Mix Challenge

approxgo
Some of the guitars have been mixed too quiet, particularly in the intro. Vocal distortion effect is quite nasty and harsh and makes it hard to discern the lyrics. Generally everything seems to sound quite dry and a bit too "roomy". Snare has a very nice saturation though and cuts through quite well, kick is still present and powerful on smaller speakers and I like the low end of the mix, it sounds focussed and tight. The mids though are too scooped though which detracts from the power of the guitars and the tune of the synths (which also aren't very audible in the choruses).

DanialDevost
The guitars have a strong presence and stereo spread and the drums have great attack (although the snare is a tad boxy). Vocals sound a little too pushed back and need to be more upfront / a little louder, but in themselves the balance between lead and backing vocals is really great! Synth 1 could do with being a bit louder, it isn't really audible over the chorus guitars, but overall a solid mix effort.

_StillBorn
Some of the guitars are a bit too clean-sounding and "nice" - more distortion would be good! Vocals are very dry and would benefit from more reverb/delay and the synths need to be louder. Snare drum could do with more body (maybe check for phase issues?) and the kick drum, indeed the mix overall is quite lacking in low end. On the plus side though, excluding the synths I think you've got the general level balance to a good place.

kombainera
Kick and snare have a nice attack. Guitar tones are good, could maybe do with a little more high-mid to bring out the buzz. Vocals are perhaps still a little thin and would benefit from "wetting" a little more with some effects. Good energy level on the whole though.

Dodgingrain
Good level balance on the whole, all the elements are there and in their place. Way too much bottom snare mic though, the overall snare tone sounds very thin and lacking in body but the rest of the kit sounds quite good. I like how you've upped the level of the bass guitar a bit more, it sounds ace in the choruses. Lead vocals are good, nicely upfront and at a good level but either a bit more compression or a bit less de-essing on them is needed as some of the fricatives in particular aren't very audible, eg: "far away" at 1:29 and 1:38.

MFTWC
Drums sound very "roomy", the OH shells level might need reducing somewhat, or try adding some extra reverb to the drums as a whole. Otherwise, they have a very good attack and balance. Vocals could do with some effects (or more of), but are good in other respects. Bass guitar is very good, guitars are pretty good but could do with being a touch louder in the choruses.

scottfitz
A nice, tight low end to the mix. Could do with a high-mid or high frequency shelf lift, it's feels a little "cloudy" towards the top end. Kick drum has a great tone, is very clear and cuts through, but dare I say it perhaps a little bit too loud? (I don't say that often!!). The cymbals are very quiet in comparison, almost inaudible when the closed hi-hat is playing. Synths are great though, very clear and audible in the choruses. Some of the guitars could do with more grit or an additional amp sim adding (Ash's guitars 1 & 2 I think). Maybe play around with the vocals effects too, add some delay or increase the reverb a bit.

malene
The first thing that was apparent on listening is the overall mix low end is quite lacking, needs a push! Vocals are quite harsh, could do with a cut around 2.5kHz. Sounds like you've used a lot of compression which has brought out the energy level, sounds good! The kick drums seems to wander around the stereo field and off to the left quite a lot though (eg: at 0:55), possibly due to the OH shells being compressed but not stereo linked. There's some effect going on with the vocals that sounds a bit like tape flutter (eg: around 1:30), it doesn't sound great so maybe reduce this.

Christoph_K
Good punch with the drums and nice saturation. Cymbals could do with coming up a dB or two. Guitars and bass sound great, I like that the bass is louder than the original mix. Vocals sound good but either a little too much reverb or the reverb needs more low end rolling off, the choruses in particular seem to highlight this. Frequency-wise, the mix low-end and mid range are very good, but I think the high end might need a lift (reference the Jimmy Eat World song in the TLDR reference track list), at the very least the snare could definitely use some more high end and the vocals will probably come brighter when the reverb is tweaked. The compression overall is a little heavy, the kick is making the rest of the mix pump too much and there's not really any energy difference between choruses and verses, it's feels full on all the time.

LowlandsWave
Kick, snare and overheads are good but toms are a bit too loud in comparison to the rest of the kit, good drum punch though. Vocals are ok but a tad thin, maybe some additional EQ tweaking would be good and would also benefit from some reverb and/or delay to counter the roominess of the recordings. Bass guitar has a nice low end, guitars are good in general although Ash 1 needs a bit more distortion - sounds very clean at the start. Synth 1 could do with being a little bit louder. Overall mix balance is pretty good though.

Bluesation
While I appreciate the thought behind the guitar panning, I think they sound too separated being separately panned hard left and right and the thickness of the double tracked recording is lost. The vocals are maybe a little bit loud but are nice and crisp, the exciter seems to work well. The slap delay doesn't work for me though unfortunately, it sounds like poor old Ash has been squashed into a small cupboard! It might work if the timing is adjusted or the feedback is increased, something that gives the impression of a bigger space. The drums in general are too quiet and too dark, try boosting the high-mid range on the snare and giving the kick some more click.

Mvd83
Drums have a great attack with lots of good tone, nice and crisp. Guitars are great and the bass guitar sounds ace, it sounds like there's some panning automation going on with the two bass tracks when the chorus starts? Whatever it is it sounds great! The vocals are well compressed but a little too quiet and a bit thin, although this might just be the mix in general that's very bright.

White Punk OD
Bass is good, nice and tight in the centre. I'm not keen on the panning of the guitars though, they've lost some of their energy since the parts now seem distinctly seperated left and right, although I do like the panning automation in the drum break at 1:55. Drum-wise, the snare drum could do with being a bit brighter with more high-mid crack. The kick drum cuts through the mix quite well though. Cymbals are maybe a little too bright and/or loud. Synth 1 doesn't sound loud enough, I can't specifically pick it out in the chorus. Lead vocals could do with a bit more high end (seem slightly muffled) but the rest are ok, nicely panned and mixed.

Siey
First thing I noticed, the guitar pick scrape in the intro needs to be louder! Secondly, the cymbals are very distorted and sound quite nasty. Also, in the parts of the song with lots of vocals singing with whole mix seems to fizzle and flutter like there's some very heavy saturation or clipping going on, it's quite unpleasant. On the positive side, the drums have a great attack, and the mix is well balanced in terms of the levels of all the vocals and instruments, but the fade out at the end dips too quickly.

Pistolpete
Hmm wow, this is quite an interesting mix and based on your documentation you've clearly put lots of though and effort into it, very commendable! There are elements that I like, but there are also elements that I think need some improvement. The kick drum is great, quite thumpy and cuts through the mix very well but the snare is very thin with a lack of body - probably too much bottom snare mic in the mix and/or a phase issue. The cymbals could also do with being a bit louder. The bass guitar is nice and chunky, love it! Synths are at a good level, nice and audible in the choruses, which not everyone has managed. Unfortunately a lot of the guitars are in need of a level adjustment - for instance at around 0:30 they're so quiet against the drums, bass and vocals. The backing vocals are well panned but a bit too loud, they sometimes steal the attention away from the lead. Your mix has certainly captured the energy though.

Protton
Guitars are good, nice level, could do with a little more top end though, sounds a bit rolled off and slightly muffled. Bass guitar is very good. Drums have very nice transients, cymbals, kick and toms are at a good level but the snare is verging on being too loud. Lead vocals are lacking in top end clarity and are too quiet in the mix, the backing vocals are also almost inaudible! Synths could do with being a bit louder too. Other than these few level adjustments and EQ tweaks the mix is very good on the whole.

1970studio
Snare is really thin, either too much bottom snare mic or a phase issue has been introduced and the kick doesn't really cut through. Generally feels like the mix lacks energy, places like at 1:15 there should be a big increase in guitar energy but this feels lost. I don't like the edited drum stop at 1:30, this should not be there, it should be a continuous build of energy as the drums and synths crescendo into the chorus. On the plus side, the vocals are at a good level and nicely spaced, could do with a little bit more compression and reverb though.

JeroenZuiderwijk
This is good! I love how the chorus comes alive with the synths, guitars and bass, you've engineered a great energy boost - much better than the demo mix, well done! All elements of the drums sound very good, perhaps wanting for a little bit more body fundamental with the snare. The lead vocals could be a little louder and something on them sounds almost like the singer is singing through a plastic bag (like a slight fizzy distortion), not sure if it's the EQ or the distortion and it's not major but something a little unnatural that could do with sorting. The vocal delay is subtle but well chosen. The guitar amp sim is well chosen too and the extra distortion adds a good boost to the track, but at the very end the guitar seems to sustain longer then fade a little too quickly - would be good to address this.

maxovrdrive
Drums sound quite roomy/boxy, some extra reverb or increasing the level of the close mics would address this. Snare, kick and toms are all very dark and would benefit from some extra EQ and/or compression to increase the transients and attack. Vocals are very good, great level in the mix and balance between lead and backing, and I like the subtle distortion, perhaps add some more reverb or delay though as they're very dry. The stereo spread you've achieved between the guitars, synths and vocals is great! Bass guitar could do with more low end, maybe actually the mix in general.

sreezal.exe
Guitars in general are very muffled and in need of an upper mid or high shelf boost, they would also benefit from some extra grit or added distortion. Vocals are ok on the whole, maybe 0.5 to 1db louder would be better. Drums are good, nice punchy transients that cut through the mix very well and a good level balance across all the elements. The bass guitar is too quiet and the mix seems to lack low end because of it. Synth 1 also needs to be louder.

fercobm
The mix overall sounds very unbalanced, the guitars are very quiet compared to the vocals and drums so a lot of the harmony and energy is lost as a result. Drums have a good attack though, snare and kick both cut through nicely. Snare is great in fact, especially the attack on the final fill, but it's very overpowering! The vocals are a little bit harsh and would also benefit from more compression to bring out increased clarity and diction. Bass guitar is good, nice low end.

floodo
The overall mix is quite muffled/muddy with lots of low mid frequencies jostling for place, perhaps overcompressed as there's not a lot of energy difference between sections and no apparent build ups from verse to chorus for example. Drums are ok, the kick sometimes struggles to be heard and the snare is a little thin but there is a decent attack there and the toms sound nice and punchy.

VasDim
The biggest issue with this mix is the vocals are very muffled with esses totally destroyed, it's very hard to hear the lyrics. Drums are quite thin and tinny and are often lost under the guitars. Guitars though are actually pretty good in terms of distortion and tone and the bass isn't bad either.

Miłosz
Great attack on the kick drum, and while it cuts through very well it's a little bit loud in the context of the mix and ends up being the most prominent part in some sections. Snare is lacking some body, looking at your documentation maybe too much mid has been cut? The addition of the "stereo-maker" and/or the chorus on the bass guitar isn't necessarily bad sounding, but it has thrown the bass frequencies wide open across the stereo field rather than them being tight in the centre. If isolate the side element of the mix I can still hear the subwoofer working away, which ordinarily shouldn't be the case. Vocals are lacking a bit of body. Overall though you've managed to balance the levels really well and have engineered a good sounding mix, with a few spectral tweaks it could be great.

DavidB
Oh dear, there's some horrible low frequency distortion/tearing sound going on in this mix! Almost like filtered white noise underneath everything, it could be the guitars or the drum overheads, I'm not sure but this definitely needs addressing. Drums otherwise are pretty good with nice, aggressive transients but the snare is a bit loud. There might be some wayward automation or compressor action going on as in a couple of places eg: 0:42 the mix momentarily gets louder for a split second. Vocals are at a good level, both lead and backing, but sometimes a little bit too distorted like at 1:15.

EmClrk
Wow, lots of low end in this mix! Maybe a little bit too much rumbling as it's quite overpowering in the louder sections! Lots of punch with the kick and toms though, I like it, snare has a good crack too. Lead vocals are nice and clear and at a good level but maybe a little on the thin side and the backing vocals on the whole could do with coming up in volume. You've put good thought into the stereo placement and mixing of the bass and guitars and this shows, they have very good tone and space within the mix. The synths are good too, nice to be able to pick them out!

Havol
The drums have a natural sound, quite attacking and cutting but not over hyped, although the snare could use some extra crack and transient attack. I can hear that you've put in some volume automation at the start so the volume increases as the verse nears - I absolutely commend the idea for the energy build, however as a result the very start of the song does sound a little bit quiet. Great energy boost when the chorus drops, the bass really kicks in spectacularly! The lead vocals could do with coming up a dB or so, it's mainly noticeable in the verses that they're a little quiet as the louder backing vocals in the choruses carry them through these sections. Guitars and synths are great, can't really pick any fault with them individually. Overall the mix could do with a slight mid boost, it's maybe a little "smiley faced"

Punchipum
I can hear you've panned the drums like a right-handed drummer would hear them but that's cool. I think a couple of critical mix tweaks are needed - the vocals are quite thin and harsh and snare is very thin sounding either a phase problem or too much bottom snare mic. The vocal effects might also be a bit loud, bring them down just a tad and I think and they'll sit great. Guitars are nice and aggressive, bass has a nice weight to it. Synths could do with being a bit louder. I like the reverb that becomes evident on some of the drum fills, especially the toms, it gets rid of some of the roominess of the drum recording.

Sami T
The guitars and drums need a big high frequency lift in this mix, they're extremely muffled. Vocals are quite clear and bright though and you made great creative use of the reverse reverb on them, I really like this. The main vocal reverb on the other hand is a little bit too short of a decay and makes them sound like a bathroom. Other than being muffled, your mix is actually very tight with a solid low end and all instruments are nicely placed in terms of level and stereo spread.

jules666
The mix on the whole sounds a bit overcompressed, everything is quite squashed and pumping a bit too much with not a lot of dynamic range between sections. But your mix does have some real strong points: the drums have a very punchy attack, glossy cymbals with no harshness, level and stereo placement are spot on - good mixing here. At first I was so certain drum samples had been used but we conversed and you proved otherwise, so nicely done! The energy level of the mix is very high, guitars and bass have great tone, the vocals are bright and clear and the synths are reasonably prominent (I like the extra audibility on synth 2 at the ending fade out, that was totally new to my ears). I'd love to hear what it sounds like with a bit less compression overall, and make that guitar pick slide in the intro a bit louder!

Zsolt
First impressions were the guitars are a little bit "scratchy radio", quite thin - maybe too much high and low frequency roll off. Vocals are quite harsh around the 2.5kHz region and again are quite thin although this lessens as the backing vocals come in. They would also benefit from increasing the reverb and delay levels. Drums are pretty good! Nice attack with the kick and snare (really like the kick actually, got a great click and apparent weight to it), cymbals are at a good level and shimmer nicely without being too bright. Toms could be a bit louder, as could the bass guitar.

EchoOread
Your drums sound good, nice clicky kick and poppy snare, pretty much nailed exactly what you set out to there! Cymbals and toms could do with being slightly louder though. The reverb on the guitars is way overdone, it's taken away all the grit and attack of them. They've also been mixed too quiet so there's a lack of energy throughout the song. Bass guitar is good though, level and tone both sound in the zone. Vocals are slightly harsh and would benefit from some more reverb (swap the guitar and vocal reverbs and you'd be sorted!)

Bonav
Very good level balancing of all parts throughout the mix, nothing seems too loud and other than the synths nothing else seems too quiet, so well done there. The mix does feel a little bit overcompressed though with not a lot of room to breathe. Drums are punchy and clear, nice tones throughout all elements. Guitars are blended together very well, tonally almost verging on harsh in some places but still comfortable to listen to. Bass sits very nicely in the mix, low end is tight and focussed. Vocals are sounding a little thin and could maybe use a little bit more polish to smooth out the upper-mids and some of the esses can still sound a little harsh, I would say add/increase the level of the effects too.

jaywoolcott
Drums sound like they've been over saturated with a tape emulation plugin, quite distorted and not a lot of low end on the kick. Snare has a good body to it but cymbals are a bit too loud. Guitars and bass are nice, could be a little bit brighter maybe. Vocals sit well, possible 0.5dB louder for the lead or a bit more compression would be better. Overall mix and energy is pretty good, there's a good dynamic balance between different sections of the song.

Piotr
The guitar panning has resulted in a lot of the chorus energy being over to the left side - this could do with a rethink as the stereo field seems unbalanced as a result. Cymbals sound very narrowly panned, I would normally expect them to be wider to have more apparent depth. The kick drum is lacking a lot of low end, it's almost inaudible when I solo my subwoofer. Good energy boost as the choruses kick in though, I like this and the volume balance of your mix is also very good between all the elements, the problems are mainly just spectral and panning.

SuC76
The mix low end is good and solid, immediately apparent from the intro! Guitars are at a good level but could be a bit brighter, and vocals are a bit thin / tinny (but also at a good level). Bass guitar has a good low end but doesn't really cut through on smaller speakers. Drums are nice and punchy with everything nicely balanced and audible. If I was being picky I'd say maybe just a bit more high end on the snare.

Locrais
Intro pick scrape needs to be louder! Snare is quite thin and the room sound is very audible, it might benefit from turning down the OH shells in favour of bringing up the snare top mic. Vocals are very dry and roomy, they need some reverb and/or delay on them. The mix overall seems to have an element of distortion all over it that doesn't always sound great especially with cymbal crashes and vocal esses but this is probably the tube compressor doing its thing. (Kudos to you for building one by the way!)

45Garage
Drums are nice and punchy with great transients, good tone and balance with the guitars, vocals are clear and audible, synths are just about there but a little more level on synth 1 would be good. There's too much high frequency content in the mix though, it's very hyped and hard on the ears. Too much compression has been applied overall as well, the mix has been crushed together and there's almost no dynamic range. These things almost kept you out of the top 15, however I feel you've made very good decisions with the rest of the mix and if these are sorted it could sound really great.

unclesnuggles
My first thoughts were frequency-wise this is quite a dark mix, but actually it seems to work pretty well as the instruments are all well balanced and nicely audible. The snare, while lacking the usual sharp attack I listen for, has a good bark to it that sounds quite natural like I would hear from my playing position. Kick is nice and punchy, vocals are all at quite a good level, bass has a nice twang to it. A solid effort overall.

AskAndy
There are quite a lot of issues with this mix audible from just the first 15 seconds, here goes...There's some kind of spring reverb tail right at the start where there should be silence, the cymbals are distorted and pumping way too much with the kick which has a lack of low end, the guitar pick slide is way too loud, the rest of the guitars are generally too quiet and mellow throughout (some are almost inaudible - tom's I think), lead vocals are very harsh sounding, the drums are misaligned at 1:58 after the break. I'm sorry, there's not a lot positive I can say about this mix other than the snare has quite a nice saturation.

DIVESPANNER
There are lots of issues apparent with this mix unfortunately, the worst of which is the vocals are cut off at the start ("Got a house" is missing) and they appear to have an awful delay or editing on them that detracts from the enjoyment of the choruses. They are at least audible and clear for the most part. The majority of the instruments though are very muddy, mushy, and dark. All I can really hear of the drums is the boomy body of the snare and the top end of the cymbals. Synth 1 seems to have become essentially white noise as the chorus builds, I can't hear any tune from it. I'm sorry I really can't say anything else positive about this one. My top advice to improve your mixing would be referencing - compare your mixes against others from the same genre, level match for a similar volume then A/B them and listen out closely for the differences in frequencies, instrument balance, panning etc.

pabloAT
First thought was the kick doesn't really cut through when all instruments are playing. However, the snare and toms do, which is good, but they are a little bit overpowering in the mix. The vocals are under-compressed and some of the diction is lost, but the level is quite good. Guitars sound like they have had too much low end rolled off and are too quiet in most places so the energy of the choruses in particular suffers as a result.

Gertius
This sounds like a very tight and focussed mix, maybe a little too focussed drum-wise. The kick and snare sound like they have been gated or EQ'ed too much, they have good attack but are too transient to sound natural as the sustain is lacking. The chorus has a great energy when it kicks in, few mixes managed to capture this so well done - the synths, guitars and bass all gel really well here. Lead vocals could come up a fraction as they are just slightly lost behind the instruments in places.

alavault
Way too much compression has been used in the mix so the energy change between sections has been lost and it's a bit overwhelming to listen to. There is also too much drive saturation, which has thrown up lots of undesirable noise and frequency artefacts underneath everything. Vocals are too thin, harsh and distorted. Kick and snare are ok, could do with cutting through a little bit more like the toms do (the toms are actually ace, love the punch and weight to them!). The cymbals are too quiet, the crashes you almost can't hear. After the break at 2:00 there's a big deep reverb tail that sounds out of place. I like the extra distortion on the guitars and they are very good all round in terms of tone, level and space - lots of good choices made here (are you a guitarist by chance?! )

tiptoe3
It sounds like drum samples have been used here as not only do the drums sound very processed and robotic, so many of the fills have been lost or chopped up by what I presume is mis-triggered samples. At the very least, the arrangement has been edited. The guitars sound good in terms of level and tone but they have a big phasing issue in that some of the tracks almost disappear completely when the mix is mono'ed. Vocals are a bit too quiet against the guitars and drums. I can hear some auto panning on the synths at the end, which is kinda cool though.

SDB_12
My first thought - where's the kick drum?! It should be really prominent in the intro but it's so quiet! The top end on the mix is very hyped too, rein this back a little bit. The energy is definitely there and rockin' though, nice aggressive guitars and drums, possibly a bit too much distortion on the vocals but the levels across these elements are balanced quite well. The pick scrapes in the intro and after the break need to be louder though. It's weird, I can hear your mix has some low end when I solo it on my sub, but when listening normally the top end is just so dominant that the mix sounds really lacking in lows even though it actually isn't.

dstra
Snare is a little bit thin, needs more body and needs to cut through the mix a bit more. Kick is pretty in the ball park though. Cymbals and toms are at a good level too. Good feeling of energy throughout and the instruments are nicely balanced, you've actually got the general sound pretty close to the demo mix.

IbanezoO
Vocals sound very hyped at the top end (this might be a result of your new mixing environment). I can hear that you've added some radio-style effects in the "a-ok" pre-chorus, I like the effect but there's a bit of a drop in level and clarity. Drums are very punchy and good balance of the elements, the work you've put in here has paid off. Unfortunately the synths seem almost not existent in the mix, which is a shame as they're an integral part of our sound.

FromAtoZMix
Wow, this mix has a very hyped top end. The cymbals are so bright and loud they triggered my tinnitus even at a low listening volume :S. Lead vocals are a bit quiet against the power of the guitars but the effects are well chosen. On the whole spatially everything has been placed well, but spectrally there are things to address - a mix EQ match to one of the reference tracks with something like iZotope Ozone will probably show quite a difference.

Piranha
You definitely take the prize for the fattest snare sound achieved, wow what a bark on that baby you've managed to get, it could do with a touch more transient attack and being slightly lower in the mix but a great sound nonetheless. Toms have a great punch too, but kick and cymbals are a little quiet in comparison. Guitars are pretty fab, maybe a touch more high end required. Bass would benefit from a bit more level or just some extra mids to help it cut through the choruses better. Vocals are good on the whole but are fighting to be heard over that snare! Also, I'd like to hear a bit more of the synths.

trackerjack
Kick and toms are punchy but need a bit more presence, they're slightly on the dark side. Cymbals are good, snare is ok but could do with something extra to make it pop / bark more. Bass guitar is great, sits nice and tight in the middle of the mix. Guitars are slightly on the quiet / mellow side but the energy still kicks off in the choruses because the synths are nice and prominent. Very cool phasey effect you've put on the synths too, great choice there I love it! The vocal delay in the pre-choruses is an interesting take on things - it definitely works on the end of the "non thinking 'bout" line but not sure about the rest of the phrases. Still, these things have definitely perked up my ears so well done there.

gonzacarmele
You've achieved a decent balance across the majority of the tracks, the backing vocals and guitar pick scrapes stick out as being a bit loud but and the guitars are a tad quiet but on the whole the drums, lead vox, synths and bass are all nicely gelled in terms of level and everything has it's space. I'd like to hear a bit more crack from the snare, some extra high-mid or top end might help with this, it's just a little muffled. Same with the kick actually, just a little more cutting click required I think. Toms and cymbals are nice though. Some more top end on the vocals too would help the mix.

jinjer93
Alas, I think a few competition rules have been broken with this mix. As noted in your documentation you've used drum samples and there's an extra tambourine in the choruses, which does sound cool and totally works but would be classed as an edit to the arrangement, which I believe the rules do not allow. But putting those issues aside, your mix is very creative and certainly adds energy and interest to the song. The little reverse reverb / tape speed up at the start is a cool effect, something new to the ears. The vocals have lots of good effects and processing but the top end clarity and diction is lost somewhat, they also need to come up half a dB or so. I like the guitars, bass and synths in that they all have good energy, tone and tune, but again maybe wanting for a bit more top end. Lastly the fade out at the end is too sudden, it needs a smoother curve.

m_tree
Very tight and crisp drums, wouldn't expect less from a fellow drummer! The only thing I can pick at here is the overhead cymbals panning is a bit narrow so the kit doesn't have the apparent width in the stereo field I would normally expect, but then again it does give that extra bit of space for the guitars at the edges. I really like the guitars, especially in the choruses where they come alive with energy. Tons of low end on the bass guitar, not always a bad thing but I would say rein this back a little bit as it's taking up a lot of space in the mix and swamping the kick drum in those frequencies. Please include both bass tracks for the dual performance element. Vocals are in the zone but I would say reduce the 2.5kHz region slightly, increase the level by 0.5 - 1 dB and give them some more compression as some of the c's, k's, f's etc are a bit quiet (phrases like "a-ok" and "far away"). 

rvalle
Guitars sound a bit mellow and quiet, they need to be more aggressive. Snare is a bit too loud in the context of everything else, it's just a little overpowering, but it's got some good body. Kick and cymbals are nice, toms could be a little more cutting. I'm struggling to pick out the synths the choruses so they need to be a little bit louder. Bass guitar sits nicely in the mix. The vocals are ok but too "roomy" and bathroom-like, they'd benefit from a reverb with a larger space or slightly longer decay. They are at a very good level though.

Ronson79
This is an odd sounding one, I don't know if it's from all the mic-changing plugins but the instruments just don't seem to gel together very well and the vocals don't sit right in the mix. It sounds like you've tried to sculpt the frequencies to create space for each instrument, which is a good idea, but it's too radical. For instance the drums have tons of low and high end but a huge lack of mids, while the vocals are all mid - it's ended up sounding very unnatural. Guitars and bass are pretty good in that they carry a lot of nice energy and tone but again they don't really seem to gel together with everything else.

jw_
Guitars have a great tone and energy, wow so much punky tone! They're too loud though and completely dominate the mix. Vocals are a bit thin and tinny, lead vocals especially, and the top end is quite fuzzed and distorted so some of the clarity is lost. Drums are ok, snare needs more top end and bite, kick is pretty good, cymbals shimmer nicely, toms need to be a bit louder and punchier. Synths need to be heard over those guitars too!

Ojo
Your mix is pretty well balanced in terms of levels so well done there, great to be able to hear the synths in the choruses especially. Tonally though, the guitars, vocals and cymbals all sound quite thin and scratchy/tinny. Kick, snare and toms have got some good punch so that's a plus.

Valter Zape
The snare drum has some odd boxy-sounding frequencies that need attention and it lacks a bit of high-end crack. The kick is good though, as are the cymbals but the toms are too quiet and not really punchy enough. There's some kind of automated panning and level on Synth2 that needs reviewing - the level fluctuates all over the place as the chorus begins. I can't really hear any of the vocal effects, these need to be louder as the vocals are still quite dry. Guitars are pretty good on the whole though.

UHLS
Quite a good solid low end in this one! A nice build from the synths as the choruses start. The top end is quite lacking though, it sounds like the mix needs bit of a high shelf boost. The vocals especially need a lot more top end for clarity. It sounds like there's some chorus on the guitars, I do quite like this as it's a new dimension to the track I haven't heard before! The overall balance is pretty good too, other than perhaps another half a dB of lead vocals, everything sits together very nicely level wise. I'm not keen on the snare drum, it sounds too sputtery and short.

FallenAngel
Whoa, ok I don't like to be harsh but I'm not exaggerating when I say this mix sounds like it's been passed through a speaker placed in a bathroom and recorded back through a beaten up mic. The guitars have absolute no top end at all, the vocals are way too boxy with a lack of clarity. Bass guitar has a decent low end but no discernable pick sound. About the only things that sounds satisfactory tonally are the drums, which have some clarity at least but not a lot of energy since they're a bit on the quiet side. I'm sorry I can't be more positive but there's not a lot I like about this mix. The best advice I can offer is be sure to reference other tracks while making your mix (check your mix against the Jimmy Eat World track in the reference list for example, you'll hear a huge difference)

Manii
There's not enough high end on the bulk of the guitars, but the lead vocals have too much high end - somewhere in the middle of these two is the sweet spot! The low-mid range of the mix feels very empty too, the guitars and bass should be filling this range but they sound a bit rolled off / scooped out. The guitars are also lacking the sparkling highs which help them cut through the mix. The kick and snare are a bit soft with not a lot of apparent power, although the toms have quite a good weight to them. Cymbals are quite nice, maybe a touch too quiet and rolled off in the lower regions as they're on the verge of sounding too thin. The vocals are definitely in the ball park though, nice and bright audible for the most part with quite a good amount of compression and a reasonable choice of effects.

Pitta
Haha I got fooled by the intro on this one! First thoughts were "uh oh, this sounds like it's playing through a bad radio" and then boom the drums drop and everything comes back, cool use of effects there. There's perhaps too much use of effects on the vocals though, it's certainly very creative but the way it constantly changes is drawing attention away from the lyrics and melody to the effects themselves. Bass guitar could do with a little more low end. Other than that your mix has some real strong points - very well balanced level wise (but more synth required!), a great energy boost for the choruses which rocks, and nice cutting drums. Guitars could do with some more top end and grit just to get the aggressiveness up a bit.

cpsmusic
Hmm interesting, within the first 20 secs or so I'd spotted things about your mix that I really like but also things that really need attention. The kick drums has a good apparent weight to it, but the sub end is lacking - it seems the compression and harmonics are carrying the effect of the weight. The snare cuts through nicely but just lacks a bit of body. The vocals have some good effects but feel too quiet because the top end clarity is missing so the lyrics are hard to hear clearly - maybe too harsh with the de-esser. The guitars are at a good level but not really aggressive sounding enough to my ears. The bass guitar is nicely audible in the upper regions to the notes are bright and clear but the low end is lacking. So yes, I'm very down the middle on this one!

ggibson1988
Ooh, ok, this mix has a very VERY unnatural frequency profile, it feels so scooped and boosted in so many places I can't begin to interpret what might be responsible for what. All I really know is I don't particularly like the overall sound. I mean, everything is audible and the levels are balanced it's just the frequencies are so wacky. That's all I can say really.

1ktone
The lead vocals are too thin and a bit quiet against the guitars. The guitars feel a bit too "radio EQ" sounding with too much high and low rolled off. The drums seem a bit quiet too but I think that's partly because they've been very compressed so the transients are starting to get crushed and lost. The cymbals are also unnaturally bright. Ok, good points now - bass guitar is good, sitting nicely in the mix. Synths are nice and audible in the choruses, I'm glad you've realised their importance as not everyone did so well done there! The guitars have a good energy to them and are nicely placed in the stereo field. The backing vocals are good, nicely placed and at a complimentary level to the leads, and your mix overall certainly does capture the energy of the song.

Kolvanna
Hmm, ok there's a glaring problem with the way you've mixed the cymbals - by dropping the OH Cymbals 01 track you've made them mono and stuck over to the right side so all the lovely stereo width of the drums is lost. I disagree that the energy is lost if they are too wide, on the contrary I think the width enhances the energy. Snare drum and toms are otherwise pretty good, very punchy and natural sounding but the kick drum is way too quiet. The way you've panned the guitars is an interesting choice and works to an extent to separate the parts, but the spatial energy of the chorus suffers as a result and it doesn't sound as big and powerful. You've actually mixed the vocals pretty well, they're crisp and clear and well supported in terms of lead and backing, although I'd have liked to hear a bit more reverb and/or delay on them.

rijavia
I'm sorry, I've listened to 15 secs of this mix and had to stop as it's triggered my tinnitus - there's far far too much high frequency content and distortion on this. From the short excepts I've managed to play it sounds like the drums are way too loud and dominate everything. Sorry I can't give you more feedback.

LughSenderson
You've engineered a good energy profile for the song, the choruses rock with the guitars, synths, bass and vocals all working well together. The drums are just a bit quiet though, I think the drum bus needs to come up a bit to balance with everything else so the snare, kick and crashes cut through. The vocals might also benefit from a little bit more compression to bring out the diction some more, but a very well chosen effects on them though - subtle but there and enhances them nicely. Guitars might benefit from just a touch more mid in the 1k region.

sthauge
Guitars are a bit on the dark side and need a good high frequency lift. The vocal distortion for the louder shouts doesn't sound very pleasant - it sounds a bit like clipping. They are also too loud in the choruses and overpower the instruments when all the lead and backing parts are singing together. You've got a nice prominent smack coming from the snare drum, but the kick needs to come up a bit to balance with it. Cymbals could be a dB or two louder as well and perhaps a bit brighter. Overall it's ok but I feel it lacks energy.

jeffssoloband
There are some quite big issues here, namely the lead vocals are too quiet and the guitars are very dark so their grit and apparent energy suffers somewhat. I'm also struggling to hear the kick and snare cut through in the choruses. I think the mix in general would benefit from quite a considerable high shelf boost from about 5k upwards. On the plus side though, the vocals are pretty clear and crisp (just quiet!) and I love how prominent the synths are in the choruses.

Alex Van mixland
This mix certainly has some punky energy! The extra distortion on the guitars works to a degree but is perhaps a little bit excessive and hissy. The lead vocals likewise are quite hissy and tinny. There is a solid low end to the mix though with the kick and bass carrying a good weight. The kick, snare and toms also cut through the mix well but the cymbals need to be louder. The ending also cuts off too sharply due to the extra sustain from the re-amping, it should be a smooth tapered fade out.

Hoek
First of all, love your little comment about the hit-hat screaming "me too", so so true!! To the mix - good kick drum sound, I like the clickyness, it cuts through things nicely. The snare likewise has a good cutting presence, maybe slightly too loud. Toms and cymbals could do with being a bit louder though, cymbals especially. Guitars are good, clear and spacious, perhaps would benefit from a bit more grit and distortion. Vocals are nice and audible but a bit on the thin side. Synths are there but would be better being a little louder. Bass sounds good, it's there in the mix, maybe a touch louder would be good.

RJR
Vocals are cool, good choice of effects, but they're fighting to be heard over the guitars as these are very heavily compressed and verging on too loud (great tone and space though). But yeah on the whole a bit too much compression has been used, the mix needs to breathe a bit more. Synths are at a great level though bringing nice tune to the choruses. Kick drum has a very good attack and thump, as do the snare and toms. Cymbals are bright but verging on harsh possibly just due to compression.

NicoDGS
Hmm there's quite a big issue with the overall frequency profile of this mix as it's very unnatural sounding. The plus points are the kick drum is solid and has a pleasing clicky tone to my ears and the snare likewise cuts through the mix well. The guitars though sound extremely rolled off in the lows and highs, leaving only a small area of mid range. Vocals also sound like they need a high frequency boost, as well as a big level boost to increase their clarity and audibility. I can just about hear the synths (I think) but again, sounds like they're been rolled off too much the same as the guitars. Bass guitar isn't too bad, solid low end and the level is in the right range.

RayK25
It sounds like you have a gate on the snare drum that needs some adjustment as some of the snare hits in the intro seem to get cut off (around 6 secs). The vocal effects you've chosen I perhaps wouldn't have chosen myself, but they add some extra interest at least, although they do push the lead vocals backwards spatially rather than them being upfront - as a result I think the lead needs to be a bit louder. The overall energy is there though, the guitars have a nice aggression to them, as do the drums on the whole, but the synths need to be louder (synth 1 especially).

OzgenSabuncu
I think the frequency profile of the guitars isn't quite right, they sound a little bit heavy for the song, like there's a lot of low-mid weight in there from the amp sim on some of the tracks. Synths need to come up more. Vocals are on the thin side. Bass guitar is good on the whole, as are the drums but they could do with being a fraction louder as the attack is sometimes lost behind the guitars. On the whole though you've managed to capture the energy.

Pavel Nebesky
Some of the guitars sound like they're missing bits - the melody line carried by Tom2 and Ash2 from 0:34 for example, I can't hear the notes that parallel the vocal "a-ok" melody. The vocals are a little bit dark and "fuzzy" sounding, reining back this effect would help increase their clarity. Aside from those missing guitar lines and the synths needing to be a bit louder, everything else has been level balanced really well, nice work! Drums are punchy and cut through well, all the energy is there driven by the guitars and vocals, bass guitar is sitting pretty in the centre with all the higher fret work nicely audible.

impauseable
The main thing for me here that's immediately audible from the start is the top end of the guitars is way too dark and muffled. There's a lot of weight in the low frequencies from the kick and bass, perhaps a little too much that adds to the apparent lack of high end. The kick would definitely benefit from some peaks in the 2k and 5k regions to enhance the attack, although the snare is in the zone already. Vocals are a little bit too quiet in the mix too, it's quite hard to hear lyrics from the lead vox. From your mix notes it sounds like you were pressed for time and would have improved quite a lot of these points already had you had more time to work on it, but I commend you for your submission anyway and I'm glad you liked the song

againstpower
Kick is pretty good but the snare has too much bottom mic in the mix and sounds thin as a result. The cymbals could also be a bit louder. Guitars are a little bit dark, bass guitar has a good presence and level though. Vocals are somewhat undercompressed on the whole, it feels like a lot of the diction of the lyrics is lost behind the instruments despite the main body words being audible. Also, more synth please!

BenoitCharbonnier
The biggest issue for me with this mix is the lack of low end on the bass guitar (practically none!) so there's a big spectral hole in the mix. The kick drum has some low end though, and a decent amount of cutting power too, as does the snare. Drums on the whole are ok but could use a high frequency boost and some louder cymbals. In fact, the mix in general would benefit from a high shelf boost as it's quite dark and muffled. Guitars are quite good, they seem well balanced in themselves and I can hear all the lines. Synths could be louder. Vocals are well balanced but very dry and slightly muffled.

@DanialDevost
@Christoph_K
@JeroenZuiderwijk
@Miłosz
@EmClrk
@Havol
@jules666
@Bonav
@45Garage
@Piranha
@trackerjack
@m_tree
@Pitta
@LughSenderson
@Pavel Nebesky