How is this mix?

[karpathion]

I've been playing with this all day long, trying to get close to a, ZZ top, mix.
I'm still learning how all of this works, but it is getting better.

The playing is just goofing off, I only did one take of everything. I'm just trying to figure out the mix.

I know the little lead in it needs the gain dropped some more, and I have to get it set right in the mix. I'm just having a hard time finding the right frequencies to put it in.
The rhythm is close to where I want it, I just need to play it again and clean it up.

Do the drums sound like they are in the right spot, as far as the mix goes? And does the bass sound like it's in the right range?

I've made myself crazy messing with it today, maybe one of you guys can help me out.

Warmoth Tele with Quater pound set- Green Rhini-Blackheart Handsome Devil- 57 Beta- Fast Track 2- FL Studio..... For anyone who cares.

[CTN]

Re: How is this mix?

the guitar tones sound great, but the drums could do with a lot of work.

I think the kick could've used some more definition and "click" for lack of a better word..the sound of the beater impact.

I'd like to hear a bit more low end in the snare as well.

Also a little bit of room reverb on the whole drum mix couldn't hurt either.

[karpathion]

Re: How is this mix?

I'll have to play around with that kick some more for sure. I hear what you're talking about now. I'll just have to find a better sounding kick in this software.

I can definitely bring the lows out a little more on the snare, and reverb is no problem. I'll give it try.

On a side note. My uncle and a buddy of mine, told me to stop ripping off George Thorogood!
I didn't hear it until they said something. It does sound a little like Thorogood.

[sosomething]

Re: How is this mix?

Great start.

Your stereo spectrum confusion makes it tough to really analyze the different instruments' sound, though. Some stuff sounds a little buried because it's all sitting on top of each other, where it might be good enough already properly spaced out. If you're not sure how this works, there are great white papers on the web explaining a good traditional stereo layout that will help a lot.

Bass sounds like there is some chorus or phasing happening which I don't care for on bass.

Convoy's comments on the drums are pretty spot-on. Overall the drums need to be louder across the board.

The guitar tones themselves are really excellent. A little dry - a LITTLE - but man what a good tone. Nice job.

[karpathion]

Re: How is this mix?

You hit the bass effect right on the head. It's a stereo enhancer. I think the seperation is a little too much. I hear it too. I'll take that away and see if I can't push the drums a little more the front.

How do I push the drums out front more, without clipping? That's the big problem I'm having right now. Do I need to push the bass a little more towards the low mid range?

Thanks for the kind words!

[ImmortalSix]

Re: How is this mix?

I can't hear **** out my left headphone!

Click on that and pay attention at 0:43.

[karpathion]

Re: How is this mix?

I can't hear **** out my left headphone!

Lol! I don't what that's supposed to mean, but it was funny!

Are you saying I need to turn up the monitors when I mix?

I got it. It's that stereo seperation again. I'll get rid of it.

[ImmortalSix]

Re: How is this mix?



No, I really did hear pretty much nothing on my left side. I am using studio monitor headphones.

Also:

I would EQ it all to have a little more low mids on the master.

I would put a little room reverb on the drums. Dial it in subtly.

I would put a little tiny bit of compression on the guitar part. It will help it fit in to the mix more naturally.

I would EQ more low end and low mid onto the guitar track - it sounds kind of "Thin Lizzy" right now.

[sosomething]

Re: How is this mix?

You hit the bass effect right on the head. It's a stereo enhancer. I think the seperation is a little too much. I hear it too. I'll take that away and see if I can't push the drums a little more the front.

How do I push the drums out front more, without clipping? That's the big problem I'm having right now. Do I need to push the bass a little more towards the low mid range?

Thanks for the kind words!

Don't use stereo expansion on bass. Keep it panned dead center. I think the tone of the bass is serviceable at the moment. I'll need to hear it without that effect on it to be sure, but don't worry too much about the EQ on the bass. It rarely needs much anyway.

Outside of perhaps a little drive, eq, and compression, I like bass tones to be nice and dry. Keep reverb away from that track. Mastering reverb on the whole mix is plenty for bass.

Bass, kick, and snare are the fundamental spine of your mix. Moving them away from center even a little bit (even to widen them) gives a mix sonic scoliosis. That's no good.

If your drums are right below clipping and you want them louder - TURN EVERYTHING ELSE DOWN!

Don't try to even worry about CD level volume when mixing. That's not what mixing is for. Just make sure you have a strong, clean output that is balanced. Mastering will introduce a little compression (or a lot, depending on your tastes), and bring the overall volume up to what you would expect.

One thing that would help your mix breathe is to pan out the stuff that should be panned.

Think about how a band is set up. Listen to how professional records are panned in stereo.

This is oversimplification, but typically you have.

Center: Kick, Snare, Bass guitar, Lead vox, Lead guitar

Left: Rhythm guitar 1
Right: Rhythm guitar 2

...and the toms and cymbals are panned out like they are on an actual drum kit, so that the hihats are a little to the left, the ride is a little to the right, the other cymbals are all spaced out, and the toms are arranged from right to left as you go from the high tom to the floor tom.

You play around with that, and you'll find there is a LOT less you'll have to do with EQ to get everything to fit together and still sound clean.

[karpathion]

Re: How is this mix?

Awesome! That gives me an few new things to be aware of.
I'm gonna dig back in when I get home. I'll Fix these scratch tracks and try the new tips.

Thanks.