KVR Audio

pough · Post by **pough** » Mon May 31, 2004 8:03 pm

I'm going a little nuts. I think I mix my own songs okay because I do styles I'm familiar with and I know what I want to hear, but when I work with my sister on her songs, we always end up frustrated.

I've done many, many versions of each song and I think my mixing is getting better, but my sister is now telling me that she prefers the way older mixes - the ones that I think are crap.

So now I'm going to throw them out here and maybe get some feedback from outside ears...

Fine As Fine Can Be
This is a Gordon Lightfoot song. It has the most production (the most instruments, anyways) of all the songs.

Something So Right
An old Paul Simon song (one that I had never heard of.) It's just Suzy singing and playing ukulele. Very raw. First take (Bob Dylan-style.)

Green
One of the few songs written by my sister. I think maybe I need to put the drums back in. I really hate drum programming. Maybe someone out there would be willing to help me...?

For Baby
A John Denver song - a good one for anybody who has kids! This song could go either way. I do like the sparse sound, but it could also sound good with drums and bass... sigh... I have no idea!

007 · Post by **007** » Mon May 31, 2004 8:27 pm

I listened to Green and For Baby. The stereo image is not very good. I think you should widen that. In For Baby the mandolin is to loud. In both songs I miss a fiddle or another instrument. Your sister is a good singer although slightly out of tune now and then. Especially Green is a very nice song. Sounds like you used a strange roomverb in that?

scuzzphut · Post by **scuzzphut** » Mon May 31, 2004 8:30 pm

pough wrote:I need help mixing some songs (warning: folk/bluegrass)

great thread title, poo

bluedad · Post by **bluedad** » Mon May 31, 2004 8:37 pm

I've listened to green and fine as fine can be..
if you've heard my mixes, you don't want my help!
but your sister has a very good voice. the way she harmonizes reminds me much of emmy lou harris.

pough · Post by **pough** » Mon May 31, 2004 8:50 pm

Thank you!

007 wrote:The stereo image is not very good. I think you should widen that.

How would I do that? Panning or widening plugins?

007 wrote:Sounds like you used a strange roomverb in that?

Maybe I did. I forget. I don't tend to like long reverbs. I like songs to sound more intimate, like you're in a room with your friends.

pough · Post by **pough** » Mon May 31, 2004 8:51 pm

scuzzphut wrote:

great thread title, poo

There are two things I know:

1) Most people here aren't into folk or bluegrass.

2) A very few are.

pough · Post by **pough** » Mon May 31, 2004 8:52 pm

bluedad wrote:if you've heard my mixes, you don't want my help!

In this case, the state you live in qualifies you for giving opinions!

bluedad wrote:but your sister has a very good voice. the way she harmonizes reminds me much of emmy lou harris.

Thanks! I'll let her know you said so!

007 · Post by **007** » Mon May 31, 2004 8:52 pm

Because I liked her voice I listened to the other 2 songs. It is a ukelele, sorry I thought it was a mandolin. This ukelele sounds very good, although slightly out of tune in the second song, but really a good voice.

007 · Post by **007** » Mon May 31, 2004 9:01 pm

I think for stereowiding you should spread the backing vocals, don't put them in the mid. the bass in Green on 1 side could help.

The reverbsize is ok, only it sounds unnatural, at least in Green.

pough · Post by **pough** » Mon May 31, 2004 9:05 pm

Hmm... I thought I did spread the backing vocals. I guess not for that song. Oh, and the uke is probably out of tune on Something So Right. It was a very quick session. Suzy had played that song one night for some people and someone had asked for a recording of it. We weren't really planning on making it sound really slick. Maybe someday we'll redo it a bit better. Who knows?

Thank you for taking the time to listen. I really appreciate it!

007 · Post by **007** » Mon May 31, 2004 9:12 pm

Yes you did spread the backing vocals but it is not really clear.

You should ask your sister to do some melodical popsongs.

pough · Post by **pough** » Mon May 31, 2004 9:17 pm

007 wrote:Yes you did spread the backing vocals but it is not really clear.

Damn! You're right. It really needs to be spread out more. I'll work on that.

007 wrote:You should ask your sister to do some melodical popsongs.

Well, I can ask... right now her interests are the kinds of songs you've heard here (I don't really know how to classify them) and also kids songs. I did a sort of reggae mix of "For Baby" some time ago, but she didn't like it.

007 · Post by **007** » Mon May 31, 2004 9:35 pm

She sings these kind of songs very convincing, one can hear that this is her passion. Very pure.

multree · Post by **multree** » Mon May 31, 2004 9:36 pm

pough wrote:
scuzzphut wrote:

great thread title, poo
There are two things I know:

1) Most people here aren't into folk or bluegrass.

2) A very few are.

I like folk music - and will download the songs tomorrow... (though I don't think I can help much - but I'll try)

am going to bed now... goodnight
mully

Scotrick · Post by **Scotrick** » Mon May 31, 2004 10:11 pm

I was wondering if you'd be willing to share your recording techniques... I might learn something, and I might be better able to help with the mix, knowing from whence they came...
have you heard voxengo's voxformer (I think that's what it's called) it seems to do a treat on vocals based on the demos up on the web site, and one thing I noticed in the pieces you have for download is that they seem to be lacking a little high end punch... but that could be these computer speakers, I'll try them again in the studio...
overall, great job, I love the way the uke sounds... and it's interesting to note that others heard tuning problems, as I need to learn to catch such stuff, instead, I just get a vague feeling in my head that something isn't right, but I don't know what it is