MIX CHALLENGE - MC103 April 2025 - Submissions until 21-APR-2025 23:59 UTC+2/CEST

[scottfitz]

Hi all,

Here’s the link to my mix
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XUbXuW ... sp=sharing

Thanks to the song provider for this fantastic material and to Mister Fox for hosting, this has been yet another classic challenge.

My monitoring has been AKG371 headphones which are relatively low-end headphones but for some reason I get on well with them.

My intentions were to make it light and dreamy where possible. My feeling about it was fairly simple, that we have a warm modern pop song which needs a certain amount of danceability, but yet also needs a softer side to it at times.

My approach was a kind of semi-Brauerize approach where I used around 1/2 of the ideas that he typically uses.

Bass Processing
I have used a blend of the two bass tracks with a lot of 700Hz taken out of the DI one, then both get the following processing:
--------------------------------------------------------------
FabFilter EQ
lpf 5.7kHz, hpf 20 Hz, -3dB @ 150z

FabFilter C2
ratio 5.3, attack 23ms, release 100ms, doing at most 8dB GR

FabFilter EQ
+3dB low shelf @100Hz

FabFilter EQ
+2.5dB small bell @1kHz

FabFilter C2
sidechained to kick doing 2-3 dB GR at most

FabFilter Saturn
Clean Tube Saturation from 200Hz upwards

UAD LA-2A
doing a further 2dB GR
---------------------------------------------------------------
OK, that’s all from me I hope you like the mix, I really loved working on the track and good luck all.

[Mark929]

Hello,

My mix - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZYRye1 ... sp=sharing

I mixed this record with groove and vibrancy in mind. Once I heard the song and starting balancing, I let the song take me. I had a vibe and just kept it going and this was my outcome.

I use Yamaha HS8 Studio monitors in a fairly treated room. I have tuned them with the graphic EQ on my Behringer X32.

Drum Bus - EQ, Parallel Comp
Drum Elements - EQ

Bass - EQ and side chain compressor

Main Vocal - EQ, Comp, EQ, DeEsser, Delay and Reverb
Other Vocals - EQ, Comp, Reverb

All Other Instruments - Pre-amp emulation, EQ

Master - CLA Mixdown, The God Particle

Hope you enjoy my mix! Thank you!

[Alex Van mixland]

Hello,
Here is my mix:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HYAwZt ... sp=sharing

I twice came to this song to mix with. The second time I was able to achieve a sound and balance that I think is much more professional, compared to the reference mix. I use the reference mix, however, to be sure that all the details can be heard in my mix as well.

1)Drums - I completely redid, making them less boxy and more modern.
2)Bass - I use compression, a parallel compression and cut at 200hz, because it was bothering whole mix. I used different amp, but i didn't changed it, but blended to original sound.
3)Vocals - I used a lot of automation, to improve the balance, also for different parts of the song i used automation on reverb, delays... Main vocal needed
4)Instruments: added reverb, some stereo effect and get in balance with drums and vocals

Cheers!
Alex

[John Rowley]

Hi All
Link to my mix submission
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kIDX1C ... sp=sharing
Headphones Ollo X1, Daw is Cakewalk
Quite a simple approach to this mix.
Kick drum used Eq then transient shaper as a lot of ring, and compression
Snare buss used EV2 Channel strip and short long rev, same on toms, Congas I used EV2 Channel strip. Bass gtr mixed both DI and Amp through EV2 Channel strip and Tubetech blue saturation. Piano and synths compression and Tubetech blue saturation.
Rev cymbal and rise used some long delay to blend into the next section.
Grouped the guitars into sub busses with compression on each and short rev then on gtr master buss added Tubetech blue saturation.
All vocals had compression then BVs had short reverb and convolution reverb with Tubetech saturation. Lead vocal had compression short reverb and Tubetech saturation. Added a separate Lead vocal throw with short reverb and delay in the chorus for effect
Panning was 100%, 80%, 75% on guitars for width. Bass 10% L and R (DI and Amp), Piano 35% L for Verse and 35% R for Chorus, Synth Pad 30% L and 30% R (in bridge), Backing vocal li and re were respectively 10% L and R with the BV3 in centre. Drums HH 15% L, OH 10% L, Room 10% R, Claps 25% L and Claps Mod 25% R, Whistle Ac 25% L, whistle synth 25% R. Overall these pan settings will give more width, depth, height and space to the mix. Finally SSL G Bus compressor on the master bus.

Hope you enjoy it!
John