A mixing nightmare...!!!

nocat · #1 March 16th, 2006

This is a song I've been working on for a while... I just can't seem to get it so sound
good... Everything seems jumbled up to me, and when ever I adjust something it makes
everything else sound worse...

This is what it consists of:

Trk 1- ac guit 1
Trk 2- ac guit 2
Trk 3- Bass
Trk 4- elec guit overdrive
Trk 5- elec guit distor
Trk 6- keyboard
Trk 7- drums
Trk 8- elec guit lead 1
Trk 9- elec guit lead 2

I would appreciate if you guys would give me some suggestions as to how to improve the
sound of this thing...

VinoTinto.mp3

Thanks...
Ben

ruggles · #2 March 16th, 2006

Obviously "a man of infinate jest" and maybe your own worst critic methinks

hmmmmm. Nowt wrong with that to my ears young fellow. I like it and I don't like things easily. Well done

fastfreddie · #3 March 16th, 2006

just joined the site, just bought my guitar, cain`t play yet, but i have good ears, that sounds Gooood!!!

allthumbs · #4 March 16th, 2006

That is a great tune. To my ear, the biggest problem is the keyboard. It works as part of the rhythm section but, makes everything too busy when you play some fills with it. The same could be said to a lesser degree for some of the other tracks. I don't think the answer is to raise or lower the volume of entire tracks trying to make it work. You need to look at where in each track or tracks, the parts start to step on each other and choose which track you want to be dominant at that point. Remember sometimes less is more. Always wanted to say that in context. LOL. Mixing each track is going to be a lot of work though. That's just my opinion for what it's worth.

mjwjr · #5 March 16th, 2006

I think AT is on to something there. It sounds sort of japanese anime to me. But please don't take me the wrong way; you're are creating incredible stuff, it is all there just sounds a little computer generated. Keep'em coming. It is a great tune.

mjwjr

aguy24069 · #6 March 17th, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by nocat

This is a song I've been working on for a while... I just can't seem to get it so sound
good... Everything seems jumbled up to me, and when ever I adjust something it makes
everything else sound worse...

This is what it consists of:

Trk 1- ac guit 1
Trk 2- ac guit 2
Trk 3- Bass
Trk 4- elec guit overdrive
Trk 5- elec guit distor
Trk 6- keyboard
Trk 7- drums
Trk 8- elec guit lead 1
Trk 9- elec guit lead 2

I would appreciate if you guys would give me some suggestions as to how to improve the
sound of this thing...

VinoTinto.mp3

Thanks...
Ben

"Sounds" good to me, just very busy

nocat · #7 March 17th, 2006

Thanks for listenig guys...!!!
This song has been a thorn in my side... No matter what i try, I can't get it to sound right...!!!

mjwjr: I hear ya... It does sound mechanical at times, I don't know what's causing that
The only thing I sequenced was the drums, every thing else is me playing...

allthumbs: You have a very good point there...!!! What I need to do is figure out how to
use automation in Cubase. This way I can set variable volume controls for each instrument... What a great Idea, Thanks man...!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by JayJay

Bring the bass up in volume.
Bring the lead up ever so slightly.
Of course that's for my ears.
Overall,
A TRUE KILLER FISH.

HEY...!!! JAY...!!!

Welcome bro...

Nice to have you here...!!! looks like you showed just in time...

Problem is if I bring up the bass it kills the drums... I could probably jack up the lead a little...!!!

ruggles · #8 March 17th, 2006

Behave yourselves... If it aint broke, don't try and fix it. I still maintain that there's nowt wrong with it and I've been 'mixing' for many a moon.

CanuckTodd · #9 March 17th, 2006

Hey nocat, well done. I've got no advice to give you, because I don't know the first thing about mixing music. Sounded like an amped up surfer tune to me. I was picturing people rushing to the beach to catch the next big wave! Don't know if that was the desired effect, but that's what it did for me. Given the cold Canadian landscape, music that can take me to the coast is doing me a big favour!

CanuckTodd · #10 March 17th, 2006

Hey, that tune kept ringing in my head. Sounds a lot like the theme song to I Dream of Jeannie! You can hear that here:
http://timstvshowcase.com/jeannie.html
Maybe it's just me! I played them both for my wife she says I'm nuts. Maybe just tone deaf. : )

nocat · #11 March 18th, 2006

I don't know if anyone else experiences this when recording a tune, but by the time
I'm done recording all the various different tracks, a ridiculous amount of time has been
spent on playing the same part over and over again... Trying to play a section with as
few mistakes as possible, can some times be very ponderous, so by the time I'm done
I am pretty well sick of the darn song...

... And now I have to mix it...!!!

This song went pretty fluidly in the recording process, and it was actually fun to record...
It was later in the mixing process, that it reared it's ugly head... I've spent countless
hours trying to get it to sound clean and tight, only to find that it became very mechanical
sounding...

I've tried your suggestions, and it's like a teeter totter, as soon as i make an adjustment
to one track, it makes something else incoherent... Chuck it up to lack of experience and
knowledge, I guess...!!!

I think it may be time to pack it in and just move on...!!!

Thanks for all the encouragement guys, it is most appreciated...

Ben

ruggles · #12 March 19th, 2006

That applies to practicing a tune also. By the time you've nailed it, you've reached overload

Of course, to your audience it's another matter, as applies in this case. You are a perfectionist methinks... You don't happen to be a Virgo by any chance do you?

Well done nocat.

Lcjones · #13 March 20th, 2006

Great work, nocat! Really! It's a tough job being a one man band.

The recording was good and I didn't feel anything mechanical about it. I would like to have heard a bit more stereo seperation though. About two minutes in is a bit of keyboard just prior to a guitar riff. The keyboard could have come out just a tad bit more.

I'm learning all this recording stuff myself and what I've read is to try and "position" your instruments as you may hear them on stage. By adjusting levels and using the pan tool you can create some really good sound and make instruments appear, to the ear, like they are in a particular postion on stage.

Les