MIX CHALLENGE - MC094 October 2023 - Winners announced

[Miłosz]

Here is my mix ( Round 2) :

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/kuqfla52 ... lkw8m&dl=0


Kick- lower volume about 4dB
Snare - more body ( 2-3dB boost around 200-300Hz)
Vocal - more body ( eq boost around 200-400Hz)
Fx stereo bass - lower volume 4dB and HPF about 200Hz (main bass track no change)

I corrected true peak and LUFS. It was ok in previous round but now is better. Both are higher levels.
There is a little bit less mix bus compression. MAX 3 dB reduction.

[EmClrk]

Here is my mix for round 2

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Meccyf ... sp=sharing

I made the following moves to to address the 3 main issues brought up from my first round feedback.

1. Too much low end at times: I reduced the overall level and reduced a 50hz boost on the kick drum . I compensated by adding a tiny ammount more in the upper spectrum to keep the perceived level similar. I also reduced the level of sub in the bass guitar and reduced a 50hz boost in the toms too (they really were a bit OTT). I found that these moves greatly helped with the next point.

2. Lead vocals a bit thin: By reducing this build up in the low end it unmasked the vocals a little bit. I also increased the level of my parallel vocal channel which I had set up to reinforce the lower end so that helped fill them out a little bit without becoming too high in level relative to the other parts.

3. Backing vocal level too low; I increased the global level of the BVs as they definitely were sitting too far underneath other elements. I also sent Ben's vocal tracks to the parallel vocal channel I mentioned in point 2 to help them thicken up a touch. I did some more automation on Johnny's vocal tracks to make sure they popped out a bit more in the pre-choruses.

Thanks for the clear feedback, sounds better now and I hope you enjoy it.

[Havol]

Thanks @BenjiRage for the clear feedback and selecting me for round 2 !

Here is my entry :

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hOJ0vf ... sp=sharing

As requested,

1. I added some distortion on the snare. I also added some attack with a transient shaper.
2. I deleted the volume automation at the start of the song.
3. I turned up the volume by 2 dB for the lead vocal
4. I did a little mid boost to the whole song (about 1dB at 500Hz with really wide Q)

I hope you will like it.

[Bonav]

Hi everyone,

Here is my mix for round 2:
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/1jjh7b6f ... xpa77&dl=0

Thank you @BenjiRage for the feedback, it was spot on !
I tried to make the mix more alive by doing some micros automations
I raised the main synth
Also worked on the global sound that was a touch harsh
I raised the fx on the vocals (but not too much because after mastering it will come up more) and did some little ear candy throws

I hope you'll like this V2
Cheers

[jules666]

Thanks @BenjiRage for the chance to improve my take on your song

Link to version 2: https://drive.google.com/file/d/17J8QbJ ... sp=sharing

Hopefully I have addressed your feedback:
Boosted the intro slide gtr
Removed by main bus (A) compressor, and dialed back the Tape Saturation to 75% wet. Then reduced my parallel compression bus by around 9db
Automated a few parts for volume which I hope has introduced a little more dynamics.

Also I have reduced the high boost I put on the toms, by 3db to help them sit a little better in the mix.
Drums: little more automation
Synths: tried to bring them up a little more, and give some movement in the chorus - hopefully they have not been pushed too much now

Hope you like!
Jules

[m_tree]

Wow! What an incredibly fast and detailed feedback for the whole competition.
I'm very happy about being selected for round 2.

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/wrhqswb0 ... cuixj&dl=0

Drums
- opened the width of the cymbals just a little bit from 50% to 66%

Bass
- mixed the DI in, just with slight limiting ... experimented with phase aligning but finally left it untouched
- bypassed the LoAir -> no more low end added
- retained the separation of the amp track (to control the presence with limiting)
- all three tracks are compressed together on a bus
- the tracks are almost flat in terms of EQ (just used a linear phase EQ to split the amp track)

Synths
- 1 dB louder

Lead vocals
- 1 dB cut @2.5 kHz and 1 dB level increase after the limiter, before the compressors ... this does it for me because I already compressed them heavily with up to 6 dB GR by the limiter, up to 10 dB GR by the 1176 and up to 5 dB GR by the LA2A
- more subtle de-essing (threshold 3 dB higher) with reduction only of the HF content (instead of the whole spectrum)
- 0.5 dB louder (post-FX)
- post-FX level automation with two envelopes for making some of the c's, k's, f's etc louder and for fine-tuning

Backing vocals
- post-FX level automation for more fine-tuning according to the lead vocals

[Piotr]

@BenjiRage Thank you for your valuable, accurate and relevant feedback!
Congratulations to the participants who advanced to the second stage!

[45Garage]

Here's my Round 2. As per the notes on my round 1 mix here were the issues that needed addressed:

1. Too hyped.

I addressed this on a track by track basis calming down some of my boosts in the ranges mainly between 1k and 10k. adjustments where also made elsewhere to help keep the respective parts in their places in the mix. i.e. sometimes it was better to add some low to a part to shadow out the high end a bit.

2. Not enough dynamic range.

Again track by track I pulled back some of the compression where needed. mostly on busses. In some cases it worked well to adjust the mix knob on the comps that had them to get the desired effect of more dynamic range while keeping the smack I was going for.

3. more cowbell......er.....um....synths! . As many have mentioned the synths were a tough one here. Synth 1 wants to play with the bass and synth 2 wants to fight the guitars. I felt the eq I had between the was decent so I added a bit more saturation via True Iron and upped the volume a bit.

4. (bonus fix) I made the song length 2:55 to keep our dude Mr. Fox happy

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/njfo48sz ... wun02&dl=0

[Mister Fox]

A friendly reminder:
We're in the final 24 hours to submit your edit for Mix Round 2.


So far, we have 9 out of 15 entries, with a bit more than 20 hours left on the clock.

There will be no deadline extensions! Please get your edit submitted today.


Please also pay attention to detail still (once more: filename template!!!)

[LughSenderson]

As requested, I increased the drums, compressed the vocals more and added a little 1Khz to the guitars.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1G_1kIs ... drive_link