Mix Challenge

Hello Mr Mellow Browne,
hi all,

thank you for the mixtracks and the hard work.

Please enjoy my mix:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eTA62S ... sp=sharing

So far I don't maintain serious EDM equipment, thus my effects are a bit minimalistic.

I am working with Austrian Audio X-65 (that sound great but sadly all the soft rubber and foam components fall apart after 20 months of intense use),
but also these €20 JBL earplugs from the smartphone shop, they have enough bass and pristine highs.
DAW is Waveform free, and most plugins are from the PA shop, but also TDR and free stuff.


Verse and hook rap vocals got cleaned up with TDR Nova automatic mode, and some but not all of the gang vocals.
I did random stuff like change delay and reverb settings and the panning here and there, using automation.


My personal special effect stuff:
1. I saturated the shnizzle out of the 808 (during the "Angriff" line, where I also boosted the vocal), eq'd out two bad frequencies from the 808, and fx-wise boosted the treble section in the multiband comp of the "riser" fx tracks with a slow rising and sharp falling edge in the automation curve (hyping what's there already).
2. For the finale I treated only the keyboard bus (bothered no bells or anything), this is a resonant LP with high Q that slowly shuts down (which used to be a very popular Moog effect). So when it's almost down, the riser sound steps in in its normal way, and this time it comes stronger just for the empty space of some muffled keyboard frequencies.


Bettermaker PCM60 rev emulation for some ambience, and Airwindows ADT for Haas effect.
I used only insert effects, tuned slightly different in every instance.

The extra hardcore guy got tuned with PA Crispytuner, and I also mixed in the original autotuned track with a lower level, to get some thickness into it, also screwed with the formant adjustment. Tweaks with Amek 200.

The verse track additionally called for a plosive remover, I used the ERA6 (that had become freeware before the makers moved on to movie sound production and closed the plugin shop.)
Verse is also kept clean with an elliptic sharp HP at 110Hz (cleansweep Pro).
For the console strip I tried out the Amek 200 and its compressor was worth it, also on a couple of other tracks, but it eats too much CPU so I stopped inserting further instances.

Thus, the Hook bus uses the bx_4000G, which gives it a bit of a different flavor, including the sound of its comp.
Only Hook 2 and 3 were cleaned with Nova GE.

Verse-adds was treated with MSaturator and SPL DeEsser.
Add delay throws got saturation and the TAL-Dub-2 (which is more fun).

All the add vocals end up on a bus together, and they see no regular channel strip at all, but bx_XL V2 to fatten up a bit.
Hook adds are practically naked except that XL V2. I liked them very raw. Other ads use the 4-band TinyQ.



FX
almost nothing, but Lindell 354 multiband in nuke mode on the FX bus, and the pistol shot has also a Tal-Dub-2. (fast delays with feedback)

Gangsta Choir, Flute (sparkling with ADT Haas delay), and the synths are grouped to a kb bus. As said, in the finale they have an automated resonant lowpass.

Piano: elliptic sharp HP at 52 Hz, and the 4000G channel for minimal tweaks.

Bells bus: Lagrange granular delay (just a subtle chaos), Amek 200 channel, and PhaseMistress with a very slow and subtle modulation. The latter was taught very recently by someone from the PLAP team, I think it was Daniel. Courtesy to Soundtoys giving it away for free so that's why it became a topic!

HH: typical treatment with 4000G, reducing top end a bit, open HH got a little boost at 2k.
(As for the 4000G, it does NOT create what the signal electronics guys call "dispersion", because it is internally very smart and simple. This means there is no phase smearing, which is essential for a super crispy and clean hihat.)

Now a tricky thing: claps and snare form a common snare bus.
Clap gets a boost at 1.55k.
I gave these sounds much broader spectrum than it had.
I nuked the bus with the HG2 saturator that can create lower frequencies that weren't there (use the "low" setting). Then I tweaked with the 4000G, boosting some sharp sounds but also 300Hz. This was very essential for the overall feeling.

Kick has a strong MSaturator.
808 has a different MSaturator that later is automated for a short buzzing effect, where also a transient designer jumps in, and an EQ with some wild zig-zag curve. That's during that "Angriff" line.
These 2 end up in a bus with IVGI2 (some sort of tape effect) and a limiter in clipping mode. Attention, this is a very sensitive thing in Hip-Hop. Some schools clip the kicks. The MSaturators are clipping a bit as well.


Stereo bus:
elysia alpha, I use my "Rock" preset in M/S mode, and its soft clipper is active.
(see the wave display, it is not flat, but very tamed, there is still room for mastering)

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I cannot access the file, you need to change the rights. Thank you!
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Sorry about that I thought I had checked that!

Try this one. I apologize for the inconvenience.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1AKj2rU ... drive_link

Nbwaltn2

As for the bass, especially in this genre.

The songprovider talked in his remarks about the two existing mixes, one from the SWC and the new one, and how a main difference is the bass subsonics.
So, that a good result might be in between of these two.

Hi, here is my mix, thanks for the opportunity, this is some of my processing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bU7hAw ... drive_link

Master:
• The God Particle: Adds an interesting color for this type of production.
• Automated delay and reverse effect were applied where creative effects were suggested (at the end of the track).
Effects:
I utilized a wide range of reverbs, including short, medium, and long durations, as well as automated delays, carefully aligned with the song's tempo to maintain coherence and flow.
Bass:
I applied a variety of processes, both in series and parallel, such as MaxxBass and Bass Mint to enhance and enrich the low-frequency content, along with some limiting to control dynamics. For harmonic enhancement, I used Decapitator in parallel, as well as parallel compression and a subtle chorus to widen the stereo image in the upper range of the 808. Additionally, FabFilter Saturn was used to sculpt the higher frequencies further, ensuring the bass is audible on all playback devices, as per the artist's recommendations.
Vocals:
I incorporated Universal Audio plugins such as the Manley VoxBox and the 1176 compressor, along with Waves plugins like Rvox and Pro-Q. De-essers were used to control the brightness introduced during processing. Some parallel effects were added to enrich the vocal tone.
For the autotuned section, I used the version provided in the multitrack and applied Brainworx Cryspi Tuner on the clean take, adding chorus and Fresh Air for additional clarity and sparkle. This combination created a unique effect that subtly simulates someone smoking, as referenced in the lyrics—“but without being overly creative” (or so I hope).
Drums:
I focused on harmonic saturation, some compression, subtle stereo widening, and minimal reverb to preserve punch and clarity while enhancing character.
Synths, FX, Bells, etc.:
The Black Box was an excellent choice for adding character to these elements, which, as I understood, were sourced from libraries and often lack richness. Analog-inspired processing added a unique sonic depth. Additionally, I applied distortion, filtering, stereo widening, reverbs, and delays to enhance their presence.
The piano was processed using Michael Brauer's techniques, which focus on independent control of the L and R channels in terms of dynamics and frequency, resulting in a more textured and engaging sound.
For a more immersive experience, I binauralized the effects using DearVR, creating an engaging 3D audio experience for headphone listeners.
Monitoring:
I monitored the mix using Kali Audio speakers, Sony MDR-7506 headphones, and even tested it in a car for real-world playback. To ensure accuracy, I applied headphone EQ corrections using Realphones and Nx Germano & Sunset Studios by Waves.
This project was an enriching experience and a significant challenge. Thank you so much for the opportunity!

Link to my Mix

Big thank you to MellowBrowne and Mr.Fox as usual.

Used the 2nd Ref Mix as a basis, but I focussed on trying to keep some elements like bells and the choir a little more subdued and in the background, as I felt like my attention was being pulled away from the vocals too much. So here's what I did:

Drums: Mainly some distortion and transient stuff so things feel like they are in the same universe. Some slight widening with Eventide dual 949 on some elements, so they are not dead up the middle and "raw". Kept the panning effect of the hat on the "flutters", but toned it down a touch.

808: There's an embarrassing amount of plugins on this, mainly to get the register changes to not feel too jarring (like the fundamental at ~200hz overtaking everything else and the loss off sub). Basically amounts to multiple stages of eq, (multiband-)compression and distortion while hopefully not completely killing the bounce. In hindsight, might have been easier to just break out the upper register hits to their own track but I'm pretty happy with how it sounds now. Gets ducked by the kick quite a bit.

Keys and Flute:
Got rid of some transients on a lot of stuff, added various spaces with chorusing, delays, verbs. Honestly, nothing special happening here.

Vox:
Got rid of some clicks with RX, apart from that just basic eq, compression, distortion stuff. Doubles are slightly filtered so they don't overtake the lead. Adlibs and Delay throws are filtered even more. Different section have slightly different spaces for them. Again, nothing crazy. In the "autotuned" passage, I used the effect a little less "in your face" than in the ref and more as a textural change.

Overall:
Just emphasised the drops a little more in the mix and there's some additional filtering/phasing on the Instrumental in the first part of the last chorus at ~2:12. MellowBrowne suggested some kind of fx around 2:09, but I thought the tape-stop style thing always kept sounding a little too corny, so I just left it as is. Framed by the "autotune" section and the chorus filtering, I don't think anything drastic is needed here to keep interest.

Hope you like it!

Hi!

First of all, so I don't forget, here's the link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pUWYiu ... drive_link

I gave this mix a shot during last week, didn't really think I had the time but after listening to it a bunch of times I really started to dig it, so I dug in!
I mostly do rock/ metal stuff but I figured this would be a good chance to give my sub a run for its money! I really thought I finished it last session ( Thursday last week) But listening to it on my Bluetooth Jbl consumer cans while walking in the dark snowy northern woods I realized the verse wasn't sitting well so I revisited that tonight. I'm not sure I made it better but I have to let go now.

Im working in Reaper, Monitoring on Dynaudio Core 7's with a 9s Sub in a well treated room that I wish was a tad bit bigger. To help with the small room I'm using sonarworks room correction but I like to keep it at 60-70 % I crosscheck on Sennheiser HD 650 s.

In my environment both demo mixes (And my own mix too to some extent) comes off as a little subass-heavy. It could have everything to do with me not used to the genre or standing waves in my room, but I didnt wanna go subier (is that a word?) than this. It's in the ballpark of the newer demomix.

I Spent the most time and effort on getting the lows to have the right impact and the vocals to be upfront and cutting thru.

The 808 had alot of 40 hz so i decided that to sit underneath the kick which i highpassed at 48 hz and boosted at 66 hz. The kick also got a hefty boost at 3k and 8 k respectevly for snap. A transient designer takes away some sustain and ads attack on the kick. Theres also 7 db of compression with pro c 2, medium attack, fast release. I wanted the kick short and snappy. Also saturation and a clipper. The kick feeds the 808s sidechain to duck around 66 hz with help of soothe 2 when kick hits.

The 808 is highpassed at 26 hz and boosted 1.5 db at 40 hz, cut at 70 and boosted again at 181 to help on smaller speakers. Then there is saturation from decapitator and saturn 2 followed by Pro-mb compressing everything under 148 hz by 6-7 db then adding subharmonics with uad bx-subsynth. This one I tweaked around with alot, great plugin! That is followed by uad distressor clamping down some 10 db on nuke setting mixed in at like 60% wet. Uad precision enhancer hz adds some phantom bass at 116 hz also to help lesser speakers reproduce the 808. I later added a 3 db shelf boost from 100 hz and below.

So to the vocals. All the hook tracks are sent to a group track that has some highpass at 105 and some rolloff from 200 and boost at 4 k followed by a 1176 uad plug compressing 10 db and a deesser and a limiter. one of the tracks is panned in the middle and slightly saturated, the other two panned fully to the sides.

The verse track. Here we had to deal with a lot of proximity effect and plosives. Mainly by rolling off alot of information under 350 hz with help of bx ssl 4000e strip, also added 4.5 k and some top. also took out some 411 and 1300 hz before compressing with la2a/1176 combo followed by deessing and limiter. Both the verse and the chorus (hook) is sent to the same short room reverb from fabfilter Pro R (in moderation) Theres also some quarternote delays sprinkled here and there.

The synths I wanted to have a bit of a lo-fi vibe to so I sent all of them to a grouptrack and treated that with tapesaturation and Soundtoys Devil-loc (mixed in very low) Its sent to a roomreverb and a tasty delay aswell. induvidual synth tracks are treated with eq and saturation. Decapitator for the win! There's some automated distortion in places.

The rest of the drums? ambience Reverb and Soundtoys microshift on the hihat, hihat is automated in volume and sometimes panning. mostly panned 30 % to the left. eq and added attack on the clap and snare (Spl transient designer) All drums sent to a group with ssl style compressor on doing 4 db of gr (attack 10, release .1) Clap and snare is sent to a plate reverb.

Then on the masterbus we see another ssl style comp doing ca 2-3 db gr, same setting as on drumgroup, Some BAX style eq adding a 2 db low shelf from 132 hz, some small cuts round 400 and some air from 16k. Finally there is an good ol' Oxford Inflator fatting things up a bit, but not too crazy, effect at 27 %. There is NO limiter on the master so It could go straight to mastering.

Yup, that's it basically. Trappy X-mas to all of you!
/Hoek

Great thanks to all that make these contests possible. A win, win for all involved!

https://mega.nz/file/MmhxRBBI#EdHcurG-7 ... i80e69q7gk

As most always, the goal here is to develop the project into something that can compete with other, comparable commercial releases.

\/\ \/\ \/\ \/\ \/\ \/\ \/\ \/\ \/\ \/\ \/\

Only tracks that recieved treatment are listed:
Kick - cut sub and small amount of low mid, add 8k; moderate LVC compression; add 100hz bottom 8k hz at top with pultec emulator; substantial
amount of blended side chain, crushed compressor
Snare - boost at 250 & 10k hz
Hi-hat - rolled off ultra highs
Clap - very fast slapback delay
FX & Riser - verb / delay
808 - rolled off sub low-mid, small adds around 6 & 4k
Piano - added verb and reduced pan width
Clean Bells - moderate compression with significant widening
Flute - moderate compression with small delay
Choir - reduced pan width
Soft Synth - Flanger and widening
Pistol - limiter to bring forward; add 1k; delay to give effect of multiple shots
Verse & Hook 2 - significant limiting
Hook1 & Hook Add - reduced pan width for focus
Ads Delay Throw - triplet delay throw (outro)

Vocal BUS - gate to control unwanted breathes, pops etc.; substantial amount of 1176 4:1 reduction with 20us attack & 250ms release; small delay; multi-band compression for de-essing; saturation

Instrument BUS - limiting to clip major peaks; mild LVC compression; side chained comp for ducking with vocal bus as source (very slight with lo-pass to carve space for vox)

Mix BUS - very small amount of small medium room verb; lo-mid cut and 2db of 4k shelf added; SSL channel strip emulator with input driven to max w/o clipping; mild amount of SSL comp with eq added to generate analog
tone; multi-band comp; mid-side decoder (-1.98 mid / +4.62 side)

Master - mid-side encoder; master limiter to catch any outlying peaks


Gear:
100% in the box... Reaper(v6.83) under linux(kubuntu studio 24.10).
IK mulitmedia iloud micro; SONY MDR-7506; Beyer Dynamic DT-770 (250 ohm); Ford truck and consumer hifi stereos for cross checking

- RayK

Thank you, MellowBrowne, really good sounding tracks I liked to mix.

First my monitors:
I mixed with the ksd digital C8 in my small, but treated room. Alternative I switched to the small avatones or to my new Audeze LCD XC. At least I checked my mix on several homeaudio systems like sonos, iPad, small jbl bluetoothspeaker...
AND: I use references. In this case: the MellowBrowne-Mixes, some of the best sounding submissions, UFO361 "Balenciaga" and LilPump "Gucci Gang".
AND: I use izotope Tonal Balance Control 2

My Mix: https://os5.mycloud.com/action/share/6f ... bf7bd91593

I started with the vocals:
UAD Avalon ChannelStrip, a litlle Compression and hi-mid and high gain about 1,5 dB
Waves Curve for a little bit cleaning,
EQ - Lo Pass and adding 1 db at about 1,3 kHz
smart deesser
MV 2 to cut through the mix
parallel UAD 1176.
parallel Saturation with UAD Helios Type 69 for verse vocals

Next 808 and Kick:
I formed the 808 with EQ, Pulsar 1178 Comp, RBass and KSHMR Essential Kick
the kick got some EQ, Magma saturation and SSL Bus Comp
I grouped both to smack attack and spicerack, then use the Andrew Wallace LowEnd-trick.
And I added some parallel saturation from Heatwave only for enhancing the mids.

Drums:
Snare, Claps and HiHats got various analog modelled Channestrips for a smoother sound.
Snare got some small room from NI Raum
Claps got saturation (burier) and a chromeplate from slatedigital: lustrous plates
HiHat: Harrisson Tremolo Panner

Drum Bus:
Neve 33609 C and bx_clipper

piano:
valhalla vintageverb
EQ
Scheps 73
bx_townhouse Buss Comp

Synth:
I seperated the different Synth-sounds with a lot of hipass and Lopass filters, panning, EQ and reverb from izotope aurora to give them their own place in the mix and more overall depth. Some sounds got extra saturation and modulation from different plugins.

BGV:
treated similar to Lead Vocals with some additional delay (Ripple Delay and H-delay) and saturation from spicerack.

MixBuss:
UAD API 2500
Ampex ATR-102
Ozone imager for stereo widening
NG-EL monofilter for the LowEnd
UAD precision multicomp for extra clarity
Limiter L2

Maybe I used too much plugins, BUT every little tool does its own little job for a reason, mostly no drastic movements except some EQ'ing for the synths. My goal was a deep and clear sounding mix with depth and vocals in front but not outside the mix. Hope I got it.

Danke für's Hören/ thanks for listening

Hello. Thank you for this opportunity.

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

Monitors - Yamaha HS8's
Small room, kind of treated. I tuned the speakers with a Berihnger x32. Also my interface.

Drums:
Bus - RComp and Fairchild
Kick - Transient shaper and Heatwave
Snare - Heatwave and EQ
HH - Heatwave and LoFi

808 - RComp and Soothe2 (SC)

Vocals - EQ, MV2, Inf EQ, MC404, CLA Vocals

Lead - Trueverb
Piano - Inf EQ, Transient shaper
Key Flute - Inf EQ, Trueverb

Mix Bus - RComp, CLA Mixdown, God Particle

Hi

Again, thanks to the song provider and Mr Fox for the job they are doing.

This song is far from what I usually mixing. I do not know this genre. I'm on ''thin ice'' here, so I made it simple, but I also used some special grips here.

I'm not adding new effects, just working with the expression of the provided tracks. Making a mix with depth and width and with space for the different sound sources. My DAW(Harrison Mixbus Pro) have the possibility to pan sends to eg. a reverb bus different than the channel pan. This makes it possible to let eg. the reverb reflections coming from a different directions than the source instrument. This is used on many tracks in this mix. It's 'opens' the soundscape and makes a 'room' with depth, but it also broaden the 'room' . Besides compression to elevate the attack and energy on drums, only parallel compression are used to preserve the transients through the signal chain. No gluing with compression or reverb.

One tip about one unusual plugin I used very carefully on my master bus, is the 'Refine' plugin by lkjb. It's a free of charge and open source plugin so if anyone are interested in testing it, it's downloadable from various sites. Only 3 knobs, Warm, Space, and Punch. It can be used on single tracks or in mastering(no, this song is not mastered).

MC098__Arnwyn__Robot_Baby__sthauge

48 kHz/24 bit
-16.1 LUFS
-1.7 dBTP
Duration 02:57:65

Good luck to everybody.

Steinar :-)