"Salty" - freshly minted rock mix

That’s interesting to read… I found just with a new interface that there are a heap of changes to my listening patterns that take getting used to… so people who move around different studios would have very different listening techniques… It is just so much simpler following known patterns… :slight_smile:

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Absolute perfection Mr Cold!
A well crafted song and a masterly crafted mix to serve it.
If I were to absolutely nitpick, there’s one cymbal crash in the beginning that took me by surprise. Just a hair loud. The big guitars coming in did the same thing. But it made me smile. Whereas that cymbal kinda put me off balance for a second.
The vocal did get clouded for a split second maybe one or 2 times so maybe something to push it forward just a hair. I actually prefer a vocal exactly where you have it. But with every other mix “in your face”, a baby step forward may be just the ticket.
But truly masterful work. Best thing I’ve heard in a while!
later
rich

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Yeah, you have to establish some sort of “listening baseline” you can rely on - this move has really challenged me.

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Wow, thanks Rich. I appreciate the compliments…

Which cymbal crash did you hear that jumped out (ie. secs:mins)? I’ll tuck that sucker in on the revision (there is sure to be at least 1 when I get the mix notes back!)

The vocal was tricky to get perfect clarity all the way through. In the lower register and higher registers, clarity was no problem, but in the middle register, he had a resonance that really dulled his voice on certain notes. I ended up using multiband compression just to target those notes when he hit them and bring them down to clear out space for clearer and richer harmonic content.

Thanks again for the listen and comment!

Yeah… that’s a tough one. I listened again. But you never get that fresh listen back
It might be the hi hat going into a crash at around .-:45 or the one at ;59 that gets into vocal range or the one at 1:05 or so that is slightly ahead of the gtr coming in. See what I mean :slight_smile: the first impression trumps the microscope every time. It’s gotta be one of the early ones. But maybe it’s fine as is I prefer softer cymbals myself. But yours are exciting
The vocals are fine and very well done performance and tone wise. There were just some very brief moments when “something” got in the way. Like I said… I don’t mind that and tend to like it. But given the competitive nature, a hair louder or a hair forward is a safe bet. On my 3rd listen now… still lovin it!
later
rich

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Just wondering exactly how you used the multiband compression to target those notes… did you sidechain it somehow or do a duplicate track for the tricksy bits??

Ok cool thanks Rich, I’ll cast another critical ear over those sections and see if I can improve it in the remix.

No sidechaining, just straight multiband.

I used the Fabfilter Pro MB, which allows you to compress one band in a narrow frequency range. I was going to automate it so it just kicked in on the notes in question, but then when I auditioned it going on the whole track, I realised it wasn’t negatively affecting any other vocal passages, so I left it on the whole time…

In fact, I suppose technically speaking, a multiband compressor already has side chains going, as each band is only being triggered by the frequencies within that band. When you solo the band on a multiband compressor, I suppose that is much like soloing the sidechain input on a full range compressor, only the multiband just compresses the frequencies it “hears”, whereas a full range compressor compresses all frequencies across the board in response to what it “hears” in the side chain signal.

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Completely agree with this. Since adopting the Izotope plugs a while back, all of which include MB processing (compression but also other things as well), I haven’t even thought to reach for a MB comp, nor have I yet tried to explore sidechaining. Just not sure whether that technique is particularly applicable to more spare stuff? I’m an ignoramus on this subject. :wink:

TDR Nova is also a very good alternative to MB comps. Especially for vocal. It’s a dynamic EQ rather than a MB comp. It’s also free…
I can get more precise with it than c6 or reaXcomp. I know the fabfilter stuff is better. But I don’t have any of their stuff.
I can also get pretty aggressive with it and it still sounds natural.
I sometimes wish it had more bands. But if I really need it, I’ll pick the most needed band and render it at the item/waveform level and use the rest on the channel.
If you need to de-whistle or de-honk a track. Nova works really well

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My go-to EQ is Voxengo GlissEQ, and it’s a dynamic EQ too. Love that, it is SO useful. I use it on virtually every sound I record…

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Haha - Love it!..I’ll have to add those to my current roster of ‘de-mud’, ‘de-box’ and ‘sweep & destroy’.

I agree rjwillow, an amazingly effective tool and unbelievable that it’s free. To me it seems much more intuitive and more precise than multiband comps.

Thanks for your comments and suggestions on this one. Here is the updated mix with the band’s changes and a few other mix tweaks you guys suggested. Have a listen and let me know what you think. Thanks again!

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Sounds good on this end.

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Friken AWESOME!!! Still the best I’ve heard in a while!
The only thing I would be looking for would be to ride the toms up in the fill after the stop into the ride out (at 2:24)
But really, you are done… print it :slight_smile:

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Hi I have a great review for you. Here it is. HOLY CRAP THAT WAS GOOD!!!

I didn’t read the rest of the reviews cuz I’m lazy. Most impressive to me was the dude singing. Just a perfect fit for this vibe the way he sung it. Everything else was amazing. I am also a non midi guitar player, so I am impressed. congrats

sincerely

Paul

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Thanks man!

Thanks Rich… Well we’ll see - it depends if the band says it’s done - let’s hope so!

Thanks Paul - yeah I think this song is their best yet - it was enjoyable to mix.