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Mix feedback
Hey guys 🙂
I’m in the final stages of mixing this song “Sultans Pool”
Two acoustic guitars, leading vocals and harmony vocals.. I’ve fallen for that minimal production style lately, and this is the first track from my self produced original album based on this concept
There’s a lot of thought behind the acoustic guitar recording, such a wild instrument to capture
Using an 1176 preamp unit to get that authentic tube sound
I’d love to hear your thoughts, wondering if anything passed me by maybe in automation, overall tone, technical tips I should pay attention to before sending it to master or anything else that comes to mind
There’s no mix bus processing, only a soft transparent limiter for volume
Thanks Dana for this great platform!
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22 Replies
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Bar! What a beautiful recording, song, performance, mood, and mix! Brava, and thanks so much for being here and sharing this with us! I really enjoyed listening to this. I’m away from my studio on a quick family trip, listening to this on professional headphones and laptop while sitting on a balcony surrounded by palm trees. Not a bad soundtrack!
Here are my realtime notes I jotted down while listening. These are just “what-ifs”, not actual issues or anything like that, so as always, feel free to disregard!
- 1:09 would be a great spot for a new element to enter (structural, subtle. Like single-note or two-note “chords” holding whole-note or half-note pads that u barely notice but that help the listener feel like the arrangement has become slightly thicker, more complex, even if they can’t pinpoint what’s been added. Could be a mellow electric organ or a pump organ or anything pad-y and unobtrusive)
- solo at the end – could have some subtle long spacey verb. like, mostly dry guitar in the mix but behind the guitar solo there could be some kind of wide spacious ambience to add a new flavor just for the solo to set it apart from the rest of the song.
I also love the mix and song exactly as it is right now! So, again, take these ideas with a grain of salt! 🧂👏👏👏
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Wow thank you so much! Your suggestions are on point and I’ll try them this weekend
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Sure thing, Bar! Can’t wait to hear your progress!
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Here’s another version
There’s a pad done with an electric guitar, capturing sort of pedal steel like style from the second verse for buildup
Also added more ambience to the guitar solo at the end
I think it adds a lot of color to the song and has a richer feel to it
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Bar,
Those subtle changes you made make your song better, more interesting, prettier, and perhaps, take a step towards sophisticated. Those were good suggestions. I would like to offer up one also.
What if you took the thought of growing the instrumental arrangement as the song progresses as you just did, and apply it to the vocal side of the presentation also? ie. the first verse has the same vocal arrangement construct as the last verse. I think you’re missing the opportunity to use the vocal arrangement to further the story.
What if that first verse was as gentle as your intro guitars? One voice starts the song, no harmonies needed because with gentleness and sparseness first, you allow the next verse to “grow.” Set up the listeners to go “Oh, Pretty!” when the second verse kicks in with a single harmony. Perhaps rinse and repeat to make the third verse get more complex if it fits the story you’re trying to tell.
In my brain, I heard every first word of a verse naked, out there on its own. When a supporting harmony came in it meant something and carried weight, even if this bucket of a song is filled with feathers. It’s the difference that matters and will command the listeners’ ears.
To paraphrase Miles Davis…It’s not the lines you sing that matter most, it’s the lines you don’t sing that can also convey intent.
To quote Mickey Hart ” All we need is the weight of a feather to tip the balance in the favor of love.”
PT
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Hey Paul, I appreciate your comment and I tried out your suggestions in this version. It’s an interesting approach, definitely gives a more intimate feeling to the song.
I’m not sure which version I like better, I’m gonna listen to it over the next few days
I added to this version some mix bus processing – some Pultec bass and sizzle, and a bit of saturation
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This version right away felt different to me with your newly added processing. The vocal felt quieter than the other version and I thought I’d postpone listening to ask if you’d mind uploading this version again but with the identical mix settings as the previous mix (the one where u added the pad and solo verb)? That way we could more easily compare the vocal arrangement idea, apples to apples.
Also, would u mind adding mix numbers or version numbers on your next uploads? I promise this isn’t me being a type-A dork! hahaha. It would simply help identify which mix version is being commented on.
You rock, Bar!
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Will keep that in mind next time, got myself confused too 😋
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Bar,
Much as I do enjoy writing long winded comments, this time I will limit myself to three sentences. Upon further listening, I zeroed in on the density of the vocal that caught my attention in an ever so slightly jarring way. It’s the constant double tracking of the lead vocal that takes up more of the acoustic space than is warranted in this delicate (to my ear) piece.
PT
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This is great!! Really dig the subtle new ambience pads and electric guitar flourishes! This song is just such a mood – a peaceful, pleasant mood.
If I were mixing this, I’d probably experiment with bringing a bit more hi-fi clarity to the vocals, while leaving the warm buttery guitar tones as they are. Might also try bringing out some more body on the vocals and guitars (perhaps a 60-100hz-ish bell-curve boost on the whole mix?)
Here’s a song from an album I co-produced and mixed that might provide a tonal reference point, and u might enjoy it musically as well.
You might also dig this recent livestream for some vocal mixing ideas if you haven’t already seen it.
Also, see my note on your newer version of your song, above!
Really enjoying hearing your progress on this production and mix, Bar!
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Hey Bar! Looking fwd to listening to these, and thanks @-PT for your excellent insights.
I’ll circle back when I’ve been able to check these out in the studio. 🤓
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@dana and @-PT , thank you for your advice I think it worked like a charm!
Ive added a 60-100khz boost and immediately heard what Dana meant about the hi-fi clarity that’s missing on the vocals, I also used the beautiful reference to get as close as I can so thank you very much for that.
Regarding Pauls comment, I let it sink over the last week and I’ve decided to lower the harmony vocal significantly so now the harmony is more like a reverb then double tracking. I couldn’t take it out completely since the song felt a bit empty without it, thank you Paul for your wise suggestion.
To make matters simple I’m uploading only one version, love to hear your thoughts about it.
This is version 3 – reduced harmonies, bass boost, hi-fi clarity vocals, and electric guitar pad.
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Bar,
Yes! Walk away, hands in the air. Success. I have no idea what the song is about lyrically but it’s unimportant because the vibe is strong, guitar picking is strong, the arrangement is more clarified, and the vocal delivery is captivating and somewhat mysterious. That might could be your brand.
PT
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👏⚡️ Yeah, Bar! This sounds awesome! Fantastic work! Whenever I listen to this I always imagine it working well in a film or TV show. Go get that sync!
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Hi Bar! I know I’m late to the party but just listened. SO BEAUTIFUL! I love this. I loved the first version, too – but definitely think all of the ambience and vocal arrangement changes you made help take it to another level. What a vibe!
Best,
Jesse
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Hey Jesse thank you I’m really glad you liked it!
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Thank you for your kind words! this forum has been beyond helpful 🙂
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Yay! I’m so glad! Shoutout to @-PT for all his excellent insights along the way.
What an awesome piece of music, Bar. Drop us a Spotify link here when it’s out and I’ll add it to the Member Spotlight spotify playlist!
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Hey just dropping Spotify links for both songs we worked on together, for the member spotlight playlist!
Sultan’s Pool – https://open.spotify.com/track/6MTybrmHQ14GbNR2TjpypV?si=1YjDZZivQ4aQ85TIRT0FuQ
Wherever I Go – https://open.spotify.com/track/07YTY1911CeG7f7VbJwMmk?si=IPvAV36YQgOFjh6gGlnD0w
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Fantastic, @barrose!! Huge congratulations!! 🥳
Thanks so much for sharing the links, and for sharing your musical journey with us all!
I’ve just added these two songs to the Mix Protégé Member Spotlights Spotify playlist 🙂
Hope you and @sexton are doing great!
🎚️🤓⚡️
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2Hur30TN833YNBj6auawtf?si=d1439bc182b84aed
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Thank Dana!
Sorry for the late respond! Too many night gigs….
Thanks for all the help, we’ll post some new songs on the forum soon
You’re the best
Sharon and Bar
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My pleasure, you two! Keep em comin’ and great work!
🎚️⚡️🙌
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