Please critque my mixing here

doc-phil

I've been trying to focus a lot more on mixing when recording my pieces. I put this short composition together specifically for mixing experimentation purposes. Please have a listen and tell me where I can improve in terms of eq'ing, audio levels, filters, compressors etc etc.

This is how I eq'd the drums (using EZdrummer):

Kick:
Band 1: +6 at 55Hz
Band 2: -9 at 275Hz
Band 3: +7 at 3.7kHz
Band 4: +8 at 6.2kHz

Snare:
Band 1: +6 at 180kHz
Band 2: +4 at 250Hz
Band 3: -4 at 800Hz
Band 4: +6 at 3kHz
Band 5: +8 at 7kHz

Toms: (there aren't many tom hits)
Band 1: +4 at 150Hz
Band 2: -15 at 600Hz
Band 3: +8 at 3.5kHz
Band 4: +2 at 10kHz

I left all cymbals as is, they sounded fine to my ear. I got the above recipes off benevesco.com.. they seem to work quite well I think.

For guitars I used Guitar rig 3 and put a hi/low pass filter at 200kHz. I didn't eq or compress the guitars.. any advice to getting the sound tighter would be appreciated.

For bass I used 4front bass (free bass plugin) with a hi/low pass filter at 220kHz.

I think the bass is my main concern for now.. It sounds too boomy, particularly during the brief bass 'solo'. I didnt eq or compress.. I'm not entirely sure how that should be done either.

Any pointers would be much appreciated ?

http://www.box.net/shared/qt7bqv1azq

DonovanB

Can you make the bass louder at all? It needs to stand out more IMO

PeteM

Hi Doc-phil. I took the liberty again of "mastering" your piece. A couple of observations which I must add are subjective.

1. As Donovan says, the bass is too low in the mix - you probably did this because it sounds boomy. I think that putting in a low pass filter at 220 HZ is where the problem arises. To me, the bass should be more than just bottom end boom - there are harmonics in a bass that add 'colour' to the tone and by cutting off at 220 you're losing all of that. The trick is to balance these harmonics with the bottom end of the guitars. - only your ears can do this.

2. I found that the top end lacked sparkle, but maybe that's my 64 year old ears coming into play.

3. The mix lacks bite, which I think is imperative for your kind of music. This is achieved by compression on each of the tracks.

This is what I did very quickly to the piece.

http://www.box.net/shared/bqy71hpnxe

Graphic EQ
Bottom end
225HZ +0.5db
113HZ +1db
80HZ +1.6db
56HZ +0.5db
Roll-off from 40HZ to 20HZ from 0db to -5db

Top end
3.5kHZ +0.4db
5.1kHZ +0.6db
7.2kHZ +0.5db
10kHZ +0.3db

Compression
I used 'Volume Maximiser', which is part of a plug-in by Sony called 'Wave Hammer', which is a compressor/peak limiter.
I peak-limited by -5db using a fast attack and release. This raised the average level and gives more bite.

I hope this helps.

doc-phil

Thanks PeteM, you're quickly becoming my mixing mentor ?

I can hear a noticeable difference in your mastered version, particularly in the bass; it sounds less boomy and more punchy. I really wanna get myself a bass guitar, using a free vst with no options feels a bit limiting sometimes.

I just wish I knew enough about eq'ing to know how and where adjustments need to be made - I guess its a slow learning process!

PeteM

doc-phil wrote Thanks PeteM, you're quickly becoming my mixing mentor ?

I can hear a noticeable difference in your mastered version, particularly in the bass; it sounds less boomy and more punchy. I really wanna get myself a bass guitar, using a free vst with no options feels a bit limiting sometimes.

I just wish I knew enough about eq'ing to know how and where adjustments need to be made - I guess its a slow learning process!

You can do it scientifically, but to my mind it's all about having good monitors and skilled/practiced ears.

BMU

Good topic, +1 to PeteM for his inputs. I can't listen at the moment unfortunately.

I've recently started paying more attention to the mixing side of things too, I also find it quite a challenging learning curve. It's getting the ears trained that takes time I guess, just like learning sweep arpeggios or anything else.

Neps

Ive now listened to the track on my studio monitors, cheap pair of headphones, my studio headphones and my in ears to try and get a different perspective on the mix.. Youve got quite a bit of energy in the guitars and the panning gives you quite a nice amount of free space in your middle spectrum which you used nicely with the lead line.. The bass is a bit boomy.. And as Pete pointed out a roll off on the bass would work.. Another thing you could look at is the use of comp's and sidechaining the sucker with the kick..

Personally Id scoop out a bit of the bass at 200 - 310Hz and also brighten up your guit track and maybe roll off some of the low end there as well..

doc-phil

Thanks Neps... I shall go back to my mixing desk soon and give it another go. I have a few more riffs to add to this one.. possibly a half-tasty solo but we'll just have to see about that, not sure I have the chops yet! 8)

BMU

The guitar tone sounds good to my ears. No fizziness etc. EMG pickups record really nicely, that's been my experience. The palm mutes at about :24 sound really good and tight.

The first mix wasn't bad, but did lack some 'bite', which Pete's mastered version has noticeably more of, impressive PeteM!.

Now go add that solo and more riffs dude. Also, imo the main opening riff could use a little sprucing up, a melody layer on top or some palm mute accents..some creative touch to bring in more variation and add interest. (But that's subjective.)