Humanity- Need some help with sax, vocals

[Catnhat]

Song: Humanity
Artist: Ray G. and the Dimestore Prophets

Been working on this one for awhile. Band is happy with it, but I'm not. Not sure quite where to put the sax in the stereo image. Or how to get it so it doesn't sound lopsided without just dropping in the center. Haven't worked with any sort of horn/woodwind in probably 15 yrs. Also want the Vox to be upfront, but not so much that it sounds goofy. Not sure hit it.
And all the other stuff, tight low end, no mud, blah, blah, blah.

Anyway, bash away.

[Stan_Halen]

Cool song! Did you record this too or are you just mixing it for the band? I'm curious how the song was recorded if you did it. It seems like the vocal falls back on that 1st Chorus around 1:20, in contrast to the one at 3:00 where it seems loud enough. The Sax is cool. I think it sounds a little funny on one side. If it was just a Sax solo with no vocals I'd say put it in the middle, but it is doing so many fills during vocals I might suggest to duplicate the track and pan them 60/60 or something. The middle seems kind of cluttered with the electric guitar there. The electric guitar is a little heavy on the low mids, kind of boxy, I would cut a bit there. And check the acoustic guitar lower range too, I think the acoustic should be crisper and more defined.

[kakeux]

Pretty good!

The sax is maybe too hard panned...Stan suggestion could be a nice try.

I will bring up the vocal a tad....I wondering at what distance from the mic he did sing....Sound to me like there is either a lot of room sound or he sang 2-3 feet away from the mic...

Outer than that, thing seems correctly balanced....I'm not sure about the snare sound, but I got use to it after a while...I think it's a ringy snare...not necessarly bad, but I wasn't expecting it...

Cheers!

[Catnhat]

Thanks guys.

Ya, I recorded it too. In my living room.
Pro Tools 9 through a Digi 003 and ADA 8000.
Drummer plays a nice DW kit that is well taken care of.
D6 on kick, 57 on snare, e604's on toms and F15's on OH's. I think the room mic was a M-Audio Nova (i think, don't have my notes with me) Kick & snare through the Digi, toms, OH's & room through the ADA.
Bass, Fender Jazz (i think) was DI & mic'd with a Pro 20 on SWR head and 2-10 cab. Electric was an Epi Gold Top through a Marshall Bi-Chorus 200 with an e609. Acoustic was a Taylor, DI and mic'd with the M-Audio at hole and F15 at neck. Sax player had his own bell mic, a Shure 98 i think. Vocals were done in my dining room (so I could see him) through a Sterling ST 77.
Vocalist did keep stepping back from the mic. I think it kind of intimidated him, he was afraid he'd break it or knock it over or something.

[Stan_Halen]

Thanks for the gear info Cat! How do you like the results you get from your Nova? I have one, and for an inexpensive LDC I think it is a pretty decent mic.

[Emma]

Cool song - I kept getting these tantalising snips of sax but never quite enough.. Love that instrument!
Personally, I'd like it closer to the vocal in the mix so they could sort of duet on a closer level... I even wondered about panning them both just offcentre as a possibility? But hey, I'm still such a learner meself!