Mix Challenge

Hello and welcome to the Mix Challenge 085 - April 2022


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 "French Pop" (Electro Pop) production by Tom Besançon, remixed by Dirk Mallwitz (@dima510). Both Tom and Dirk will be our Song Providers. The song is called "Danser" (the remix is also known as "Danser en automne", which translates to "Dancing in Autumn"). With the current challenge, you have the opportunity to experiment with / work on vocals. Pitch correction will be a huge topic. You can either go "au naturel" or "modern pop" - maybe even something in between. The biggest focus will be paying attention to detail while recreating a new vocal sound from the dry recordings. Sounds interesting? 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: <not happening this game>/<optional>
Results of the Mix Challenge: Winners announced

CURRENT CHALLENGE - GENERAL INFORMATION

Time Frame: Friday, 01st April 2022 to Thursday, 21st April 2022 (21 days)

Challenge submission will end on 21-04-2022, 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. There will also be short reminders on Social Media and on Discord.



Song Provider: Tom Besançon (remixed by Dirk Mallwitz @dima510)
Song Name and Length: Danser (Remix, also known as "Danser en automne"), 3:38 min
Song Information: 115 BPM / Signature: 4/4
File Format: WAV, 48kHz, 24bit

GENRE: French Pop / Electro Pop


Preview of the Song (Demo Mix):


INFORMATION: This version might sound different from the provided multi-tracks.



A word from the song provider:

Dirk Mallwitz and Tom Besançon wrote:Dirk Mallwitz (producer/re-mixer):

Originally, I had these 2 songs in my mind:

"Danser" by the very talented TOM BESANCON (link to Spotify)
and "est-ce que tu m'aimes?" by GIMS (link to Spotify)

In my mind, they formed into one somehow ;-)

That was the initial spark for this remix. You may hear some similarities, like the pizzicato strings.


The instruments of this version are 100% VSTi - I do not recall the exact plug-ins, but I would guess, that there are some NI (at least the funk-guitar and a MASSIVE bass), WAVES ELEMENTS and STEINBERG RETROLOGUE synths included.

There was a point when my PC started struggling with all those VSTi tracks, so I rendered them and continued mixing with .WAV files. The multi-tracks of this mix(ing) challenge do include the processed vocals of my remix as "guide track". However, we also added the RAW-recordings by Tom, to give you more flexibility for your mix. Some editing might be needed, including tuning. Please pay attention to detail.


Tom Besançon (original songwriter):

I am very happy, that this song has been selected for the Mix Challenge and look forward to the mixes. I would also like to add the following song references as possible tone direction:

Mumford & Sons - Hopeless Wanderer
BB Brunes - Long Courrier

I'm curious about the results!




(more technical details in the Mix Pack bundled TXTs)

A few words by the Mix Challenge staff:

Mister Fox wrote:"Danser" is a very interesting French Pop/Electro Pop production. While the music is fairly straight forward, the vocals are the main focus of this months challenge. The more melancholic tone is quite the contrast to the more dynamic/energetic music.

Please do have a focus of the pitch of various syllables though. The dry vocals are not as "perfect" as in the "remixed" version. So if you have access to pitch correction software (in your DAW or standalone) and always wanted to experiment, now if your chance. You can go "au naturel", or you can go "modern pop" with various effects like Dirk went for.

Music reference wise, I can't comment much. But the production does instantly remind me of "Indila - Dernière Danse" from 2013. Slightly distant even "Florina - Va va vis" (2018). To catch the right feeling you should definitely read the lyrics.

I hope you'll have fun while working on this production.

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/add/move/remove parts)! (unless otherwise stated)
• please only provide WAV files, files need to be accessible/downloadable from your preferred cloud storage space (no SoundCloud, WeTransfer or similar!)
• render the edited material in the same sampling rate and bitrate as originally provided (MC085 / April => 48/24)
• ADD-ON RULES - PRODUCTION RELATED:
  • Filename Template: MC085__Tom_Besancon__Danser_en_automne__ForumUsername.wav
  • you can be creative with the vocals, but to take note of the "guide" tracks and the possible ending. Pay attention to detail (notes).
  • if you go the more "modern pop music" route, there are already plenty of vocal harmonies present. You can use known/go-to vocal editing tricks, but please do not create any additional vocal melodies/harmony lines. If in doubt, please ask the Song Providers beforehand.
  • 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 (339,79 MB, LZMA compressed, zip)
IMPORTANT NOTE: download window might show a smaller file size, file unavailable after 21-APR-2022


The provided files were packed as ZIP with LZMA compression.
File size extracted: 2137,84 MB, packed 339,79 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

Got an interesting production and want to become a Song Provider?
Check in with the Song Pool campaign and reach out

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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!

"Music reference wise, I can't comment much. But the production does instantly remind me of "Indila - Dernière Danse" from 2013. Slightly distant even "Florina - Va va vis" (2018). To catch the right feeling you should definitely read the lyrics."

i had never heard of INDILA before - but yes: that is exactly the spirit of this production! it includes the desperate mood of the song by GIMS, i referenced. and it encourages to just dance away the daily life with it's current depressing news. go for that spirit! DM.

Hi guys! First Timere

Really cool to mix this track, everything soundind great!

Most of the work was to de-muddy things in the 100-600hz area in the context while mixing, going back and forth.
The song is hitting at -17 LUFS integrated.

Hope you guys enjoy it.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IM6m_z ... sp=sharing

Do I have to post somewhere else?

andreybenassi wrote: ↑

Sun Apr 03, 2022 04:11 CEST

Do I have to post somewhere else?

Maybe go a bit more in-depth on what you did regarding the vocals, or a sound that you enjoyed sculpting. For the learning aspect of the community.

Oh, okay!

Personally I think the drums, bass and keyboards/synthesizers are the main focus on this mix.

The drums
Kick Pro Q3 - Carving a lot of 500hz, 10db, and 200-300hz as well, to opening space to other elements, and of course to sound more of a ''fluffy kick''
Snare - a bit of a shelf 5khz 3dbs
HH+claps - A cut at 3700 4dbs to remove some harsh frequencie and some compression with rcomp.
Drums2nd - 500hz cut 3db
-
Bass - Cut at 500hz to make it blend with the drums, rbass and a sidechain compression with the kick to make it blend better.
Bass 2 - 300hz cut, 8db.
-
The percussions, just a limiter in PERC to holding some peakes, but nothing in the others, just as it is.
- AC Guitar - 200hz 5db cut and come 1176 compression.
- Funky Guitars - A lot of hi shelf with ssl, 7db and a low cut at 200
-
Keyboards
- Piano and Piano end - 4db cut at 400hz
- PAD - 4db cut at 320hz
- Synth 1- Hipass at 160hz
- Synth Blip - 3db cut at 280, 1176 compression
- Synth Lead- HP at 200, 650hz cut 2.5db, 1.5 shelf at 6khz and 1176 compression
- Synth Perc- 490hz HP
- Synth - 100hz HP and 1176 compression
- Pizz - 129hz 2db cut, 250hz 3db cut, 3400hz 2db boost, 8400 7.5db shelf boost.
1176 compression
Another 2db cut at 100hz.
Tubetech 7db at 16khz
- Pad - 80hz HP, 350hz cut 3.5db.

Vocals -
Barely Touched them

EQ to all of them - 80hz HP, 165hz cut 2db.
De esser

Just it, have fun guys!

cool! thanks for the info and for participating in this challenge! cheers, dirk.

Bonjour, hello!

Very nice production to mix, very nice to mix a French song, congrats Dima510 and Tom Besançon!


I tried to be respectful to the original mix because the artist and remixer certainly did a lot of choices together, so I wanted to be in the same pocket of mixing directions.

I first set a compressor on the 2BUS, grooving at 3db max reductions, followed by an eq for a little help on bass.

Drums and precessions: eq, transient design, saturation.

Bass: eq, modulated filters, saturation.

All the rest is just eq, modulated filters, transient design, saturations.

I of course applied some delay on the vocal ending, and a little bit on the funk guitar.


I hope all of you are fine, enjoy mixing and good luck everybody.


https://www.dropbox.com/s/n4es1z5jrp25q ... n.wav?dl=0

Hi!!

First, this is an awesome song.

I just got the Elysia Alpha compressor on sale, and found the perfect opportunity to use it on a dance mix. It's hard to think of emotional French dance pop without thinking of Stromae - so I kept that in mind as well as the Mumford reference while I was trying to access my inner Serban Ghenea lol. I really wanted this to sound massive and urgent.

Lots of delay effects used, especially on the chorus. I didn't do a lot of pitch tuning, though I did correct the rhythm here and there

Every track uses Scheps Omni Channel, which is my other new favorite plugin haha

• Crash uses h-delay
• HH-claps-snare Scheps, Ozone Imager, and MAutopan
• Rototoms include a tremolator
• Kick uses Bx_subfilter.

For the EFX-sub I distorted with Scheps and turned the mids way up!

On the pad I took liberties from the original mix and used the Imager, C4, and API-2500 side-chained to HH-claps-snare to make it louder

Piano Scheps, Chorus, Trackspacer - I wanted the piano lower in the mix to leave more room for the vocals.

Synth lead: Micro, Gem EQ, imager
Acoustic guitar I made more atmospheric, with a spring reverb I put into space designer

BVs:
Hornet Analog Stage, Primal Tape, Filter Free, Crystalizer
Lead Vox:
Waves-Tune, SSLEV2, Essence, Elysia Alpha
Vocal double was with Kaleidoscope

Lead chorus;
Elysia Alpha
Essence, Ozone 9,
Sent to a gated R-Verb with decapitator, CLA Epic, Kaleidoscope, and a delay effect with Echoey, VHL-3c, Hd-Delay, and Chorus Jun-6

Drum bus Elysia alpha, sent to bus with RS124, Devil-Loc, MannyM EQ,
EFX,

I chose to use both the EFX and the main vocals at the ending. because I wanted a more "authentic" sound - think the outro of Violet Hill by Coldplay.

Mix bus went through a bunch of alterations but I wanted to use multiband processing as an effect to pump the mix further, and this is where I ended up:

Elysia Alpha Master
C6 pushing down around 5k and 2k,
Pro_MB pushing up at 1K,
Metering with Insight 2, -1.1db, -17.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1i0K4s9 ... sp=sharing

Hi guys!
I want to say thank you to the song provider and the staff for the opportunity to mix this very lovely song.
YouTube mix in my opinion sounds cool. Anyway, here is my mix.

WORKFLOW

DRUMS
KICK: boost 50hz and 5khz - comp 1176 - transient designer.
SNARE: boost 200hz and 7k - comp 1176 - transient designer. Room Reverb
HH-Claps-Snare: 1073 EQ boost 7k - 1176 - deesser. Delay for movement.
CLAP: boost 220 and 7k - 1176- delay for movement.
DRUMS-2nd: cut at 200 boost 4k - 1176.
ROTOTOMS: transient designer - 4k boost - pro-l limiter, snare reverb.
PERC: cut at 210hz and 500hz boost 7k - 1176 - snare reverb
CRASH: boost shelf 10k - delay for movement - snare reverb.

BASS
BASS-1: pro-q2 cut at 50hz and 250hz, boost at 1k - 1176 - SDDR2 fuzzy saturation.
BASS-2: 1176 comp - eq cut 50hz.

PIANO & SYNTHS & OTHERS INST.
PIANO: IzotopeTrash2 automation for distortion in the dense parts of the mix - room reverb.
SYNTHS: mostly all 1176 compressed, room reverb and eq out the lowend a bit.
GUITAR FUNK: delay for movement - room verb - la2a comp - boost4k

VOCALS (used printed ones):
1 slap delay - 1 stereo 1/16 delay - 1176 - EQ boost 1k and 4k - deesser.

MIXBUS
Kotelnikov 2db GR - OTT BY Xfer

MIX DOWNLOAD => https://1drv.ms/u/s!AgzJUlYVc9qtgYwyi2F ... w?e=ebBM85

Happy Mixing Everyone