MIX CHALLENGE - MC060 November 2019 - Winners announced

[Mister Fox]

I won't be holding you back on giving feedback to everyone (if you want, and you can).

But I think it's only fair that if the majority of participants adhere to the rules, there should be no exception given to users that do not stick to them (as in: go into Round 2). It's not like I've announced several games ago, that I'll be more strict to keep the balance on the forum.

[Marko53]

Hi All,

I was out of town doing some tile work, but I clearly see from the comments that I did not comply with the rules, I am new here and I apologize :0)

I do understand that my mix will not be included and I will do better next time.

I would appreciate any feedback any of you may have to offer on the mix though :0)

Thank you in advance!

[White Punk OD]

Hello Alexandre, I see it as a very important factor, how well the drummer did his job and it was creative and gave a lot of organic energy to the whole production, and also his recording is versatile and can be used to add these drums in quite different flavors and sounds. I like the drum sound in your updated mix.
The other factor of great energy is how some contestants could bring the guitars to sparkling life. In my instinct and emotion, the tracks that were crafted from organic singing, and playing of acoustic or physical instruments, are crucial for most music styles. Without that, energy is lacking.
(But there are different approches, e.g. the k-pop Blackpink which is 99% digital and belongs to the few digital productions that I like at all. YG can put a lot of energy in his digital sounds, I don't know how he is doing that.)

This is a very good example how far the travel can go, from limiting starting conditions to full international release quality (to expect very soon).

[Waleed Morris]

Speaking of which, What's your mixing techniques and favorite plugins when mixing drums? also how I make the distance (back or front)? I found this is a bit a challenge to me sometimes. thanks for making this topic useful for everyone.

[alelachowski]

I won't be holding you back on giving feedback to everyone (if you want, and you can).

But I think it's only fair that if the majority of participants adhere to the rules, there should be no exception given to users that do not stick to them (as in: go into Round 2). It's not like I've announced several games ago, that I'll be more strict to keep the balance on the forum.

Hi Mister Fox, I agree with you, the priority to me is give my feedback to the participants that will be chosen to the second round. I just said that for the guys who is doing the first steps on the art of mixing, I would like (outside the contest) share some tips. I say this because I am working on a youtube channel about this topic.
About the next steps in the contest, I will be straight with the rules.

[fese]

Speaking of which, What's your mixing techniques and favorite plugins when mixing drums? also how I make the distance (back or front)? I found this is a bit a challenge to me sometimes. thanks for making this topic useful for everyone.

Yeah, that's something I always struggle with, too. Drum mixing is not my forte. I personally don't like it when drums are too obtrusive, especially on a song like this which is very acoustic, but finding the balance where they can be heard clear and sharp and still don't overshadow the vocals is mostly try and error on my part (and I am not happy with the result in my mix here...)

[alelachowski]

Hello Alexandre, I see it as a very important factor, how well the drummer did his job and it was creative and gave a lot of organic energy to the whole production, and also his recording is versatile and can be used to add these drums in quite different flavors and sounds. I like the drum sound in your updated mix.
The other factor of great energy is how some contestants could bring the guitars to sparkling life. In my instinct and emotion, the tracks that were crafted from organic singing, and playing of acoustic or physical instruments, are crucial for most music styles. Without that, energy is lacking.
(But there are different approches, e.g. the k-pop Blackpink which is 99% digital and belongs to the few digital productions that I like at all. YG can put a lot of energy in his digital sounds, I don't know how he is doing that.)

This is a very good example how far the travel can go, from limiting starting conditions to full international release quality (to expect very soon).

Hello White Punk. The drummer who recorded this session works, in the most of his time, as a freelancer session musician. He works for the entire world. He has his own room for drum's recording. May I say that is just a room, different from very professional studios he hans't a specific treatment, and you may realize it when listening the overheads. There is no ambience. Anyway, he has heavy hands and a good skill. Actually first I sent to he the entire programmed drum, so I asked he to follow my idea, manly the kick line, some fills, but I left he free to put his touch on it. I found he at fiverr.com , where I also work as freelancer producing, mixing, and any job related with audio.
About the organic tracks, as you mentioned, the guitars is the biggest challenge to mix. I recorded with a Takamine eg321c black them with an Fender (simplest serie) and both gave me headache... sounds too harsh. I tryied different mics, positions, but, I took a lesson. To have a good sound, you also need a good instrument. This is the first step... the next is the skill to record it better you can with what is avaiable about gear.
But I had surprises listening some mixes and realize how the guys brought life on it.

[Olli H]

...also how I make the distance (back or front)? I found this is a bit a challenge to me sometimes. thanks for making this topic useful for everyone.

Damn good question. I’ve been thinking that often. (Not related to this thread. I think provided multitracks of this competition were excellent).

(And a related problem is: how to fix those problems that too close microphone causes. With human voice the problems are evident: unnatural frequency curve, bad ess-problem, unnatural dynamics, too clear transients. Nowadays were have many plugins to try to fix those problems that wouldn’t have occured at all if the singer had had 30 cm distance to mic in a good room. Same close mic problems occur with other instruments too, but there the problem is not so evident to brains.)

I quess the answer to artificial distance creation lies in many small fixes. I would try some of these:

Imitate effect of air:
- EQ: try some tilt eq to make things bit darker
- Diminish transients
- Add smooth natural compression

Imitate distance in room:
- Add small delay to whole signal
- Diminish the stereo field
- Add early reflection (they are the main cue for brains to hear the distance)
- add more room (farther the source, stronger the room)

Outside these competitions a cool trick to add natural room, for example only to snare, is to make a midi out of snare, and run that through for example SSD5’s snare channel (or any other drum software) and use only room mics. Of course it would be a good idea to choose somewhat similar sounding kit from SSD5 and use that room. It would blend better. (I haven’t used this trick in these competition, because it might be forbidden. I’m not sure. We would be adding natural space, but of another snare, but not the snare sample itself. But still we would be using samples, I quess)

Try free plugins
- Tokyo Dawn: Proximity
- Airwindows: Distance

Or try to find suitable Impluse Response that might do the trick. If you find something special, please inform us. For example if there’s IR:s of somewhat dead room with different distance (1m - 3m - 5m), some of them might work fine.

If someone has good ideas to this topic, please share with us.

[Waleed Morris]

Hello Olli H, Thanks for sharing really appreciated, I'll give it a try for sure, yeah if you have a reverb with ER adjustments is really helpful when you deal with distance in general. glad to hear any other ideas !! thanks in advance.

[Franz]

Hi !

I come back to the very interesting subject of some effects of microphones and especially that of proximity.
Indeed the choice of a microphone is crucial because it must be appropriate to the source that you want to record.
I don't expand the subject, there are very good advice on the net.

It is true that quite often at the time of mixing that one realizes for example that the voice is very present
and very close compared to other instruments whereas when one listens to the voice alone there is no problem.
Some software was mentioned (which I didn't know) and I would like to talk to you about the software "DOUBLE MS SCHOEPS"
from the manufacturer of excellent microphones SCHOEPS (besides the software is free).
Its use is relatively complex but I find the results quite incredible: changing for example the directivity of
the microphone (cardioid, omni, 8, etc ...) the effect of proximity changes. Since we are in the competition MC060
with the song sung by Eveline, try this software on the track of her voice and you will understand.

Visit the SCHOEPS.DE website

Cheers.

Franz