Hey everybody,
thanks again for your patience. I really needed some time to listen carefully. Mixing competitions are difficult - not only but also - from the jury perspective. You listen to a mix and you start to like it. Then you switch to another one and you hear problems that weren’t there before. And that goes on and on. So I focussed on each mix and tried to find what could be improved in that particular mix. The mixes in round 2 where already good to really good, so all „complaints“ are already at a high level. I really was not sure to start a third round, but as we plan to release the mix I decided to go all in.
While listening to all the mixes I switched to my reference tracks now and then. One of them is 24k Magic by Bruno Mars. I recommend you to listen to it. I know it's a different genre but the sonic character is a quite good reference for our track (plus it's a really badass mix which is fun listening to). If you have not done so yet I also recommend to listen to the other mixes actively.
So here are my feedbacks for round 2:
@Alex Van mixland
The low mid buildup is gone now. The lead vocals are very good level wise, they just have some quite harsh moments (e.g. listen to „reason to live“ at the end of the second verse @4.8k). In the chorusses the lead vocals still have a lot of top end (or some exciter?) and 4.2k harshness. But maybe it stands out that much because the percussion could catchup a little bit with some more shine? The long delay in the chorus is still strange. The feedback is just too long I guess. „Hey yeah“ and „Here we go again“ are perfect. Perfect!! The claps in verse 2 and the following pre chorus are too muffled. The telefone voice is still to quiet at the end of the second chorus and in the break.
@Blang
The Kick is much better now! It also doesn’t eat up the bass so much. The filtering effect on the guitar brings in a cool suspense! The first pre chorus gives me goose bumps, nice! It’s so interesting what the better low end does to the whole mix. It sounds way more emotional because the rest of the tracks and your works begin to shine. The „Here we go again“ should stand out a bit more. Put it in the center and let it sound more natural (now it has too much lowpass), also the „Hey yeah“ should be in that pocket - it should sound brighter. The lead vocals have a little bit harshness goin on - especially in verse and pre chorus (3-4k). But that’s just a minor OCD issue
The telefone part is perfect!
@dnlptn
The Bass - the low end in general - is much better now, though the bass still has minor problems maybe around 125hz and the kick could still be an ounce shorter. While the lead vocals sound much better (still a little bit too much 2k) they have started to lisp now in verse one. And I still don’t like the reverb on the vocals in verse, it’s too large, maybe also too much predelay. Then its shorter in the pre chorus, it’s quite a drastic change which I find irritating. Try to keep the vocals in the same space in verse and PC. It’s also too long (even very low) in the first and second chorus. Try something less lush and more subtle. In the second chorus the „Sky“ could be more upfront. The first „See the same stars“ overlap is too loud. Also the reverse crash is too harsh (6k) at the end. Besides all that I still like the general vibe - except the cowbell could be louder
@DodgingRain
Well, the kick now has more klick, but I think it’s to high, maybe try 5k? I think it could be even louder with more oomph. Also the drums are missing some glue. This is more obvious to me now with the changed kick. The lead vocals sit better in the mix with the edited reverb, but they are a bit loud sometimes. The rhodes in the second pre chorus is too loud, I must have missed this in round one, my bad. „Here we go again“ in the secont pre chorus is a bit loud. The telefone voice is spot on in this version!
@FrequencyPainter
The buildup is gone, nice! I still here some serious boxyness between 600-800hz which makes the mix also a bit too dense. I think there are quite a few tracks involved, the bass beeing a very obvious one. The low end is nice, warm and punchy, the kick is a bit scooped and could have more tone (maybe dial in more 60-70hz). The blip arp is poking out a bit too much (have a closer look at the resonance around 500hz), it also is fighting with the percussions. The BGVs „Hey yeah“ „Here we go again“ and „Sky“ could be way more upfront. The lead vocals in the last chorus have a little bit harshness around 4k going on.
@Marv
Very good! Now for some nerdy OCD details: the lower mids of the congas poke out too much at around 200hz. I can hear that it’s the same as in the round 1 mix, I just didn’t hear that for whatever reason. There is a little bit too much going on at 750hz, when I scoop out this range a few db it sounds much better. What I also hear in the chorus: there’s a strange distortion (?) in the reverb of the lead vocals, best heard on the phrase „See the same sky“ at the end of the chorus. The piano/rhodes combo could have a little bit more bite. Also the bass has maybe a little bit too much muddyness at 140Hz. Consider to scoop out a little bit 2k in the lead vocals. The drum loop seems to occupy this space, you probably could improve the track separation there.
@MFTWC
The snare is much more part of the drums now. The kick has not enough click (try 4-5k). Also - in comparison with the other mixes - a bit more low end and oumph wouldn't have hurt. The crash hits too hard sometimes. Vocals are better with more top end, but now they are a bit harsh in the chorusses. Generally I am still missing some depth, the vocals are so dust-dry. The very last chorus is much better in this respect. The rhodes has a very nice tone.
@NGGStudios
The lead vocals stand out more, which is good. But now they sound a bit too boxy, mid rangey, even a bit harsh. They sound way better in the chorus, but the chorusses in general are to dry/flat for me. The chorusses have less excitement then the other parts, just turning up the lead vocals doesn’t to the trick here I guess. „See the same stars“ pokes out too much in the second chorus. The claps are good now. All in all the mix is quite good, it’s missing some drive/excitement compared to other entries.
@PGPMixing
The guitar is better now, but still too thin and also a bit harsh to my ears. Balance between kick and bass is better, but the bass is not really working, maybe too much 125hz. Claps and cowbell are spot on now. In the second chorus there are still some problems with the pad synths, but definitely better then in round 1. The mix still sounds mid scooped to me, especiall in comparison with the other mixes. When I dial in a few db arount 1k with a really wide Q (0,3) the mix really starts to become alive. Plus I really like the transition effect to the second chorus! Very cool!! The lead vocals in the chorus don’t match the verses EQ wise. Too much low mids I guess. The BGVs in the second chorus could be more upfront and the telefone voice is to harsh at 5k and could also be a little bit more „in your face“.
@S&F
The mix is much less muddy than the first one. But somethings happened to the „Uh Uh“ BGVs in the intro, they come in too early. Also the „Hey yeah“ „Here we go again“ and „Sky“ are too early, it seems that all the BGV tracks have slid forward a sixteenth note in the arrangement. I still like the chorus a lot! Maybe the lead vocals are a bit loud and there’s a strange double note overlap on the word „sky“ at the end of the chorus.
@TomImmon
The kick has changed to the worse, I’m afraid. Instead of more punch it has just more click. Bass is still cool. The mix has a nice open sound now, which I like. But because you opened it up now the hihats are living in the top end of the lead vocals too much. Also the de-essing is still way to audible in the chorusses.
These mixes get the chance for a third round - if you're not tired already
@Alex Van mixland
@Blang
@dnlptn
@DodgingRain
@FrequencyPainter
@Marv
