I know this type of post is getting old, but please listen to my 001 mixes...

[Nine Spine]

I have just finished my bands new record. It is our 4th, but the first one done on my PTLE system. It was produced/engineered/mixed by myself in my home, so I know that it doesn't sound very good...but if any of you could go to the link below and listen to the two songs I just posted (the first one is 2 minutes long, the second is 3) and give me some feedback I would appreciate it. I know this is a popular post lately and everyone seems to be shying away from them, but I would love to hear some comments.

http://artists.mp3s.com/artists /350/nine_spine_stickleback.html

P.S. If anyone is interested, the record comes out July 30th (Revelation Records) and if you want a copy of the two songs posted we have promotional copies I can mail you, just email me your address.

[Kickin.da.speaker]

Yeah man! Very good. It is difficult for me to go into "production critic" mode on those songs because they actually are very good songs.

I think the only thing that disturbed me a bit in the second song is that I feel the mix is unbalanced and tend to be centered to the left of the stereo. Especially starting around 0:44. I also think the bass could benefit from a little more level to make it sound more compact with the guitars. Am I dreaming or did you mix the bass on the right? I usually like to have the bass centered and the guitars spread apart on the stereo. I think what happened here is that you might have tried to mix the bass on the right and the guitar on the left, but the bass doesn't have the same weight like the guitar has, and the result is a little unbalanced. That was on headphones, though, I'd be interested to see what other listeners say.

Great songs!

[52lp]

Good Job! I checked it out thru my home studio rig.(crown dc 300 and yorkville yms 1 monitors) First impression was that the lead vox was a little to hot but after listening again it was more a question mabey being a little too dry???BUT...You did a great job overall and thanks for posting it.Best of luck to ya.
Stephen.

[Nine Spine]

Thanks for the responses Kickin and 52lp,

Kickin, I knew nothing would slip by you so...yes, in the 2nd song, the bass (top cab) is slightly off center (the bottom is straight up). I moved it because I needed the bass tone to have more definition and when I added it, it started messing with the vocals. Pretty unconventional maybe, but it got the job done [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img] . As far as the guitar goes there are two tracks (panned LR) for most of the heavy parts with an occasional third. Acoustic and clean tracks in the verses.

52lp, The vox definately seem loud to some, but the mastering engineer's direct quote was "Finally, a record mixed on monitor ones that has a decent vocal level!". Our guitar player thinks they are a tad on the loud side as well. As for the effects, I really hate vox that are drippy wet. No matter what, it always sounds to me like they are trying to cover something up so I tend to keep most vox pretty dry. There is Verb and two delays on the vox and I do automate the delay returns to be wetter on some parts though.

Thanks again for the comments, please keep them coming...

[Ben Jenssen]

I love it! Straight to the point. Man, what POWERFUL sound!

[52lp]

Hey Nine it wasn't a negative comment ...just a thought.Find any recording that you like and listen to it with a good pair of headphones.The object is to create an overall environment with effects ie small room-large room-ect..It's never a good idea to just thro effects on unless it makes sense with the rest of the tracks!!
You did a GREAT JOB and you should consider Bens and Kickin's comments as a very positive thing (they both do very cool stuff)
Hope to hear some more soon,
Stephen.

[Nine Spine]

Thanks for the comments Ben and 52lp. I do understand that you were not being negative 52 and I appreciate the comments greatly, this is exactly why I posted the songs [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] . I was simply trying to explain my feelings on vocal effects and why I may end up with them being a little on the dry side of things. It's a constant battle for me to get them so they sound like they are in the same room (as the rest of the band) but not sound amatuerish (is that a word? [img]images/icons/confused.gif[/img] ). I appreciate your comments more than you probably know and thank you again for taking the time to listen...

These are the comments I am looking for people, please try to keep them coming!! [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

Thanks again!

[The Electric Trombone]

I listened to both songs twice once on my monitors and once on my home stereo.

A very well balanced mix, I love what you do with the guitars and panning, very creative.

Vox are a little dry for my taste but that may be what your after.

Overall an excellent "sound" for the type of tunes. The only thing that stands out in my mind are the vox. . . and like I said that might be something you're going for.

If it were me, I'd try just a tiny bit of verb of some kind there. May both a wet and dry vocal track and blend, I dunno, thats just what jumped out at me.

Thanks for posting, and keep up the fine work !

regards,

[lwilliam]

I bet that wasn't a POD on the guitar!!! Nice production overall. It's not the kind of stuff I buy, but for the genre, I think's it REALLY, REALLY good! It sounds very good on my little Sony a/v computer speakers (haven't put it up on my studio monitors).

All the musicianship seems very good; songs are good, too. If I was to nitpick at all, I'd have to agree that the vocal needs some additional treatment or effects. It's just a little stark: but maybe that's what you wanted.

[Nine Spine]

Thank you kindly Electric and lwilliam, I appreciate you spending the time. No doubt you have probably heard your share of 001 mixes. Like everyone else the comments seem to be pointed at the vocal FX and I can understand... what is everybody here using?? I have a verb and two delays on all of the main vocals but obviously they are not heavy. How does everyone here approach vocal effects and when do you decide when enough is enough? My general rule is that if non-musicians can point them out I've gone too far, but then again I have never been a fan of drippy vocals. I'd love to here some kind of process (I realize each song is different) you guys use to get it right or any information in that area [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img] .

...oh yeah, and I'm changing the name of the topic because I'd really like to get more people to listen and give some opinions.

P.S. lwilliam, your right about the guitars, it was either (I can't remember which) a Mesa Boogie Triaxis Pre with a 50/50 power amp and two mesa 4812 cabs (One 12" spkr, four 8" spkrs). Or a Hughes & Kettner DuoTone Tube head (the one with the glowing blue faceplate) into a Marshall Limited Edition 4x12 cab. They were miked with various things, SM57's and Beta 52's mostly with the occasionaly E100 or NTK into ART Preamps with Telefunken tubes thru the Digi Converters into PT's.