Member Dana Nielsen
MemberForum Replies Created
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First off — amazing production and mix! Seriously, sick work, man. 🔥
Here are just a few small things that caught my ear:
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The strings are gorgeous — but when they enter, they feel a bit too loud and upfront, which kinda breaks the spell for me, even though they sound beautiful.
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Around 2:36 and leading up to that big section, it actually starts to feel smaller instead of bigger as it builds.
One idea: try backing off the mastering limiter a bit. Let that final section breathe — make it feel open and majestic, even if it means you have to turn up your monitors a little (with your monitor controller, not your limiter/output fader).
Then try “mixing backwards” from there — use that final section as your anchor, and work your way back through the song, making sure each section and transition has the right balance and perceived loudness in context. This relates to Tip 2 in my 5 Mix Power Tips pdf.
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Also — dare I say there might be too much frequency control happening?
The top end feels a bit too contained. Admirable restraint 🙌 — but it could be fun to open things up just a little. Let the top sparkle a bit more — things like cymbal hits or vocal textures could benefit from a little wildness.
Not suggesting a total EQ overhaul, but it does sound like there might be a bit too much Soothe or similar dynamic EQ going on. If that’s the case, it’s doing a solid job! But maybe try blending them back to 50% wet/dry and see if you like the lift.
Really impressive stuff, Michael.
Great work, man! 👏👏👏
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Duuuude! So awesome hearing a new banger from you (and your excellent collaborator)!
- Great booty on that kick
- Singer sounds great!
- “Woo!” Vocal sound effect is super hooky!
- This audio sounds a bit lo-fi / crunchy – is that intentional? Sounds like a mp3 set to a very low setting?
Productionwise, I could really use more harmonic textures – turn up those rhythm guitars, add some synth textures that enter in choruses to fill out the awesome sparse production of the verses, offering bigger contrast verse to chorus.
In that same vein, for the final chorus you could even introduce a honky-tonk upright piano rhythmically comping the chord progression with lil’ country-blues ‘twankles’ popping out – a final nod to the Dolly Parton influence, lest the track get too overtaken by the Beyonce/modern vibes. Again, just fun ways to introduce contrast and keep the listener surprised.
You’re already doing a killer job introducing fun new textures and ear candy. I’m just looking for some big chords or chordal-support in those choruses to really sink my teeth into.
Also could be fun to add a couple SFX here and there, like a mini riser-suck-up moment right before the chorus hits, then a big thunderous “bang” on the chorus downbeat. Not necessarily what I described specifically – just some ideas of what I’m talking about.
Lastly, if there’s any way to get the singer to add some adlib moments that step out from the regular melody, that could help. Currently, the verse and the chorus both linger on that G# (the 3rd) and I dare say I get a lillll bit worn out by that repetitive G# by the end of the song. If you were to have her sing the last chorus in a higher register (say, focusing around the root E), adlibbing the hell out of it while the rest of the BGVs cover the regular chorus melody, that would prob help a lot- AND offer even more of a payoff. Just an idea.
This is sooooo good, homey!!! Love it mucho!!!
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Hey Phoebe!
Your backing track sounds super nicely mixed, compressed, and polished compared to the lead vocal — so just apply that same tone/processing to the vocal and you should be golden!
To do that:
- I’d start with a stock parametric EQ and gently scoop out some of the low mids — try a bell or shelf around 150–250 Hz (whatever sounds best to your ear). This helps reduce the “body” of the vocal. It’s a psychoacoustic trick: our brains associate more low end with closeness (like someone whispering in your ear), and less low end with distance (like that same person across the room). You know what I mean?
For intimate, gentle vocals, I’ll leave a bunch of that low, rich 100–250 Hz in — helps the vocal feel like a warm hug, like they’re right next to the listener (something we’ve talked about in other Member Spotlights!).
But for a track as massive and full as yours, I’ll often imagine it like a stadium concert — big energy coming from a stage farther away. Carving out that unnecessary vocal “body” gives the impression the singer isn’t in your ear, but instead standing in that space, blending perfectly into the production.Make sense?
- Next up: compression. Try adding a healthy dose and push it until you go, “eww — that’s too much”… then back off a touch. I reach for Waves Rvox all the time — dead simple and really effective. Just remember to dial down the output gain as you compress more so you’re not just making it louder — A/B using bypass to keep levels matched. The goal: same loudness, just more control and urgency. (And honestly, your vocal’s already sounding really great — this is just a little polish that might help tighten things up.
- After that, add a De-esser, or manually tame the harsh sibilant stuff — or do both! I’ll usually do a bit of manual work first, then light de-essing if needed. Massey De-Esser is the best one I’ve used — super natural results.
- And YES — absolutely feel free to add some fun FX! That’s another tool to help the vocal sit in a dense mix. Plus, FX are fun. 🙂
If you want to dive deeper into that side of things, check out this thread:
👉 Dialing In Delay & Reverb (in mix vs. after) - Oh, and one more trick: Once your vocal sounds dialed, tweak the automation so it sits just right. I use my crummy little RadioShack Realistic speakers from across the room — basically a “mix from another room” vibe. No sweet spot, no low end — just pure balance. It’s amazing how clearly vocal inconsistencies pop out that way. Once it rocks on the lil’ guys, I go back to my main speakers and make any final polish moves.
I know I just wrote a dang novel 😅 — but seriously, Phoebe, you’re already so close with this one. Awesome work. Can’t wait to hear what you do next!
Keep crushing it — and I’m so stoked you’re here. 🙌
PS – here are my initial listen notes which include a couple specific odds and ends:
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Gorgeous choral intro!
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Remove a bit of 200 bell or shelf to help it sit in the mix
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First line OPEN my eyes give a boost on OP-
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1:33 prechorus vocal sits a bit more tucked in (might be cool to use as reference?)
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2:04 – lead voc starts getting buried
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2:40 another example of de-essing, or just turn down the SH
mixprotege.com
Dialing in Delay/Reverb in Mix (During vs After)
Do you feel like it's better to add delay and reverb as you go, or getting a good mix without it and then sprinkling in…
- I’d start with a stock parametric EQ and gently scoop out some of the low mids — try a bell or shelf around 150–250 Hz (whatever sounds best to your ear). This helps reduce the “body” of the vocal. It’s a psychoacoustic trick: our brains associate more low end with closeness (like someone whispering in your ear), and less low end with distance (like that same person across the room). You know what I mean?
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Very cool, Paul, thanks for sharing, man!! Love it.
The main guitar feels out of phase to me – am I crazy? Like, it’s one guitar but I hear it in the left and right channels – not sure if ur panning a stereo DI, or if it’s a mixture of DI and mic – but when I sum the mix to mono and flip the L/R polarity, that main guitar sound seems to improve.
I know you’re just working with a 2-track mix, so adjusting that may not be possible … but then again, I know not to doubt your AI stem sorcery! haha.
Lemme know what you discover!
Sounds like a great show!
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Patrick! This is so good! I love the song and atmospheric dreamscape vibes.
I too kept wondering when a bass instrument would enter! Would be a fun upgrade at some point to build momentum. Maybe someone here in the community would even lay down an idea for ya if you’re open to it… I could hear a soft Moog-style sub bass, or a gently-played Fender Jazz or P bass, or a plucky-round Hoffner w flatwounds … lots of fun options rolling in my mind.
Love the surprise guitar solo and the sound you got for that – Just when we thought the song was done!
And love the lyrics – especially the astronaut / moon line
I noticed the vocal recording sounds a bit thin and distant – would be great if it were recorded close to the mic, preferably a large diaphragm condenser on cardioid pattern to make use of the “proximity effect”, adding richness and depth to the voice. A more intimate, deep, full-range vocal sound would really enhance the dreamy meditation/mantra feeling – like the “hug” technique we talked about in @JLew‘s recent post.
Your current vocal definitely has a great flow and spirit to it. If you find yourself struggling to capture that same essence in a re-recorded vocal, try singing along with the old vocal – even line by line if necessary. Have the old vocal nice and loud in your headphones (watch the bleed tho 😬) and keep one side of the headphones pushed off your ear so you’re hearing the old vocal in one ear via the headphones and your live vocal in your exposed ear in the room. Be patient with yourself and find a rhythm in your work as you basically record a perfect “double track” to your old vocal — either line-by-line or in full passes that you’ll comp from later. Throughout the process you can mute the old vocal to get a sense of your progress and verify that you’re achieving your intended result.
Who knows … maybe it’ll sound cool to have the hi-fi full-range proximity “hug” vocal upfront, with a nice distant bit of that original vocal tucked in behind it w/ a little verb … and maybe that verbed OG layer only comes in in the second verse as some extra ear candy to pull the listener along….
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Here’s a link to the original “hug” vocal visualization video:
… or here below, as the above link for some reason isn’t scrolling to the correct video (tho the above link has more context!). Either way, to avoid confusion, here’s the isolated video in case the above link left you confused lol:
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My pleasure, Paul- glad you dug! Great seeing you on the MixLAB zoom the other day, and I realized only later what I couldn’t put my finger on … you shaved your beard! Lookin snazzy as always!
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Hahaha – all good points!
Here’s a lil video response I made– inspired by your request, but delivered in a way that could be enjoyed outside of this particular context. I’ll prob dress it up with graphics and pictures to help illustrate things, but for now it will live here, raw, in this thread.
Lemme know what u think about what I say in the vid — curious to hear your thoughts!
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💜
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Voodoo-master!! You’ve done it again! Nice (mysterious) work, sensei!
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Ooh, love these ideas J-Bear! Drums-vocals breakdown would be sick. And I often manipulate timing in Melodyne to lay-back and “drunkify” vocals that were performed a bit to on top of the beat. Always fun to try!
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You betcha! Here’s another thread you might find helpful re dialing in FX:
https://mixprotege.com/forums/discussion/vocal-delay-to-be-or-not-to-be/#post-7702
mixprotege.com
Vocal Delay - to be or not to be
I've had some really awesome, thoughtful responses on this forum around bass & reverb. Next up - vocal delay 😎It feels like every mix video…
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😂 I had the same thought seeing snowy wetness on that sick Tele!
But I bet @joerobinson‘s got like 5 of ’em and that one’s his outdoor/all-weather Montana snow Tele, lol.
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Absolutely beautiful, brother!!!!! Wow. Stunning playing and camerawork, not to mention writing, recording, mixing, too. 🏆⚡️🙌 You BEAST! Plus, that backdrop you’ve got is pretty spectacular, wowzers!
Really, man, such a treat to get to see this – and honored we all got an early preview here at MP as you finessed your final mix. Sounds awesome, Joe! And I noticed Richard Dodd mastered – sweet!
Keep ’em comin’ homey! 🚀
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Yeah man – I love all those lyrics! Great work!
Look fwd to hearing your updated vocal re-recording!