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Old 05-27-2019, 10:03 PM   #1
timothys_monster
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Default Need an opinion about mixing and mastering my own pop song

Without further ado...

Here are two versions of the same song.

Which one do you prefer and why?

VERSION 1
https://www.dropbox.com/s/a0yhqfr173...TER_1.mp3?dl=0

VERSION 2
https://www.dropbox.com/s/u72crr533k...TER_2.mp3?dl=0

Edit
Here is VERSION 3 taking into account your points:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/hea2341pef...TER_3.mp3?dl=0

Last edited by timothys_monster; 05-29-2019 at 11:05 AM.
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Old 05-28-2019, 05:44 AM   #2
Coachz
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great job !!

Version 1 I immediately found too bright and a problem I often comment on to my friends where everything is bright.....the curse of daws. Also the vocal intro double was distracting to me.

Version 2 sounded much more balanced and less fatiguing and on further listens sounds really nice. You might add some brightness to the ac guitar upstrokes like at 2:28 and bit more highs in general on the ac guitar but just a tiny bit to open up the guitar a little more. A nice guitar should be heard.

I think you can open up the 12khz on the vocal a bit too and some vocal plate verb using abbey road reverb trick. Again just a little bit.

Pull down the hi hats a bit more too.

Monitoring on rokit 8's with 10" sub. Really nice job.
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Old 05-28-2019, 09:14 AM   #3
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I liked #2 better, though I didn't find #1 too bright. I'd take a little reverb off the snare, add a little more presence to the bass guitar, maybe pull a little more low end out of the acoustic to make space for the bass. I agree w. Coachz re 12k on the vocal. I like the guitar lower in the mix on this one though.
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Old 05-28-2019, 10:21 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by darjama View Post
I liked #2 better, though I didn't find #1 too bright. I'd take a little reverb off the snare, add a little more presence to the bass guitar, maybe pull a little more low end out of the acoustic to make space for the bass. I agree w. Coachz re 12k on the vocal. I like the guitar lower in the mix on this one though.
what are you monitoring through please ? good idea on the low end for the acoustic. I like it lower in the mix but would like it more open, so more highs but nice volume
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Old 05-28-2019, 01:10 PM   #5
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I'm not monitoring thru anything too fancy, jbl lsr305s with a sub in my untreated living room, though I did make sure I was listening in an optimal position.
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Old 05-29-2019, 10:18 AM   #6
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I agree with darjama. #2 is much much better than #1 with more bass and mid bass in the mix. I hear you already put a reverb on the snare, but I hear it only in the high frequencies I think. You should open your snare equalisation to that reverb
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Old 05-29-2019, 11:06 AM   #7
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Thank you very much for taking the time to listen and giving valuable input.

I'm glad you like the song.

Here is my third attempt, which hopefully didn't screw things up.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/hea2341pef...TER_3.mp3?dl=0
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Old 05-29-2019, 12:35 PM   #8
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This is a really good song and really well performed (sung).
Your voice is so good in this song.
I'm not good when it comes to details in mixes, but 2 and three are so much better the first.
The song and singing style reminds me of Sade.
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Old 05-29-2019, 05:42 PM   #9
Timothy Lawler
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I listened to the Master_3 mix. Vocal is unique and expressive. Fine guitar playing.
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Old 05-30-2019, 03:59 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by timothys_monster View Post
Thank you very much for taking the time to listen and giving valuable input.

I'm glad you like the song.

Here is my third attempt, which hopefully didn't screw things up.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/hea2341pef...TER_3.mp3?dl=0
Lay a rhodes in there and Bob's your uncle. Super job. On lead vocal I would add some vocal plate with 75ms predelay and using abbey road reverb trick for eq. The harmonies can come up more in the mix too. The bass and kick are a bit too carved for me. I prefer a more organic sounding bass and kick where I can hear something that sounds like a real bass and kick. The highs on the guitars sound great. I do think a rhodes would fill it out nicely.
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Old 05-30-2019, 11:31 PM   #11
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@msundh
Thanks a lot, also for the new recommendation. I didn't know Sade.

@Timothy
Yeah, the electric guitar was played by a friend of mine. It adds a completely new atmosphere to the song, which is so lovely!

@Coachz
There is actually a Wurlitzer in the chorus, but it's very low in volume.
Would you mind elaborating about the Abbey Roads Reverb trick? Maybe post a link for further reading.
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Old 05-31-2019, 03:07 AM   #12
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Abbey Road Reverb trick where eq is before the reverb

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lNckK8N3to


Sade and Anita Baker are gold. Anita is really something.
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Old 05-31-2019, 05:12 AM   #13
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Nearly perfect for me !
I just think you should increase the reverb, or add a longer one on the vocals just before the guitar chorus.
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Old 05-31-2019, 09:12 AM   #14
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Ok, I will look into a longer reverb.

Thanks for the heads-up and the link. I actually already EQ'd the reverb bus, but probably not in the same way. Will have a read
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