Mix Challenge

Here is my second version.

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

Christoph_k wrote:

This mix is somewhat in the right spot. What I like: The kick and the claps are good (kick and bass could be a little bit punchier). What I don’t like: The lead vocals sound a bit muffled in the verses and pre choruses and the second chorus, the first chorus is ok. The Snare in the chorus is to thin and too harsh (it is also playing long before the last chorus, this is not the original arrangement). The crash, tambourine and shaker are a little bit too loud. All in all the mix is too dry for me, it has not enough depth. All Instruments (except same pads) are more or less on the same plane.

Here is what I changed:

Moved the snare to the correct place.

Made the kick and bass a bit punchier.

Tamed the volume on the tambourine.

Lowered the volume on the shaker & crash.

Tamed the harshness on the snare and added some lowend.

Removed some mid-low on the dream pad. (making the vocals less muffled)

-2 dB low-mid lowshelf cut on the main vocals.

Added some reverb to the main vocals. (Lexicon LXP)

Removed some Frequencies on the glass pad.

@Christoph_K Wow what a review, thank you, your thoughts really helped me to getting a better mix.

My revision for round 2: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1h6GDu8 ... sp=sharing

I decreased delay feedbacks on vocals, and i did some volume levelling work on vocals.

To soften high freq on crash hits, i use lp.

And i apply little more compression to claps.

The ending delay problems has been fixed.

Dwic wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 01, 2021 14:13 CEST

@Christoph_K

When I saw that you were reviewing all submissions I thought "well good, at least I'll get some feedback." And then... nothing.

Did you get my submission?

@Dwic
Let me quickly double check my documentation this afternoon, sorry for the mishap!

Thanks for the detailed notes and saying something along the lines of: “I gotta have more cowbell” I addressed all your points and am very happy with the changes. To further investigate your preferences, I listened to the top 15, made some notes and compared them with yours.

Here are some of the ways I incorporated your feedback:
The kick and bass already had a HPF around 30Hz; I set the cutoff frequency slightly higher now, but the main thing to make it tighter and punchier was to gate it and add the 5k click as you mentioned.
The 260Hz buildup was mainly the piano. I reduced 260Hz in a few individual tracks and with a very subtle dynamic eq on the master (-1dB at the most).
The tambourine en 16th hihat softer and are now grooving in time with the music with the help of some LFO’s controlling volume.
The bass could use some extra flavour, so I added some saturation, compression and mids for a bit of growl. This also makes it translate better on smaller systems.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/11kKAiL ... sp=sharing
I'm curious to hear what you think of this version.
Cheerio

Dwic wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 01, 2021 14:13 CEST

@Christoph_K

When I saw that you were reviewing all submissions I thought "well good, at least I'll get some feedback." And then... nothing.

Did you get my submission?

Hi @Dwic

I apparently lost track of all the feedbacks and didn't include yours. Sorry for that!

Now here's your feedback:

Overall the mix has a good balance. The main guitar and the vocals sound fine, sometimes the lead vocals could be a bit more upfront. The mix has depth but not enough punch, especially the kick should have more impact. The claps are definately poking out too much. Also tambourine and shaker are too loud. The panning of the BGVs („Here we go…“ and „Sky“) on the left does not work very well, they should be centered. Would have been top 25 - 26 now .

Hi Christoph,
thanks so much for choosing me for round 2. I understand and like your feedback and agree with everything.

Blip Arp: has now some kind of ducked ping-pong. Gives it more 3D.

Backings and add libs: Centered some of them more.
Radio voice: I lowered saturation and give it a wider frequeny range. So now it’s radio, not telephone anymore ;-)
Main vocals: Give them more warmth, also worked on the deessing. But added some air on the frequency roof.

Edit: I forgot to inform your about the changes i did on the kick. Boost around 68hz, more compression, and a sidechain on the bass to give the kick more space.

I hope you like all my changes!

https://www.dropbox.com/s/y4ikmmechg0fc ... 2.wav?dl=0

Greetings from Berlin
Tom

Good evening everyone.

I am very proud and honored that you chose me for Round 2, Christoph_K. And - even more important - I really appreciate your feedback.
I tried my best to resolve all the mentioned problems. Let's begin.

Christoph_K wrote: ↑

Sat May 29, 2021 12:39 CEST

The guitar should be lowpassed, there are some high end spikes that I don’t like.

I added a low pass filter and a dynamic EQ band on the top end of the guitar to tame the high end spikes without losing too much of the lovely high end.

Christoph_K wrote: ↑

Sat May 29, 2021 12:39 CEST

Kick and bass are not ideal, maybe you pay more attention to the separation of the two. The kick sounds a bit muddy and masks the bass a bit. There’s also a but too much rumbling.

I adjusted the high pass filters on kick and bass to shape the subs even more. To reduce masking, I cut some 250 - 450 Hz on the kick but also a bit on the bass. I reduced the level of the kick (~1 dB) to make it fit better to the bass level. I also implemented a slight sidechain compression on the subs of the bass, getting triggered by the kick to separate them even more.
Furthermore I detected that some rumbling was coming from the guitar which I removed with a high pass filter.

Christoph_K wrote: ↑

Sat May 29, 2021 12:39 CEST

Take care for the synths and pads (especially in the second and third chorus), they tend to overwelm the vocals.

I figured out, that the Dream Pad mainly masked the vocals. I reduced the level about 0.8 dB and cut some 2.5k with an EQ.

Christoph_K wrote: ↑

Sat May 29, 2021 12:39 CEST

The BGVs in the pre chorus and chorus should be centered. The claps in the second verse could be turned down a bit. The solo synths in the last chorus are also a bit too loud.

Done with panning & level adjustment.

Christoph_K wrote: ↑

Sat May 29, 2021 12:39 CEST

PS: More cowbell please!

I hope the cowbell is now melting your brain completely.

Link:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pc1DqQ ... sp=sharing

Good luck to all the other participants of round 2! I listened to every mix and enjoyed them all very much.

Regards,
PGPMixing

Christoph_K wrote: ↑

Sat May 29, 2021 12:39 CEST

@S&F
Cool mix! The lead vocals are a bit dry and too low in the verses but I like the stereo spread on the lead vocals in the pre chorus. Maybe they are a bit harsh in the first chorus, the second it ok. It’s a bit irritating that the second chorus sounds so different effect wise. Try to get them both in the same pocket. The claps in verse 2 and the following chorusses are a bit loud IMO. The blip arp sound could have a ping pong delay so that it dances a bit more. The low end is a bit muddy, have a closer look at the 160hz range. Good work, top 15!

Hi Christoph_K, thank u for letting me join the 2nd round.

I tried to improve and give a more "finish" quality for the 2nd round. here's my mix:
WAV
https://www.dropbox.com/s/jtasgz4zn6kmh ... d.wav?dl=0
MP3
https://www.dropbox.com/s/cnuaabijdpsuk ... d.mp3?dl=0

Drums - I tried to give more punch, low end, take out the mud
BASS - changed the WET BASS to DI bass
perc - I add some delay and FXs to them to give more depth
Keys - tried to make them sound better in headphones. also more ping pong delay
Claps - tried to lower them and put them better in the mix
LV - tried to follow ur comments

I also added a HW bus.

I can fine tune more if u want it.

thanks!

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

Hi Christoph,

I tried to adjust the mix in line with what you asked for.

My best,
FP

https://www.dropbox.com/s/l9mx7ppdwguza ... 2.wav?dl=0