War and Trees and Holsters and B's

[bholst]

Another good tune to mix. This has been a ton of fun!
On this one, I did a little digging into the whole Phil Collins drum sound to pull some 80's vibe out of it. Brandon was absolutely right that you could pretty much just push up the faders and virtually have a ready-made mix. Because of that, it gave us flexibility to concentrate on more creative touches. That made it fun
My references really varied on this one.
Thanks to Brandon, Jetface and Slate Digital for the learning opportunity!

-holster

[cptfiasco]

Holster, I see Finalist after finalist medals strewn across your banner, I ask myself is he going to reap the rewards of persistance, dedication, and attention to detail?

With the mix you presented, definetely in the running of bringing home the gold, even though I am in the corner on the "time out" chair I am rooting for ya B (and by rooting,I am not talking about the way the aussies' think of rooting is)

[bholst]

Thanks man! I appreciate the kind words!

[drummer67]

Well all i can say is

[JDenney]

I enjoy the mix.I love how well everything blends together. Vocals sit well. The drums sound sweet. I mean, you're no Phil Collins, but you're aight'

[IMF OnSite Recording]

AHHH!!! That snare scared me a bit lol. It might be alittle on the loud and distorted side. The vocals and synths are all working well together. Could use a single side delay on the virus on the chorus widen it.

Those drums must be getting WWIII grade limiting. I bet if you brought the drums down 5db it would sound almost the same! LOL
I think they may be drowning everything out a bit, and just a simple level adjustment will instantly balance everything out.

This is a very extraordinarily powerful mix. The snare is like a gun shot, literally. The only conflict how when the snare or kick it, its pretty much the only thing you hear, other than that this is a good mix

[fHumble fHingaz]

Great mix, Holster - Your stated snare goal was definitely reached here - it's HUGE. The thing I love is the way you've kept the vocals nicely up-front, yet really balanced all the parts to create an integrated sound... a pro-sounding mix.

After listening through a few times, about the only thing I can think of is that perhaps the big snare may have had more impact if you used it for the choruses only - thinking about it, that's what really made Phil's "In the Air Tonight" hit so hard - the contrast between the subdued verses/choruses & the final onslaught after THAT drum fill.

Still, this is a top-shelf mix... awesome stuff!

[redworks]

another good mix from you. The drums are huge and they could probably used a little less in the verses. The vocals are sitting just right and i personally appreciate the way that you have knocked the synths back and yet still utilised them. There are some moments of brilliance like the drum and vocal section just before the second chorus. Solid mix.

[chckn8r]

If you look up Gated Reverb on Snare in the dictionary, this sound should be there. You definitely got the Phil Collins thing going for sure!

Nice, nice and nice. The bass is so nice and tight and there is a lot of room for everything throughout. Clear, balanced and punchy would be the words I'd use for this whole thing.

I'd have automated the snare sound a bit more to ebb and flow with the tune, but that's just me trying to find something to say...

Awesome job dude!

[Ableton_Love]

Holy snare drum. The clarity in this mix is quite good. everything is pretty distinct and seems pretty open.

The drums sounds are killin me a bit. They're just so up front and a little on the trashy side. It sounds like maybe you threw on some slate room sounds or something on the snare or something too. Everything is pretty ambient in the mix, but the drum room just doesn't have any decay. and it's suuuper loud which makes turning the volume up painful at times.

Aside from that, it's pretty much the good quality mix that I had expected to hear. Nice job!

[bholst]

Holy snare drum. The clarity in this mix is quite good. everything is pretty distinct and seems pretty open.

Thanks

The drums sounds are killin me a bit. They're just so up front and a little on the trashy side.

precisely what I was shooting for

It sounds like maybe you threw on some slate room sounds or something on the snare or something too.

Nope. Only used the provided tracks. I kept emphasis on the room mics on this one.

Everything is pretty ambient in the mix, but the drum room just doesn't have any decay.

It wasn't supposed to. That was the whole point of gating the room mics. See Phil Collins for details.

[bholst]

If you look up Gated Reverb on Snare in the dictionary, this sound should be there. You definitely got the Phil Collins thing going for sure!

Nice, nice and nice. The bass is so nice and tight and there is a lot of room for everything throughout. Clear, balanced and punchy would be the words I'd use for this whole thing.

I'd have automated the snare sound a bit more to ebb and flow with the tune, but that's just me trying to find something to say...

Awesome job dude!

Thank you! It means a lot! I like the snare automation idea. It got mentioned a few times so far. My big concern while mixing this one was maintaining danceability (new word, lol). I wanted the drums to drive this thing, but I can appreciate the idea of automation to keep things flowing dynamically. Glad you liked it! Thanks again Chicken Man!!!

[danmanisa]

Nice one again Holster!
First off (before we get to that snare!) I LOOOOOVE what you have done with that little percussion track. I know this is a little stupid and I am pretty sure I read Brandon bag this idea in KHR, but that SUPER subtle ticking the background of the "So Cold" section is great. I love the fact that I had to go back a couple of times to make sure I was hearing it correctly. I love those little easter eggs! I did hear one lip smack or click at about :39 when I was checking the ticking sound though (cue the drama music - Dum Dum Daaahhhhh! )
I think the drums sound great. Normally I don't read the comments but I did see a few while your mix buffered away, interwebs is a little slow in Oz tonight (someone's not peddling fast enough!!). I have to agree that the snare or perhaps even drums in general do feel a little too loud or powerful in the verses. Having said that, if this was a track being played at a trendy nightclub (how would I know?!?) maybe that is what would be needed.

There is not much more to add really. A very clear, well balanced and well spread mix as per usual. Lost of power and low end where needed, lots of highs and subtle things sprinkled throughout. Well done! 5 from me.

PS - I am not 'rooting' for ya, being from Australia and all (re cptfiasco's comment)

[Jjsodarock]

Holster,
> Super clean, good use of the Virus synth track. Without that snare hitting so hard, what would be left? A non moving relitively flat track. I don't think the vibe you have created would suffer if a db or two was trimed off the snare in the verse. But thats only personal pref. stuff. I like how well you used the Mr Pecker track also. Very Good Mix, Jojo

>> Hey Holster, Sorry for the screw-up. I also really like the vocal treatment as well. The chorus vox are for the most part what I was trying to accomplish, and I did not, so well.

[lucccien]

Well uhhhh, I don't have much to comment on in your mix. Interesting use of the wah to change things up a for a bit, and not overdone. Width, tone and pretty much everything are spot on. For me, I think the highs are just a touch, just barely a little too prominent in the mix overall, but this is subjective. Once again an excellent mix!

[bholst]

Well uhhhh, I don't have much to comment on in your mix. Interesting use of the wah to change things up a for a bit, and not overdone. Width, tone and pretty much everything are spot on. For me, I think the highs are just a touch, just barely a little too prominent in the mix overall, but this is subjective. Once again an excellent mix!

Hey! I'm glad you enjoyed the mix! I AM a bit confused though... wah I didn't use any wah. lol. Also, any chance you could let me know where you're hearing this prominent highs issue (even if it's subtle) and perhaps what you're listening from? I checked a lot of references on that one, so I'll be curious to hear what you mean if you don't mind. I'm contemplating a set of mixcubes to have even more ways to check, but maybe whatever you point out will come across on what I have and I had just simply overlooked. Thanks again!

-holster

[jerze]

Nice big mix. Nice delay touches in pre chorus. Very nice clean wide mix I liked how you handled the ss on the vocals just a great mix. I like the snare choice The only thing I hear which is subjective is the sound of the kic and snare difference between verse and chorus not sure if its compression changing the tone from bright to dark sounding I don’t think it is the sound of the 2nd kic tho anyway great job on eqing efx etc.

[bholst]

Nice big mix. Nice delay touches in pre chorus. Very nice clean wide mix I liked how you handled the ss on the vocals just a great mix. I like the snare choice The only thing I hear which is subjective is the sound of the kic and snare difference between verse and chorus not sure if its compression changing the tone from bright to dark sounding I don’t think it is the sound of the 2nd kic tho anyway great job on eqing efx etc.

Hey thanks! To answer your question, the snare remains the same. What you're hearing is that I used the second kick on the choruses and the first on the verses. I dialed in the chorus kick to be a little beefier and emphasised the lows to help give the chorus some extra thump. That, in turn, caused what you perceived as a change to multiple things (ie, snare) That's a great example of how every little thing we change will have an effect on the rest of the mix, even though we didn't touch the other stuff.

-holster

[Magnolius]

Great mix! A full sounding mix with great clarity and punch. My only comment would be that the snare is a little too loud for my taste. It makes the song sound a bit static and I also feel the beat is somewhat compromised by the strong snare the weaker kick. But I love the snare sound, great work there Solid mix!

[kakeux]

wow that's a huge snare!

Good mix holster!

I will follow FH here, the big snare in the verses can be a little boring after some listening. It's a definitive killer in the chorus.

The vocals sound great.

Nice work in the bridge to keep it moving without adding too much strange things (like me).

Cheers!

[ncls]

Hey, great job again. Another 4 stars mix (seen in the mix list while there are no 5 stars but plenty of 4s).
You reached your goal of Phil C.'s drums, and kudos for that kick too (everyone only focus on the snare)
I agree those drum settings make the whole moving (and some kinda dancing too) without obvious effects here and there. Kudos again

I'm not really sure but I heard some comp artifacts after many crash hits and after some vocal stops. And because of focusing on that snare, I heard automation too in verse to chorus transition
I'm sure it can't be that obvious and it comes from my listening conditions

Anyway, nice job, a killer one for sure!!

[bobbybovine]

Hey Holster. You certainly got a hold of the Finalist positions so far. I think this may end up there too. There are a couple of things like the synth being a bit low in the first verse, and the relative emptiness feeling just before the chorus, but I like that you left some space to let the chorus come in with more power. And of course there is that snare . It was a little wierd at first but it definitely becomes part of the song. The wierdness to me with it is the early relflections in the verb tail but it works. Great stuff.

[bholst]

Hey Holster. You certainly got a hold of the Finalist positions so far. I think this may end up there too. There are a couple of things like the synth being a bit low in the first verse, and the relative emptiness feeling just before the chorus, but I like that you left some space to let the chorus come in with more power. And of course there is that snare . It was a little wierd at first but it definitely becomes part of the song. The wierdness to me with it is the early relflections in the verb tail but it works. Great stuff.

Thanks bobbyb! Regarding the 'early reflections' that you're hearing, that was actually coming from the room mics. I didn't use any reverb effects on the drums, only the supplied room mics and I gated those to get that 'phil collins' thing that I was shooting for. Not sure if that helps explain what you were hearing or not.
Anyway, thanks again!

-holster

[bobbybovine]

Thanks bobbyb! Regarding the 'early reflections' that you're hearing, that was actually coming from the room mics. I didn't use any reverb effects on the drums, only the supplied room mics and I gated those to get that 'phil collins' thing that I was shooting for. Not sure if that helps explain what you were hearing or not.
Anyway, thanks again!

-holster

I should have noticed that it was the room track, I spent enough time working on it

[wireman957]

holster, I know this review is probably too late to be meaningful for July, but I wanted to comment anyway. I've been incredibly busy the last few weeks and am just now getting to your mix, sorry...

Once again, your trademark big, big low end is in abundance, and as usual, it's done very nicely indeed! This is as close to a real "dance mix" as anything I've heard with this song, and your treatment of the tune really works well. It's also a pretty loud mix. In fact, that's about the only thing that concerns me enough to comment: The verses, with the exception of the areas where you underdubbed or placed pauses are pretty much as loud and in your face as the choruses. Maybe the snare, which sounds awesome by the way, or the drums in general, could have been automated down a couple of dB in the verses...obviously personal opinion, but it would have made the choruses hit even harder than they already do.

The vocals are on the verge of excessive sibilance in spots, but they never really seem to cross the line - kudos! I think you've found just the right balance of meat and air on them and they sound really good to me. The off-center panning of the two dominant vocal tracks initially struck me as a little odd in the first verse, but that feeling lasted about 5 seconds. The clarity and blend more than make up for any perceived transgression there as far as I'm concerned.

IMO, everything sounds really, really good and it's easy to see why you're leading the field this month. One thing I've noticed in general on the forum is that there are a lot of people whose skills have improved so much that what were once opportunities to comment on technical things and possible areas of improvement have largely morphed into subjective comments regarding pace, dynamics, transitions, etc. Not sure how anyone else feels, but I think that's very interesting and as a community we're getting pickier on details which is probably a good thing - obviously not everyone is going to see things the same way and mixes (visions?) are going to vary greatly, but people are developing their own mixing personalities and styles which is always a good thing.

Wow, I've digressed into a philosophical line of thought here suddenly - don't know exactly why...I guess it's because you've expressed similar observations in the past and you continue to be one of the forum's leaders in expressive and technically very good mixes that really don't sound like anyone else's. Thanks for sharing this (once again) nice mix!