Well it’s been a long time since my last post for bashing (I think it was Funky Fever which was my entry for the 50’s mixing competition). Main reason being endless hassles with my computer. It’s still not working as it should be (can’t load my Waves plugins for instance and latency and/ or crackles are worse than this relatively fast computer should be able to handle). But let’s not get into that now.
Here’s a song I wrote around Christmas time when it was cold, dark and rainy outside and I had a spell of feeling my age (and what’s to come). But also the good things of life like 2 daughters almost simultaneously expecting babies (they were born within 10 days of each other) - both fine and healthy. Anyway I finally finished the recording with almost all active plugins turned off. After that I did a quick mix to get a first impression. The vocals are probably a bit too prominent and I could back off the ‘vocal air trick’ (separate track with a copy of the lead vocal which you high pass at about 6 K smashed to pieces and further enhanced with an exciter and then subtly mixed in with the original). I guess the drums could be a little bit more up front. My wife said the change from the horns solo to the second verse was too abrupt. She may be right. And I’m quite curious what you think of the horns section. It’s new for me, I only got the horns around Christmas.
I put a limiter on the mix bus which I’m not familiar with and probably overdid that a bit too. The real mix has to be done from scratch. I’m hoping you might come up with some things I need to change before getting into the mixing stage.
So: please bash away!
An update with a few tweaks here and there, and… where I replaced every compressor I used with my newly acquired Boz Manic Compressor!
On second thoughts, the one I made just before changing every compressor to Boz sounds a bit more balanced and less muddy. It was quite late at night, and I should have stopped before doing something silly like that. Still like the compressor though!
I’m listening to this on my “good” computer speakers. I’m really liking the song, there’s a lovely build up to the horn section. I’ll agree that the 2nd verse sounds like it cut the horns dead.
I’m liking the vocals a lot, but there’s a fair amount of sibilance I’m hearing. I think you’ll have to check the eq on the vocals as well as de-essing them. I like the way the drums are sitting back in the mix, and the instruments are doing their job. Bass to low mids seem a little muddy, and I think a little separation there would really open up the song.
Quite a romantic ballad, Evert. I like your deep voice, Nick Cave or Leonard Cohen or Mark Knopfler-ish It works well for this melody.
The mix sounds pretty good to me, even with all the computer problems you have been enduring. The horns were a cool addition, but they do sound a little artificial, maybe a little too rushed into and ended especially. Maybe try a longer couple three notes on the first bar and again on the very end. Reminds me of Chicago II 25 or 6 to 4 slightly.
That was worrying me a bit. For sampled horns I think they sound great, but I’m taking a bit of a risk featuring them in a solo… I’ll try your suggestions, thanks.
I added the horns on a whim, basically because I just bought the plugin and was dying to try it out (I love horns in old school soul and funk). It’s not really the type of song that you’d expect horns featured in a solo, but it kind of grew on me so I kept it.
And I guess nobody’s done a Nick Cave / Chicago combination before
I took the replies to heart and worked on it some more.
In the last version I replaced all my compressors with my new Boz Digital Manic Comp! I think I’m really going to like this one because it’s an all in one compressor where you can easily change the style of the comp. Don’t really need any others. And the large number of presets help you get ideas how some one else would approach it. But I’m going off topic on my own thread…
Anyway, I’ll give it another listen with fresh ears tomorrow. If I don’t get any comments I’ll upload it to my Sound Cloud page. About time I started something new.
I’d say go ahead and upload. The horns don’t sound realistic but it’s a cool riff and it definitely adds to the song and that’s all that matters. Good stuff!
wow, how did I miss this? Great vibe. The guitar work is so smooth. Your singer is a perfect match. The feel to me is 80’s. Love when the horns come in. not expected. solo slightly long?? Nice stuff…congrats
