MIX CHALLENGE - MC085 April 2022 - Winners announced

[Mister Fox]

The current step is to wait for "global feedback" and which participant goes into Mix Round 2 (results will take a couple more days). Then we have another 5 days of mixing, and then the evaluation process repeats. Thank you for your patience.

There is unfortunately no collection of all entries in "one post" like with the Songwriting Competition. This would result in (currently) extra work on my end. Apologies for the inconvenience.

[Candide]

Thanks for the explanation.

[scottfitz]

Hi all,
I realised during this challenge that I am not as good as I want at setting the compressor times.

I was told by a pro mixer friend of mine to get plenty of ratio, threshold and attack then focus on release setting. Next with release set with still plenty running through the compressor set the attack. Next with release and attack set, consider the best ratio for the audio in question. Then finally select the threshold that is needed.

Does anyone else use this method, or does anyone else recommend an alternative approach?

I'm currently considering switching to the fabfilter compressor which has the running graph showing the trace of what the compressor has just done. Do you recommend this? I worry that sometimes I am mixing with my eyes when I have such tools at my disposal.

Thanks for any help on this.

[fcamp]

I would say that it depends on what you want to do with the compressor. But if any sequence of tasks to set the compressor has been helpful to me, it has been probably this: http://hermetechmastering.com/compressors.html . Although sometimes, to set the release, I prefer starting from longer releases and then shorten it, just the opposite of what it is there recommended.

[Edu Cesar]

Yeah, same here. Sometimes my ears get too focused on certain frequencies and I get my compressor settings wrong when I listen to the tracks after a few days.

Fabfilter’s compressor is a great way to visualize what is going on but it can also trick you into “not hearing” what it’s doing too. If you have Logic, the stock compressor also features a graph visualization, much like Pro C.

A great video on how to hear drum compression imo: https://youtu.be/K0XGXz6SHco

Also there’s Fabfilter’s own series of videos on the basics of compression (it’s good to check it out even if you already know the basics, Dan Worral is great): https://youtu.be/BIVfpsoPnOo

Cheers

Hi all,
I realised during this challenge that I am not as good as I want at setting the compressor times.

I was told by a pro mixer friend of mine to get plenty of ratio, threshold and attack then focus on release setting. Next with release set with still plenty running through the compressor set the attack. Next with release and attack set, consider the best ratio for the audio in question. Then finally select the threshold that is needed.

Does anyone else use this method, or does anyone else recommend an alternative approach?

I'm currently considering switching to the fabfilter compressor which has the running graph showing the trace of what the compressor has just done. Do you recommend this? I worry that sometimes I am mixing with my eyes when I have such tools at my disposal.

Thanks for any help on this.

[scottfitz]

I would say that it depends on what you want to do with the compressor. But if any sequence of tasks to set the compressor has been helpful to me, it has been probably this: http://hermetechmastering.com/compressors.html . Although sometimes, to set the release, I prefer starting from longer releases and then shorten it, just the opposite of what it is there recommended.

Thanks very much, what a great explanation, cheers

[scottfitz]

Yeah, same here. Sometimes my ears get too focused on certain frequencies and I get my compressor settings wrong when I listen to the tracks after a few days.

Fabfilter’s compressor is a great way to visualize what is going on but it can also trick you into “not hearing” what it’s doing too. If you have Logic, the stock compressor also features a graph visualization, much like Pro C.

A great video on how to hear drum compression imo: https://youtu.be/K0XGXz6SHco

Also there’s Fabfilter’s own series of videos on the basics of compression (it’s good to check it out even if you already know the basics, Dan Worral is great): https://youtu.be/BIVfpsoPnOo

Cheers

Hi all,
I realised during this challenge that I am not as good as I want at setting the compressor times.

I was told by a pro mixer friend of mine to get plenty of ratio, threshold and attack then focus on release setting. Next with release set with still plenty running through the compressor set the attack. Next with release and attack set, consider the best ratio for the audio in question. Then finally select the threshold that is needed.

Does anyone else use this method, or does anyone else recommend an alternative approach?

I'm currently considering switching to the fabfilter compressor which has the running graph showing the trace of what the compressor has just done. Do you recommend this? I worry that sometimes I am mixing with my eyes when I have such tools at my disposal.

Thanks for any help on this.

Thanks so much, this is Kush guy definitely has a better understanding of how to hear compression on drums than I had previously and I will be watching this video on repeat until I get it properly

[dima510]

hello fellow mixers!

again, thank you for your participation! we have had a hard time to select those mixes for round 2, but we did our best...

some general feedback first:

there are not many mixes that got the vocal-tuning just right. in the main vocals, the note on bar 19.1. / 21.1. / 23.1. (and the corresponding bars in refrains 2/3) is an "A" – and it MUST be an "A"!

also on vocals: due to a little render-mishap, the "dry" vocals with no efx have a formant-shift "baked-in". in order to make it sound like TOM, you need to correct this by shifting the formants back up again. i know this is annoying - sorry!! however, this is a mix-CHALLENGE... ;-) in many mixes, tom sounds 30 years older than he actually is...

please refer to the ref-mix! also note, that you have the option to use the "brighter formant" tracks, that have been corrected by mister fox prior to the start of this challenge.


finally, there is a strange "side-flip" to the left in the intro-synth, which is unintentional. i don't know where this comes from, but please try to avoid this.
 
we have selected 15 mixes for round 2 (in numerical order):
 
004 - Andrey Benassi
this mix can be easily identified, because it sounds almost identical to the ref-mix. it sounds good - but with no surprises. dirk would encourage you to take a little risk and throw some delays here & there or use some audible distortion on synths, auto-panning in the funky part, etc.  let us hear a bit more of your own signiture :-) apart from that: well done!tom really liked the mix. The vocals are very good sounding, clear and well pitched. I could imagine a bit more of piano presence in the chorus to make it sound full. I noticed the claps are quiet in the bridge following the chorus and there is some power missing. Also the chorus could use a bit more of energy maybe by adding more bass and make it fuller. I really loved the bridge with the funky guitar. Thank you for the nice mix.
 
008 - Kevin Gobin (Wild Card)
It’s a nice mix. I liked the sound of the vocals and you pitched them well. They could maybe be louder in the chorus. Regarding the chorus, it could use a bit more of power and energy, I am missing the rhythm instruments here. Also the piano is missing and would make sense to have him filling the mix and getting a full sound. I liked the well balanced toms in the guitar bridge. There is a quite heavy vocal delay in the outro that could be softer. The whole mix could use a bit more room using reverbs. Thank you for this mix.
 
021 - Christoph K
this is a very well balanced mix. it also has some nice creative elements, especially in the funky guitar part. the vox-tuning is ok, but the general notes (intro-flip/formants) apply. maybe the piano could be a little bit more present in the upper mids. there is one synth in the chorus (kind of a sine-wave/blip with lots of echoes) that is hardly audible and should be louder or get some more transients. overall - good work!

025 - NealGiedd
the intro of this mix is a bit weak: the pizziccato strings do not sound natural and too dark, missing presence. the first chorus hits quite nicely: wide vocals and synths, but the "blip" is almost inaudible (see comment on 021). i like the after-chorus-arpeggio part that really carries over to verse 2. the acoustic guitar in verse 2 sounds too dull and the main vocals sound a bit thin. fading out the synth in the outro is a nice idea and works well for me. ending with just the piano adds to the melancholic mood. maybe the outro-vocals are somewhat dry and not 100% on target yet. try to find an alternative sound. overall some room for improvements but a good basis!
 
031 - Blang
Nice work! I liked the vocals that are very different to the other mixes but they could be a bit more crispy. There is a heavy break by only using the kick after the verse, it could be a bit softer by adding something like the claps or snare. I loved the transition to the second chorus, it makes it sound huge. The synth in the bridge following the chorus is very huge and good sounding. The toms in the Bridge could be a bit thicker. I really liked the reversed reverb effect you used in the outro transition. There is one pitch correction to do in the last sentence « A lier »

033 - floodo (Wild Card)
there is some potential in this mix, as well as room for improvement: the intro-synth-flip (see general notes), the bass is overly loud, the piano sounds thin and compressed, the main vocals are a bit out of focus in the second verse and need adjustment of the formants (again, see general notes). the backing vocals need better tuning and the impact of the pre-chorus (after the funky part) is quite low. However: i like the chorus, the arpeggio 1&2, the funky part and the outro is not bad. You've got some work to do, but you can get there... ;-)
 
036 - MFTWC
this intro also has that strange "side-flip". the pizz-strings are a tiny little bit too dull. The chorus is good and the following arpeggio-part breathes nicely. I am not sure about that hollow kick in the funky-part – maybe try a different sound here. Also, the rototoms need some more impact. The very last vocal-phrase in the outro needs pitch-correction. Overall, the vocals sound quite good, but a bit boring. You could try some room-efx for more depth and a nice surprise here & there. A little more presence for the outro-piano and you are on a good way... ;-)
 
048 – Eight8
this is a very good mix! I like the sound of the main vocals (good tuning, but not sure about the formants, though... just a little little bit...) and all parts of the song stand in good relation to each other. The intro can be somewhat improved: the synth is too low and the piano sounds quite thin. That arpeggio-synth after the chorus should be more dominant for my ears. The rototoms need to kick in a bit harder. One of my favorite mixes so far – well done!

054 - MadMav (Wild Card)
the intro is a bit confusing, with that synth jumping all over and levels that don't really match for my ears. Sonically, the vocals are ok, maybe all little dry – and the formants need an uplift in order to sound natural. The first chorus sounds quite good, as well as the after-chorus-arpeggio and the funky-guitar part. Nice width and depth! Also, the outro is slightly above average with that nice delayed tuning of the last note. I'd love to hear more creative little details on the vocals, to keep the listeners interest, and you should re-define the role of the piano (supporting the verses, impacting the arpeggio & pre-chorus). Overall, nice work :-)
 
056 - Green-Dog
You did a nice work. The main vocals are good sounding and crispy. The backing vocals in the verses could find a better place in the mix. They are a bit loud and in the face. There are also some pitch corrections that could be done on the backing vocals. Very nice delay throw in the second verse « au fond de tes yeux ». I’m missing a piano in the chorus and bridge following the chorus that could fill the the mix. The arpeggio in the bridges is a bit thin and could sound bigger. The outro could use some more work on the vocal. Thank you for the nice work you did.
 
057 - JamesMusic
Thank you for this nice mix. The vocals are super crispy and thick, I really like it. I loved the rooms used in the whole Mix. Maybe the plate you used on the vocals coild use some eq in the high frequencies. The whole mix is well balanced. I m not sure about the transition and sound design you used bevor the second chorus The chorus comes with a lot of energy and power. There is a bit much of verb on vocals in the outro which could be compressed and side chained maybe? Thank you for this nice work.
 
061 – Michael_K
nice mix! Sounds quite close to the reference. Also good vocal treatment & tuning. Again, that "flip" in the intro ;-) The kick is very loud – i would take away 1-2 db. On the other hand, the arpeggio-synth should take the leading role in the "after-chorus". Maybe the vocals can be a touch louder in the second verse and more present in the outro. Nice ending with just the piano! Good work!
 
067 - JeroenZuiderwijk (Wild Card)
i get the basic idea of your intro with that shift in sound, but i would tailor this "telephone-effect" to just the vocals (also being more "in the face") – and definitely not use it for the pizzicato-strings. The kick is very loud and i would rather try to add some transients or distortion in order to make it equally present with less volume – maybe EQ some 200-500hz down. The crash-cymbal sounds a bit harsh and "mono". I am missing the breath and width of the synths during the chorus, where the piano is very dominant (but sounding quite good). Also, the arpeggio-synth after the chorus should take the leading role. I like the pre-chorus-efx after the funky part, and your vox-tuning is good. I will be honest, though: there's some serious adjustments needed to make this mix outstanding. I am looking forward to hear your progress in the second round! :-)

070 - MattP
well, i was in doubt about this one – everything is super-compressed and "over-the-top". But: there's something to it... all elements are in place and very dense. The mix has a lot of the energy one would expect from a french disco-pop-song. This one takes the main theme "danser" very seriously - even the second verse keeps the impact. The vocal presence in the outro is also outstanding. Things to improve: the "intro-flip". I'd like to hear a little more of the "blip", the "arpeggio" synths (maybe just transients!?) and the rototoms. I am very curious about how this one develops in the second round ... :-)
 
077 - delicate
Nice work! The vocals sound amazing and very different to the other mixes I listend to. They are maybe a bit loud in the context of the mix in the verses. Maybe use some automations. I noticed you used some distortion or detuned layers on the vocals in the verse and I really appreciated it. The mix could use some more dynamic and energy. Maybe you could make some sound design to make the chorus really hit in. The claps and other rhythm instruments could use more presence. There is a pitch correction that must be done on the last « à lier » in the outro vocals. Thank you for your nice work!

GOOD LUCK TO ALL FOR ROUND 2! have fun ... :-)

[Mister Fox]

Thank you for handling the evaluation, @dima510 and @tombesancon.

Ladies and gentlemen, let us kick off Mix Round 2, which will end on Friday, 13-MAY-2022 23:59 UTC+2/CEST

As of this moment, that is 5 days (plus the hours since @dima510's announcement, and I've updated the post). All Mix Round 2 participants will be sent a reminder via mail shortly.


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



The following 15 participants go into Round 2 (alphabetical order), with "wild-cards" being pointed out (if present this month).
(all Mix Round 2 participants should have been pinged)

@andreybenassi
@Blang
@Christoph_K
@delicate
@Eight8
@floodo (Wild Card)
@Green-Dog
@JamesMusic
@JeroenZuiderwijk (Wild Card)
@kevin gobin (Wild Card)
@MadMav (Wild Card)
@MattP
@MFTWC
@Michael_K
@nealgiedd
.

!	Bonus Info
	Please read more about the "wild card" game mechanic here Mix Challenge - Addendum: Statistic Sheet and Wild Card Mechanic Info: No wild cards present for MC085 / April 2022

The feedback to the productions can be found here:
viewtopic.php?p=12804#p12804


IMPORTANT:
It is essential to still pay absolute attention to detail. Vocal correction was/is a huge part of this month's challenge.

The mentioned number in front of your username in the Song Provider feedback is the Post-ID if your entry. If you check in with the Statistic Sheets, you can also see "what went wrong" with your entry if you have been a "wild card" offered. If you decide to continue into Mix Round 2, you need to address these slight errors as well.



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.
And please keep the Rules and Guidelines (post #6) in mind regarding submitting your entry.

[dima510]

oops - i forgot to write down one comment for

067 - JeroenZuiderwijk (Wild Card):

the distortion on the outro synth sounds very digital. try to make it more analog and pleasing ;-)