Newbie Mixdown Help

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Jeax
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Newbie Mixdown Help

Post by Jeax »

Is there any chance I can get some constructive criticism on my two latest mixdowns? I'm currently reading as much as I can on ProAudioFiles.com and I check my mixes on 5 different sound systems compared to references, but I could use the feedback.

https://youtu.be/ENR2MY94M4A

https://youtu.be/XYsGcHvCQQ0
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Re: Newbie Mixdown Help

Post by jonetsu »

The 'Instrumental Dark43_98' is pertty much even. 'Ride 'Em - Instrumental 413' offers more to say about since the contrast between instruments. The 'snare' could be one to comment upon as perhaps to be too much in the forefront but, that might depend on the style. Being too much on the forefront tends to eclipse the ambiant sounds behind though, and the guitar and violin samples. Then again, maybe the style commands that. Maybe some added compression on the 'snare' that would actually make it move back and forth in the 3D sound field would make it more dynamic and let the other sounds get more attention. 'Ride 'Em' has a good groove and good ideas, very nice to listen to (using headphones this time). Adding a bit more warmth could be nice.

The 3D sound field concept is very interesting. I found Michael White's (Whitney Houston, Mick Jagger, Bowie, David Byrne, James Taylor, etc.. 30+ gold records) explains it nicely. You might find it interesting, to make the sound go out of the speakers:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kf8iu2_BviY
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Re: Newbie Mixdown Help

Post by Jeax »

Thanks for the feedback and video. I'll watch more of him later. I wanted the snare, bass, and kick in the front alongside the guitar. Some have said the many parts of the snare throughout the track are distracting. I've never noticed until then.

A trick I just learned from ProAudioFiles.com was to mix in mono at times to achieve better separation. Its working fairly well.

Here's an older track I could use feedback on simply because I'm not comfortable with bass+kick mixing.

https://youtu.be/xzlBJcxtBt4

Any other pieces of advice or resources to check out? I also read DoctorMix sometimes.
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Re: Newbie Mixdown Help

Post by jonetsu »

About "Chill . . ." it's not that easy to tell I find. It could be a matter of taste and it could depend on where it's coming from and where it's going to. It coudl be good to try with compression on the kick to make it pulse, make it more of a dynamic thing. The compression curve could allow the bass to get through so they don't exactly share the exact same spot.

Mixing in mono, yeah it's useful. I have one output that's rigged to a Behritone speaker not only fo rmono but for the cheap midrange sound of the speaker. To hear what goes through and by how much. If not mixing specially for clubs and such, everything should be present in the 400Hz-2KHz range. For the basses it can be the transients. That way it will play OK on many systems as far as giving the experience of the music.

I took a look at the pro studio files and it seems expensive for what's given. $49 for 90-minute course on compression. Michael White has a new course coming up in starting on July 6th on Loundness and he's charging $50 for 8 hours, with email questions and 1-year access to the course. He uses a lot of compression to get the 3D sound field so his compression course is about 12 hours. Hey, I'm not pushing for him, just found that amongst all that are out there, I learned a lot from his courses. He does not show tricks and tips so much. In the end when one knows how things happen then it's much more worthwhile, you can create more. It takes more time to learn though. Mike is totally dedicated and the best part is that through all that he communicates the passion, which is not easy to find out there. Many are just in it for the money, and do not have his experience.

The guy is not seen, very low key, the only video where he can be seen is in that Presonus ad:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbF4kNW0aCk

He also holds 'Mixing with Mike' online (youtube) 2-hours sessions on Wednesday evenings at 7:00 for free. Each week is a different topic. He also has a plugin review and carrer building advice on those evenings.

I posted the description of the Loudness course in the producer's area on this board. Check out his 20-minute 'Choosing a Reverb' that I posted there at the end. One thing he does is compressing the reverb and he explains why. Another thing is that a mix is made of little things that interacts together and adds up for the full effect. He also uses mono reverb to make space and explains why.

One more thing, the brain works in such a way that it will fill out what it does not see or hear. Like when we see the hood of a car but a building blocks the rest, we can imagine that the rest of the car is there even if we don't see it. It's the same with bass. He mentioned something about this and I'm not sure I'm geeting it yet, but there's a way to have people sense more bass than there is in the mix. Interesting stuff by all means.
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Re: Newbie Mixdown Help

Post by Jeax »

The kick and bass are one sample. Does it sound that out of place to you?

I didn't buy anything from Pro Audio Files, just read the articles like this new one I saw today - https://theproaudiofiles.com/free-plugins/. Thanks again for the links and advice.

This is another simple track I've just finished. I'm still practising my mixing skills with the simpler tracks. Of course, feedback much appreciated.
https://soundcloud.com/jtspratley/chill8-103

How can I repay you, and others in the future, for your taking time to offer feedback?
Last edited by Jeax on Thu Jul 01, 2021 9:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Newbie Mixdown Help

Post by jonetsu »

Can't tell much about 'Chill8 103' since it's only the beginning. I've listen to it a couple of times, it will depend on what's added and how. What's added will in turn bring feedback to what's there as the frequencies mixes and adjustments are made.

Repaying ? Just keep on being creative ! 8)

Sometimes not much is needed. Like this one I made. It's the same friggin' bass all along and it does not sound boring:

https://soundcloud.com/nominal6/collage-1

Hey, your turn. Any comments on that one ?
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Re: Newbie Mixdown Help

Post by Jeax »

I had not plans on adding to it for now. I'm hoping someone chooses it as decent background music.

In the meantime, I've moved up to mixing down a bit much complex tracks - 4-8 bars versus 1.

This is my latest - https://soundcloud.com/jtspratley/just- ... strumental

I plan to upload 2 more before prioritizing YouTube videos again. My last one was pretty fun to make, though - https://youtu.be/ENR2MY94M4A

Now that I think of it, I need to find some kdenlive threads to ask about tip.

As usual, feedback on the mixdown is always appreciated.
Last edited by Jeax on Thu Jul 01, 2021 9:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Newbie Mixdown Help

Post by Jeax »

New track. Please critique mixdown - **URL no longer valid**

I've gotten my Clyp.it up to speed.
Last edited by Jeax on Thu Jul 01, 2021 10:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Newbie Mixdown Help

Post by sysrqer »

Sounds good to me, the glass is perhaps a little loud at the beginning but otherwise sounds well mixed.
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Re: Newbie Mixdown Help

Post by Jeax »

Thanks.
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Re: Newbie Mixdown Help

Post by Jeax »

New track. Feedback, please.

**URL no longer valid**
Last edited by Jeax on Thu Jul 01, 2021 10:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Newbie Mixdown Help

Post by Michael Willis »

Jeax wrote:New track. Feedback, please.
I'm not the target audience for this style of music, but I found it enjoyable anyway. It seemed more crisp than your earlier ones (crisp in a good way). As far as audio processing goes, I only have one suggestion: there's some kind of synth sound at the very beginning, the first one audible, try adding a slight bit of reverb to that sound for the entire length. For some reason it seems way more dry than everything else to my ears.

If you're interested in feedback about composition, I think I would have liked some kind of variation in the middle. It repeats a very similar phrase for the entire length which got boring after a while. I kept wanting to hear a new phrase with different harmony. I understand that a lot of electronic sub-genres are based on a heavy dose of repetition, so feel free to ignore my opinion if that's what you were going for.
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Re: Newbie Mixdown Help

Post by Jeax »

I kept wanting to hear a new phrase with different harmony
I've spent the last 2 years forcing myself to fight repetition, and I especially appreciate that feedback. I did it for everything except the bells. I'll try to keep this in mind whenever I go back to mix this one down better.

It's all part of the story, though.
https://jtspratley.com/blog/releasing-music-in-2017/

What are your preferred genres? I'm about to hop genres for a few months and might strike you. House, R&B, Country, World?
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Re: Newbie Mixdown Help

Post by Michael Willis »

Jeax wrote:What are your preferred genres?
I can appreciate a lot of different things: orchestral (both modern and classical), folk, jazz, rock, some types of electronica. I've been trying to learn how to arrange orchestral music, but recently I've found myself collaborating with a guitarist on a progressive rock track.
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Re: Newbie Mixdown Help

Post by Jeax »

Those require a lot more talent than I possess as of now, though I also enjoy listening to them

New track for feedback, please.
Warning: Another repetitive 1 bar -
*URL no longer valid*

Also, a rapper suggested I look into saturation for the sub bass to be heard in smaller speakers. Any advice or techniques for this?
Last edited by Jeax on Thu Jul 01, 2021 10:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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