MIX CHALLENGE - MC23 July 2016 - Winners announced

[erictracks]

Vocal delays, automation, and some ducking. Cool tune.

I finally tried the sound toys effect rack, after ignoring it for months. I'm afraid I really, truly liked it, and it probably shows

MP3: https://soundcloud.com/erictracks/an-el ... tracks-mix

WAV: http://www.erictracks.com/wp-content/up ... tracks.wav

[Compyfox]

Ladies and Gentlemen!
I'm ringing the bell for the final 24 hours of your submission for Mix Round 1 of MC23!

[Chris-S]

Why are the stem files zipped with LZMA? They can not be de-packed with standard windows zip tool.

[Compyfox]

Because basic Windows ZIP (which is not a standard) is not as efficient with packing and the final file size.

Internet bandwidth is still an issue to some

[Kolyev]

Somehow managed to make in time.

mp3:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/57au62grz1xtg ... v.mp3?dl=0

wave:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/rx66sgd0civ6o ... v.wav?dl=0

Split the vocals into 2 tracks. Delay on Vocals was sidechained to the Vocals to prevent the mix from cluttering up completely. Lots of reverb and delay in general. Also played around with different saturation effects.

[piranha81]

He're my work.
The song sounded already good to start with, so I just tried to make it sound more rock and natural, instead of electronic, just because I like rock sound.
So I aimed at a huge drum sound and rocking guitar and bass.

WAV:
https://soundcloud.com/roberto-ortenzi/ ... -piranha81
MP3:
https://soundcloud.com/roberto-ortenzi/ ... anha81-mp3

[Davias]

Here is my submission ^^

[FLAC]
https://www.dropbox.com/s/08zehz8jvz5wr ... .flac?dl=0

[MP3]
https://www.dropbox.com/s/pc0r7g853bz7l ... s.mp3?dl=0

[MIX DESCRIPTION]
Interesting song, with a nostalgic mood and plenty of potential. Plus this time we had the video to give us better understanding of that mood ^^

So I tried to make the mix clear and punchy, with a potent low end while respecting as much as I could the original.
A big work was to insure mono compatibility, many of the stereo stems where loosing something while monoized so I tried to match them with mid-side EQ.
I tried to put the best reverb I could on the voice, not exactly same as the original and not the same use of the delay on vocals but I hope you'll like it ! I'm very lost when it is time to use reverb and delays so it was an hard task for me
I tried to get the beat punchy through compression, I gated the snare and used my own plate to get better control over it.
I tried to make the sub bass powerful yet not overwhelming, while keeping it audible on small speakers. And then I tried to keep the high bass not conflicting with the sub while keeping energy and grit...
I put some tapes on the synth strings to make them more lively.
I tried to get the arp synth very audible while keeping the original feeling, very hard task and not achieved 100% to me, but maybe you'll like it how it is now ^^
For the guitars I tried to make them audible while not overwhelming, so they may be a bit discreet to your taste. One guitar got a rythmic gate to mark better its movement, there a very slight phaser applied to one guitar to give a bit movement to the sound.
Everything was more or less EQed or panned
At the end I found the mix too bright and I somewhat tilted the whole mix spectrum to make it more dark, hope I did well because I was running out of time

Good luck to everybody

[davemcisaac]

Just under the wire! It was a lot more work than I first anticipated. Thank God for RX 3 Advanced to clean up tracks (a strange digital artifact delay on Toms, etc.) It was hard getting the mix so wet and still tight & punchy, but I think it came out pretty good. I kept the vocals a lot more up front than in the original mix. I hope you like it.

https://soundcloud.com/dr-audio-labs/sets/mc23

[Baddo]

Hello guys,

Here is my mix:

WAV:
https://app.box.com/s/8akz6lhe7v1h5z4mgcqmqueovtsbuya1

MP3:
https://app.box.com/s/aimeo89seld8szrl5pkd6qnhxw41clo7

Cheers!

[Baddo]

Good luck everyone!

[Compyfox]

We're now having the 22nd July, about 2pm - the first Mix Round has officially ended.


We have 13 submissions prior to the given time limit, and 1 additional that arrived an hour late. A lot of new faces in the challenge as well, welcome!

As usual, we're now going into the evaluation phase of Mix Round 1 - please update your posts, check if your links are accessible and files downloadable. And of course, please watch this spot.

[an-electric-heart]

Hi guys. Just thought I'd better let you know where I'm at.

I've got a big show tonight, so basically the last week has been nothing but work and practice... I've seriously had no down time! But anyway, excuses aside , I've reviewed half the mixes, I'll get to the rest tomorrow.

Thanks.

[an-electric-heart]

Right guys, just touching base. I've just finished a 10 hour shift, I'm going to sleep, when I wake up I'll mark your homework.

[Compyfox]

Thanks for keeping us updated.

[an-electric-heart]

Moving to round 2 are (I think I'm meant to choose 5?):

3ee
erictracks
Kolyev
piranha81
davemcisaac

And the soul crushing, confidence killing notes

I'll say this now (and this goes for all entries) a lot of things come down to personal preference (as mixing is an art), I know that... but I guess at the end of the day it comes down to what "I" like, as we are simulating a "job" type situation, so having said that, we'll assume that you guys all know what doing, I've listened to them all and I'll say right now they're all "good", so I'll probably just cut to the chase and focus on things that I don't like, I'm quite busy and I don't have time to tip-toe around peoples feelings... I wont be too brutal though, but having said that, I apologize in advance if I hurt anyone's feelings.

I'm just listening in the order they're posted:

Fender19

As I said, and as with all entries, it's not bad, but:

*It's not a bad mix. Overall, tonally it feels quite balanced, but bass could be brought out somewhere to make it a touch punchier.
*To me the mix generally feels a bit narrow, maybe the guitars could be panned wider.
*Several vocal issues: they almost disappear when the chorus kicks in, this should be the point when everything's hitting hard, it sounds like you've added additional modulation during the chorus in an attempt to make them different, or probably "advance" the sound in some way, but I feel that it almost smears the lead vocal across the mix when should probably be more focused at that point.
*Big problems in the bridge part; Firstly; I like the lo-fi "telephone" effect, I'm a fan of that, I actually do it often, but, the second vocal that is intended to be the lead vocal is almost inaudible... big problem.

GaryNorthants

*Mix is nice and punchy, no tonal problems.
*This is good, you must be a dance music guy... I say that because maybe the guitars are a touch quite, but not to a point
where it's a "problem" as such, I didn't specifically say "the guitars should be loud" but four guitar tracks should maybe
be a bit louder, but again, I didn't specify "loud guitars" and I understand elements need to be sacrificed.
*I like that you've used doubling tricks to strengthen the feel, that's good.
*I hear that you've added delay to the vocals, this is good too, but it's maybe a bit quite, the vocals sound a little dry.
*That little gated vocal bit in the gap before the chorus is cool.

Ichad.c

*Sounds good, good overall tone.
*Guitars could be a little wider.
*And continuing from the last point, the vocals get a touch quite whenever the guitars kick in, maybe spreading
the gats out would help, but also the vocals probably just need to be turned up using automation during the chorus
and breakdown.

Bibibeatgrid

*Again; not bad, but the mix is a bit thin and narrow.
*My biggest criticism with this one is that we're getting into "re-mix" territory, for example; during the intro
you've added some volume automation and eq sweeps, and added a build up there, that kind of thing would be my decision to do as song writer, not the sound engineers decision. Anyway, I'm not putting it down, it's good,but yeah, again; probably getting into "re-mix" territory.

photonic

*Cool, you've got the wide, punchy "wall of sound" going on (I never specifically said, but with 4 guitar tracks I think it's obvious that that's what I like), your mix "hits" like it's intended to do.
*Probably a touch too much ambiance on the chorus vocals, it's my bad, but maybe a bit more autotune on the first "sees" (your sweet thing sees), it's a dud note (my bad) but the ambiance you use enforces the out-of-tuneness.
*I like modulation effects you've used on the vocals during the break down, it's cool that you made this part different
than the chorus, because otherwise, the only the only thing that changes is the chords.

thiagoam88

*Sounds good during the verses, the chorus gets a bit brittle sounding, this makes me think the guitars are eq'ed a bit bright.
*Toms a bit quite and dull.
*It's a good mix, but generally could be better, the chorus being a bit "thin" lets it down as the parts that are meant tp "punch"... don't.


michaeltn86

*Unfortunately this mix strikes me with massive problems right from the get go, maybe you're not using reference monitors? It's muddy, and way too much mids.
*The synth that's meant to be the bass is way too loud and panned to one side... huge problem right there!
*Vocals almost inaudible during the chorus.
*I think you've just done too much (especially eq-wise), I'm going to assume you're pretty new to this (sorry if you're not), at the end of the day; when you eq you don't need to do much really, just cut problem frequencies; if somethings too bright, cut the highs, if somethings muddy cut the lows, use a filter to cut lows off anything that doesn't need low frequencies... that's really about it.

3ee

*Cool, everything you said: music's good, nice and wide, nice and punchy, well balanced, guitars maybe a touch bright, kick maybe a touch dull and maybe a bit loud.
*Vocals need a little work, good during the verse, and just a bit turning up for the chorus.
*Overall, good mix.

erictracks

*This one's good, leaning towards great.
*Again, that rubbery arp thing is meant to be the bass instrument (the sub-bass synth is there to fill in the low frequencies it's missing), considering that it's meant to be a main instrument, it's a bit quite.
*Mix strikes me as a bit dry, I'm not sure why, maybe a bit of reverb on the snare, not to lecture you: but I find whatever reverb is on the snare, establishes the environment for the entire mix, so maybe this is why it sounds a bit dry.
*Vocals are great, it sounds like you've tuned them?

Kolyev

*Initially the mix strikes be as a bit bright/brittle, probably the snare and guitars being too bright, but after a while I get used to it, and it's pretty good.
*Vocals sound good, the delay's good... everything's good!

piranha81

*Awesome! This one's pretty damn good, balanced mix, big reverb that's well balanced and not overwhelming.
*Vocals could come up a touch for the chorus and bridge (anywhere where there's guitars).
*The little arp synth in the middle that comes in for the chorus is quite important, so maybe a bit louder.

Davias

*Initial thought; big tonal problems, too midd'y, too crunchy.
*Vocals too quite during the chorus.
*Too many problems to salvage... sorry to be blunt, but I'm running out of time and I can tell after the first chorus that's not good.

davemcisaac

*Cool, this ones another goodie most of you "last minute" guys have done really well. It's strange because I can mix a song in a couple of hours! Did it
really take you guys two weeks?!... joking, I assume you left it late to start.
*Again, really good, but a bit midd'y (not to the problematic end of the scale), find some high end somewhere.
*Just a note about the toms, they're from a "donation" sample pack, this guy samples old drum machines, I use his samples heaps, they've all got a bit of hiss, I just use them "as is", I don't necessarily find the artifacts a problem in an overall mix, but I appreciate you taking the time to do some cleaning.

Baddo

*I'm just going to say overall the mix isn't very defined, needs a lot more work.

Thanks all!