New mix for opinions.. please 😊

[Hippie162]

Hello everyone!

I have been working on this track for around 3 months. I am not really aufe with the genre experience wise as it is a dance track and I am more of a melancholy kind of girl usually. I wrote this on request for a dance producer but he wasn’t so keen on it for his backing track which was standard piano house type.. kicking myself now as he is doing very well in sync licensing! Oh well..

I wanted to do something with the vocals because I really liked them, can I get any honest feedback on this not just mix wise but arrangement or anything you think doesn’t fit right etc..

Mix wise I worked on the vocal for a while because it sounded so thin an tinny.. does it still? I have listened so many millions of times I honestly can’t tell anymore. I have been using a previous Elf mix as a reference for vocal EQ but I am not convinced, it sounds fantastic in my cans but much thinner on my monitors, I may have magic cans.

I am not experienced with “drops” and beats in this genre but did my best so any advice warmly welcomed.

Here’s the mix

https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/ymULi7A4ug4NbXd16

Thank you all in advance you wonderful music brethren

[Martin Walker]

I'm not sure I'd call this a dance track Kirsty, but I like this a lot, and the vocals almost have a gospel feel in various places

My main reservation would be in the sound of your 'kick drum' (?) During the first 1 minute section the sound you've chosen has a lot of 'knock', yet not much real low end, and its relentless knocking began to feel a little annoying to my ears by the end.

Love the gospel-like vocals that start at the 1 minute mark, but the bass synth line is (to my ears anyway) a little wimpy, with once again no real power in its low end, so it's almost a shock when that deep/powerful kick comes in at 1:33 (the first sound that 'does' have some real welly )

Love the repeat echo vocals in these sections too, and the gorgeous range of expression in your main vocal lines

2:50 to 2:60 nice drop, but perhaps it's too severe and thins out the overall sound too much? I'd personally be inclined to spread that distant synth pad really wide during this section to grab the listener's ears, and give it some subtle movement - a sort of gentle swirling, floating feel.

Love the final section, but the synth bass could once again benefit from a little more low-end punch.

I hope this doesn't sound too negative - I actually love this track already, but it could be even more powerful with more attention to that low end.

Keep up the good work!

Martin

[Arpangel]

The vocal sounds OK to start with, and goes well with the rhythm, but as soon as you get louder it falls apart, I can fully understand why you say you’re a melancholy kind of girl, it’s shows in this track, unless you desperately need to diversify, I’d stick to what you’re comfortable with.

[RichardT]

I agree with Martin! I think this piece has a lot of potential, and I agree with his comments.

I think the verse sections could do with a bit more texture.

The vocals are quite harsh and thin in places, so I think you're right about that.

The drums could do with more power - a powerful snare sound would lift the final section for example.

I think you need a bit more dynamic contrast between the loud and quiet sections - at the moment, dynamically it sounds a bit squashed.

There's a bit too much reverb / delay for my taste - but that's a very personal thing

[Hippie162]

I'm not sure I'd call this a dance track Kirsty, but I like this a lot, and the vocals almost have a gospel feel in various places

My main reservation would be in the sound of your 'kick drum' (?) During the first 1 minute section the sound you've chosen has a lot of 'knock', yet not much real low end, and its relentless knocking began to feel a little annoying to my ears by the end.

Love the gospel-like vocals that start at the 1 minute mark, but the bass synth line is (to my ears anyway) a little wimpy, with once again no real power in its low end, so it's almost a shock when that deep/powerful kick comes in at 1:33 (the first sound that 'does' have some real welly )

Love the repeat echo vocals in these sections too, and the gorgeous range of expression in your main vocal lines

2:50 to 2:60 nice drop, but perhaps it's too severe and thins out the overall sound too much? I'd personally be inclined to spread that distant synth pad really wide during this section to grab the listener's ears, and give it some subtle movement - a sort of gentle swirling, floating feel.

Love the final section, but the synth bass could once again benefit from a little more low-end punch.

I hope this doesn't sound too negative - I actually love this track already, but it could be even more powerful with more attention to that low end.

Keep up the good work!

Martin

Thanks Martin! No doesn’t sound negative at all, that’s all really helpful.

I noticed that annoying knocking, I took some low end off thinking that was causing it but think I will change the kick instead.

Yeah I guess it’s not dance it was initially meant to be but I get carried away with ideas and it changes and becomes something else, every darn time!

I’ll play with some movement in the dripped out section, nice idea! Perhaps I can add a static baseline under the synth bass to establish it more.. I really like that synth bass sound so need to find a way to keep it in .

[Martin Walker]

Perhaps I can add a static baseline under the synth bass to establish it more.. I really like that synth bass sound so need to find a way to keep it in .

One thing that also occurred to me while listening to it (and which would leave your beloved bass synth intact) is that you could try blending/layering a carefully chosen kick over certain of the bass synth notes so they sound as if punctuated by a more powerful attack.

[Drew Stephenson]

Thoughts as I listen.
Broadly in agreement with what's above.
Vocals need to come up.
Have you tried some of the classic vocal thickening tricks? This is a track that could handle a heavily processed vocal. Have a shufti at this video if you're not familiar with the idea: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwIZ35CAA5Y
I'm hearing in my head a bit of an additional wandering bass line to complement the vocal melody, it feels like there's space for another harmony line in there.
Definitely needs more bottom end.

[The Elf]

This is sounding sooo much better than your earlier mixes - well done!

The others have covered much of what I'd say. Be brave with some of the HF boost on the vocal (I'm not listening in my studio, TBH, but the vocal seems to be lacking a bit of HF) and pan out some of the overlaps.

You seem to have the mids of the mix under control, but that bottom octave needs bolstering to give it some thump. That might be sound/arrangement choice, EQ, or just levels.

As an exercise... Drop the vocal levels to minimum, work on the backing such that it thumps along nicely. Then bring in the vocal just enough so that you can hear every word over the backing. See how that works as a mix.

[Hippie162]

This is sounding sooo much better than your earlier mixes - well done!

The others have covered much of what I'd say. Be brave with some of the HF boost on the vocal (I'm not listening in my studio, TBH, but the vocal seems to be lacking a bit of HF) and pan out some of the overlaps.

You seem to have the mids of the mix under control, but that bottom octave needs bolstering to give it some thump. That might be sound/arrangement choice, EQ, or just levels.

As an exercise... Drop the vocal levels to minimum, work on the backing such that it thumps along nicely. Then bring in the vocal just enough so that you can hear every word over the backing. See how that works as a mix.

Yaaay! Well I used all the techniques you gave me

Ok I have some things to try here! Better get to it!

Thank you all

[James Perrett]

This is sounding sooo much better than your earlier mixes - well done!

I'd certainly agree with this - I felt this was the first of your mixes that had me listening all the way through without getting distracted by the sound. I was only listening quietly through monitors so haven't got a good idea of the bass balance but nothing jumped out at me as really wrong and I loved the overlapping vocal lines with the occasional delay off to one side.

One thing that I would say is that I would hesitate to make it too conventional. I felt it had echoes of Kid Scaramouche who is a bit of a maverick with a great ear for unusual sounds.

https://kidscaramouche.bandcamp.com/

[Hippie162]

This is sounding sooo much better than your earlier mixes - well done!

I'd certainly agree with this - I felt this was the first of your mixes that had me listening all the way through without getting distracted by the sound. I was only listening quietly through monitors so haven't got a good idea of the bass balance but nothing jumped out at me as really wrong and I loved the overlapping vocal lines with the occasional delay off to one side.

One thing that I would say is that I would hesitate to make it too conventional. I felt it had echoes of Kid Scaramouche who is a bit of a maverick with a great ear for unusual sounds.

https://kidscaramouche.bandcamp.com/

Thank you James! The hard work is beginning to pay off

[Hippie162]

Hi everyone

I have re mixed the track again.. worked on the LF, added a lower bassline to balance the mix, dropped the knocking sound, boosted the bass drum, boosted the vocal HF, panned overlaps, re-arranged the last choruses and added movement to the dropout. And I am all pleased with myself because it sounds fairly balanced i have a beautiful 6dbfs headroom for mastering.

Here it is!

https://soundcloud.com/user-410433233-5 ... al_sharing

As usual all advice and comments welcomed

[Drew Stephenson]

For me the lead vocal still needs to come up a bit. But a) I'm a singer so I always say that, and b) it's not really my genre, so take that with a pinch of salt.
I really like the little bits of ear candy and motifs that punctuate things and keep the interest up. Good work.

[Hippie162]

For me the lead vocal still needs to come up a bit. But a) I'm a singer so I always say that, and b) it's not really my genre, so take that with a pinch of salt.
I really like the little bits of ear candy and motifs that punctuate things and keep the interest up. Good work.

Yes I’m a bit torn on the vocal, I felt it was a bit loud and ringy in the first mix but still wanted to boost those HF.. in my ear phones it sounds too quiet, monitors ok but small speakers too strident

[Drew Stephenson]

Sounds a bit like you might be trying to please too many masters...
I'd find a single primary monitoring tool, whether that's monitors or headphones, and really concentrate on learning them. Check all your references on them and try to do as much general listening on them so that you know what a good mix sounds like on those.
Then use your other devices just to check that it works on those devices - and what you're checking isn't that it sounds the same, because it won't, but that the energy and excitement of the performance is coming through. If that's happening then no-one outside of this forum is going to care if it's a little tubby at 400hz on their airpods.

Or that's what I think anyway.

[Hippie162]

Ah good point.

I do the majority on my headphones and now I have monitors set up I check the mix every now and then on them.

I’ll stick to that lol.

I did cut some HF on the drum beat as it was annoying me a bit but now not sure if that’s squashed it a bit?

[James Perrett]

On the monitors here (LS3/5a) I'd agree that the vocals are too quiet - certainly much quieter than the reference mixes for the other female vocalist that I'm working on at the moment. I'm not sure that I would have boosted the high frequencies on the vocals quite so much but that's very much a matter of taste. I do like the stereo imaging - the vocals are coming at you from different angles but each one is very focussed and solid in the stereo spread.

[Hippie162]

On the monitors here (LS3/5a) I'd agree that the vocals are too quiet - certainly much quieter than the reference mixes for the other female vocalist that I'm working on at the moment. I'm not sure that I would have boosted the high frequencies on the vocals quite so much but that's very much a matter of taste. I do like the stereo imaging - the vocals are coming at you from different angles but each one is very focussed and solid in the stereo spread.

Thanks James that’s a nice easy fix!

I’ll listen with fresh ears tomorrow see if I got over excited at 8khz lol

[RichardT]

This version is great! The arrangement is interesting and the changes in dynamics work really well, and it hangs together like a professional production.

My only comments - the vocals are a bit thin and harsh which I'd bet is down to the recording and treatment not your vocal timbre. And in terms of the arrangement, If it were me I'd cut the last repeat of the chorus before the coda as it seems to lose a bit of momentum and focus at that point.

[Hippie162]

This version is great! The arrangement is interesting and the changes in dynamics work really well, and it hangs together like a professional production.

My only comments - the vocals are a bit thin and harsh which I'd bet is down to the recording and treatment not your vocal timbre. And in terms of the arrangement, If it were me I'd cut the last repeat of the chorus before the coda as it seems to lose a bit of momentum and focus at that point.

Thanks Richard! I struggle a bit getting vocals clean because I only have a D5 mic which is boomy and once I cut that out it does sound tinny.. but perhaps I just cut too much LF or mids and then the High freq boost has made it harsh?

It may benefit cutting that last chorus as it’s running a bit long currently which would cast me out of any potential radio play too.