Im confused as to why NOTHING is being said here. Is it so bad that no one wants to comment? I can take harsh criticism, that is why I came here.

Be patient the mastering guys will get to you. They are
,well , busy most likely .. so hang in there.. things dont happen over night around here unless its a HOT topic...

Lol, well this certainly isnt a hot topic. Thanx for the heads up.

No one can tell you how the mastering job is without hearing it before the mastering job.

I can tell you what I think of the overall sound, but you're probably not going to like it much... The phase issues are so prevalent (mostly in the strings, which don't fit the mix very well) that it's hard to concentrate on how fatiguing the rest of it is. My ears are decompressing from listening to it - once - at a relatively low volume. Robo-voice is getting swallowed by the out-of-phase and mid-heavy strings, the lead vocal has a sheen over it that hurts just a bit. The sibilance has a razor-edge on it.

The core seems to be there - After that, I can't tell you what happened. I'd have to assume the string issues were there before any sort of post-pro was performed.

Wow!! This is good! Im VERY glad you are pointing this stuff out. I did the strings in Reason and wonder how the phase problem could be there. I have an idea and I will take a look at that. The core? Sibilance is the one thing I was concerned about...but Im not sure how to get rid of it without affecting everything else.

Thank you for this. Its exactly what I need. This is how Ill learn.

bovellum wrote: Wow!! This is good! Im VERY glad you are pointing this stuff out. I did the strings in Reason and wonder how the phase problem could be there. I have an idea and I will take a look at that. The core? Sibilance is the one thing I was concerned about...but Im not sure how to get rid of it without affecting everything else.

Thank you for this. Its exactly what I need. This is how Ill learn.

A better place to learn is to book a one song mastering at a good mastering house, watch and listen to how the pros do it and consider the money well spent,

FWIW :roll:

I agree with John - the sibilance is annoying and the strings only detract (they're not great samples and actually do sound out of phase).

Purely from a compositional stand point, the counter melody in the strings makes absolutely no sense and there seems to be a drifting key or some sort of modal tone center instead of what works MUCH better for this genre (either major or minor with lots of I, IV, V emphasis). The occassional guitar riff sounds as though the key makes sense, but it's not the same key...

Okay. Certainly makes me wanna scrap the whole piece but learn from it. And god knows, If I had the money, I would LOVE to have somebody work with me on mastering once. I may be able to go back and fix some of this tho. Thank you for taking your time on this. Realistic perspective is so important, I know this.

In a moment of passion and intensity, I accidentally posted this as a new post. I meant to add it to this because it is indeed, an extension of this original query. I started off, only wanting a technical perspective...but when a comment was made about my composing...well, I had to think. And later on, after thinking a bit more, the following poured out of me -

Here is a very legitimate question: When put in the face of the common man, without the ears, the knowledge, the music theory, the hi tech equipment....and they "feel" ....I mean..."FEEL" the music...where does all the technical analysis go? What does it matter when music is a language of the soul? I think there is a boundary....a line where the technical trades with the essential...the soul. Talk to me here please!!! Yes, I completely recognize the vehicle of the technical to reach the ears...but at some point the technical is lost on the deeper, intuitive and infinitely more intelligent senses of the heart. YES?

I have many many friends that have listened to my song and NONE of them have expressed the musical theory complications and changing modality difficulties of my piece. Novices, yes. Ignorant of both digital sound and music theory, yes. but primally in tune, maybe more than you and I...to the nuances of musical emotion, Maybe...

I myself have many years of writing and a fair amount of experience with the technical. No, my mix and my music is not masterful...technically. But in spite of dissonance and imperfect recording and mixing...I know my music speaks emotionally. And I will be in the front of the line in criticizing the expression....leaving room for improvement.

But to write it off as amateur, novice or hugely lacking...NO. where do we draw the line? and how many of us recognize, openly , the value of RAW. the beauty and warmth that is found in the atonal, imperfections of spontaneous expression?

Cucco wrote: I agree with John - the sibilance is annoying and the strings only detract (they're not great samples and actually do sound out of phase).

Purely from a compositional stand point, the counter melody in the strings makes absolutely no sense and there seems to be a drifting key or some sort of modal tone center instead of what works MUCH better for this genre (either major or minor with lots of I, IV, V emphasis). The occassional guitar riff sounds as though the key makes sense, but it's not the same key...

I didn't want to go there myself (after the minor technical thrashing) but I agree completely. The strings didn't sound as if they were even playing part of the same song.

Im very glad I asked. I have removed the song and Im going to rework the strings heavily and rewrite the "chorus" part. Im assuming the verse parts, underneath the rap were ok...?

Thank you guys for your very valuable input. I didnt come here for a pat on the back...of course, I didnt quite expect a kick in the arse either, lol...but I always get better and this is another step. Thanks!