Originally Posted by shackman Ok: most of this is mix stuff.
And it's VERY subjective.
The sleighbells pre 1min 30 secs should be panned out a little out to one side, and have (maybe) a little delay/reverb sent to the opposite pan. That would do two things: the FX pan would give them a little more depth but more important, and the instrument pan would make the bells stand apart. (I'm not talking extreme hard left/right pans, I'm talking about a touch left and a touch right. Subjective, try it and see if you find a happier placement)
(Here's where I get slammed by others) My reasoning is this. I abhor mixes where you find yourself saying "What IS that chinking noise?" or "Is that a flute/guitar etc there?"
On "simple" songs -which is what I do - I think you should hear every instrument. That doesn't mean loud, it means clear. My benchmarks are the early/mid albums by Mary Chapin Carpenter. You can hear every piano note, every drum hit, every guitar pluck and yet it all sounds as one - which is, in my humble view - how it should be.
It may be the system I'm listening on right now, but the bass is too forward and, it dominates the entire thing.
I like the way the drums work, and the strings/orchestration.
And I have major issues with the guitar. There's some very nice rhythmn (can't spell) in there, but it sounds derad.
Did you record it direct? (through a lead) It's an almost biblical obsession of mine that, no matter the pain in attempting it, acoustuic guitar should be recorded through a mic. Part of the instrument's joy is the acoustics and reverb created by the sound box and the wood etc etc. It's why a cheap plywood guitar (like mine LoL) doesn't sound as good as a very expensive one.
So, if you direct inputted (DI'd) it, I'd say don't next time.
If you used an open mic, I'd say mess round more to find where the decent sound comes from.
ALSO: as a rule of thumb, (and it's something you have to find by tweaking the levers/dials) I tend to roll off anything below 50 on the guitar's EQ. I also use a single delay?reverb to add just a touch of roominess to the guitar and, again, I usually push the instrument slightly one way and the FX slightly the other.
And a little recroding tip: If you use a double take of guitar, use the same FX on both. Using a different FX adds another instrument. On this song, I reckon it's the single guitar.
Wow, loads of stuff. Sorry Cliff.
One final thought: I always start with the idea of "what does MY 'band' look like on stage when it performs this song.
There's a drummer, there's Cliff on guitar; there's a keyboard player, Karin's singing and jingling the bells etc etc>
I find that guiding idea usually (not always) brings me to a place close to where I can work out a final mix.
Cliff/Karin: this is NOT (I hope) destructive). It's what I'd start looking at if someone asked me to do the mix.
Again, Great song!!!!! YOU GONNA WIN!! HATE YOU!!
Is it safe to say, Happy Holidays
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