Willj mix June mix

[willj]

Heres my entry for the Slate Cup of June. Its always hard to let go of these things. You always feel like you can do more, but its time to let it go.

Thanks for putting the track out there K! A lot of fun as always. I dont think its how you envisioned the track, but i wanted to avoid having a mix like any other.

The intro fades in, so watch your volume

[fHumble fHingaz]

Excellent sounding mix Will! Some very, very cool creative arrangement ideas .... DAMN! You stole my idea for the final chorus right out of my head! I just played with that same idea last night... now I'll have to think of something else!... Beautifully done, mate! That buildup through the bridge is awesome - the drop into the chorus & the reprise that follows is the master stroke! This mix definitely has the scoop on long-term dynamics in this month's contest.

All the sounds are absolutely top-notch - Very pro-sounding & radio-ready... Your mixes are always so crisp & punchy, but never harsh. Your command of equalization (& all the other essential range of mix skills) is obvious.

My complaints are very small, non-technical, & mainly subjective in nature...

I felt the "instrumental" first chorus didn't work as well as it could have - it seemed to take a looong time to get to the chorus - for the ADD kids out there too long maybe? - Perhaps half the length might have worked better?

Once I got to the bridge, I realized why you did it... but I still felt the intensity of the distorted guitar in the right channel was creating the perception of an unbalanced mix... Not that I mind the mix being unbalanced, but it continues on that way without something equally intense coming in from the left to counter-balance it.... My suggestion would have been to go for a "semi-over driven" tone for that right guitar. Nevertheless, when the bridge hits with the stereo distorted guitars, it does sound HUGE.

That's it, really... talk about hard-to-please, hey?

Seriously dude, this is a killer mix. 5

[bobbybovine]

Well what to say what to say....hmmmmmm f'n awesome man! There literally is nothing I can comment on here other than how tasteful your editing choices were, all sounds made the song better. I always have a hard time with distorted guitar in one side and clean in the other but you don't seem to have that challenge. I was beginning to worry that my last chorus comes in too hard but yours just punches you in the face. I get the idea that you like big................snares Great great job. I hope mine can compete!

[Magnolius]

Great mix! This is the fullest sound I've heard so far. I love the way the chorus is just massive and full range. This mix has a great tonal balance especially during the chorus. You have also managed to make the choruses both massive and punchy where many other mixes have sounded overly compressed, impressive! The creative decisions works for me. Perhaps the transition to the a capella chorus could have been smoother with some form of transition fx like a filter sweep or something. My only comment would be that the vocals feels a bit bright in the exposed parts. They sits perfectly together with the rest of the band but maybe you could have automated the eq a little to allow the vocals a fuller sound on the first verse, the bridge and the a capella chorus. That's all I can say. Superb mix

[willj]

Thanks alot for your comments and taking the time to listen guys. In the previous months it was getting tough to listen to the same song(mix) over and over and over - rarely any changes. Even if i got crucified for it, i wanted to do something that probably wouldnt get done again. I almost started a thread over it

Thanks again for your responses guys.

[bobbybovine]

In the previous months it was getting tough to listen to the same song(mix) over and over and over - rarely any changes. Even if i got crucified for it, i wanted to do something that probably wouldnt get done again. I almost started a thread over it

I hear ya man.

[maschneid]

DAMN JUST DAMN!!!!!!! Excellent job! Full tone, great mixing choices! I am listening on some ironman workout earphones and it still sounds great! The only very minor thing I hear and it could totally be these headphone is IMO there is a tad too much high end attack in the kick. Once again probably the headphones! I will listen again once I get home and have a good listening source. Loved the ending chorus! Just drums and vocals with the build up came in beautifully! Great Job!!!!


EDIT: Just went out to the truck and gave it a listen off of my phone. I retract my statement about too much high end attack in the kick! Sounds killer!

[willj]

Thanks for the comments man. I'll tell ya the story about the kik and snare later when i get a minute. not that big o deal, but it was the main annoyance on this mix for me this month.

Ha! I see youre in PA! we cant be toooo far apart

[kakeux]

Waou!!! so cool! So nice! really pro! Love it! It make me sound a lot better I really like the fact that you keep it rocking, so far this is the closest to my vision (in fact it's even better).

Just one little thing that bother me, the kick pattern at the end of the intro...well, I would have kept it straight. So for that you will only get 5,5 stars ! Top Job.

[willj]

Thanks a ton K! Not the bass sound i was hoping for. I tried some new thing as i was telling you, and it was sounding good to me, but just didnt want to fit in with the overall scope of things. I really wanted to pull of a nice bass sound for you, but time/energy just wouldnt permit. You no doubt gave us the right ingredients to be able to pull that off.

Arrangement wise if i would have taken more time to make this sound the way i wanted, i would have added another chorus on the end and also had some "rounds" going on. I think that would sounded cool, but to quote a great man - "there are only 24 hours in a day and im only good for 20 of them"

Thanks again for your vote of confidence and for putting this out there for us to work on. Must be pretty exciting for you to hear all these different versions. I think your timing was perfect because folks were tired of hearing the same mix over and over. I think you were lucky in that aspect, but not lucky to hear so many good mixes. You wont often have a great mix without a great musician!

the kick pattern at the end of the intro...well, I would have kept it straight

I agree it was an accident that went unnoticed.

[LazyE]

one day i`ll be dropping mix`s like this..i hope!
nice creativity without loosing the soul of the song.
respect.
its a 5 from me

[willj]

one day i`ll be dropping mix`s like this..i hope!
nice creativity without loosing the soul of the song.
respect.
its a 5 from me

Thanks for commenting E! No doubt in my mind that you can post mixes that sound outstanding.
Sounds to me like your pretty well on your way with your june entry.
I cant wait to see how much youve improved by the end of the contest. Im sure it will be measureable. I hope you get what you want out of it.

[wireman957]

As Dr. Sheldon Cooper might say, "Bazinga!" Brother, you pretty much nailed everything this time! I love this mix! I thought about copying and pasting an additional chorus, then thought better of it since the original arrangement worked, but man, you killed this one and your edits are seamless. The clean guitar during the verses could have maybe come up a tad to balance the mix like fHumble mentioned, but that's about as nit-picky as I can get. Your tones are all super, soundstage is defined and stable, and well, just a great job, man!

[willj]

Thanks a ton and a half for the complements man. Definitely a couple things still bugging me, but what the hell is ya gonna do?? i agree with you guys about said guitar parts. i still think the left sided guitar would still have plenty of impact coming in, when it eventually does. Altho it sounded fine with the clean guitar up in the mix some, it just didnt make a ton of sense to me to have one guitar on the left totally clean and the one on the right totally rockin out. In hind sight, i briung it up a little.
Thanks again for the time spent. Means a lot.

[redworks]

sounds excellent willj. intimidating really. great use of the parts. i do feel the slight heaviness in the right guitar but it is not a big deal and if we were not critiquing each other no one would really care. well done.

[willj]

Excellent sounding mix Will! Some very, very cool creative arrangement ideas .... DAMN! You stole my idea for the final chorus right out of my head! I just played with that same idea last night... now I'll have to think of something else!... Beautifully done, mate! That buildup through the bridge is awesome - the drop into the chorus & the reprise that follows is the master stroke! This mix definitely has the scoop on long-term dynamics in this month's contest.

All the sounds are absolutely top-notch - Very pro-sounding & radio-ready... Your mixes are always so crisp & punchy, but never harsh. Your command of equalization (& all the other essential range of mix skills) is obvious.

My complaints are very small, non-technical, & mainly subjective in nature...

I felt the "instrumental" first chorus didn't work as well as it could have - it seemed to take a looong time to get to the chorus - for the ADD kids out there too long maybe? - Perhaps half the length might have worked better?

Once I got to the bridge, I realized why you did it... but I still felt the intensity of the distorted guitar in the right channel was creating the perception of an unbalanced mix... Not that I mind the mix being unbalanced, but it continues on that way without something equally intense coming in from the left to counter-balance it.... My suggestion would have been to go for a "semi-over driven" tone for that right guitar. Nevertheless, when the bridge hits with the stereo distorted guitars, it does sound HUGE.

That's it, really... talk about hard-to-please, hey?

Seriously dude, this is a killer mix. 5

Thanks fhumble. i appreciate your vote of confidence. Ive heard a lot of improvements from guys and i honestly think you are a huge part of that. With your mixes and outstanding feedback you are just on a whole other level.

the drop into the chorus & the reprise that follows is the master stroke!

Ha! i love it! "The Master Stroke"! that is ALL WORLD there brother! Without a doubt the title of my next song, album, and possibly my kid You make it sound like Greg Norman just drained a 117 footer for eagle with his eyes closed!!!

DAMN! You stole my idea for the final chorus right out of my head!

See? Because i knew it wasnt that creative of an idea, i had to hurry up and get my mix in. How bad would that suck having put all that effort into something and hear somebody else use it before you did, and then have to rearrange everything youve been working on?? that would crush me. i dont think id be able to muster up the energy. So tell us Fhumble how bad does it suck? Since you have first hand knowledge

but I still felt the intensity of the distorted guitar in the right channel was creating the perception of an unbalanced mix

i probably should have left a bit more over there. I mentioned earlier that it i was having trouble being OK with a heavily distorted guitar in one channel and a perfectly clean guitar in the other. It sounded ok, but wasnt making perfect sense. A little something would have been nice i admit.


Thanks again for the kind words. Your presence and the help youve given folks here is without a doubt integral.

[fHumble fHingaz]

Just wait 'till you hear my ambient/dubstep/industrial/mathmetal version, Willie - It'll blow you away!

[kakeux]

Can't wait to hear it FH!

Willj, after listening to it a douzen of time, I feel like the left guitat on in the second part of the bridge is a tad loud or too powerfull compare to the right one..just thought you might be interested. The rest is close to perfection. A funny thing, it took me 4 times to realize you made a instrumental 1st chorus, it means you've really created a goo flow.

[bobbybovine]

goo flow.

No comment

[kakeux]

Maybe a D is missing...hate writing with my cell phone

[thomastx750]

What a Pro sounding mix, polished and gritty. I wasn't really digging the fade in on the intro that much, then when the guitars come in for the verse, damn that really is a great transition. As far as the song structure, my suggestion would be to cut the first chorus after the verse in half, that melody on the synth is cool, but got long for me. Really cool enjoyed what you were able to accomplish, alot of work was put into it and paid off.

[willj]

Can't wait to hear it FH!

Boy i can Make no mistake about it, the only reason anyone else has a chance to win is because Fhumble LETS them. How would it look if he won all 12 times?? hes just being......well, HumbleF.

Willj, after listening to it a douzen of time, I feel like the left guitat on in the second part of the bridge is a tad loud or too powerfull compare to the right one..just thought you might be interested. The rest is close to perfection. A funny thing, it took me 4 times to realize you made a instrumental 1st chorus, it means you've really created a goo flow.

Sure sit around picking my mix apart all day.

Yeah, i dont know about that part man. i kinda thought it just seemed that way because there wasnt much guitar going on in the left side the entire time. I know it hits hard and can most certainly use some automation, but does it appear to be that way the entire time or just in the first couple seconds?? I wasnt too worried about it, its a kik ass part and sounded good to me no matter how loud it was.

I cant listen right now.

Like i said man, theres no doubt i would liked to have spent more time on it. im grateful thats all that is bugging you. you dont even wanna know waht all is bugging me. ...about my own performance that is.

Obviously you want to create the best mix possible, but most of my concentration was on finding complementary eq, compression, and, whatever processing and editing i felt worked together, and everything else was kinda secondary after that.

I had this mixed about 4 days after the tracks came out. I got a bit too wrapped up working in unchartered territories with the bass guitar processing ,and kinda fudged my mix up. i had some problems with the kick and snare as well and ended up having to sample the kik. Listen to the kick drum in the vocal only chorus parts that bad bitch is the original drum and was rendered 4 days after the tracks were released and its now gone forever. I reeeeally wanted it in the mix but couldnt get it back. i'll have to try and sample it somehow.

[willj]

What a Pro sounding mix, polished and gritty. I wasn't really digging the fade in on the intro that much, then when the guitars come in for the verse, damn that really is a great transition. As far as the song structure, my suggestion would be to cut the first chorus after the verse in half, that melody on the synth is cool, but got long for me. Really cool enjoyed what you were able to accomplish, alot of work was put into it and paid off.

Thanks man. I appreciate the complement.

sounds excellent willj. intimidating really. great use of the parts. i do feel the slight heaviness in the right guitar but it is not a big deal and if we were not critiquing each other no one would really care. well done.

Wow! Im taking this as an amazing amazing complement.

Ya know man, id fistfight you over a game of checkers. Maybe pull a gun over a game of go fish , but ive just never felt competitive in the music world. i just talked to somebody about this the other day.

If i can ever do anything to help offset that feeling a little bit man, just say the word man. you do a damn good job of with what you do here too ,so the respect goes both ways. i get a real sense of honestly from your replies and feel like you really want to help other people.

[Patrich]

very good mix! is this the mix to beat in june??? full tone and power. i like the cuts & mutes you have done. sounds seamless.
if i have to complain i would like to have the great sounding vox package a little bit more prominent on certain sections, but i am only saying that since i have nothing else to complain about ! great job!!!

[Lurchtheicefist]

I know exactly what you mean about letting things go dude.

The intro cracked me up-definitely very 80's stadium rock. Great idea! Love that you brought it back later in the song.

No real complaints besides what people had already touched on about the guitar.

Mind if I ask what you used to replace the drums? Like what samples? And what did you use for distorted guitar tone?