pretty heavily compressed, mids are sucked out and the high end is pretty hot.

Thanks for the quick feedback. Would you say that the mid range is missing from the whole mix or just from a specific instrument? Same goes for the compression. Most of the tracks in this comp are compressed at some point, including the master bus. Lastly, are the highs too high in general or just for your mixing taste? I generally mix high because I like the "clarity" but, I've only ever mixed for myself. Again, thanks.

My Pleasure Walter:

My comments were directed to the entire mix. Its sounds over processed and sucked back.

Tell us your process on the mastering or 2-bus?

Well I run everything into Izotope Ozone, a Mastering Suite Plugin. I use it's 8 band eq with the high and low ends boosted (the high end more so), into a light room reverb, into a multi band compressor where I'm giving each band about 3-5 db of gain reduction, a stereo image modifier on the mids to highs again just slightly, and finally into the "Loudness maximizer" which I keep at about -7 db. Since your comment I've dialed back on the high end boost and added in a few db at 457hz in the master eq, dropped the maximizer from 7 to bout 4, and dialed the multiband compression back 50% or so. After listening to a before and after I really do like the sound a whole lot more. I'll post the new mix shortly. Thanks.

Cool.

You might need to take a break and come back at it fresh tomorrow. I'll hang out and wait for your mix for a while tonight, if I miss you, see you tomorrow.

Cheers!

Here's the track with the changes I made. Let me know what you think.

[SC]

[/SC]

into a multi band compressor where I'm giving each band about 3-5 db of gain reduction,

I'd start here. This may be your culprit. Null that processor out and take a listen with fresh ears.

WalterPease, post: 403815 wrote: Here's the track with the changes I made. Let me know what you think.

[SC]

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Can't see your song. Post it again and leave out the iframes and added code. If you want a song to stream, like your first post, I fixed that for you but this one is beyond fixing.

Click the Go Advanced button which will give you more posting option. You will see a soundcloud icon, click that icon and a code will be created in your text box. Put the url inside that and save. It will then stream your song here. Make sense?

Or copy this and put the url to your song in between this: [SC][/SC]

FWIW, I cannot stand multiband compressors. I stopped using those 10 years ago. You really have to know what you are doing with them. They turn a good song into what we are hearing over and over. Pumpping and mass loss of balance.
I was waiting to hear your last mix before I mentioned exactly what Donny just said. Start with that but I'm excited to hear what you tweaked last night..

Also, your EQ curves sound more like you are mixing a live band, which is a lot different than how we do it in the studio.

I found this one on your page:

[MEDIA=soundcloud]soundofcolor/contemplating-a-mutiny-update

The mids are clearer but its really heavily compressed. There is no life to the mix. Some people like this though, so who knows. To me though, I would tire from this in seconds. It doesn't feel like a band playing together, it sounds like a band crammed together with zero personality or life left.

Much like a painting of something that is all smeared together that looks like this:

Take the multiband off and start over. Less is more.

Attached files

So that song is actually from the mix prior to the one I was attempting to post. I've tweaked it even further now. Hopefully I can get this soundcloud widget working.

[MEDIA=soundcloud]soundofcolor/contemplating-a-mutiny-1

Hey, I wish you had kept the start here.

Its getting better! Getting used to a sound, drifting back to what we get used to is something we all struggle with. I like to keeping comparing a few past version as I go, especially when growing out of something.
And, while you are shooting for a sound of another artist, keep an example of something in front of you to help keep your ears on track. Know what I mean?

You still have that overly compressed sound to me but its improved immensely from the start of your thread.

I always keep an older version on hand and do comparisons. I just deleted that last one so there was no confusion as to which one was the newest. I think the way I treated my drums may be giving the mix that compressed feeling. Here's the soloed drum track. I've dialed back some of the compression and reverb on the snare, which I think was a major culprit. Let me know what you think about these, and then I can move on to fine tuning the guitars and bass a little further.

[MEDIA=soundcloud]soundofcolor/solo-drums-4-24-13