KVR MIX CHALLENGE - MC08 February 2015 - Winners announced

[Aditya.inHim]

WOW.. Thank you for your quick review..
First, Forgive me about the file name, yeah, I didn't read it correctly
For your review and input, actually no excuse for me as long you are my client here..
Yeah, I will drop the noise down, I think its because the tape..
I will try to fix for guitar solo, ride, hat, and check for 4:11
About automation, I using it so much.. but maybe still not dramatic enough..
About lack of dramaturgic.. Very excited about this comment I want will try to fix it..
And thank you very much for your appreciation

Hopefully I can pass to 2nd round..

God bless

[PALU]

[about Compyfox mix] As far as "dramaturgy" goes - I think it's a really subjective thing. I'm not very refined when it comes to mixing/music - I like big and bold. I understand why it could seem too excessive for you.

And to add to that - it's not like that the dramaturgy in your mix is much worse then in the other mixes. It's just that it stroke me when I listened it, that it would be great if there was more of that in mix. Many things were ok or really good in your mix and I focused my attention on smaller things and details. So it's really small touches that I think are lacking.

And I don't write about dramaturgy in other mixes sometimes because there were too many things lacking to go into that small details.

* And by dramaturgy I mean (to lose the poetic language and write more in mixing terms) building the tension by for example by building up the reverb (by automating the reverb sends) in the intro and by the end of the intro the reverb is pushing the music into background. Then the toms hit and the first metal part really comes in the foreground with full volume. The reverb automation - for me - can be really clearly heard, filter automation or volume automation can be more subtle.

[PALU]

szalonykp,

Awesome comments, thankyou. All of those I agree with 100%.

Thanks for the detailed comments. I sure know what to do if I make it to the second round.

Thank you guys for participating!

WOW.. Thank you for your quick review..
First, Forgive me about the file name, yeah, I didn't read it correctly

It's not that I have a problem with filenaming, but I feel that in a professional environment sometimes it can be like in the scriptwriting for movies/tv in US - if the title page is not looking how it should look the whole script goes to trash without reading.

There is a good chapter about that (and about how to exchange emails with the client) in Marc Mozart book "Your mix SUCKS". The mixing part of the book is - for me - a little bit short, but I loved the business side chapter.

Yeah, I will drop the noise down, I think its because the tape..

I'm not against a little bit of noise - but it was too much in high frequencies.

About lack of dramaturgic.. Very excited about this comment I want will try to fix it..

Please check my post above where I try to be more clear about "dramaturgy" .

Wow, if I knew there was going to be such thorough feedback, I would have made an entry. Sadly for me, I wasn't enthralled by the music enough. But thanks anyways szalonykp!

Maybe if the Mix Challenge organizers will want another track from me for competition it will be more interesting for you. I'm thinking about my old new-romantic type song with vocals.

[PALU]

PART 2 OF COMMENTS

MIXEDMIND

In a few words: Great delay work, the metal part lacks power. Generally too much highs.

Details:

• High noise level
• The ambient intro is nicely washed in reverbs and delays. I like it. Maybe a little reverb buildup before the first metal part would be nice.
• The mellotron is a little bit too much into highs. It’s too harsh.
• The solo guitar that starts at 1:14 is a little too harsh, but delays are great! Love how the rhythms evolve.
• In the metal part the kick is too weak. It sounds ok around 3:00 (in the fill in before the second metal part) - so I thinks it’s a problem of the kick and the bass fighting in the bottom end.
• The mellotron is too loud in the second metal part - for me the guitars should play in the main role here.
• The metal guitars should feel more distorted than overdriven. They don’t have enough power and sustain. More mids? It feels like there is an empty spot in the middle freq-wise. (EDIT: after listening on monitors - maybe there is too much reverb on guitars? They really feel in the background)
• The snare in the outro is too much into highs. It’s not that apparent in the metal parts, but in the outro feels almost painful.
• Would like more reverbs/delays in the outro.
• Generally I feel like the mix is too much into high frequencies. It’s on a verge of being painful.
• The string noise around 4:08 was a creative choice - so cutting it out wasn’t what I wanted.
• Cutting completely the string noises in the ambient parts killed the “real human playing” feeling for me. I know that they can be easily too loud, but they should be there somewhere.

MKD

In a few words: Great atmosphere buildups in the ambient parts, but the solo guitar and bottom end are totally lost in the mix. Metal parts are not working - too harsh.

Details:

• The file name is not correct according to the challenge rules. I know it’s a bit anal , but a rule is a rule. Especially when there are almost two dozens of files to listen to and there is no info about you - the author of the mix - in the filename.
• The string noises in the intro are too loud.
• I like the the chorusy guitars, but the guitar harmonics/solo guitar are too much in the background. I can’t almost hear them in the beginning.
• I love the atmosphere/fx that is building in the back of the intro. I would love that with more reverb, or with building up reverb. The only problem I have with it is that it (the fx/atmosphere) seems to be fully on around 1:20 - maybe it should build up even more but up to the first metal part.
• The metal part is TOO loud compared to the ambient parts. The solo guitars is almost totally lost in the metal parts. And too little bass frequencies, I don’t hear enough bottom end.
• Because of the problems with low end the metal parts lack power/energy. It’s so harsh is almost painful.
• The bass guitar is not glued with the guitars - it’s too disconnected.
• The toms are lost in the mix - I need more low end! More power! More punch!
• And there are problems with the transitions between the parts - for example around 4:10 (abrupt cut).
• The drums are too harsh for me (especially the snare) - too much highs. The cymbals (not crash, but the ride one) and hats are totally lost in the mix.
• Great build up before the second metal part - this high whoosh.
• The atmosphere/fx in the end is great too and it should also develop a little longer and even more. It could “eat” the guitars and stuff even earlier and be lost in reverb more.
• The drums in the outro - too loud, too harsh. And the roomy verb is not working here for me.
• I would love more reverb/space in the ambient parts.
• Because of the harshness - the ambient parts lack warmth. They sound very digital and clinical. I would love to hear marrying of two worlds - the organic/analog one and this digital/clinical one.
• The atmosphere in the very end after the original track ended - SUPERB!
• The string noise around 4:08 was a creative choice - so cutting it out wasn’t what I wanted.

NINEOFKINGS

In a few words: Great buildup ideas, something not exactly right with the metal parts, but almost there.

Details:

• I like the delays in the intro. Maybe a little bit too digital. Love how the rhythms evolve.
• Clipping, dropouts? 00:39 (the bass guitar), 00:47 (a click sound), 1:27…
• Like the overall guitar levels in the ambient parts and the bottom end there. In the intro maybe the L/R guitars are too wide - when the C guitar is not playing there is an empty spot in the middle.
• The metal part feels good - maybe the guitars could be distorted more. Now they feel like they are overdriven - not distorted.
• Great buildup before the second metal part!
• The drums in the metal parts are too loud - the kick sounds ok (maybe need a little bit more punch in the low end), the rest (especially the snare) sound too loud. The toms are lost in the mix.
• Metal parts have - for me - all the ingredients they should have, but lack energy. To be honest I don’t know why. Maybe more distortion for the guitars? Maybe it’s a problem with a low end? Maybe the overpowering snare?
• EDIT: after listening on the monitors - the bottom end is too boomy. Maybe too much bass guitar there? Maybe it should be more focused and selective? On monitors it kills everything else.
• Don’t like the whoosh before the outro (after the second metal part). Sound too EDM to me - like the white noise filter sweep.
• The outro could use more space-ish effects, modulation, reverbs, shimmers. It’s too “proper rock” sounding.
• A little bit too loud hi-hats in the outro (especially when they are the only drum part playing).

PHOTONIC

In a few words: GREAT punching kick, but where’s the bass? Oh - and the reverb wash in the end - superb!

Details:

• Some random noise/clipping at 00:26, 1:34...
• String noises in the intro a little bit too loud.
• The solo guitar that starts at 1:12 - too much into highs. It too harsh for me.
• The atmosphere is nice in the intro, but could use a little bit more reverb (as an creative effect) and longer delays. At the end of the intro there are some moments of stillness that feel dead and empty. The delays could fill that void.
• Like the overall guitar levels in the ambient parts and the bottom end there.
• The metal parts sound good - the only problem I have with them is the bass guitar. I don’t hear it much in the low end. It should add more weight to the mix. The guitars really need that bass guitar foundation.
• EDIT: after listening on the monitors - the low end sounds very good in the ambient parts, but in the metal parts there is something missing.
• The guitars in the metal parts could use more mid freq - they are too much into highs now. Lack power that way IMHO. (Maybe too much reverb on them?)
• The drums are a little bit too loud for me in the metal parts. But the bottom end of the kick is GREAT! It has that punch I was looking for.
• A little bit too loud hi-hats in the outro (especially when they are the only drum part playing).
• Too loud drums in the outro. Still great low end of the kick!
• LOVE the reverb in the end. The solo guitar is still too harsh .

PIRANHA81

In a few words: The atmosphere - sadly, it’s not there. Problems with metal guitars sound.

Details:

• Love the vinyl noise in the intro.
• The delays in the intro could be more organic - more tape-like (wow & flutter, saturation).
• I’m not loving the distorted guitars sound - it’s too harsh and fake sounding.
• The bottom end is quite ok - the kick has some punch there, the bass guitar has some foundation.
• The bass guitar is not glued with the distorted guitars - they feel too disconnected.
• The L/R guitars in the outro are louder than the solo guitar and very dry.
• As I wrote in the text files I like overusing the reverbs - I don’t hear nearly enough reverb/delays in the ambient parts. More space-ish effects, modulation, reverbs, shimmers.
• The delays on the drums around 5:24 are great. More of that, please!
• The string noise around 4:08 was a creative choice - so cutting it out wasn’t what I wanted.
• In general a little bit too much on the fence for me - like a too proper rock mix.

RADIO12

In a few words: Great reverb wash in the intro, but problems with low end in the metal parts.

Details:

• Love the reverb wash in the intro. The way the reverb leaves “ghosts” of some notes that make new harmonies - great.
• Do I hear a spring reverb here somewhere?
• No delay/echo on the solo guitar in the intro. As I wrote in the text file attached to the source tracks - the delay/echo on the Guitar C track is very important as it’s a creative thing, not a mixing choice.
• The intro too low in volume.
• It could use some more build-up before the first metal part (volume automation, reverb automation…) - more of that great reverb wash.
• The kick is a little bit lost in the mix - mostly the bottom end of the kick is lacking.
• Drums too loud in general and drums being in the spotlight in the outro (from about 4:10) kills the atmosphere.
• Love the feeling of emptiness in the transition part between the metal parts around 2:50.
• The metal parts lack more power in the bottom end. It should be really focused and punchy.
• Too loud hi-hats in the outro (especially when they are the only drum part playing).
• Nice touch with the “ghost” of the mellotron in the beginning of the outro.
• The outro could use something that would give it more dramaturgy - the end is great, but before that it could use something more.
• A dropout? Around 5:52.

THEPRESENT

In a few words: A little bit cluttered stereo panorama and problems with the metal parts.

Details:

• Like the chorusing in the intro - it gives a nice ethereal feeling.
• The strings noises in the intro - a little bit too loud.
• Like the ambient part - maybe a little more (or longer) reverb buildup in the end of the intro would be nice.
• The guitars in the metal part - too thin, too harsh. They should feel more distorted than overdriven. They don’t have enough power and sustain.
• The phasing guitars around 2:37 sound more like a phase problem than a deliberate effect.
• The kick is too pronounced in high (or mid and high) freqs or maybe just too loud. It feels like a sledgehammer (the machine gun effect is very tiring).
• The bottom end - would like more power and focus in the metal parts.
• The stereo panorama feels not wide enough wide or not clear enough. Maybe too much guitars in the center?
• Drums a little bit too loud in the outro.
• Like the reverb wash in the end.
• The string noise around 4:08 was a creative choice - so cutting it out wasn’t what I wanted.

UNCLEE

In a few words: Whole mix too much into highs and too much on the fence.

Details:

• The solo guitar in the intro a little bit too harsh. And from 1:10 very harsh - almost painful. Maybe too much transients in the guitars? I like the twang, but it’s too pronounced and too much into highs.
• The bass sits nicely in the mix in the ambient parts.
• The toms too much into highs, but they cut through mix nicely.
• The kick in the metal parts is punching in the bottom end, but I would love really much more low end. I don’t hear much bass guitar there (or it cannot be clearly heard due to too much things in there - the mellotron is not really needed in the bottom end I think).
• A little bit too loud hi-hats in the outro (especially when they are the only drum part playing).
• Generally the mix feels a little bit over compressed and too much into highs with bottom end lacking. There is little power and foundation that the low end should give. Maybe it feels like that because of that high frequency harshness?
• As I wrote in the text files I like overusing the reverbs - I don’t hear nearly enough reverb/delays in the ambient parts. More space-ish effects, reverbs, shimmers. Just like the reverb fx in the very end. I would like it to be more… hmm… psychedelic than a proper rock mix.

WESTCOAST2

In a few words: Too little bottom end and the ear piercing harshness in the metal part.

Details:

• The strings noises in the intro - a little bit too loud. But I like how they make their own rhythms with the delays.
• No delay/echo on the solo guitar from around 1:16 (or it’s very hard to hear). As I wrote in the text file attached to the source tracks - the delay/echo on the Guitar C track is very important as it’s a creative thing, not a mixing choice.
• Love the reverb wash in the intro. But the solo guitar could be a little bit louder.
• The guitar tones in the intro and outro - quite nice.
• The guitars in the metal part - too thin, too harsh. Very fake sounding.
• The kick is lost in the mix in the metal parts. I like the overall volume of the drums (maybe a tad too quiet) - it’s just the kick. It’s has no place in high frequencies to breathe.
• The bottom end is weak in the metal parts.
• On second listen - the snare differs in volume. It could be more even - now it feels a little bit like it’s on a wave back and forth.
• In the second metal part the harshness in guitars is ear piercing.
• The bottom end is weak - it should be more focused. There is too little power and foundation that the low end should give. More low end .
• Like the reverb wash and the delays in the outro. The drums are too loud in the outro.

YEAGER

In a few words: Some harshness and fighting delays.

Details:

• The solo guitar in the intro a little bit too harsh.
• The delays in the intro could be more organic - more tape-like (wow & flutter, saturation).
• In the end of the intro (the “solo”) the delays start to fight with each other in a bad way. Some sound degradation of the echoes (lowpass filter, saturation) would really help here.
• The solo guitar is too loud in the first metal part. And the sustain/delays are too omnipresent - it takes too much space. The break at 2:40 could use some emptiness - now it’s filled with the solo guitar completely .
• Kick could use a little bit more click, but it’s almost there.
• The low end sounds ok in the metal parts the kick is punching nicely there.
• The “metal” guitars should feel more distorted than overdriven. They don’t have enough power and sustain.
• The delays in the outro - as in the intro - fight with each other in a bad way. Some sound degradation of the echoes (lowpass filter, saturation) would really help here. It makes the solo guitar more harsh.
• I don’t like very pronounced string noises in the outro - like the pick hitting the string around 5:31. It makes it even harsher. Or the random note around 5:33 - was it in the source files?!
• I don’t like the harsh, metallic ?reverb? around 5:50 - the one at the end sounds much nicer to me.

[PALU]

For the second round I would like to choose:

ADITYA.INHIM
COMPYFOX
MKD
NINE OF KINGS
PHOTONIC
MIXEDMIND


The runner-ups:

RADIO12
GEROYANNIS
G_LIOU
PIRANHA81
YEAGER


Thanks guys for all the great mixes!

You can read my comments on specific mixes, but in general what I found that I liked:

- in the ambient parts - pronounced, almost overused reverbs and delays. Atmosphere building. Almost psychedelic. No proper rock mix.

- in the metal parts - hard work in the low end department. The punch from the kick and the foundation from the bass guitar. As far as the guitars go - no harshness, more mid distortion. And I mean metal distortion and sustain - not rock overdriven sound.

- some way of giving the track more dramaturgy or interesting way of leading from one part to another. By reverb automation, volume automation, filter automation.

And of course - you can ask questions if you need to know more or if it's not clear what I meant.

[mixedmind]

szalonykp, I really appreciate that you took the time to listen to all mixes and wrote such long comment on each song. This was a lot of work. And that is really great because this is what the contest is all about: the feedback and improving your mixing skills. to win a plugin is just an extra. at least for me.

see you in round two with highs so fluffy and smooth like cotton candy

[radio12]

Hi Szalonykp,
that you for listening and your comments, i would like to answer:
yes, a spring reverb .
i misunderstood your comment and thought the delay should only be at the harnonics (flageolettes)
and indeed a dropout - strange - never happened before.
and yes more build up is a way to go, but i liked the contrast between the parts so i kept the first one low, and the third part as kind of a clearing, synthesis, (you're safe, kids) so i kept the drums loud before going into the mist.
I had to do the mix with headphones because i was in a hotelroom and i know that the metalpartguitars have too much low mids, a little bit smaller and compressed would have made more room for the kick and snare, but i already sent the mix away.
Anyway, i still like my mix best

[Compyfox]

As funny sidenote, szalonykp posted this exactly at short before Saturday 0:00am PST. So let's start the clock from there.

Congrats to all participants - we're now in Mix Round 2.
The round will end on 04-03-2015 (4th March, 5 days of mixing), 11:59pm PST


The following participants made it into the next round:

For the second round I would like to choose:

ADITYA.INHIM
COMPYFOX
MKD
NINE OF KINGS
PHOTONIC
MIXEDMIND

I'll update the links in the first post shortly.

[PALU]

i misunderstood your comment and thought the delay should only be at the harnonics (flageolettes)

I think that's my fault - there were only flageolettes there, but then I rerecored that part using normal playing technique. I've even used the term "harmonics" when I was describing that part in the comments for the mixes and than I realized that there are no harmonics per se :/. Sorry for that.

EDIT: And not only at the harmonics. Delays are welcome in the mix! But the part from (in the draft on my soundcloud) 1:09 need the delays to create the rhythm.

https://soundcloud.com/palupalu/matsumi ... ence-szkic

[Yeager]

szalonykp, thanks for the comments and good luck to the Big Hero 6

Or the random note around 5:33 - was it in the source files?!

Yes

[Compyfox]

I couldn't write this in the official "announcement" posts...

...Many things were ok or really good in your mix and I focused my attention on smaller things and details. So it's really small touches that I think are lacking. ...

For the second round I would like to choose:
...
COMPYFOX
...

But to keep up the vibe of bjporters original post...

F*CK YEAH! I'm so up for it!





I think this is going to be a running gag from now on.

[PALU]

szalonykp, thanks for the comments and good luck to the Big Hero 6

Or the random note around 5:33 - was it in the source files?!

Yes

On which track? Because I've checked that and I'm not hearing it on Guitar L/R/C...

[Yeager]

szalonykp, thanks for the comments and good luck to the Big Hero 6

Or the random note around 5:33 - was it in the source files?!

Yes

On which track? Because I've checked that and I'm not hearing it on Guitar L/R/C...

It's on the release of the note of the C Guitar, when you crank up the volume you can hear it

[ThePresent]

Thanks for taking the time to listen and comment, this was a nice track to mix, shape and experiment with. I hope you find what you are looking for.

[PALU]

szalonykp, thanks for the comments and good luck to the Big Hero 6

Or the random note around 5:33 - was it in the source files?!

Yes

On which track? Because I've checked that and I'm not hearing it on Guitar L/R/C...

It's on the release of the note of the C Guitar, when you crank up the volume you can hear it

Ah - ok .