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Topic: My Song: Sound Quality? (Read 18770 times) previous topic - next topic
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My Song: Sound Quality?

Reply #25
Basically, my point was that the OP came with a mix and asked for possible improvements while many of the advices given (EQ this and that, replace/enrich kick drum and toms, etc.) are only taking the sound away from how the instruments sound


Mixing Rock & Pop songs isn't usally about making it sound realistic.....It's about making it interesting to listen to......If you wanted to know how the instruments really sounded then you could go and hear them play live and even then they'd be amplified , eq'd and compressed and quite likely with some digital FX added.  Close miking, restricting dynamic range and adding ear candy is about hyper-realism and excitement.

Of course there are other styles of music where realism is the goal and different techniques apply.

CD

My Song: Sound Quality?

Reply #26
Well, I have to say that I've gained a lot from all of the advice I've been given here.  It's nice that people have been supportive of my efforts to make my mixes sound better, and any advice, whether taken or not, is worth hearing.

So, here is a new song, called "Feel Like Free," along with the latest version of "Kai."  I still want to sound replace the kick drum, and there are some imperfections to work out still, but I wanted to send out an update.

-Rob

[attachment=5580:FLF71_mastered.mp3]

[attachment=5581:Kai70_mastered.mp3]


My Song: Sound Quality?

Reply #27
Those last ones sounded great on the phones, but not on the speakers.  Had to do a bit more tweaking.

[attachment=5585:FLF72_mastered.mp3]
[attachment=5584:Kai71_mastered.mp3]


My Song: Sound Quality?

Reply #28
Note to self: don't mix on phones.  I'm very dissatisfied with the results I'm getting on the speakers after mixing on the phones.  I'll post new mixes soon.

-Rob

My Song: Sound Quality?

Reply #29
Note to self: don't mix on phones.  I'm very dissatisfied with the results I'm getting on the speakers after mixing on the phones.  I'll post new mixes soon.

-Rob


I couldn't see any files , did you take them down ?

It is possible to mix with a pair of very good headphones but you still need to check it on speakers and adjust.  Hard to judge the bass and vocal levels , but you can spot small details on headphones you might have missed on monitors.

Out of interest which monitors & headphones do you use and have acoustic treatment in your mixing room ?

CD

My Song: Sound Quality?

Reply #30
Well, I have to say that I've gained a lot from all of the advice I've been given here.  It's nice that people have been supportive of my efforts to make my mixes sound better, and any advice, whether taken or not, is worth hearing.

So, here is a new song, called "Feel Like Free," along with the latest version of "Kai."  I still want to sound replace the kick drum, and there are some imperfections to work out still, but I wanted to send out an update.

-Rob

[attachment=5580:FLF71_mastered.mp3]

[attachment=5581:Kai70_mastered.mp3]


These are sounding really good. Still a few details to polish, but I find myself listening to the song instead of the mix, even when I try to have my critical ears on. Well done!

My Song: Sound Quality?

Reply #31
I'm just running in some new monitors that arrived yesterday , I now own a pair of Adam A7's so I'll give it a blast on those when you're done.

CD

My Song: Sound Quality?

Reply #32
Thanks for your continued interest, Iain and cosmicdolphin, and whoever else is listening.  Here are the latest masters with their mixes.  I'm using B&W 600i's as monitors and Sennheiser HD600's for phones.  This is a temporary setup (the monitors are not mine), as I am on vacation, and I don't have any kind of acoustic treatment for the room.

I have congestion from a cold, so I'm having a difficult time determining if the masters have the right amount of high frequencies.

I'm still interested in any feedback you all might give.  Thanks!

- Rob


[attachment=5598:FLF77_mastered.mp3]

[attachment=5599:Kai75_mastered.mp3]

[attachment=5600:FLF77_mix.mp3]

[attachment=5601:Kai75_mix.mp3]

My Song: Sound Quality?

Reply #33
These sound way better...you learn very fast !

CD

My Song: Sound Quality?

Reply #34
Thanks, cosmicdolphin!  I'm still working on them.  Since I posted the last mix of "Kai," I've boosted the rhythm guitars by 1dB, the kick drum by 3dB, and the snare by 1dB.  The song 'rocks harder' that way and fills out the mid-range better.

I've also been listening to "Everlong," by Foo Fighters, and I've noticed the guitars come up in level during the choruses, so I've tried that out in "Kai" as well, and it's starting to have more of that effect you were wanting me to go for, in having the mix evolve.

- Rob

My Song: Sound Quality?

Reply #35
You may find it hard to get mixes that translate well on those B&W's as they are HiFi speakers and usually have an eq curve designed to emphasise the Bass & treble end recess the midrange. i.e. it'll sound great until you try playing the mix back somewhere else.....  I have the 610i's which I've had from new about 15+ years .  They sound awful for mixing on but quite nice for HiFi use so make good use of your headphones too especially in an untreated room.

CD

My Song: Sound Quality?

Reply #36
I know what you mean about the B&W's.  They're especially difficult using them as nearfield monitors.  The high's are extremely harsh!

How are your Adam A7's?  I've read good things about them.

- Rob

My Song: Sound Quality?

Reply #37
Here's the latest mix of Kai.

[attachment=5604:Kai79_mastered_HA.mp3]

My Song: Sound Quality?

Reply #38
I know what you mean about the B&W's.  They're especially difficult using them as nearfield monitors.  The high's are extremely harsh!

How are your Adam A7's?  I've read good things about them.

- Rob


I can't remember what the B&W 600's are like , I think I did hear them at some point. The 610's have a metal dome tweeter , I wouldn't call them overly harsh but accurate they ain't ....you can't hear what's going on in the midrange when mixing.

I've only had the Adams for 4 or 5 days , they should been run in now , but they are really great.  Far more focused than the Mission Pro's I have. The ribbon tweeter is very sweet and extended without being fatiguing. They seem to be voiced on the low side of neutral for the bass which suits a small room , you can tweak them with the pots on the back if you want. If you had a bigger space or wanted to mix bass heavy dance music then you'd need the matching sub , but I'm generally mixing rock or more acoustic tracks so the midrange clarity really helps.

All in all I'm very happy with them and the mixes seem to translate well to other speakers, but I wouldn't use them for 'pleasurable' listening unless I had to which is as it should be.

CD

My Song: Sound Quality?

Reply #39
Here's the latest mix of Kai.

[attachment=5604:Kai79_mastered_HA.mp3]


I think it's a pretty decent mix now , perhaps as good as you can do with the speakers you are using ! Once you get this far it's often a case of listening on different systems to see how it sounds and where you're compensating for the sound of a HiFi speaker rather than using more neutral monitors.

I think any critisism would be nit picking now , I've heard much worse demo mixes ( my own included ! ) and some of them done on proper monitors so you've done well and it's much better than the original mix now.

CD

My Song: Sound Quality?

Reply #40
Here's the latest mix of Kai.

[attachment=5604:Kai79_mastered_HA.mp3]


I think it's a pretty decent mix now , perhaps as good as you can do with the speakers you are using ! Once you get this far it's often a case of listening on different systems to see how it sounds and where you're compensating for the sound of a HiFi speaker rather than using more neutral monitors.

I think any critisism would be nit picking now , I've heard much worse demo mixes ( my own included ! ) and some of them done on proper monitors so you've done well and it's much better than the original mix now.

CD


Thanks, CD.  What I haven't shared with people reading this thread, is that even the first mix I posted on HA was better than what I had released in 2005, so I'm pretty happy that it's come a long way since the original release.

I'm planning on going into a recording studio for some training over the course of a couple of sessions.  Hopefully I'll have a better mix of "Kai," as well as better mixes of the other 3 songs from that band.  I'll post the new mix of "Kai" after I've gotten some hands on training.

- Rob

 

My Song: Sound Quality?

Reply #41
Here's the latest mix of Kai.

[attachment=5604:Kai79_mastered_HA.mp3]


I think it's a pretty decent mix now , perhaps as good as you can do with the speakers you are using ! Once you get this far it's often a case of listening on different systems to see how it sounds and where you're compensating for the sound of a HiFi speaker rather than using more neutral monitors.

I think any critisism would be nit picking now , I've heard much worse demo mixes ( my own included ! ) and some of them done on proper monitors so you've done well and it's much better than the original mix now.

CD


Thanks, CD.  What I haven't shared with people reading this thread, is that even the first mix I posted on HA was better than what I had released in 2005, so I'm pretty happy that it's come a long way since the original release.

I'm planning on going into a recording studio for some training over the course of a couple of sessions.  Hopefully I'll have a better mix of "Kai," as well as better mixes of the other 3 songs from that band.  I'll post the new mix of "Kai" after I've gotten some hands on training.

- Rob



Anytime Bro !  God luck !

CD