[Jesse Lewis]

Hey Alex! Love it man! Thanks for sharing this.

This song sounds great! I LOVE the chorus, especially the rhythmic flow of the vocals, so cool!

I read Dana’s comments and agree w/ the panning/filtering stuff he was saying.

A couple of other thoughts that were just my first impressions – at the end of the song I kind of wanted another chorus. When it ended after just a half chorus it felt like it wanted the second half. I’m sure you are trying to keep it shorter time wise, but if not, I don’t think it would hurt to add it in. Maybe it could end with the additional chorus, but this final time without drums or with some other cool treatment that puts a point on things! just an idea…

I also really like that middle section where it breaks down to the orchestral string “stabs”. I found myself wanting to hear some sick bass fill coming out of that section, around 1:49-1:51. You did do a two note fill but I wonder what something more featured might feel like there?

Just a couple of ideas to take or leave. The track sounds super dope. Let us know when the final version is out. Can’t wait to hear it!

Best,

JLew

• This reply was modified 9 months ago by  Jesse Lewis.

[Jesse Lewis]

yeah! Sounds really great! congrats cats and I hope this becomes a huge hit for ya! ❤❤❤ JLew

[Jesse Lewis]

Thanks so much, brother!

I LOVE “Calling You!” That’s a really special song for me as well. I actually played it a bunch with Amy Cervini’s group back when we had our residency at the 55 Bar (RIP) What a heavy tune!

I sure could of used all this micing info before I recorded hahahaha, probably should have asked! Well – now I know, which as they say, is half the battle.

Working on an epic tune right now, trying to get it to a place where I can share it, because I’ll need some input from the MP crew!

Love,

JLew

[Jesse Lewis]

Thanks Pete! I appreciate you checking it out! I used pitch envelope automation in Ableton to create some crazy whistle dive bombs in there haha! having fun with it! Thanks again for listening!

Best,

JLew

[Jesse Lewis]

Thanks so much, Paul! Haha – yeah I know what you mean about the pitch! I thought about correcting it and then was just like… screw it! kind of an exercise in just letting myself be a little real and raw. I’ll be back to the river soon haha…

I’m working super hard right now on an electronic track where I’m singing (also a bit out of tune) and I’m trying to get it to a place where I can submit it to get feedback from you all! More soon!

Thanks as always for listening and checking it out.

Best,

JLew

[Jesse Lewis]

Hey Alex! Killer song man! Beautiful. I listened to the first version before I read the “thread” and didn’t see that it had been updated here! I like the current version a lot! Big improvements from the first version.

I love the chorus, especially how the beat drops out for the first part of it and then comes back in. I also love those tom fills going into the choruses.

I also really dig the ending on this version a lot, and I also agree that it could be really cool to incorporate it into the intro somehow so it kinda has those book ends?

Wasn’t sure if around 1:30-2min if it needs a little more de-essing? I would defer to those with better ears than mine, but the sibilance spots were jumping out to my ears a little. Just wanted to mention it in case you were hearing it too.

Again, really great song! Congrats

Best,

Jesse

[Jesse Lewis]

Yo! Thanks so much brother for thoroughly answering all of my questions about this. I feel confident now that I understand this concept!

ps – I got a pair of the audio technica 50x’s and also a pair of the beyerdynamic 880 Pros. I like having both a closed back option for recording and an open back option for extended listening. Very glad I didn’t blow my entire savings on some ultra fancy headphones. Still need more guitars haha

JLew

[Jesse Lewis]

Dana and Paul! Thank you guys for providing all of your insights on this.

Dana – I read you response to Dewey in the Limiter thread and you addressed some of my questions there. It sounds like generally you try to get your mix to communicate everything without inserts on your master bus, and use the limiter to send a loud version to your clients (but take it off before sending to master engineer). It sounds like sometimes (but not always?) you add some subtle EQ, stereo imaging stuff (like bass mono) or saturation if you are hearing it as part of the finished sound of the track and don’t want to leave that up to mastering engineer?

I guess the crux of my original question is kind of more based on curiosity about standard “pro” practice. Because I am just mixing and mastering my own tracks there’s never a consideration of the mastering engineer, in every case I mix my track first and then master it (usually some kind of subtle EQ, a gentle glue compression, possibly some color/saturation, and finally the limiter.

I wasn’t sure if in the “pro” world you would typically leave ALL of the master channel processing to the mastering engineer? Or if you sometimes include your own eq, compression, etc BEFORE the mastering engineer gets it.

I’m guessing it depends?

JLew

[Jesse Lewis]

Yo Paul! This is great and very helpful to hear your perspective and input! I can dig what you are saying!

ps – I too just started tinkering with ozone 11, and I’m finding it to be such a cool tool, especially for some instructional value. I often find that when it’s master assistant AI renders my track it sounds really over the top and often not the direction I might go in/where my ear would lean, but it’s so cool to look under the hood and see all of the things it’s doing. I find myself often seeing things it does that I hadn’t thought of and going back and addressing them.

I got the entire suite on a super sale about 6 months ago but am just finally getting into it now. The RX 10 is INSANE!!! Such a game changer for me, because my home studio has so many noises and sounds from my heater or noises from outside that often ruin takes. With that spectral repair module I can just take them out so easily! Magic haha

All this learning is such fun indeed!

Best,

Jesse

[Jesse Lewis]

Awesome, Awesome, Awesome!!! Thank you

[Jesse Lewis]

Haha! Paul – this songs rocks! Yes, its hilarious, but also super creative and sounds totally slammin’!

Thanks for sharing!

Best,

JLew

[Jesse Lewis]

Thanks so much for all this info brother! I really appreciate it. I’m happy to save $$$, and excited to make an upgrade to my current headphones.

I’ll look forward to a discussion or video about sonar works. It seems like everybody uses that software! Inquiring minds want to learn:)

Best,

JLew

[Jesse Lewis]

Hey Paul! So sorry for the long delay! Thanks so much for your feedback as always, and I’m glad you’re feeling the nature/music theme!

It’s so interesting that you bring up the lofi aspects of Hendrix because I’ve been listening to the Jimi Hendrix Experience for my entire life (he’s probably the main reason I picked up the guitar to begin with) and recently I’ve come back to the track “All Along the watchtower” because my son’s rock band is doing a cover of it, and I’m coaching the kids. It’s the first time I’ve listened to that recording with my current ears – knowing a lot more about mixing, production, and recording than I did the last time I listened to that track, which was probably a few years ago. I was shocked how, in some regards, the mix is lacking some things I’ve been taught to try to achieve when mixing, technically speaking. The bass, for instance, is really hard to hear on that recording, especially the definition and actual notes.

It’s funny because I never even once considered any of that when listening to that recording before. I just enjoyed the crap out of it and marveled at Hendrix’ genius as an artist. I found this to be a good lesson for me about keeping things in perspective. If it feels good, and takes you somewhere emotionally, than it is good! It’s just that simple. A good reminder that I need to tell myself a lot these days…

Also – have you ever tried to count off that song! I also spent my whole life counting the intro “wrong” too. Haha

Thanks again for listening and for your encouragement and helpful feedback.

Jesse

[Jesse Lewis]

Thank you my brother! And yes – that needlepoint plugin is very fun and very cool. The compression module on that thing is also pretty groovy (no pun intended….)

[Jesse Lewis]

Thanks so much David! Very much appreciate the feedback and support! Best Wishes, Jesse