MIX CHALLENGE - MC053 April 2019 - Winners announced

[morelia]

01 MC053 _Morelia_We Fly_Studio Saturn_session
Guitars too fizzy,, solo too clean and weak. Too much reverb on Guitars. Bass present but not overpowering, would like more prominent but overall sits in the mix well. Drums a bit weak and too quiet. Vocals sound like a better mix than I got. Can hear all different tracks but they don't clash. Not sitting in the mix exactly how I want them to.

02 MC053_Morelia_WeFly_PolicarpoRibeiro
A bit mellow sounding. Nice in the intro but no much impact. Vocals sound good tonally. Too quiet in some parts and I'm not a fan of the reverb. It has a tendency to sound a bit non cohesive. Elements not so much glued together. Each group of tracks sound pretty good but not so much like they belong together. The guitar sound was not aggressive enough for my vision of the song. The guitar solo sounded quite good. Very happy with that part. Drums were too subtly.

03 MC053_morelia_we fly_davidpaulpaige
Guitars too thin and Bass drum to boomy. Snare is nice but would prefer louder. Vocal focuses on the lower range vocals which is worth a try, and may work for some parts. But I'd didn't go for it as the dominant vocal style. I like the vocal delay in the chorus. Bass was hard to pick up on, too quiet and dominated by the kick. Cymbals were well done I thought. Sounded good in the top end which was probably one of the hardest things to achieve considering the supplied tracks. Interesting FX used on the solo. I did like it but wasn't quite in your face enough. What's that wierd sound in the choruses after "we don't care for anything"? Is that me or you?

04 MC053_morelia_We Fly_Guizgui - disqalified
I know your entry was disqualified but I liked your entry a lot and feel I should give feedback. Guitars and drums are big. Just as I hoped the mix would be. Guitars sound really good, maybe a little fuzzy in some parts (left channel mainly). I really like the vocal mix. Seems removing some tracks or having them more in the background is a plus. Bass sounds tough and supports everything nice. Solo is a little quiet for my liking but the effects you went for suit the song. The extra vocals at the end of the chorus are well done. Not too loud but add the lift I was hoping for. I know it's not allowed but I like the power in the kick and the snare. They are important parts of the mix for me and sound really good. Cymbals are at a pretty good level. In some parts they could have been lounder but the main thing is they are not obtrusive anywhere which is more important.

06 MC053_Morelia_We_Fly_RileyJordan
Sounds very big when the drums come in. First impression was good. Instruments were slighlty over powered an distorted. Great how big it sounded but at the expense of sound quality it was too much. The vocal mix is really good. But again too much distortion. I think if you could get this intensity without the distored everything it would be better. There seems to be some long feedback going on in parts (intro, solo) that I find a bit contrart to the rest of the mix. Not doing it any favours. Music side of things sounds really good (intro and outro) but just too overcooked.

07 MC053_morelia_wefly_jamesirving
Nice intro section. I'd prefer a bit more width on the guitars. I feel like you chose the weakest vocal tracks. I know none of them are outstanding but the verses sounded weak. Chorus stood out because of that wich I suppose is good (and may be what you were trying to do). Nice dynamic change for the choruses. Bass sits nicely with everthing and drums sound good. I would like them drum mix a bit more upfront. Nothing much to say about the solo. Seems to fit the mix nicely.

09 MC053_Morelia_We Fly_Fjuarez3
Bass a bit too dry sounding. Not that it needs effects but just sound a bit like the dry bass. A bit too mid rangy. Verse vocals are way too loud for my taste and don't seem to gel with the rest of the mix. The vocals are too quiet in the chorus. There are some frequencies that should be reduced particularly in the chorus. Too much level changing in the vocal levels throughout. Everything sounds ok, guitars etc but just not much different to the original mix. The mix seems a bit scattered and not enough of the different parts working together.

10 MC053_morelia_WeFly_jeffssoloband
Intro sound cool. When the mix comes in it all sounds a bit nasally. Not heavy enough. Levels sound off to me. Guitars and drums are too quiet. Guitars sound a bit too thin to me. The bass seems to be too responsible for the bottom end. Guitars need to be fatter. That nasally vibe won't go away (left guitar track). Vocals sound ok. Maybe a little too wet on the reverb but tone, vocal mix and level seems about right. I don't like that the drum kick and snare seem to be in the background whereas the cymbals are louder.

11 MC53_morelia_we-fly_yoruhitp
Hihats were the first thing that stood out to me. They are too loud in my opinion. Something strange with the kick as well, seems to have a whoosh kind of thing going on. I like the snare so wold prefer it louder. I hate to say this because I hate my voice but the vocal track seems too quiet. Bass seems a little over bearing. Not sure where but it needs to be tamed a little. Overall the mix seems a little dead and I'd like to have it more in your face with the guitars, kick and snare forging the way. I like the solo. You went for a different tone to me and it works.

12 MC035_morelia_wefly_sergioITASCO
Kick needs to be tamed a little. I don't like how sustained it is. The snare is a bit weak perhaps too little sustain. Whatever it is I want it to have more impact. I think the bass has basically a good sound but is too loud particularly in some frequencies. Guitars are competing with the vocal and bass a bit too much. The vocals are too distorted. I like overdriven sounds even with vocals but to me this sounds a bit too much. The guitar solo sounds like my original one which is fine. It fits in with the mix.

13 MC053_Morelia_we fly_Clueless
Intro seems almost all bass and drums. Guitars are way to quiet. That theme continues thoughout the song. I would prefer the bass had less top end but that may be just because it is so dominant in the mix. Not sure where to go beyond that. Hard to say what else is not to my liking when starting from a point that the mix seems so far from my preference. Bass may be clipping in a few spots throughout.

18 MC000_BTB_We Fly_Bobby N-Chris
Not a heavy enough sound for me. The guitars are weak sounding and the distortion used doesn’t help. Would almost be better if they were clean but effected in some other way. Not really into the instrument mix at all so I’ll focus on the vocals. It’s a bit hard to comment objectively on the vocals when they don’t really site in the mix at all. The vocal track sounds really good. There is a little bit too much dynamic movement, so I think some levelling would help. But I do actually like the vocal track apart from that. I’d really like to see how it sound in a mix that is more what I’m after. The guitar solo just doesn’t work for me. It sounds meek as does the rest of the instrumental mix.

20 MC053_morelia_We Fly_theparadoxicles
The drums have been seriously modified which is fine, but they are just overly harsh sounding and the snare has no real presence. Is this a mono mix? Doesn’t seem to have any stereo spread. The vocal effects are fine but too much in my opinion. They take away the clarity of the tracks. No solo? I must have my solo. But seriously I’m fine if you want to remove it, but that part needs something to replace it, even if it is an effects demonstration. Despite all that, and the bass sounding honky, the fact that it is a major part of this particular mix it actually sounds pretty good that way.

21 MC053_Morelia_WeFly_anto
I prefer a wider stereo placement of guitars. Apart from the bass, everything in the music mix sounds a bit weak. The vocal pitch correction is messy and has created some wrong notes throughout the mix. Vocal tone is good though so I think the eq work is well done. Not a big fan of the guitar tone as it sems a bit brittle on some tracks.

22 MC53_morelia_We Fly_Devin Wickens
Not enough separation between different mix elements. It's a very different guitar sound and there are things I like about it but not for this song (almost aBlack Keys sound). The guitars almost sound like they are clipping. Bass is too dominant within the entire frequency spectrum. Pitch correction has created some wrong notes. Mix doesn't work for me as it sounds like each element was worked on separately and then put together without considering the other elements.

23 MC053_morelia_We Fly_gambler
I think the reverb may be the issue but it sounds like the guitars are pushed back to a less prominent position. Rather than being a driving force they are just along for the ride. The mix sounds ok but too wet. Drums sound good but maybe a bit too snappy on the snare. The bass is not prominent enough. Needs to be louder before I can really even comment on the role in the mix. I like the kick drum. I think too much reverb is the main problem for me. Maybe reducing that would immediately give the song more impact.

29 MC053-morelia-We Fly-VasDim
Mix sounds ok. Guitars are a little bit quiet and bass sounds a bit separated from everything. Vocal sounds too loud to me. The verses are not bad and I like the tracks you chose to represent the vocal. It sounds a little messy though as I can hear different parts dominating at different times. The chorus is another matter. It sounds a bit all over the place. Like you haven't chosen a dominant vocal track or tracks. There are too many different styles taking the focus and it all sounds a bit too wide. The solo is unusual but I like it. Not sure what is going on but it makes it a bit more interesting.

30 MC053_Morelia_We_Fly_S&F
Initial impression of the instruments is that the mix is a bit bottom heavy. Doesn't seem to be a problem with the bass although it's a bit hard for me to tell. The main issue I have is with the guitars, kick and snare being a bit on the dead sounding side of things. Same goes for the vocal but it's not bad. I think it could probably survive close to the way it is if the level was brought up in a livelier mix. The guitar solo has a nice smooth tone to it but as with the other elements sounds a bit muffled.

34 MC053_Morelia_We Fly_dobebon
I like the fact that you tried something different for the guitar tracks. They don't sound bad but I think are not heavy enough for what I am aiming for. Bass sounds a bit tame to fit in with a heavier mix. The vocal mix is a bit up and down. There are parts that are too loud and too quiet. I don't feel much continuity with the vocals in terms of choosing a style. Seems a bit like different styles take the front stage at different points throughout. Guitar solo tone is very nice buut sounds like it belongs in a different song. Chorus vocals in general sound a bit bland or weak rather than the aggressive style I was going for.

36 MC053_Morelia_WeFly_TiPa
Perhaps too aggressive guitar sound for this song. Can't think of what I'm trying to say but I think it's a case of you went for and Anthrax tone where I wanted Slash. Basically it sound like the guitars belong in a different song. The bass needs some work to fit in with the guitars as it sounds a bit plain in comparison. I don't mind the vocal. Again I would prefer more use of the more aggressive takes but you've done a good job with the ones you chose. The reverb might not be the best choise though. Guitar solo sounds a bit understated for this song. It should fill the same gap as the vocal tracks so is lacking a bit of the in your face sound I wanted.

37 MC053_Morelia_We Fly_ Mellow Browne
I'm not a fan of the fuzzy guitar sound. Doesn't sound heavy enough for my vision of the song. Plus it is a bit narrow. The whole mix lacks a bit of oomph. I'd start but beefing up the bass. Reworking the guitar to get a heavier and wider sound . Work on the snare to get a more powerful impact from each 2 and 4 hit. The guitar solo comes over very thin an weak sounding. For a start it should be much louder. Souns like the vocals are fighting a bit with each other sonically for space. Needs work to move them all around, choose the dominant tracks and use the others to pan and relevel in support of the main tracks.

38 MC053_Morelia_WeFly_Jimijaymes
Everything sounds in plce from the beginning. Quite a bit like my mix. I'm pretty happy with the music although I was hoping it could be made a little heavier sounding over all. The vocal sounds clear and well eqed. Nice work on that. I feel it sounds a little to pop styled and less hard rock. Not sure what it is lacking but I think a combination of things starting at choosing other takes to dominate the vocal. Guitar solo is abit sterile. I like that you tried to insert some movement with modulation but it lacks some of the eggression it should have for this mix.

39 MC053_Morelia_WeFly_Jetwolf
Guitars sound a little dull but not a bad tone to start with. I thought the kick came in nicely. Was a bigger kick than I expected to work but it sounds good. Unfortunately the snare lacks some punch. Bass is a bit bland sounding. The vocal is too wet although I like what you've done with using many different takes but spreading them out to create a bit of a vocal landscape. It sounds a little too loose in some places but I like the idea. Unfortunately I feel like it is a bit of a blanket thrown over the instruments rather than being a part of the mix. The guitar solo doesn't work for me. Maybe in a sparser mix or different style or something it would work. Too fuzzy and thin for this mix.

40 MC053_morelia_WeFly_OlliH
This is a very different sounding mix. Industrial sounding guitars and thunderous kick drum. I like that for something different. If only it were possible for the vocal to match that style. The guitars have a little too much dynamic range, popping up too loud in a few spots. I like this mix although it is not what I was going for so well done. I just don't think my vocal can fit in so it's never going to work very well. Guitar solo though was a bit disappointing. I feel like it should have stuck with the them of the rest of the mix but it was a bit thin and lack any attempt to take front stage.

41 MC053_morelia_WeFly_AlB
I'm starting to lose my mind. Some of these mixes are starting to sound so similar. I think the guitars are a little weak sounding. Drums sound pretty tough which I like. The bass is good but could use a little more aggression somewhere. Stands out a bit in sounding very clean. The vocal is not too clear and while I don't have a problem with it not being overly loud this one seems a bit dominated by the mix.

42 MC053_morelia_WeFly_noogard
Comes in nice and heavy but the snare needs to be beefed up. Hihats are a bit too loud for me. The bass could use a little extra growl to fit in with things a bit more. The kick, guitars and bass are a good mix concerning levels. I find the vocal not aggressive enough and don't go for the lower register vocal dominating in the chorus.

43 MC053_Morelia_WeFly_OverfloFlorianWalther
Drums sound a bit lofi which is fine but not really my vision of the song. Guitar tone is nice. The vocals sound pretty good except the lower vocal tone has a megaphone quality to it which is a bit obtrusive. Or maybe it is the reverb is not helping the vocal to sit in the mix. Bass sounds nice and fat and suits the mix. Solo sounds good but could maybe lose a little modulation and try to sound more aggressive.

44 MC053_Morelia - We Fly_3ee
I find the mix too bass heavy. The bass needs to be lowered some. There is something not quite right with the guitar tone but it is most obvious when there is palm muting (like before the verses). Perhaps it is too much distortion. Bass sounds like it is too clean for the mix. Vocal is not as aggressive as I was going for. I would choose some of the other takes as a preference. Vocally it is well mixed though. In particular when there are many vocal tracks (like pre chorus) it sounds well done.Solo sounds good but I'd prefer a thicker tone and maybe a bit more level.

45 MC053_Morelia_WeFly_Franz
There is a boxiness to the guitars and some fiziness that I would like to see eliminated.Bass sits in the mix well. Kick and snare sound good for the song but the hats are a tad loud. For the vocal you made a good choice of tracks. Unfortunately the tone is harsh and the reverb is too long or tonally incompatible with the mix. The way the eq is set (or the natural sound) accentuates the nasal qualities. Solo is good but a bit too drenched in reverb.

46 MC053_morelia_WeFly_DimitrisPalantzas
The drums but in particular the hihat are too loud in my opinion. The guitars sound fuzzy and don't have enough power for this song. The vocal sounds a bit messy with multiple vocal styles used at similar levels. Should pick one style and use the others for support. Bass sits pretty well but I feel it is a little too clean sounding.

47 MC053_Morelia-We_Fly_Michael_Schneider_R1
Guitar is too loud and a bit harsh, needing to be tamed somewhat. I like the verse effect The guitars have a tight sound good for some styles but too sharp for this mix. There are noise gate issues particularly with the attack or attack level settings. The bass suits this mix but would need some work as the guitar tone changes. Drums sound a bit weak up against these intense guitars. the snare in particular seems to lack power. The vocal needs more energy to compete with the rest of the mix. It's not bad sounding but needs more layers to thicken the vocal to give it more power.

48 MC053_Morelia_WeFly_AndrejsSadkovojs
Kick sounds pretty good but I find the rest of the kit a bit thin sounding. Bass needs more bottom end and less top end. The guitars seem a bit disconnected from the mix. Seem to have a bit of a Queens of the Stoneage vibe. Not heavy or loud enough for me. The vocal seems to get lost in the reverb and lacks a bit or power. Needs some eq work to reduce some of the nasal qualities.Solo is too thin and fizzy for my taste.

49 MC053_morelia_WeFly_iMax
The snare sounds very weak and the drums have an all round lack of excitement about them. The vocal doesn't feel like it sits in the mix at all and I think you chose the wrong tracks for the vocal. The verse is not too bad but the chorus harmony is way too loud. Levels are strange with what I would consider backing vocals being up front of the mix. Overall I find the mix a bit dead sounding with a sound a bit like the vocal has just been slapped on top.

50 MC053_Morelia_WeFly_SironaL
Bass dominates this mix way too much. Left guitar seems way too clean and dead sounding. Guitars are too quiet. Drums are much too quiet and lack power. Not sure what has been done with the vocal but it needs eq to shape it to fit the song better. Also mixing the vocals better to get a better blend of the vocal tracks.

52 MC053_morelia_Wefly_NilsAakesson
I appreciate trying different things but the intro was a bit too much for me. This mix is too bass heavy. Perhaps because the bass is so dominant the rest of the mix sounds weak. Some guitars sound almost clean which doesn't suit. I'm not a fan of the vocal tracks you chose and they have a muffled quality to them.The low register vocals in the chorus should be the backing element not the lead. The solo is hidden by being to wet with effects.

53 MC053_-_Morelia_We_Fly_-_GB Real
Guitars sounds too fizzy for me. I would like a bigger snare sound and in my opinion the hihats are too loud. The vocal needs quite a bit of eq work so that it sounds like part of the mix. I thing the bass sounds a bit bland and needs a bit of work to sound more like it is part of a hard rock mix.

54 MC053_ Morelia_WeFly_AnthonyPolicicchio
Drums sound a bit weak to me but the main issue is the snare lacking power. Guitars sound a bit on the muffled side and lack clarity. Bass is too loud and not eggressive sounding as I feel it should be.The vocal is too distorted. I think you made a really good choice of which takes to use but there are pitch correction mistakes in the verse and it sounds thin, like not eq'ed well enough to sit in this mix.

55 MC53_MORELLA_WeFly_ZackLozier
This mix is too bass heaby for me. The guitars are quite fizzy sounding and because of that lack the heavy sound I think they need for hard rock. Also the snare lacks the power I think it should have. The vocal mix sounds not too bad but it is quite thin sounding and needs quite a bit of work tonally to make it sound at it's best.

56 MC053_Morelia_We Fly_Billy Santana´s Mix
I think the intro is very cool. I was on the edge of my seat waiting for the rest to happen after that. Unfortunately this is how I find the mix. Sounds a bit muddy to me. The drums sound ok but the snare needs some power to punch through more. Guitars sound a little thin and the mix is quite bass heavy to me. The vocal is pretty good but unfortunately I don't really like the takes you put up front. While the vocal does sound okit still needs work to sit in the mix. The solo lacks the power I feel it should have.


"28 MC_053_morelia_We_Fly_Slickster716
I like the intro intro. Some interesting tones coming through there and leads into a nice lazy sounding groove. Snare is a bit to sustained sounding. Bass could do with a little work to make it fatten up the mix a little. I like the guitar sound but seems a little thin. You might have overdone the de-essing on the vocal as there are some consonants that are missing. Eq is nice on the vocal but I would prefer a more agressive sounding vocal mix. It's a good sounding mix overall. Nice separation between everything but it sounds natural. Guitar solo is good, nice level and sits on the mix nicely."


"31 MC053_MORELIA_We Fly_Marc Rapture
The short intro part is out of sync when the drums come in. Check the other mixes as a reference. I think a bit more work needs to be done to make the left, middle and right guitars work better together. There seems a little too much separation between them tonewise and for this song I think they need to blend a bit better so it acts a bit like a wall of sound. Drums sound a little too bland. The snare in particular needs to come alive. It's a little bit of a background element in this mix. I'd find a way to make it sustain for starters. It also lacks a bit of impact. For the vocal I used the many tracks to thicken the vocal but mypreference is that it is not so obvious. I'd like to see the vocals mixed so it sounds more like a couple or few thickened tracks. The vocals sound pretty good in the chorus. I think it is mainly the lower register vocal in the verse that is standing out to me. The solo sounds great. I would do a little tweaking to make it sit in the mix a little more. It's too loud or tonally different or something not quite right."


"32 MC053_Morelia_WeFly_Wizzo
Mix sounds very solid. Nothing really out of place. Maybe the hihats could come down a little. The vocal mix is pretty good but my preference is to have the lower registers less dominant and use the aggressive tracks more as the basis for the vocal tracks. Guitars seem to have been tightened up a bit over my mix. Bass sits nicely for the most part but occasionally the top end sticks out a little too much. Solo is a bit fuzzy for my preference. Seems to have a bit of crackling going on but just not really liking the tone."


"05 MC053_Morelia _WeFly_RichardClarke
Guitars sound good but not quite aggressive enough for my tastes. I was enjoying the bass but to be honest as the mix went on it became a little obtrusive. I think I'd prefer it if it was just in the verses. I like the dynamic changes in the guitars. That is definitely something lacking in my original mix. Good choice of vocal tracks and ambience. The solo was a bit unexpected but apart from the part where it dropped out I actually like it as a bit of an unexpected interlude. Vocal mix was very good. I like what you've achieved there. Just feel like the guitars are not big enough. Drums could use a lift throughout. Nothing wrong with how they sound but just not big enough."


"08 MC053_morelia_WeFly_OctoOnFire.V1
Sounds great in the intro. Sets the song up with a pretty tough sounding intro. Guitars are maybe a little messed up clarity wise by the distortion used in the left channel. Again, not my favourite of the vocal takes but if that is the preference who am I to say otherwise. For my tastes they are a little loud especially in the verses. Left guitar needs some work to find a tone that sits in the mix better. Bass is unobtrusive but not meaty enough. I don't feel like it is supporting the low end enough. Love the guitar solo tone. Not sure what you did there but it's an improvment on the approach I took. Really like that. Apart from the specific critiques its a good mix level and tone wise wise. Just some tweaks to bring everything together a bit more."


"19 MC053_Morelia_We Fly_JulienMeirone
Nice tough sounding intro. Not as huge as some other mixes but has a nice solid mix vibe to it. Nice job on the vocals. I think I’d like to see some of the more aggressive takes pushed to the front (particularly in the chorus) over the deeper takes which I prefer more in the background. Overall a good sounding mix but maybe lacking some of the punch and impact that I am chasing."


"24 MC053 - morelia - We Fly - Piranha
Snare sounds a bit like it is in a different place to everything else. It sounds good but needs work to fit in the song. The vocal is ok but could use some work to remove frequencies that are annoying. Sounds a bit too loud, dry and nasal overall. Vocal also sounds a bit like it is in a different space to the music. I'd like the solo to be a fatter sound as it sounds a bit like a razor blade cutting through the mix. Guitars are a bit harsh overall."

[kevin gobin]

Hi Morelia.

I am impressed by the quality of the feedback you gave to everyone here.

Thank you.

[Mork]

Wow, that was quick! Thanks, morelia

[stu b]

Wow morelia, that's a ton of work, thanks so much for all that excellent feedback, its much appreciated by all I'm sure. I'll have a look at my mix tomorrow and do some tweaking, thanks again, Stu.

[iMax]

Thank you morelia for the quick and extensive feedback! And yes, I struggled with the vocals as mentioned in my submission. Need to do practise there a bit more it seems. ;-)
Good luck to everybody who made it to the second round. Will use their mixes for reference.

[jimijaymes]

Thanks for the feedback. I did go a bit too far possibly in the pop alternative direction as I guess that is more my taste and what I've been aiming towards lately. I Definately could of got a more aggression out of the vocals and guitars and probably should of referenced a bit more to meet your brief. I did enjoy doing this and learnt a few things working with this kind of material. Some of the other mixes are really cool so great work for everyone, some cool things I wouldn't of thought to do.

[s&f]

hi morelia, thank u for ur feedback, and I do agree it's a bit on the "dead sounding side" haha I totally could have gone on bolder mix style. I think when u analyze the mixes u went with a gut analysis, and I think that's the right way to judge mixes hehe.

that said, as u gave everyone great feedback, can you share how u compared the mixes? did u level match or used iTunes "sound check"? or just went with gut analysis?

I really like Audioslave, but I think they sound thin (call me crazy) when u use iTunes soundcheck or something like volume match. which is insane, as when u could still see them live they were enormous sounding. thanks again

[OctopusOnFire]

Wow... I may have drifted apart from the clients vision a lot. Pretty disappointed, but that's the game, you can't rule out personal preference.

Well, gratz to the finalists and good luck. See you on the next challenge.

[Waleed Morris]

Thanks Morelia for feedback,that was quick.I totally mixed this time without reference just listened to the rough mix ,maybe next time l'll mix with reference track,anyway good luck for R2 and see you guys on the next challenge.

[JulienMeirone]

Thanks for your feedback morelia, i will tweak this asap .