MIX CHALLENGE - MC062 February 2020 - Winners announced

[HarmonySmurf]

Could someone please verify that the zip file is working? I tried downloading twice and got "unspecified error" on all the tracks when using zip7.

Also, I am new here. is any dithering allowed? Also curious if vocal doubling is allowed or adding additional tracks to separate my reverb from the vocals/snare allowed?

thanks for any guidance folks and all gratitude to the artist submission! I look forward to learning from the experience and from the tracks of other contestants.

kelly

[Mister Fox]

Welcome to the community.

Could someone please verify that the zip file is working? I tried downloading twice and got "unspecified error" on all the tracks when using zip7.

I can confirm the files to be working (just downloaded and triple checked).

You might need to update your 7zip software. The multitracks are packed with 7zip v15 (December 2015), and I've just checked the files with both v16 (September 2016) and v19 (February 2019). The files extract without any errors.

Also, I am new here. is any dithering allowed? Also curious if vocal doubling is allowed or adding additional tracks to separate my reverb from the vocals/snare allowed?

You should check in with the Rules and Guidelines.

You are mixing, not mastering. Dithering should not need to happen. Everything else is explained in minute detail in the rule book.

[hjchjc]

I wanted to try this because it's a genre I don't really listen to - I wanted to focus on finding the beauty of it instead of letting the bombast scare me away.

I removed a lot of the low-mid range in most of the tracks and trying to get as much separation as I could using EQ. Not a lot of heavy compression here, but a lot of little things that add up. Nearly every track has CLA-3A on it without compression - I just like the warmth it has because it compensates for the amount of low-midrange I took out. There are some riskier choices here like emphasizing the drums and making it much brighter than the original mix, but I think it serves the song and makes the payoff at the end more affecting when the other instruments rise to meet the drum kit.

Less plugins used than usual, but still a lot of plugins:

Apulsoft Apqualizer
Airwindows: Console6Channel
Waves CLA-3A, C4, RDeEsser, Abbey Road Vinyl
Black Rooster Audio VPRE-73
Vacuumsound ADT
Overtone Gem EQ550
Focusrite Red EQ
Fuse Audio Labs RSW2395C
Plugin Alliance bx_opto pedal, bx_subfilter, SPL De-Verb, Fielder Audio Stage, Lindell 7x-500
Soundtoys Microshift, Devil-Loc, Crystalizer, Echoboy, Echoboy Jr, Tremolator, PanMan (can you tell I just got the full bundle?)
Newfangled Audio Puncuate
Audio Assault RoughRider3
Logic Channel EQ, Single Band EQ
Polyverse Audio Wider

WAV
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IzN9KU ... 18_5ltl1f/

MP3
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VYsvRk ... rOD5LSduF/

[HarmonySmurf]

thanks. got it to work now!

[HarmonySmurf]

Also, I am new here. is any dithering allowed? Also curious if vocal doubling is allowed or adding additional tracks to separate my reverb from the vocals/snare allowed?

You should check in with the Rules and Guidelines.

You are mixing, not mastering. Dithering should not need to happen. Everything else is explained in minute detail in the rule book.

thanks. was unaware of the rulebook post.

[GaryRegnier]

Hi Folks, Apologies for being late to say hello. I have had a listen to the entries so far and been really enjoying hearing your creative spins. I have been sat in front of speakers with a big smile on my face, in a good way Looking forward to hearing more and good luck everyone.
Gary

[thenormalone]

Hello guys.
hope all you of you well.
This is my final result. I used Logic Pro x as to mix this composition.
I used eq individually to bring out the best of each track and to make them sit well on the frequency spectrum without loosing any of their original character or colours.
I also used tape delay and reverb on the damage snare.
automation was used in most of the tracks since I rely a lot on it to make the dynamic of the song a bit more polished
thank you Gary for the opportunity to work on this song.
hope you enjoy it and feedback is always welcome

https://www.dropbox.com/home?preview=MC ... onewav.wav

[Green-Dog]

Hi,

here is my submission:
Wav

first of all I clean up all the tracks. Do some hipassing and delete resonances. After that I do overall mix balance. Further some more EQ-ing and compressing. And finally additing some reverb and other dimensional fx's. Last thing I do is volume and FX parametrs automation.
On the master I have only SSL Buss compressor and Pultec EQ.

Cheers
Andrejs

[ManuC]

Hi,

Thanks to the team for this beautiful Challenge.

This is my entry.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/xg7uyraj0fa16 ... 5.png?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/bhtgmxcybmetj ... C.mp3?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/di8g8p1nvfnfu ... C.wav?dl=0

Nothing crazy, eq, transient for kick, drum war, Comp for voices, and some reverb.

A little of doubling on some tracks for widening, and some M/S EQ and limiter in the master Bus.

Great works for all and musical greetings.

[Mister Fox]

This is the second time I'm having to post a refresher on the Rules and Guidelines.
Please do educate yourself as you do put yourself and your edit at risk of being disqualified.

Rule Summary / Add-On Rules:

• try to create a mix that complements this production (in your own style)
• ...
• summing bus processing is allowed, as long as the dynamic range (average signal strength to maximum signal strength) doesn't suffer - use of this method is artistically!
• try to not(!) pre-master the track - the focus of this game is "mixing" - NO MASTERING
• ...

Please consult the official Rules and Guidelines for a more detailed set of rules. Failing to adhere to the rules will result in instant disqualification

Additionally:

Rule set for mix participants

• This is a mix challenge, NOT a (pre)mastering challenge (unless declared otherwise). The main focus is to create a balanced mix, which can later be used for a possible mastering process
• ...
• It is allowed to use plugins on the summing bus, as long as they are for broad/general sound shaping (e.g. console emulation, "print to tape" sound, "mix through a compressor" trick, etc) or metering tools, but not for mastering purposes (see thread Rules and Guidelines Addendum: Summing Bus Treatment)
• ...
• ideally, the final mix shall be anywhere within the the following range: -21dB RMS realtime to -15dB RMS realtime on average, alternatively -16LUFS ILk, while the maximum digital signal strength shall ideally not exceed -1dBTP (True Peak)
• ...
• the provided arrangement must remain the same (take note of a given audio demo). Do not change the song key, do not add an additional beat or instruments (e.g. replay a guitar), move parts around and therefore change the arrangement. Unless otherwise stated (i.e. radio mix, loops being allowed for reordering, creative audio effects like glitching, etc)
• ...
• It is mandatory to document the mix/production. At bar minimum, it is recommended to provide screenshots. But of course you can document report as detailed as you like. This is to learn good "session recall" tactics, engage in the conversation and for all participants to learn from each other