Mix Challenge

Hello and welcome to the Mix Challenge 34 - July 2017


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 post for re-submissions for Mix Round 2.



With this month's Mix Challenge, you get the chance to work on another British production, but this time in the Alternative genre (since it's a blend of IDM, New Wave and Pop). The track is written by KVR Audio known musician "Donkey Tugger". The song is called "Tinfoil".

The current challenge is a little bit special, as we have many add-on rules.

For example, it is mandatory that you use A1Audio's (Alex Hilton) A1TriggerGate (Freeware, Crossplatform, AU/VST/AAX) to reproduce certain rhythmic sounds (a highly underrated plugin, btw). Another rule is to incorporate certain newly provided tracks since the last incarnation of the demo mixes (the electric clap, mostly - vocal recreation is optional). But in turn, you're more than encouraged to be highly creative regarding effect usage.



Please take note of the following

• IMPORTANT: the forum design is still a Work-in-Progress. It doesn't have influence on the functionality of the forum though
• IMPORTANT: please take note that the rule set was slightly altered. It is now mandatory to provide WAV files (FLAC bar minimum on low internet bandwidth), files need to be accessible/downloadable, try to work within suitable work levels, document your edits (as simple or as detailed as you like)
  IMPORTANT: please use the following naming convention from now on: MC000_-_ArtistName_-_TrankName_-_ContestanttName.wav/mp3 and MC000_-_ArtistName_-_TrankName_-_ContestanttName_R2.wav/mp3 for Mix Round 2. The order of the tags might change in upcoming challenges - though this is up for debate

Also please take note of the following

• We're desperately looking for new source material for future Mix Challenges. Please follow our official campaign. No new tracks mean no more challenges! Please reach out!
• our Twitter account can be found via the handle @MixChallenge - throw us a Tweet and we add you to the participant lists
• you can now support us with a voluntary monthly donation on Patreon. Some interesting bonus perks await you there, and patrons get a special rank on the forum

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 2: Global Feedback and Round 2 Participant Announcement
Results of the Mix Challenge 34: Winners announced

CURRENT CHALLENGE - GENERAL INFORMATION

Time Frame: Saturday, 01st July 2017 to Friday, 21st July 2017 (21 days)

Challenge submission will end on 21-07-2017, 11:59pm CEST/GMT+1 (Germany) - until further notice.
Want to find out if you're still within the deadline, please consult the Global Timer on the Mix Challenge home page or the World Clock at the top of the forum. We do post reminders via our Twitter account

Alternatively (especially for Mix Round 2), please consult the World Clock at the top of the forum or use the following tool and and select "Berlin (Germany)" as location 1, and your location as location 2:
http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/meeting.html



Song Provider: Donkey Tugger
Song Name and Length: Tinfoil, 5:07min
Song Information: 94 bpm / Signature: 4/4, Key of D minor and C major
File Format: WAV, 44kHz, 24bit

GENRE: Alternative


Preview of the Song:
[mediares=560,50]http://www.bennyleeds7.myfreeola.uk/donkeyt-tinfoil.mp3[/mediares]



A word from the song provider:

Donkey Tugger wrote:Hi Mixing People!

A few (well...) words from me on what I'm expecting from this and why I'm doing it etc.

When Mr Fox was looking for people to participate, I thought, 'why not, nothing to lose', and also that it would be a pity for the contest to peter out just for a lack of people who are game enough to put their compositions up to the scrutiny of others.

That's the altruistic reason. The other one is that I'm genuinely interested to see how other people approach things and learn from it. Entering philosophical mode; I think as you get older you have a more realistic self-perception and in my case I'd say I was a pretty good songwriter, a half-decent guitarist, an ok singer, a poor drummer, and that my mixing/mastering etc is basically mostly total guesswork that sometimes seems to come off luckily. Any tips I can glean from this will be stored from future reference.

Onto the track. This is a bit of an odd one for me as I'm generally a guitar type of writer, but I was messing with the old Synth 1 and came up with the bass riff then wrote this song around it. Weirdly for me it also has a key change! You'll notice that I also have a propensity for adding lots and lots of layers - throw enough shit and some will stick...

For your mix I'd like you to be quite adventurous (not into remix territory - you still need to preserve all the vocals and keep the structure) sonically. I'd like you to keep the bombastic feel of the drums which drive it as well. Lyrically it's (as you can probably tell) about weird people on the internet, which I'm sure none of you are.

Looking forward to it!

A few words by the Mix Challenge staff:

Staff (Mister Fox) wrote:This production is really hard to place. It's a mix of IDM, New Wave and Pop from the late 80ies to mid 90ies in the UK. Some might even call it "Alternative". So there is a start if you want to delve into and educate yourself regarding this type of music genre.

The vocals definitely have a "Phil Collins" or "Peter Garbiel" type feel too it, with a mode than modern day message (at least to me). The production has so many little things going on in the background that certain signals tend to clash with each other.

So please pay attention to detail, check for phase coherence (!!!), place the instruments within the room with proper EQ and "room type FX" (reverb/delay), use automation if necessary. Basically, add "movement" to the production while the vocals should ideally "cut through" the mix (in this case - blend the vocoded vocals to taste additional to the main vocals).

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.

Special Add-On Rules:

• try to create a mix that complements this production (in your own style)
• Clean / Alternative versions can (and should) be used if you need more flexibility over a certain sound (if present in this production)
• No rearrangement of the song structure, with the exception of the following add-on rules
• PRODUCTION RELATED: you must recreate the "gated rhythm" effect for certain tracks with the Alex Hilton A1TriggerGate plugin
• PRODUCTION RELATED: alternative tracks are present if you can't recreate the gate triggered tracks, or the tracks that use delay to create a certain rhythm - however it is not advised to do so (won't be challenging)
• PRODUCTION RELATED: snare and electric clap must be blended in some form, may it only be in part of the production or the full track. Maybe experiment with transient shapers
• PRODUCTION RELATED: additional vocals tracks are for creating a possible new, emotionally fitting vocal take. DO NOT use this for doubling - it's either/or. Vocal tracks need to be cleaned up.
• PRODUCTION RELATED: "Volume Fades" and Automation is highly recommended, use it to clean up space in the mix (no muting of individual parts)
• PRODUCTION RELATED: on that behalf, creative FX usage is not only allowed but encouraged
• PRODUCTION RELATED: the programmed 12-string is not a "feature" instrument, mix it in a way that the higher chords cut through, but else the instrument works as support
• summing bus processing is allowed, as long as the dynamic range (average signal strength to maximum signal strength) doesn't suffer - use of this method is artistically!
• try to not(!) pre-master the track (please no overuse of mix bus treatment, no loudness adjustments / limiting)

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Source Files:

Main Mix Package - Mirror on the Mix Challenge Homepage (758,08 MB, LZMA compressed)


The provided files were packed as ZIP with LZMA compression.
File size extracted: 2318,34 MB, packed 758,08 MB (ZIP, LZMA)
In order to extract the files, we can recommend these programs:

Macintosh:
The Unarchiver - 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

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SPONSORS (Prizes):

Prizes for mix 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.
License will turn into NFR
More info on Acon Digital: http://acondigital.com



Ghostwave Audio (Vincent Bastiat) is kind enough to donate MixRight (a Reaktor Ensemble) to the winner (until further notice)
License won't turn into NFR, you need Native Instruments Reaktor 5.8+ for this
More info on Ghostwave Audio: http://ghostwaveaudio.com/



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



Nyrv Systems offers AGENT incl. all currently available NyrvDevices and free update to at least v1.5 of winner's choice (until further notice)
License will turn into NFR
More info about Nyrv Systems: http://www.nyrvsystems.com/



Sound / Graphic Designer, and Mix Challenge staff satYatunes is donating one commercial product of winner's choice (until further notice)
More info on satYatune's page: http://www.satyatunes.com/



Tone2 is kind enough to donate either a bundle consisting of AkustiX Enhancer and WarmVerb, or a license of Ultraspace to the winner (until further notice)
License will turn into NFR
More info on Tone2: https://tone2.com



Two Notes Audio Engineering is kind enough to donate one license of Torpedo Wall of Sound III to the winner, loaded with 57 cabinets (equivalent to "Torpedo WoS II") (donation until Summer 2017)
License will not turn into NFR
More info on Two Notes: http://www.two-notes.com/en/



THANKS FOR THE 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: https://twitter.com/MixChallenge

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

A friendly reminder:
Including today, 14 left to submit your mix.


Who will break the ice this month?

Almost ready. Maybe just after weekend ...

Don't feel rushed - you still have 14 days.

It's just in good fun to see who submits first.

So here's my submission...

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B-GTI ... FdVUlFNOWM

Thanks

Morning All,

Just thought I'd pop in! I'll obviously not make any comments on any of the mixes before the judging starts so as not to predjudice those who have already submitted, and help those who haven't...

Just wanted to add that (as I said to Fox), if you can get this to sound good then you've done well, as it's a bloody difficult thing to mix. Give me 8 tracks of distorted guitars or the like anyday!

Anyhow, should hopefully be good fun, and definitely challenging..

There are many moments in this track where you sound like Peter Gabriel

Here we go folks !

Lot of memories ... the 80's ... LOL

Some FX added. TriggerGate on drums. Killer plugin ! Already used it on another track.

6dB true peak headrom

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BzToI ... VVlc3ZmWE0

Have fun

hello, this is my submission

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0Bzoxo ... 21hRTZOM1U