MIX CHALLENGE - MC081 October 2021 - Winners announced

[Mister Fox]

Hello and welcome to the Mix Challenge 81 - October 2021


This is the introduction post, where we directly link to the challenge corresponding files (source files, submission information, sponsors), start of the evaluation process and the first posts for re-submissions for Mix Round 2 and (possible) Mix Round 3.

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Bonus Info

This month, you have the chance to work on a very interesting "Math Rock" production by Chilean band "Por Mientras". The multi-tracks are kindly provided by "Salvador Cassis" (@salvadorcassis, who was the producer), and the song is called "Sable". This production was created during the pandemic related lockdown in August 2020, and the overall sound is already "printed-to-tape". As additional twist, this isn't your go-to 4/4 time signature production, and there was no click-track involved. Sounds intriguing? Then please take special note of the attached TXT files (Technical Details section in "Words by the Song Provider") and please read about the details and special requirements for handling this mix further down below.

IMPORTANT: Before you get started, please consult the official "Rules and Guidelines" for the Mix Challenge regarding principles of the game, upload/submission guidelines, the concept of documenting your edits, and maximum allowed loudness values (see Rule Book - post #6). Interaction is highly encouraged, including asking questions for the song provider. Giving and receiving constructive feedback to your entry, and sharing tips and tricks should ideally happen after Mix Round 1 has ended, to not influence each other during the main competition round.




This post will be updated with the corresponding links as we progress, and of course the suitable thread headlines. So please watch this spot:


Submission Period: General Information, Source Files, Sponsors
Mix Round 1 Statistics/Data Sheet: Overview of Submissions - is your entry within given parameters?
Mix Round 2: Global Feedback and Round 2 Participant Announcement
Mix Round 3: <no Mix Round 3>
Results of the Mix Challenge: Winners announced

[Mister Fox]

CURRENT CHALLENGE - GENERAL INFORMATION

Time Frame: Friday, 01st October 2021 to Thursday, 21st October 2021 (21 days)

Challenge submission will end on 21-10-2021, 23:59 UTC+2/CEST (Germany) - until further notice.

Want to find out if you're still within the deadline, please consult the following options:
The Global Countdown on it's dedicated page or the countdown on the home page. You can also consult the World Clock at the top of the forum or alternatively the following tool - in this case please select "Berlin (Germany)" as location 1, and your location as location 2: Time and Date - World Clock Meeting Planner. We do post reminders via our Twitter account and Facebook page.



Song Provider: Por Mientras (presented by Salvador Cassis / @salvadorcassis)
Song Name and Length: Sable, 6:48 min
Song Information: varying BPM / Signature: varying
File Format: WAV, 48kHz, 24bit

GENRE: Math Rock


Preview of the Song (Demo Mix):

phpBB [media]

A word from the song provider:

Hi! I'm Salvador, I'm a music producer from Chile and I've produced this track for "Por Mientras", which is a very interesting young local math rock band. Please pardon my rough English.

Most of the tracks were recorded c. August 2020 and the whole song was produced during the lockdown. The equipment was also a challenge to overcome because most of the guys didn't have the equipment and planning a face-to-face session was not an option. So, long story short, they recorded themselves in different spaces with different equipment and software, and then I mixed it with Logic Pro X.

Sadly I don't exactly remember much of the technical details, since this was produced more than a year ago and I wasn't actually there. I only gave some recommendations recording-wise. I just can say that the drums were the only thing recorded in a professional environment (pre-pandemic). Vocals and guitars were self-recorded by the guys in their houses with borrowed equipment.

Important: There were no click tracks involved during the recording, so there's no tempo. Context: The drums were recorded as a "there's 5 minutes left on the studio, let me try another song" take before the pandemic, then guitars and vocal were added on top, and it worked pretty well so it came to be the official release.


I really hope this doesn't give you much trouble, and you enjoy mixing this fun track.


References:
Palm - Two Toes
Tricot - Potage
This Town Needs Guns - If I Sit Still Maybe I'll Get Out Of Here
Paramore - Misery Business



(more technical details in the Mix Pack bundled TXTs)

A few words by the Mix Challenge staff:

A very interesting production that doesn't go by any conventional means that you might be used to from pop music. Enter: "Math Rock", where time signatures change constantly, and avant-garde sounds design for guitars are a thing.

And this already introduces the challenge: the overall sound design.

Since this was recorded during the pandemic, and the sounds are "printed to tape", you can't work and/or experiment with clean DI tracks this time around. Doesn't mean you can't still do something. To make the guitars "bigger than life", since it's only two and there is a constant back and forth on sounds due to used foot pedals, you definitely need to be creative with FX usage, panning, etc. You can try "re-amping" in places, who knows where that will get you. (hint)

Take your time with this mix, there is a lot going on. Math metal is all about "feel", throwing out off guard. Also check in with the lyrics, which emphasizes this feeling even more.


Enjoy this challenge!



Possible references:

Math Rock:
Covet - Sea Dragon
Tide;Edit - Aimlessness
LITE - Balloon
Baboon - This Town Needs Guns
Flicker Rate - Grow
Yvette Young - Ares

Please also consult the TXT files that are bundled in the source files package below. There you can find more information about the individual files and changes to the time signature.

Rule Summary / Add-On Rules:

• try to create a mix that complements this production (in your own style)
• the focus of this game is "mixing" - NO MASTERING. Edit/Mix in such a way, that barely any after-touches other than loudness adjustments and final limiting is needed in a possible follow-up mastering step.
• Clean / Alternative versions can be used if you need more flexibility over a certain sound (if present for this production)
• make the best out of the provided audio material (EQ, compression, transient tools, etc), no "drum sample triggering / replacement", neither any changes to the arrangement (copy/move/add/remove parts)!
• please only provide WAV files, files need to be accessible/downloadable from your preferred cloud storage space (no SoundCloud!)
• render the edited material in the same sampling rate and bitrate as originally provided (MC081 / September => 48/24)
• ADD-ON RULES - PRODUCTION RELATED:
  • Filename Template: MC081_Por_Mientras__Sable__ForumUsername.wav
  • no (more) add-on rules specified

Please consult the official Rules and Guidelines for a more detailed set of rules, including how to document your edits, maximum loudness values and delivery formats (see Rule Book - Post #6). Failing to adhere to the rules will result in disqualification. There will be no additional reminders given.


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Source Files:

Main Mix Package - full package (502,58 MB, LZMA compressed, zip)
IMPORTANT NOTE: download window might show a smaller file size, file unavailable after 21-OCT-2021


The provided files were packed as ZIP with LZMA compression.
File size extracted: 860,12 MB, packed 502,58 MB (ZIP, LZMA)
In order to extract the files, we can recommend these programs:

Macintosh:
The Unarchiver - get it here
Keka (open source) - get it here

Windows:
7zip - Installation / Portable


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Please take note of the official rules - they can be found at the following thread:
Mix Challenge - Official Rules and Guidelines

Please address any OT question in the official Gossip thread:
Mix Challenge - Gossip and Discussion

If you like what the Mix Challenge (community) has been doing in recent months:
Please consider supporting us

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SPONSORS (Prizes):

Prizes for Mix Challenge participants:

Note: All licenses are NFR (Not-For-Resale), except where noted.
Changes to available prices on short notice may be possible and will be announced separately.



Acon Digital is kind enough give away a single plugin of winner's choice (exception: Verberate Immersive)
License will turn into NFR
More info on Acon Digital: http://acondigital.com



Hornet Plugins is kind enough give away one license from the depicted tools (see image) to the winner
License will turn into NFR
More info on Hornet Plugins: http://www.hornetplugins.com



IK Multimedia is kind enough give away one license of T-RackS ONE to the winner
License will turn into NFR
More info on IK Multimedia: https://www.ikmultimedia.com



Metric Halo is kind enough to give away a single plugin of winner's choice
License will turn into NFR
More info about Metric Halo: http://mhsecure.com/metric_halo/



NOS Audio is kind enough give away one license of NOS Roomer to the winner
License will turn into NFR
More info on NOS Audio: http://www.nosaudio.com/



NUGEN Audio is kind enough give away one license from the depicted tools (see image) to the winner
License will turn into NFR
More info on NUGEN Audio: https://nugenaudio.com/



Tone2 is kind enough to donate a license of Ultraspace to the winner
License will turn into NFR
More info on Tone2: https://tone2.com



THANKS FOR THE LICENSE DONATIONS!
And also a thank you to all former contributors as well.

If you want to sponsor content (please have a focus on mix plugins, bundles and the likes), please get in touch with the Mix Challenge staff.

Please spread the word of the challenge on social media.
For example with our dedicated Twitter Account or Facebook Page

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Good luck to all participants.
And most importantly, have fun!

[mattaroni_and_cheese]

FYI Mac users, my built in Archive Utility.app had trouble unpacking this, but Keka was able too (hopefully without any corruption).

[AnthonyPMusic]

I like this one. I think that I'll give it a go!

[Square]

what a cool cool tune

[mattaroni_and_cheese]

Yeah I really appreciate how Mister Fox gets us really great music to mix. I came in just in time for Alone which was an awesome song, this is an awesome song, really makes me feel like I'm working for famous musicians. So much better than mixing my own terrible music lol : )

The latin jazz influence on this definitely has me going, have been listening to a lot more Astrud than normal : )

[m_tree]

Yep, very cool track. I finished my mix already but will wait a bit until I write my documentation and maybe make some improvements.

Have fun @all

[UHLS]

Hello, thanks for this unbelievably good piece of music.
To my mix:
First of all, I have to say that I can currently only mix with headphones and that my computer only has 8GB of RAM, so unfortunately I can only provide incomplete documentation. I had to bounce instruments several times, and in the entire creative flow I didn't make any notes about individual steps.
I worked on all guitars with GTR Tool Rack from Waves, Plug and MIx plugins and BIAS FX 2.
I first chased kick, snare and bass through 76-KT and EQP-KT, and subsequently processed it with Slate VMR, as did almost all signals.
In some places I also used Trash 2 and Eventide H910, and as reverb and delay Lustrous Plates, Verbsuite classics, Repeater (Slate suite) and H-Delay from Waves.
All problematic peaks got JST Clip.
No comp, no limiter on the 2bus, but JST Clip.
Loudness: -16.5 LUFS, true peak max. -3.9 dB.
In the hope that my mix complies with the rules, I remain with best regards,
UHLS
Download Link:
https://workupload.com/file/8Shjn3vfzVW

[White Punk OD]

Great to see Math Rock here!
For different flavors, you might also listen to
Elephant Gym (eg. on Audiotree w/interview)
Polkadot Stingray (often mixing with catchy J-Rock hooks)
Tricot
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJW7kS9AAI4 example, always crossing over with Pop, it's a lot about how to position the guitars in the mix.
(it is interesting to check out their live concerts to see how this is being done, from the position of the "vibe", not just the digital construction.)
Original is a bit more mellow, but the Asian examples might remind on what not to forget to let it shine.

[mattaroni_and_cheese]

my computer only has 8GB of RAM

Man, I just want to donate you some RAM. Is it capable of using more than 8 ?