KVR MIX CHALLENGE - MC15 #Rocktober 2015 - Winners announced

[photonic]

My mix is mostly done, just some automation work left.
I could have finished it already, but if there is still some time left I usually leave it for a couple of days and get back to it for the final tweaks with a fresh mindset.

Which spawns a couple of questions that I'd love to get answered:
a) why can't we keep the given deadline if other challenges on KVR are just as capable?
b) is the challenge too hard?
c) is the challenge boring? If so, why?
d) should we do a break? Is so, why?

a) I don't know, I've always been on time so far and extending the deadline is generally a bit unfair to those participants how make sure to finish their mix within the original timeframe
b - d) no

I can fully agree to Kolyev's statement.

Compyfox mentioned the OSC, where the people have no problem with the given time. I am part of the OSC since more than 3 years. And I see always postings where someone wrote that he was not able to finish in time. But generally I think the OSC is a challenge where one can bring more personality, due to the sound design and composing part of the task. I think that most musicians/producers want to show themselfs as an artist, and they possibly see mixing more as a technique (although it is more than that). Maybe they also fear to work with material from other artists. Personally the OSC is still a bit more important for me than the MC. Fortunately I had enough time to participate the MC too so far.

[mixedmind]

well. it is low priority. if I have time I do participate, no time I do not participate.

and mixing takes a lot of time specially if you are not a pro. So I do mix, listen to it for a few days. make changes, listen to it for a few days. and so on.

[morelia]

Just want to say that the bass/guitar playing on the song is bloody brilliant!

I really appreciate that. I'm not sure I agree but I'm glad someone can enjoy it as much I enjoy making it.

[StClair]

I had so much fun with MC 14 that I thought I would jump in and try it from the other side. Morelia, nice tune! Man, this song ran through my head almost constantly after I first heard it. And I love the odd time signature!

MP3: https://www.dropbox.com/s/sh5rywjtxxec2 ... r.mp3?dl=0

WAV: https://www.dropbox.com/s/57nbi6xi8hh0w ... r.wav?dl=0

Drums:

Overheads - Tokyo Dawn Labs TDR Feedback Compressor II and Luftikus EQ

Toms - Plug And Mix Clarisonix and Plug And Mix TransControl

Hats - Luftikus EQ

Snare Bottom - ReaGate

Snare Top - ReaGate, Transient by Audio Assault

Snare Buss - ReaEQ, ReaEQ, ReaComp sent to ReaVerb with Big Drums IR

Kick Front - Left Alone

Kick Beater - ReaEQ

Kick Buss - Transient by Audio Assault, Plug And Mix Retro Compressor

Drums Buss - Tokyo Dawn Labs TDR Feedback Compressor II and Luftikus EQ sent to ReaVerb using Ambient Sustain IR

Bass Guitar - Softube Saturation Knob, ReaEQ, Phoenix In Flight Optron 3A Compressor, Torpedo Wall Of Sound III, JS Huge Booty Bass Enhancer, ReaEQ

Guitar Left - CDS-APX-440B Tape Sim, ReaEQ, ReaEQ

Guitar Overdub - CDS-APX-440B Tape Sim, ReaEQ, ReaEQ, Acon Digital Multiply (automation set)

Guitar Right - CDS-APX-440B Tape Sim, ReaEQ, ReaEQ

Guitar Solo - ReaEQ, Klanghelm MJUCjr, CDS-APX-440B Tape Sim sent to Oleg Sharonov Twin Delay, ReaEQ

Bass and guitars sent to ReaVerb using Ambient Sustain IR

Vocal Verse - Phoenix In Flight Optron 3A Compressor, Leftover Lasagne PushTec EQ, CDS-APX-440B Tape Sim, ReaEQ sent to ReaVerb using TC6000 AS EMT 250 Long Vocal, ReaEQ while also being sent to ReaEQ, Native Instruments Replika Delay

Vocal Chorus - Phoenix In Flight Optron 3A Compressor, Leftover Lasagne PushTec EQ, CDS-APX-440B Tape Sim, ReaEQ sent to ReaVerb using TC6000 AS EMT 250 Long Vocal, ReaEQ while also being sent to ReaDelay, ReaEQ

Vocal Buss - ReaEQ

Tail Vocal Delay - JS Delay w/Tempo Ping-Pong, Acon Digital Multiply

[Compyfox]

Thanks to all participants so far.



Regarding the general feedback/my questions on Page 2, please jump over to the gossip thread:
http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic ... 5#p6273055

I copied the answers over to there as well.
Thanks.

[Aditya.inHim]

Hi, guys.. For long time , finally I can spare my time to became participants here..
This track is great, Morelia..

I keep it natural and trying to give some in-your-face sounds without make it overcompressed..
I using all tracks, no replace, no layer

DAW : reaper and some using stock plugins
DRUMS
kick - 1176ish comp, EQ
snare - 160ish comp, EQ
tom - comp and EQ
overhead - EQ, waves center
room - comp, filter
BASS - EQ and tubeish comp
Guitar - high self, comp, and tape emulation
Vox - Enhancer, EQ, Optoish comp
Secret recipe in masterbus

You guys have a good taste of mixing here..

Here is mine, YOU NEED TURN UP YOUR VOLUME :

https://soundcloud.com/inhim-production ... ainhim-wav

https://soundcloud.com/inhim-production ... ainhim-mp3


God bless

[piranha81]

Hi all,
with this I tried to obtain a raw, unprocessed sound, despite the processing required on tracks. I’m usually heavy on bus processing, this time I tried not to overdo it.
Mixed in Reaper. I noticed the drum tracks where incredibly in phase! Ok Let’s start!

WAV
https://soundcloud.com/roberto-ortenzi/ ... -piranha81
MP3
https://soundcloud.com/roberto-ortenzi/ ... iranha81-1

DRUMS
Kicks bussed: heavy work! Audio Assault Transient to cut the sustain, but the tail was still too much so I gated it via ReaGate. ReaEq for a small amount of hi-pass, cut @125hz and hi shelf boost. Elysia Niveau for a small lows de-emphasis, 1175 (1176 style comp), Acustica Ochre for adding mids and click, and RBass to enhance the fundamental.
Snare bussed: hi-low pass, small cut @300hz and boost @600, Rough Rided brutal compression and Saturation Knob.
Kick and Snare parallel comp: NI-comp, via 1175 and ReaEq, PM-Analogher to add tape saturation
Hi-Hat: strange approach. CamelCrusher for compression/saturation and Acon Multiply to spread/eq.
Overheads: Elysia to put emphasis on highs, ReaEq t hi-pass, boost 110hz, cut 233hz, cut 6126hz and shelf 11k.
Toms: ReaEq to cut resonant mids, hi pass and a little top shelf. Transient and Xfer OTT for transient shaping/compression.
Room: shaping via ReaEq to tame lows and Rough Rider to destoy the track

BASS
Copied in two tracks. The first is reamped via Ignite SHB-1 and NadIR, the other distorted via FuzzPlus3. Kick sidechain-compress the low frequencies.

GUITARS
Rithms: BitterSweet to add attack, T-Racks EQ81, TDR SlickEq and Acustica OCHRE to shape and add mids.
Lead: SlickEq, to add highs, NI Supercharger for compression and Acon Multiply for a little chorusing. Some delay and reverb added.

VOCALS
ReaEq for cleaning, then Klanghelm MJUCjr for compression and T-Racks EQ81 for eq shaping and saturation (Fairchild and Neve, what a channel strip! )
ReaXcomp for de-essing and make the mids more “dense”.
Then double parallel compression: 1175 and LoudMax on a channel, and CamelCrusher in another. The second channel is not only compression, but also saturation and reverse NY-comp equalizzation (hi and low passed).
Three effects added: distorted and low-fied slap delay, word-tails delay and reverb. All of them where low-passed to augment the dark vocal sound effect.

[Kolyev]

Here is my mix.

mp3: https://www.dropbox.com/s/eeklwx2o9oiaz ... v.mp3?dl=0

wave: https://www.dropbox.com/s/djys8cwca8rsw ... v.wav?dl=0

Regarding the treatment of the individual elements and groups I didn't do much different than in the last two or three mix challenges. I played around with different compressor and EQ plugins here and there for a change and I've used steinberg's convolution reverb reverence this time instead of algorithmic reverbs. It's actually the first time ever I have used that reverb.

Regarding the kickdrum I went for a modern type of sound with a slight boost at around 60 Hz. While all drum elements were treated with a bit of a "glue reverb", the snare was also treated with a plate reverb. Multiband compression was applied on the overheads (actually only a certain range on the highs was compressed as it always jumped out of the mix when the crash cymbals were hit).

Once again I've applied a bit of parallel distortion to the bass on the mids and highs to make it cut through the mix better.

As in last months challenge, I have automated the panning position of the rhythm guitars, so that the verses are not as wide as the chorus. The verses are also more dry regarding reverb.
On the snare and rhythm guitars I have also automated EQ settings as the same settings didn't really work for verses and chorusses in the same manner.

After the vocal was comped I decided to use one of the unused takes to emphasize certain parts of the vocals (e.g. "what has been on my mind"). In these parts the vocal is doubled although the second voice is mixed in so low it's not really audible as an actual double.

[davemcisaac]

I wanted to make it by the original deadline. If I can do it, anyone can

I used Satson Channel on all tracks with Satson Bus on the sub busses and master track. I used the QX24 (1st time trying it) on the Bass, Snare & Guitar busses. A little tweaking and it sounds pretty good! I used Track Spacer along with Sidechain Compressor (db audio ware) on the Guitar buss to make room for the vocals, along with some minor EQ. There is a strange ring from the cymbals that I used MDynamicEQ to tame. I used BootEQmkII, SonEQ, and MDynamicEQ on the master bus to get the tone I wanted. I also used Slate's VBC FG-Red for my master bus comp and just a touch of SPL's Vitalizer MK2-T for some "sheen".

There's plenty more, but I need to pay attention to my wife instead of this post. Good luck to everybody!

https://soundcloud.com/dr-audio-labs/mo ... audio-labs
https://soundcloud.com/dr-audio-labs/mo ... dio-labs-1

[MadDogE134]

so is just a pic of the mix in the DAW sufficient although it does not show everything done? also... i read -3 dbfs is suggested but "while not using a limiter" is stated. i take it that a limiter is allowed on the mixbuss but NOT to exceed -3 dbfs?

this is my first challenge and i want to do things right so please advise. thank you... cheers

(also i see the challenge deadline has been extended so i will double check everything to make sure it is kosher)

[Compyfox]

so is just a pic of the mix in the DAW sufficient although it does not show everything done?

Screenshot is totally fine. We're currently discussing (at least we try to) a possible route for the future. But if you don't want to write down anything and rather post a screenshot (or in some cases, nothing at all - we had that as well), it's fine.

It's for the general learning purposes.

also... i read -3 dbfs is suggested but "while not using a limiter" is stated. i take it that a limiter is allowed on the mixbuss but NOT to exceed -3 dbfs?

If a limiter is only a safety net and the average signal strength (loudness) isn't too high, then it's fine. If it's turning into mastering/loudness raising, then it's a different topic. In the Guidelines are a couple of paragraphs and links how you can use a suitable reference level. Just for the future, and if you're interested in that area (to maybe even improve your workflow).

this is my first challenge and i want to do things right so please advise. thank you... cheers

(also i see the challenge deadline has been extended so i will double check everything to make sure it is kosher)

Doing mistakes is fine - it's how you learn from.

[MadDogE134]

thanks for the reply. i don't peak my tracks but i do run everything into a limiter (anal emu... lol) for the sound of it. as for reference... i don't reference material... i have going on 50 yrs of reference material memorized in my head. i know what i like and what i want it to sound like... i do things to satisfy my tastes in the end. i am big on garage band sounds (no not the apple crap) that are up in your face so this tune is right up my alley. i am an ex-musician (disabled) and for the last decade been dabbling with mixing duties in the box here at home for fun. i have done some competitions before but this is my first KVR challenge so i wanted to be clear on what you actually want. kinda sounded to me you wanted a -3 dbfs without a limiter and like i said... i run everything into my 'go to' limiter pretty much for 10% safety net and 90% just for the sound.

the reason i asked about a pic... i did not note everything i have done in the process and even the pic won't show everything but it will help some to see what i did. the reason it won't show all is... sometimes when i am pressed for CPU cycles i just print the track w/effects to reduce demand but i ONLY do that as needed because our ears change constantly and i may need to adjust something i THOUGHT i liked later. hehe

anyways thanks again for the response. everything is done but since it has been extended... i may tweak it a bit this weekend and post it on monday. cheers


jay

[Compyfox]

Reference Signal Level is not similar to reference audio material for comparison with your mix.
Two totally different topics.

Furthermore -3dBFS digital max peak is not -3dB RMS realtime/avg signal strength (which wouldn't even be possible in modern days, -5dB RMS is the upper limit of the loudness war).
Again, two totally different things.




Friendly reminder:
A bit more than 2 days left to mix.

And we'd still love to hear your feedback on possible future changes of the challenge in the Gossip Thread

[Ichad.c]

After some beer I decided to enter in anyway; my mix was already 70% done when my monitoring set-up went belly-up. The rest of the mix was monitored on a mono monitor, and in stereo from a cellphone with some earphones...

Methodology: I wanted to go for an early RATM type sound, some of their best songs was recorded basically live with everybody in one room according to a SoundCity Studio documentary. For this type of sound, I packed in the drums closely around the center, this makes the guitars seem bigger. I also made the overdub guitar slightly stereo, to make space for the re-balanced drums. For me, the verses and the chorus has a distinctly different feel, the verses sounded like "inner turmoil" to me so I went for more guitars and less bass, with the vox fighting against the guitars. The chorus sounded like conviction, like "I'm not gonna do it again, ever, screw you", so I went for more bass and less guitars to punch through the message. Hopefully this comes across in the song.

There might seem to be a lot of effects but quite a lot are used as transitional effects and mixed in pretty low, to create some movement, to get a more 'live' feel. Only ended up using 1 piece of outboard gear, a mono spring reverb for the vox in the verses. Was test-driving Reaper and ReaInsert annoyed me. Though, the rest of the DAW is pretty good, using the folder-system for busses is genius! Used mostly freeware plug-ins (there a great things around these days) and some of my own little tools. There is a shed-load of automation going on to get everything to play nicely together.

Drums:

HiHat: EQ
Kick Front: Compressor, Gate, EQ
Kick Beater: Compressor(for body), Gate, Compressor(for click), EQ
Snare Top: EQ, Short Gated Convolution Reverb
Snare Bottom: EQ
Snare Bus: Compressor, EQ, Flanger
Toms: Limiter/Clipper
Overheads: Convolution Reverb, Stereo Tool, Compressor, EQ
Room: Stereo Tool, Compressor, EQ
Drum Bus: Compressor, Convolution Reverb

Guitars & Bass:

Main: (L/R bussed together), Distortion, EQ, Reverb
Overdub: EQ, Compressor, Stereo Creator (TD_Width)
Solo: EQ, Compressor, Chorus(TD_Phase), delay
Bass: EQ, LePou LeXtac (yellow channel), Compressor

Vox:

Vox Verses: Compressor, Chorus(TD_Dim), EQ, Guitar Gadgets Miaow Miaow Pedal, Mono Spring Reverb ( MasterRoom XL-121 )
Vox Chorus: Compressor, Chorus(TD_Dim), EQ
Vox Chorus Delay Send Bus: Delay, Delay, Compressor
Backing Vox Chorus: EQ, Multi-Band Comp, Distortion, EQ

Master:

Bus: Parallel Slow comp for body/leveling, Parallel Fast comp for transients, EQ

Btw, as for levels, meters are mostly useless for mixing, I checked with PSP's free VU Meter and I'm like -2 VU, but it is actually louder than that. So I aimed (by ear) to be as loud as Photonic's mix, because that level seemed right/balanced to me.

mp3:

https://soundcloud.com/ichad-c/morelia- ... c15-ichadc

WAV:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0zqKT ... sp=sharing

Cheers
Andrew

[Compyfox]

Friendly reminder:
A bit over 1 day left to mix.

Now is your chance to submit your edited material.