MIX CHALLENGE - MC060 November 2019 - Winners announced

[alelachowski]

Hi everybody,
I am very sorry for my absense the last days. I had a several health problem, an acute renal failure and I had to stay hospitalized almos the entire week, so I could not give the attention that I should pay.
I received lot os messages from the participants asking me about the main feedback I promissed. I will keep the promise but I just ask you a little patience due the time I lost of all my obligations.

Alexandre Lack

[letsmix]

That sounds serious! I hope you have a speedy recovery.

[TomImmon]

Hi Alexandre, Health is most important.
Get well soon and have a nice Christmas.
Greetings from Berlin
Tom

[alelachowski]

Hello guys,

First of all I would like to thank you all for the supportive messages regarding the health problem I went through. Sorry for the delay in post the result official. I listened carefully to all the mixes and I come here to announce the chosen ones.
As I promised, I would like to give everyone a feedback, I received several inbox messages and if someone has not yet received my replies, I want to fulfill what I promised and as much as possible I want to comment each mix from my point of view. I remind everyone that I also have a lot to learn and I do not consider myself reference in the subject, so within the purpose of the contest all my considerations are based on my experience and personal taste only.

I will give my remarks at this time only to the winners, and further, I will comment on the other mixes and details that let me took my decision.


I could realized in the most mixes was the fact that many of all is sounding too much compressed. I don't know exalce the way each routed the tracks and buses, I believed that this problem is in the mixbus or master channel. I could listen, and this is not the first I realize this question beeing discussed here, seems like that everybody want's to leave the mix sounding almost like a mastered song. I confess that I did it in some contests, because we are still used to think if all elements of the production will sounds like in a final mastering. So, this is a point a took lot of attention becau se I did listen the mixes just focused in the mix itself, and than, I had use my favorite plugins of metering measure. Wow, guys, this is almost a hard rule, but all mixes delivered today must have a headroom. And when I mean headroom, is not only an average of levels, it´s -3 or -6 dbfs to leave a breath in the mastering process. I could realized peaks with 0 db, -1, too loud. After listened all the mixes, I processed each one in my mastering template just to see how it would sound like, and just adjusting the level threshold of each mix to make with the same loudness.

Even this beeing a mixing contest, in my vision the engineer who is working on it need to understand that the mix will be mastered and it is not the obligation of the mastering engineer to fix the mixes.

The first winner is:

1) Wizzo

My first impression was that a depth was missing, but listening several times, I have two things to make a point. I thought you left a little bit of hight frequencies what sounds like a digital mix. The acoustic guitar and the sibilance are a little higher, but, it was just something that if we could have a next opportunity to work in all jobs, it´s something simple to fix. The other point is that what I thought that the stereo image and depth of the mix were stuffy, the problem is a little excess in frequencies around 1000 hz, so, in my opinion the first time when I listened, sounded like a "phone" filter, not saying that it was really soundind like a phone, but is just a way to explain what I mean. So, again, something very easy to fix, and when taking out thouse issues, how your worked with all the layers I liked, you had a good taste with the tones, not much reverb or processing... and this is why I choose you the winner.

2) Julienmeirone

Your mix could be perfect if you used less processing. I liked very much the equalization and how you worked with the instruments. But I fell that sounds like a mastered song. There were some lower frequencies that is not pumping or with dynamic's accents. I just think that maybe because the over compress it left the mid-low and lower frequencies fighting with each others and I couldn't fell that you didn't value much the song's dynamics. But, that is just it in my opinion.

3) Letsmix

This mix had the same problem I was telling in Wizzo's feedback, the peaks were too loud, but you still got to take easy with the processing. Not much reverbs and delays what in this mix must be used carefully because I thing everybody had to pay more attention in frequencies around 150 - 300 hz where can let the mix sounding mud. Another point, in my opinion, I think you could explore spreading more the stereo, and when I say it it´s not a classic technic like panning L/R 100% the acoustic guitars (like everybody did, me too), but you could explore more the "the stage".

Congratulations,

I would like to thank everyone for dedicated to this competition, and it was a great pleasure to be able to participate as a juror and supplier of this production. Be sure that I learned a lot, and probably some should have different opinions from mine, which is why I say that we are all learning from each other. As soon as possible I reply to the messages, I make sure to give this attention. Thank you all!

[Waleed Morris]

Thank you for picking my track 1st winner , I'll take care of these frequencies more in the future .congratulation to Julienmeirone and Letsmix .. thank you again .

I'll take NOS Roomer plugin .

[Mister Fox]

First and foremost, congratulations to the winners!

The Winners Podium is
1) Wizoo
2) Julien Meirone
3) Letsmix


We perform with the usual - please select one license out of the pool (in order of the winners podium) and mention it in this thread, then (important) get in touch with me via PM with your full name, email address and your plugin selection.

I'll update the "winners podium" thread shortly.

Thanks again for your participation. You can leave the thread alive if you want to exchange tips/tricks, edits, etc.

[JulienMeirone]

I will pick the MH Multiband Dynamics tx for this contest and wp all guys.

[letsmix]

I pick the Acon Digital Verberate. The videos of that plugin sound fantastic. I greatly appreciate the feedback and I learned a lot doing this challenge.
I've been watching a lot of PureMix and YouTube videos and I'll be back in the new year with a new mix template. I'm sure I'll overdo all of these new techniques, but that's how I learn by making a few mistakes along the way!

Big thanks again to Mr. Fox and Alelachowski and congrats to Wizzoo and JulienMeirone!