thank you @miked, you are too kind !
I am working on a new ending with the final repeat removed lol
added a mastered (faux master) version for those interested, nothing too fancy it is the same mix just some quick work in audacity.
320 kbps my original mix, with truncated ending mastered at -13LUFS
I do wish to re-write my violin pieces sometime and revisit my original mix, just haven’t had a chance yet (creators block) I want to rewrite (simplify) the cello ensemble as well and add a hint of french horn in the chorus. Whenever that happens lol
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The track is well mixed! I enjoyed the addition of the strings, although imho I think that you gave to much emphasis on them on certain parts, where I would love to hear the guitar more! To be honest, in the beginning I loved the dry vocals, but after a while I kind of miss not having any reverb on them. It’s an overall good mix!
Best of luck!
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Thank you for the great feedback!
they do have reverb and delay on em, they are not totally dry. They are just not much. I made 5 mixes for this song, they all had sweet reverb and delay except for this one. Anytime I added too much reverb it started losing emotion and pain. Started sounding more like a love ballad lol. I ended up scaling back to the drier version. I think dry version will be taken well by most masses on stream for this type of song.
Although I agree, when more instruments come in, I think the strings are making the vocals sound even drier, I need to change some ensembles to french horns, just haven’t quite figured out what notes to play yet. With french horns the dryness of the vocals shouldn’t be emphasized as much.
Continuing the discussion from IK Multimedia Mix Contest - THE RULES:
I don’t think having two tracks in the original post is fair to the other people that have mixed this song, and that you should move the mastered version to further down in the thread. The original mix submitted (unmastered) is the one that is supposed to be judged, and having the mastered version creates confusion, and calls the authenticity of the votes to attention.
Also, leaving two rounds of feedback for every song seems to be a cheap tactic to advance. While not a violation of the rules, it’s not good for the other people that don’t have the time to listen to the song in every conceivable listening environment.
As for the (unmastered) mix, it sounds good to me. I like the equalization choices, and the drums. I don’t like the vocals at all. They seem to be under processed, and the volume fluctuates too much. The dry approach is “modern”, but I think the whole war against reverb that’s been going on since the 1990s is ridiculous. Your vocals aren’t totally dry, but I don’t think they fill up the song the way that they should.
@doubletrackinjive, only the first entry is counted, and I didn’t read that as an attempt to re-submit a mix. No worries there.
regarding comments on other mixes. There is no limit. The goal is for the community to help each other make improvements with their mixing skills. The most helpful comments mean more more points. The goal is helpfulness, not just commenting. Hope that makes sense.
As an example, someone could post 10 comments to a mix, but if none of them are actually helpful, then its not going to amount to much for their points… someone else could come in with a single comment and provide tons of help. That single comment could score big. 
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not at all, was just doing what was recommended, listening to the song with different mediums or listing the medium used. Most feedback to the mix was given before I even added the mastered mix. I dont think anyone was confused. But I can easily remove that edit from the original post.
there is no war just preferences, there are songs where I prefer very luxurious reverbs, certain songs I dont
Ok, so here is your mix.
With your CV and previous comments (and regarding the title as well), I expected some classical additions but I don’t have idea of which ones.
The result is quite odd for me since I have another idea of that song.
Adding violin or cello is a nice idea and I thought it was what you ought to but the meaning of the song, of the playing and the story doesn’t call for that addition from my point of view.
I mean, it’s kinda rock/ballad song with every rock parts (except bass guitar) and I don’t see violin in that song.
Plus the song is based on that arpeggio clean guitar that play in duo with the lead vocal: you could remove every other tracks, the song is still working.
That clean guitar has a very simple pattern during the song and the song itself is very straightforward. No fancy part, no incredible instrument or playing.
The violin part you added sounds more as a soloist trying to playing along the track, which is more or less what you did. The lack of simple pattern (like the main guitar) work against the song to me.
I think on that part, you would take your producer hat and tell the soloist to play more in the spirit of the song.
What also needed in that work is making some room for those additions (some cuts or so) because it sounds to me on top of the song and not into the song.
Mixing-wise, I agree with some previous replies saying that strings part are a bit too bright and it sounds a bit disconnected to me.
The same for the reverb choice: there are some printed on the raw tracks and at times, it doesn’t really match…
By the way and despite what I wrote, you made a pretty strong work, very bold specially regarding every other mixes and the original song.
Very nice job and many thanks for sharing all your advices, knowledges and passion for the music!
thank you for your feedback @ncls
I played the violin and yep agree with you on most parts, I already am working on weaving the violin through the track a bit more. Taking it away and bringing it back. I got carried away by the emotions in the song a bit when I played.
I played the violin to create an emotional dissonance. I felt the song had a lot of pain and anger. I felt that most mixes, totally skipped over the emotion by treating it like a ballad (there are only a handful of mixes where I actually felt something, rest I felt nothing). I felt this song was a test of production and mixing. From a production standpoint I think violin works, just needs a bit of scaling down.
Good point!
I think you could also treat guitar tracks the same way, to let room to the string section.
It would be interesting to hear something further, using more classical sections for that song and removing some original tracks… I would expect that you’re able to do something gorgeous with that song 
(I don’t what exactly but you felt inspired!)
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ty very much 
I already kind of have an idea for how I want to work on Cristina’s song. I was working on a tribute for Chris Cornell and the song promise. I am inspired by it as well, its a beautiful song, grammy nominee for rock.
I am thinking about modeling the revised wasteland song along these lines, give it a listen, its beautiful.
Chris Cornell “The Promise”
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Listening on an old ham radio for a second run, then I’ll be listening on car speakers for a third run, then I’ll record it to 8-track to get all those sizzly analog juices for a fourth listen on studio monitors, then I’ll do a fifth run digitally on studio monitors, then I’ll do a sixth run by pressing it to a 45RPM vinyl, then I’ll do a seventh on 33 1/3 speed vinyl, then I’ll do an 8th on special limited edition promo Quiex vinyl, then I’ll burn it to a gold CD for an eighth run, then I’ll remix your mix into quadrophonic for a ninth run, then I’ll remix it again for a tenth run in Googolphonic sound with a moonrock needle, then I’ll transcribe your mix to wax cylinder and see how it sounds on that!
I spit my smoothie… thanks
I think i m done for now lol, giving my ears a break - great contest everyone, had fun! Lots of learning
@CPF thanks for keeping it fresh!
@holster good game!
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Really spacious, balanced mix. Dry vocal works well. It would have been nice to have the solo guitar out front through that section (2:48) considering it’s the main actor, but it kind of took a back seat to the support elements.
I thought the strings were a nice touch and worked within the context of the track, although personally I would have used them a bit more sparingly to help emphasize certain parts as opposed to just have strings throughout for the sake of having strings. That’s just me being nitpicky, it’s a solid effort nonetheless.
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Thank you for your feedback @terryhesticles , everyone’s feedback has been extremely helpful. Really good set of ears here.
For me, I thought this was the tale of two mixes (first half vs second half).
Overall, I do like the string additions, but I feel that the violin in the first half of the song really detracted from the song instead of enhancing it. The volume overshadowed the guitar parts and the vocals and encroached on the singer/songwriter intimacy; also felt some of the timing detracted from the groove. Also, I did not find the virtual instruments credible in the first half, but I did in the second half.
As much as I was not fond of the first half additions, I really liked what you did with the solo section and second half additions and felt those parts lifted the song up. Really nice job!
Clarity overall was crisp. The mix was a bit dry overall to my taste, perhaps could use some more effects for depth and a bit more compression on the vocals.
Great potential on future re-edits, but just be judicious about reaching into the toolbox and pulling out the light sabre and make sure its the right tool at the right time to serve the song, which is a constant battle in the producer in all of us.
Nice job overall, and I can’t wait to hear more remixes to finish it out.
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the emotional dissonance, the struggle of the violin and vocals in the first half was intentional.
right and wrong are very subjective and relative in production @jetwolf . What we as producers may think is annoying at times ends up becoming the thing that makes the song a hit. Many many such examples in production.
Thank you for the feedback @jetwolf 
I do agree with some comments that want the violin scaled back a little, like weaving in and out instead of the whole time. I am already on it.
Absolutely, it is ultimately art; right? Season to taste, so there are no right or wrong answers.
Looking forward to hearing more songs from you in the future.
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