got my baby - please bash

[frshtrx]

hi -
open for a bashing...please be merciless...

>>>edited: latest version much further below<<<

[jjb]

Like the lead voice and the female background singer(s). But the lead voice is too far in the background for my taste as I listen thru headphones. And the instrumentals sound a bit "muddy". The instrumental lead doesn't need that much reverb, does it? Its a nice song; if you think these comments are accurate, I'd try re-mixing and post again.

jjb

[frshtrx]

I do think your on target, thank you for helping.
the instrumental lead being the dobro?...yeah, I'm having a tough time with that one too...problem is it's in 7 out of 12 tracks I'm working on, so I'm trying to give it some variations...but I'm probably over thinking instead of just doing what sounds good. thanks again, and any else that comes to mind...

[GDEN1]

I was listening on my cpu surround speakers. The bass was thick to me. The song itself is smooth and pleasing. The only reason for the Bass comment was things started to vibrate on my table. Not qualified for any other comments.

[frshtrx]

Yeah...I have friends who like the bass pushed and I over-listened to their feedback.
I've gone back and forth on it a couple times now....definitely acquiring a ship without a rudder syndrome I'm not sure how to control. how much do people use the meters as opposed to their ears for setting levels? entirely, a little, not at all?

you're input appreciated - thank you for listening on your surround...I need to set up for 5.1 for video but hadn't yet appreciated the impact on audio.
This may be my dumb-2ss comment of the century >> is mixing on 2 speaker stereo a huge error when such a piece is played on surround sound or does the software "get it right" some how?\\\

here's my repost of above - I think the vibration issue was solved?

[dentldir]

Stereo mixes on 5.1 will play in the front left and front right channels. So unless you go out of your way to break them into six different tracks and encode them into a 5.1 format, they will translate directly to the front 2 speakers.

Here are some things I heard that might help improve your mix.

The arrangement for this tune is where the lions share of the improvements will come from. After which the mixing adjustments sound pretty straight forward.

As it is now the arrangement lacks dynamics from part to part. For example, there is an acoustic rhythm guitar panned left that strums through the whole song. As an experiment, have it go silent at 00:12 and don't bring it back in until 00:36. There is enough instrumentation to support the vocals without and it gives the song some where to go as it moves towards the chorus.

Once you have the space to work with, it should be easier to hear that the kick drum is lost in the mix and is either too low overall or drowned out by the bass. Similarly, the snare is very muffled in tonality.

Similarly, at 01:06, after the first chorus ends, the number of layered instruments increases and it goes into an instrumental break. If the job of the chorus is to release the tension built up in the verses, then a thickly layered part after the chorus serves to detract from that dynamic.

Try this at 01:06: Drop out everything except drums and the guitar playing the tasty lick at 01:04. Let that guitar part continue solo up until 01:18. Then introduce half of the instrument layers, and half way through that verse, introduce more.

If you wanted to be even more aggressive, cut everything after 01:06 and just do silence a measure before starting up again with the next verse.

From an EQ perspective, the song is very bottom heavy right at 73Hz. Balancing out the bass will definitely help get some more perspective on it.

Keep playing with those arrangement dynamics. Try and get it to be just as simple as it needs to be to keep the listener engaged and entertained. I think it will turn out great.

Cheers,
Rafael

[frshtrx]

it scares me to hear my voice without the guitar. Completely new concept.
I'm a guitarist not a singer, so I hide behind it literally and figuratively. I'm interested in any opinions on the new arrangement.
I understand what you're getting at, and a cleaner, more minimalist arrangement is something I can recognize, but it's tough to cut things. But I guess you have to... it will take a bit to gel on this one...