KVR MIX CHALLENGE - MC04 September 2014 - Winners announced.

[czoli]

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Hear it at mix cloud link:
http://www.mixcloud.com/czoli/bigsungla ... iroughmix/ (http://www.mixcloud.com/czoli/bigsunglassesknattertones_czoliroughmix/)

https://www.dropbox.com/s/dvj1633nwckol ... x.mp3?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/l8kqojhqcdv6c ... x.wav?dl=0

Mixed in Logic Pro X

Bass
====
TRacks Black76
EQ -5.0dB notch at 138Hz
Rolloff 2KHz upwards

Drums
=====
Toms:
edit to cleanup all 3 tracks
diff EQ for all some notch outs, but mostly bumps +5dB at 180Hz wide
IZotope Alloy Transient designer

Snare:
Rolloff 140Hz down
Boost +10dB at 200Hz slopping down to 7KHz
Rolling 10KHz - 20Hz off
TRacks Precision comp/lim 4:1
Valhalla Room .33s, 49% insert
IK CSR Inv verb 140ms, 11% insert

OH:
Rolloff at 60Hz
+4.0 db at 215Hz to try to get more toms with ambience
boost at 6.0dB at 6KHz upwards to get some top end shine
IK White 2A
Valhalla Room .46s, 34% insert

KickL:
+15dB at 65Hz wide
-15dB at 540Hz
-20dB at 4KHz
TRacks Precision comp/lim 3:1
Klanghelm SDRR
Plug/Mix clarisonix

HiHat:
Rolling off 2KHz and under, boost up at 6.0dB at 6KHz
TRacks Quad Image only on top end

Ride Cymbals:
Rolling off 2KHz and under, boost up at 3.0dB at 3.3KHz
TRacks Quad Image only on top end

Guitars
======
Guit Clean:
No EQ
Logic Pro X tape delay 66.7ms 10% wet

Guit Distorted:
+2.5dB at 230Hz wide

Horns
====
Kramer Tape sat for all
Logic Pro X Space Designer Inverse verb .91 sec
Toneboosters comp
-3dB at 1.5KHz

Organ
=====
Klanghelm SDRR
Logic Pro X Rotor effect
-3.5db wide at 910Hz
No EQ

Vocals
=====
All have Valhalla room at .52sec and very limited volume automation

Male Background - No EQ, no volume automation

Male Lead
+2.5Hz at 290Hz wide
Toneboosters Desser
TRacks Precision comp/lim 4:1
Logic Pro X multi band comp reducing notch at 870Hz by -10dB

Female Lead
Toneboosters Desser
TRacks Precision comp/lim 4:1, higher threshold
Logic Pro X multi band comp reducing notch at 870Hz by -10dB
Kramer Tape sat
+3.5dB at 5.2KHz for clarity

Bus
===
PSP Vintage Warmer 2:
+4 Drive, +3 80Hz low, +2 6.2KHz high
mostly used for warmth and definition not compression

TRacks Bus Comp 2:1 taking out +3.5 dB max, high threshold

Thanks to the band for the awesome horn parts and a fun song to mix!

[Pulse Width Modulation]

Oh Crud! Talk about real-world deadlines! My computer started crashing a half hour ago, just when I was was ready to write my final mix file, and it looks like I've run out of time! If I am DQ'd it's OK, but I'd like to share the track anyway, if that's OK with everyone. I sure would like the feedback!
https://www.dropbox.com/s/usfkp6mxp489z ... s.wav?dl=0

Wanted to give it a smooth sound, while still being punk and trippy. Inspired not only by Ska, but modern jump and jive music. I didn't use any time shifting or pitch correction. One new thing I tried on this project was using a noise gate to cut-off the release envelope on instruments like the clean guitar, brass, and cymbals. I feel it tighten up the notes and made them snappier to the beat.

DIRECT MIC DRUMS-
Most drums had some additional compression.
Snare (Top mic used only) had boost in 3K and a high pass filter to get rid of stray sounds from other drums.
Hats had a boost around 8K with a delay effect to smooth out rhythm problems.
All direct channels sent to a submix - With a High Pass filter - Gate effect for tighter dynamics and less sloppy release envelopes - 5:1 compression and 1200ms reverb

ROOM MIC DRUM CHANNELS- sent to a separate Submix and split into stereo - Mixed with direct drums subtle level

BASS- Being ska, I wanted this to be prominent in the mix - panned center - High-Pass Filter rejected the boom out of the bass - Boost centered at 400Hz gave the character of the bass so it wasn't just low-end.

CLEAN GUITAR - Used close mic only - Was really thin so I wanted to thicken it and give it life -
8:1 compression - Gate effect used to tighten up release envelope to make notes snappier - 24dB boost in 1K range with another high boost in the 5KHz range - High Pass filter cutting bass up to about 100Hz - Chorus - 1/4note delay, and reverb

DIRT GUITAR - Room and Close mix split into stereo and sent to a submix - 2:1 compression - Gate effect used to clean up release envelope of guitar notes and make notes snappier. 24dB EQ boost centered at 1.5KHz. Chorus and reverb used to thicken it up.

HORNS - Needed thickening up- All three instruments sent to submix channel - Subtle boost around 1.5 KHz and 15dB boost around 10KHz - 3:1 Compression - Mono-to-Stereo enhancer used to widen the sound - Reverb added.
SOLO HORN PARTS - Panned stereo center - Sent through TAL-DuB tape echo effect to make a trippy warm delay. I really wanted this to represent the ska sound. Most of the Horns had extreme HP filter cuts to get rid of lower bass frequency, boosts in mids and highs, as well as the Noise Gate effect to chop off the slop of the release envlopes on their notes.

ORGAN - I wanted to give it some energy and thickness. Extreme High Pass filtering up to about 100Khz - 15dB Boost at about 1.5KHz Tapering slightly and not cutting a lot until above 10kHZ. - TAL Dub Tape Delay effect for spaciousness and trippiness.

VOCALS - High Pass filtering to cut out bass below about 100Hz. Dynamic EQ (IQ4 GUI Plugin, essentially a multiband EQ) used to cut midrange the louder the notes got. I felt it helped the harshness and slight distortion from the louder notes and shouting. Central EQ frequency varied on male and female. 4:1 EQ and subtle reverb

[Compyfox]

We have the 21st, it's 1pm over here (Germany) and 4am in LA.

The KVR MC04 submission period has officially ended.


We now ask all participants to check their links, to make at least a WAV version available for global collection (for a soundcloud folder, we will start to download those files later that day) and loudness normalization. Also, please check your documentation for others to learn from.

We'll start the (probably final) voting process "by-popular-vote" within the next 4-5 days - unless something drastic changes at the very last minute.

Thanks for your numerous participation. And good luck to all participants.

[Pulse Width Modulation]

Guess I did make it in on time!

[Compyfox]

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT

The following users got a PM with the request to check their files and provide access to the WAV files:
- NickGeorge
- westcoast2


And once more, a lot of users did NOT name their files according to the rules set in the Guidelines. This is more work for us, and if we mess up your name, chances are that you might loose out on stuff. So for the future - please tag your files properly. If you have a different name on KVR than on SoundCloud - please name your files accordingly!

File count wise, we even exceeded MC03 in terms of participants. If I get access to the files by NickGeorge and westcoast2 within the next 24 hours, then it's 30 participants. And this time around, the Mix Challenge staff did not participate due to time constraints.


From quick listening checks, I heard a lot of good mixes. So decisions for both the participants voting system or the song provider voting (whichever route we decide to go with MC04) will be hard.

We hope this track was a good training session.

[Compyfox]

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT

A short update on things:
- we collected all files, they are already prepared for the voting process, but they're not uploaded to a global Soundcloud folder yet
- we remind all participants, that there might be a last minute change in terms of the voting process. As discussed in the MC03 thread during the voting process, MC04 might already see a switch to the new "song provider voting only" system instead of the old "winners by popular vote" one. See here, here and here
- again, these changes might be a last minute decision. We did already confer with this months song provider No_Use about that topic, and he wasn't averse to the new concept. No matter which route we will go from this point, we'll make that clear with the official start of the voting process


We ask for a couple of days more patience, please.
We also have regular, busy day-work. So things can get a bit delayed.

[Compyfox]

Just a short heads up, not that you mean the challenge is over and nothing happened.

We're currently facing technical difficulties and try to get that sorted.

In the meantime, and after consultation with No_Use, the challenge "voting process" switched over to the new rule set where only the song provider is declaring the winners podium. However, this round is without the resubmission process.


We once more ask for a couple more days more patience.
Sorry for the inconvenience.

[Compyfox]

The SoundCloud folder is prepared.

Please take note of the new rule set for the voting process.
As of MC04, and after consultation with No_Use, the song provider is declaring the winners podium.



GENERAL INFORMATION
We have 28 tracks out of 28 entries. Compared to Mix Challenge 03, we have 5 entries more.
Thank you so much for your participation and spreading the word.

General Information for MC04:
- the song provider(s) solely declare(s) who will be the winners of the current challenge
- we can have 3 winners (podium), and therefore give away 3 licenses

Please see here what is available in the pool.



ENTRANTS:
We uploaded the tracks globally to a SoundCloud folder. Additional to that, you can grab a WAV or FLAC package for A/Bing in your host of choice.

The submitted/uploaded tracks are not mastered, but Loudness Normalized down to -18LUFS SLk for easier comparison. This is to offer a more objective viewpoint as the different average signal strength (perceived loudness) would otherwise influence objective judgement.

Here are the tracks on SoundCloud.
https://soundcloud.com/jrrshop/sets/kvr ... allenge-04


Here are the download packs for A/Bing in your host. (only available until the next challenge's voting process)
KVR Mix Challenge 04 entrants WAV (ca. 1,3GB, ZIP, LZMA compression)



STATISTICS SHEET:
Due to request b< several MC04 participants, the statistics sheet PDF can be found here:
KVR MC04 statistics (PDF, 15kb)



If there is a dead link, please let us know.
The results from the song provider shall be in within the following 7 days.

[mwaudioprod]

STATISTICS SHEET:
No public statistics sheet available. If you are interested in it, please request it (through this thread).

Can I have the statistics sheet, please.

[Compyfox]

I'll try to get to it the next days - which means: I have to "re-prepare" it in a better readable form. This is the reason why we do not offer it right from the start this time around.

If more than 5 people request it in this thread, I'll make it available for everyone.

[Doc Jon]

I would be interested in a copy as well please, helps me to see how well (or not) I'm interpreting my metering/loudness levels

[westcoast2]

Could I also have a copy, please.

[3ee]

I would be interested in a copy as well please, helps me to see how well (or not) I'm interpreting my metering/loudness levels

my thoughts also...
+1

[Compyfox]

Would you please be so kind and give some feedback on the Statistics Sheet in the Gossip thread?
http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic ... 6#p5895396

This would be greatly appreciated.


EDIT:
So far, 4 requests for the statistics sheet.

[No_Use]

As the song provider and "contact person" for the band I want to say sorry that the announcement of the winners takes a bit longer than expected.

As said already, it's the first time in the MC that the artist(s) doing the winners voting and it all took a bit longer to get everything coordinated.
But hey, the Knattertones are on it currently listening to every submitted mix and agreeing on their favorites.

So the winners will be announced here ahortly (hopefully within the next 48 hrs) - so stay tuned...