MIX CHALLENGE - MC060 November 2019 - Winners announced

[letsmix]

Excellent, thank you!

[SDB_12]

Did I miss the results of who is going on into Round 2...or has this thread ended? Sorry, with holidays it's been crazy.

[Mister Fox]

We're still waiting for the evaluation of Round 1. I think things got indeed slowed down due to the holidays.

[alelachowski]

1) Julian Meirone
2) Green Dog
3) Letsmix
4) Cezar
5) Bluesation
6) Wizzo
7) Francobhalla
8) SDB 12
9) Photonic
10) Shoma R1

Hello everyone! First of all I want to make it clear that I am Brazilian, even speaking English maybe my words sounds meaningless trying to express what I would like to say in Portuguese and perhaps I didn’t find the right word.
I got a time to listen carefully to all the mixes and I chose the 10 selected for the next round. I want to say that I had the work to listen the mixes at a professional studio where I work as a freelancer producer, and after I listened at my home studio with professional headphones but focused with technical analysis observing the levels, the stereo image of the mix and how it interact with the used effects to create the scenery of the art of mixing. I would like to thank you all for your dedication and also for the many compliments that I received regarding the production. As I mentioned earlier, this song was produced with the most basic equipment possible, but I think I also could demonstrate that even with few resources, the sum of knowledge along with the power of software can achieve results that can be considered professional. I worked for many years in professional studios and worked with high quality analog equipment, as well as know the difference that makes working in an acoustically treated environment with good reference speakers. This experience to work with the “best” and the “cheaper” is important for me because I am working on a channel to teach people who wants to record professionally at their homes.

My feedbacks:

1) Julienmeirone: I liked your mix and you got a good result using the real acoustic guitars. This is something that gave me a headache for a long time and the reason I created a virtual instrument track. However in some parts sounds I kind of buzz, probably, if I am right, you also mixed with the line tracks. If you lower it or work in the high frequencies will be great. I also realized that something is making the mix a little bit mud. In my opinion, the drums is filling in the space of the mix. In my opinion if you try to let the drums more soft and less compressed and fat it will brings the other instruments and create a dimensional mix. Try use less compression. Kick it’s too fat or louder and sounds it doesn’t playing with the bass. Snare is too dry, sometimes I could listen the gate closing.

2) Green Dog: In my opinion you positioned each instrument (panning) with a good perception, but, overall your mix is sounding too mud and this is because you leave much instrument’s and effect’s frequencies around 250khz, and around 60khz (kick and bass) are loud, so it leaves less space to the other layers. Maybe some highpass filters solve it. Take care with the reverbs, is not clear for me what is making to dense the main mix unless the excess of lower frequencies.

3) Letsmix: You are going in a good way, I just think the bass and some lower frequencies are occupying much space in the mix. I passed it through the spectrum analyzer and there is too much lower frequencies fighting around 60hz to 250hz. Because of it, sometimes the overheads sounds too bright and harsh… you need to judge what will be better if you decide to attenuate lower frequencies and the highs start getting more brighter. Another tip, take care with the percussion, it has much of sub frequencies and if you don´t equalize it probably it will cause a variation in your peaks reducing the clarity of the rest. For last, just my personal opinion… I don’t liked the short delay of the lead vocal, the longer is cool, but I believe your idea were to bring the lead vocal to the front, but for me, it doesn’t fit for the emotion of the song. I am not saying to insert a longer reverb or something wetter, anyway, it is your taste against mine.

4) Cezar: I could imagine your mix without the excess of processing, probably if I am right inserted in you mixbus. You almost mastered the song. It is mud, over compressed and I can’t say exactly what else could be improved because this problem. Remember that this is a mix contest and not a mastering, so, I believe if you take easy with the dynamics and give a clean in some mid and low-mid frequencies your mix will sounds more clear.

5) Bluesation: Just few words. I think the vocal is too loud and you could work better to remove the sibilance (I know this is a challenge because the vocal recorded has much high frequencies). Sometimes the drums sounds a sudden compression and I believe it is because you let the percussion and their lower frequencies predominating and fighting with the drums. I believe you inserted a compressor in you mixbus or as a parallel, but it is acting too much and causing some strong peak interference.

6) Shoma R1: For now, the only comment I can say is that I believe you could work more on the stereo image. Sounds like the most instruments are in the center, so it doesn’t leave a breath to the lead vocal. The strings have too much mid frequencies and if you do not take care it will conflict with the vocals, bass, and others layer that plays in the center of the mix.

7) Wizzo: There is not much to say because you let the bass too loud, if you fix it for me sounds the rest is cool. Your peaks are too much high. Anyway, if you fix the bass you have a good dynamic.

8) Francobhalla: My only observation is about the drums. Everything sounds balanced, but maybe you could give more life and clarity to the snare, and that is it… In my opinion you should leave the rest as it is, kick and overheads is ok. You also could work a little bit to remove a residual sibilance of the lead vocal.

9) SDB 12: For me your mix has a excess of reverbs. I can’t say exactly where is this excess because the strings are too loud, and it is mixing with other elements causing an mid-range mess. Sometimes the drums almost disappear because in my opinion you let some tracks with a excess of sub frequencies and frequencies around 250hz, where all those instruments have a excess on this range.

10) Photonic: Sounds like you did a good balance on the background, but in my opinion what is not sounding good it is the effect inserted in the backing vocal. I don’t know if you inserted a harmonizer or duplicated the vocals, but until the first chorus sounds ok, when the chorus start sounds like something is out of tune. Maybe if you let it more soft, it will not draw so much attention as it is. You also could insert a high-pass filter at the solo part… I think it has too much high and low frequencies. In my opinion, could be has a better equalization. The rest, sounds good!

Thanks everyone and good work to the last round!

Regards

Alexandre Lack

[satyatunes]

Hi Alexandre,
If you have time, would you mind providing some feedback on my mix. Won't learn anything until I know what went bad.

[Mister Fox]

Thank you for handling the evaluation, Alexandre.

Ladies and gentlemen, let us kick off Mix Round 2, which will end on Tuesday, 10-DEC-2019 11:59pm GMT+1/CET


There is a GLOBAL COUNTDOWN available to check for deadlines.
Just follow this link: Global Countdown (on homepage)



The following 10 participants go into Round 2 (alphabetical order)

Bluesation
Cezar
Francobhalla
Green Dog
Julian Meirone
Letsmix
Photonic
SDB 12
Shoma R1
Wizzo


Wildcard-Entry:

Mork


The feedback to the productions can be found here:
viewtopic.php?p=6646#p6646


If you are unsure what to do exactly with your mix, reach out to the song provider and engage in a conversation here on the forum.



A thank you to everyone, and good luck for Round 2

[Matik]

Hi Alexandre,
I have similar request as satyatunes. Can you give ma a little feedback, so I will know what to improve in next challange.
Thank you !

[JulienMeirone]

Hello guys ,

here my mix for the round 2 :

MP3 : https://www.dropbox.com/s/qwhbzhkqnewq0 ... 2.mp3?dl=0
WAV : https://www.dropbox.com/s/8cyz49zwurrrn ... 2.wav?dl=0
Screenshots : https://www.dropbox.com/s/gt0p8cp498g6q ... s.zip?dl=0


Plugins used :

Eq : Q3, bx 2098,bx digital v3, bax eq, maag eq4, sie-q, Nseq 2, Precursor 2, Bx console SSL E channel, Aphex exciter
Compressors : Slate VBC, ozone 9 Dynamics, Bx townhouse, Dc8c3, pro MB, Api 2500, R compressor,Elysia Alpha, Sonnox Limiter, Dbx 160, +10db, Vertigo, arousor, Karmer Pie, fet pressor, soothe, MV2, L2, SPL Iron
Harmonics : Decapitator, Inflator, devil Loc, Saturn, trash 2
Modulation: D-verb, Valhalla Reverbs, IR1, Psp 2445, trueverb, pro R, Echoboy, Phoenix verb, Manny Verb

Faithfully

[shoma]

6) Shoma R1: For now, the only comment I can say is that I believe you could work more on the stereo image. Sounds like the most instruments are in the center, so it doesn’t leave a breath to the lead vocal. The strings have too much mid frequencies and if you do not take care it will conflict with the vocals, bass, and others layer that plays in the center of the mix.

Thank you for listening to the mix and your honest review. Well...generally I don't like mixes, that are too wide and where everything cancels out when switched to in mono and the whole balance of the mix is gone. In fact, in my mix there's only bass, drums (slightly stereo) and the voice in the center. Everything else is spread out in the stereo field, but I barely go wider than 60% with panning. Maybe that's why it sounds not as wide. But for me that was the point, where the mix still works in mono without losing the balance.
Nevertheless...thank you for giving me a second chance in round 2. I'll do my very best to reconsider my choices and come back with something that fits more to your likings :-)


As always...sorry for my bad english. No native speaker here

[Mister Fox]

I just got informed that we have a "wildcard" entry. In fact, the song provider apologized to me via PM that he seems to have missed a participant for Round 2 (please, for all future song providers - be careful next time).

The "wildcard participant" will be Mork.
(I've updated my post above)

Apologies for only getting about 3,5 days for edits. But I was promised by the Song Provider that you will get the missing feedback ASAP.
Good luck for Round 2