding but fill the sound field and add some colour. I often do it on the vox, but its rare I used it on instruments and now I am a convert.

On the bass I used amplitube on the DI track as I wanted to add a little bite so the top end came through better on small speakers.

I did the mix set up on headphones as it was late at night and I didn't want to wake my daughter, however I stuck to speakers from that point on as I can't mix in headphones, I just get muddled up and find what sounds good to me does not translate to speakers well later, whereas if it sounds good on speakers I find it usually does on headphones too. I also mix in a terrible sounding small room that I have deadened a lot and is more like a big pair of headphones anyway?! I use sonar works to try to get it more linear.

Not much else to tell really, I think its one of the simplest mixes I've done for a while and reminded of the perils of over processing which I know I often do to the detriment of my work, so thank you to @Strange for reminding me of this important lesson and for such a fun tune to practice with!

[vitamin]

My Mix

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1f4LoM3 ... sp=sharing

General Approach / Mix Bus
My goal was to keep the overall tone balanced and cohesive, without overprocessing. I used Sonimus n-Console across all buses in my template to add subtle harmonic glue and a bit of analog flavor, while preserving clarity.

Guitars
• For the “git vers” part, I used the dbx 160 to bring out the transient snap and give it a more percussive feel — helps it sit rhythmically in the mix without sounding too aggressive.
• Other guitars were shaped with UAD Helios to enhance midrange presence and give a bit of character.
• All guitars were grouped through the Unfairchild, which gave me a warm, slightly vintage tone that glued them nicely without losing detail.

Drums
The idea here was to keep the groove solid but not overly heavy — I wanted the drums to support the track, not dominate it.
I used Acustica Audio Water Comp for smooth dynamics, RS56 EQ to shape the tone musically, and tape saturation to round out the transients and add depth.

E-Piano
To give it a gentle, dreamy texture, I widened the stereo image using the Micro Pitch from Eventide UltraChannel.

Bass
The bass needed warmth and a bit of edge, so I went with Decapitator for saturation, followed by TPetherick 100a and a final touch of tape to fatten it up.

Vocals
• I wanted the vocal to feel intimate but present — clear, but not sterile. Used SSL Vocalstrip 2 for general tone and control, Helios EQ for midrange color, and Waves Aphex for subtle excitement.
• In the bridge, I added Devil-Loc for contrast and to create a moment of rawness and energy.

Backing Vocal
Processed with a telephone impulse response and spring reverb to give it a retro, distant feel — like an echo of a memory, adding to the mix’s atmosphere.

[João Mello]

Hi guys! first time here! Here is my mix:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1i0Rlka ... sp=sharing

what i did:
Vocals: tried to eq as clean as possible and add 2 compressors and some decapitator and abbey road saturator to give that the strokes vibe (also put a phaser in transition)
bass: udes just DI with guitar rig using a bass amp there
guitars: guitar were to thin (most dificult part in my opinion), i also used guitar rig and eq, saussage phatter to give more body and reverb/delay
rhodes: reverb and microshift to keep it wider
harmony: all elements of the hermony i jest messed around with volume panning and a little bit of reverb
drums: i used a transient shaper on the kick to make it punchier and cla drums. snare i used cla drums too. transient shaper in tons and compressors in other elements (some more some less)

hope you enjoy!

[Mister Fox]

A friendly reminder:
Including today, 13 days left to submit your mix.


So far, we have 14 entries (compared to 94 Mix Pack downloads -- now in standard ZIP form that doesn't need special apps).

Please continue to pay attention to detail (see bundled TL;DR Rules.txt and/or post #003).

[BenoitCharbonnier]

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/iqn32oy2 ... dckk0&dl=0

Here is mine, basic stuff, eq, compression, little fx and mixbus comp

[mbernbrich]

Hello Mix-Community

Living between Cologne and Frankfurt I was happy to see a german song here. Thank you Strange to let us work on your song.
So, here is my mix - download: https://bernbrich.de/MC103/MC103__Stran ... nbrich.wav

phpBB [media]

Mixing Environment:
Mainly on headphones as I do not have not a proper sound treatment in my room: 'Beyer Dynamoc DT880' with 'dearVR Monitor' to compensate for the headphones, no control room simulation.
Crosscheck on larger hifi speaker and car hifi and smartphone.

Main Intentions/Decisions:
- I felt like I should not change the guitar sounds too much, so I did not amp sims.
- I tuned a lot until the claps sounded a) light enough to convey an uplifting vibe and b) but also snappy.
- The high D that stands at the end indicates a kind of homecoming (in the sense of the optimistic feeling to soon arriving at the loved one). In favor to this note I did a litle fade out prior to the outro to promote this note.
- I like the waving synth sounds in the bridge/interlude that stands in contrast to the previous happy vibe. It is the question mark or the doubt within the song like 'is it really all ok? What if...?'. But soon the optimism returns and easiness finds it's way back guided by the warm pads.


Mixing:
- Bass drum: Transient work to up the attack, Toms: some compression leaving enough attack, Claps: got a bit of chorus and sent to small room reverb, Congas: Comp and reverb, Drum bus: got a bit distortion and a bit extra reverb
- Bass guitar: Comp, EQ and a bit Tape emu, the DI signal mixed in with comp and bass emphasis plus a slight sub octave
- I preserved the twang of the guitar fills, so no distortion here. But I added EQ and comp and gave them some volume movement (chopper). Other guitars got some comp and EQ.
- The e-piano got an additional movement by the use of a phaser and a rotary.
- The SFX cymbals got a plate reverb and and a valhalla delay.
- The whistles sounded good to me, compared to the synth whistle I liked the acoustic to be compressed a bit.
- The lead vocal got Comp and EQ and some stereo treatment and an effect during the interlude. As the track was not dry, I gave a little delay and send reverb.
- BG Vocals: were nice to pan them in the stereo field and they got also a bit of delay.
- Main: Final Comp and EQ

Thank you.

_____Martin :-)