Dream Pulse

[SomethingSomeone]

https://soundcloud.com/jeffblough/dream ... al_sharing

This is what I worked on this week. Still new to mixing, not sure how much longer I can say that, but I only started beginning of this year so I have a lot to learn and mixing and mastering in general is an intuitive blur right now.

So the bones of this was written quickly, but then all the synth and drums and extras were added, and the main piano melody line stuff was written and rewritten and this and that etc. I think it works, it's all over the place but that is the point. I know this isn't going to be a lot of people's cup of tea musically, but it's what I make.

If you have any advice on the mix I'd like to hear it. I tried some new things with panning, I just don't like when one instrument is all on one side fully, it sort of bothers my ears. So i did autopanning stuff, first attempt at that.

I don't know what I'm doing with eq'ing. I cut the highs and lows off a bit, brought down some forceful frequencies, nothing major though.

There's a lot going on in the piece, about 30 midi tracks total. Definitely the most complicated song I've made. It's always a bugger with endings and making the whole thing come to an understandable, workable closure. It isn't perfect, not exactly how I envision it sounding, but I think I got it pretty close and it's at a place where it's done for me.

Still though I have no way of learning what I need to work on with mixing if I don't ask and get suggestions. I don't have musician people in my life or online, I'm a bit of a loner lol. So being vulnerable and asking generally here is the easiest and maybe best way to learn.

[Allomerus]

I enjoyed this. Nice flow to it and interesting sounds. I think the rumbling synth with a lot of bass is muddying it up and taking up space. You could try reducing some frequencies in that track so that the feel is still there but not washing over everything.
The piano is very cool.
Well done!

[SomethingSomeone]

Thank you for this. I'm using only headphones, my speakers are back home, so it's impossible to get listens on different devices. i'll try cutting out some lower frequencies. Would it make sense to keep some of those lower frequencies in until the kick starts? I would have to split the bass synth track thing into two tracks maybe

[Mike777]

I like this piece! The piano is great. I agree the bass is muddy on my PC mini monitor speakers. Also the notes it's playing is undefined but like with delay or reverb. In mixing it's rare to add reverb or delay to the bass. Usually a tad of chorus.

Also, the bass EQ has too much mid-range. In other words on the bass try using distinct notes, no effects, and cut the mid range.

[vstdls]

Hey! I really like this. I think it flows great, I really like the instruments you used and I think it had a clean resolution/wrap up. I've only been back at this a year or so now too after a 15 year break, and I've been working on improving my EQing and mixing as well, so please understand that the following might be full of sh*t:

The instrument that kicks off the track is mudding up your whole affair. That bassey-drone. I gave my fist listen through my s10 phone, and something was wonky in the low end, so I popped it up on my monitors , and they are not responding well to whatever resonance that drone putting out. Since I gave it a few listens, I decided to run listen 3 through Audiolens to see if it showed up, and since it's playing by itself at 2 sections of this (super good) piece- it stuck out like a sore thumb, right at the start and at around 1:58, a big ol mountain of low-mid resonance that (i think) needs taming. I think it will take the "lid off" the rest of the mix too, which isn't to say the rest of the track sounds muffled, it's clear and I think you did a good job with the auto-panning, since I didn't even notice it until I re-read your post. Keep making more, looking forward to it.

[SomethingSomeone]

Thank you everyone, it means so much to have people listen and give critique (and praise! wow).

I'm going to open back up the song tomorrow and spend time dissecting more the suggestions you are giving me. EQ and understanding frequencies and everything is new to me and I'm sort of struggling with hearing different problem areas in songs. I might come back on this thread to ask some more suggestions when I attempt to make some changes. I'll start by pulling back the lower frequencies on the more bassy stuff. Also going to check out what audiolens is and see if that is something that would help me

Hey! I really like this. I think it flows great, I really like the instruments you used and I think it had a clean resolution/wrap up. I've only been back at this a year or so now too after a 15 year break, and I've been working on improving my EQing and mixing as well, so please understand that the following might be full of sh*t:

The instrument that kicks off the track is mudding up your whole affair. That bassey-drone. I gave my fist listen through my s10 phone, and something was wonky in the low end, so I popped it up on my monitors , and they are not responding well to whatever resonance that drone putting out. Since I gave it a few listens, I decided to run listen 3 through Audiolens to see if it showed up, and since it's playing by itself at 2 sections of this (super good) piece- it stuck out like a sore thumb, right at the start and at around 1:58, a big ol mountain of low-mid resonance that (i think) needs taming. I think it will take the "lid off" the rest of the mix too, which isn't to say the rest of the track sounds muffled, it's clear and I think you did a good job with the auto-panning, since I didn't even notice it until I re-read your post. Keep making more, looking forward to it.

I like this piece! The piano is great. I agree the bass is muddy on my PC mini monitor speakers. Also the notes it's playing is undefined but like with delay or reverb. In mixing it's rare to add reverb or delay to the bass. Usually a tad of chorus.

Also, the bass EQ has too much mid-range. In other words on the bass try using distinct notes, no effects, and cut the mid range.

[vstdls]

Audiolens is not the right tool by any standard to do what I did, but it's all I could use from my toolbox because it was a Soundcloud stream, not a local file. I would solo that instrument with an analyzer, or even a visual EQ on your master track so you can see the frequency hump I was trying to describe. If you don't have a visual EQ grab ReaPlugs for nothing: https://www.reaper.fm/reaplugs/ or grab a Neutron or Ozone Elements license from someone in buy/sell for $5-$10. Your other tracks sound great, so I'm sure you've probably already got an appropriate tool.

[Moe Shinola]

Beautiful buildup. Reminds me of rain in the night, and moisture everywhere as the sun comes up. The sounds are all very clean, for a tune like this that's great. Beautiful, man.

[hyp]

Definitely special electroacoustic fusion.. Effervescent!
And I didn't expect the beat crescendo in the second half.

[SomethingSomeone]

I booted up the song today and I definitely see/hear what you guys are saying. I tried muting the bassey drone thing entirely (which is actually just wind noise manipulated a little) and I really see how everything else in the track is then really heard and comes out better. But also it feels very naked without that and I still want to have it or something similar to keep that atmosphere backing throughout.

So I tried bringing down the volume of it quite a bit, which was better. And then i cut more of the mid and more of the bass off it in the equalizer, and it took up less room overall in the mix, but also had less of the effect I want it to have overall.

I need to play with it more. In my headphones it doesn't feel overpowered and gives that kind of atmosphere blanket feeling I want, but when i turn the bass boost on or play it from soundcloud i really do notice it being a bit much.

I'll try some things with it and play around. I feel sort of meh today, uninspired. I need to start something new and get my feelings into something new.

Thank you everyone it feels so good and means so much to me having people listen and share ideas about the song.

Also hyp, I never heard of the genre electroacoustic and I'm reading on it and it is very resonant with what I do or try to do or whatever just comes out. Genre labeling is difficult to me and I never know exactly what to call my stuff. So electroacoustic makes sense or maybe even a direction i can focus with.

Thank you!

Beautiful buildup. Reminds me of rain in the night, and moisture everywhere as the sun comes up. The sounds are all very clean, for a tune like this that's great. Beautiful, man.

Definitely special electroacoustic fusion.. Effervescent!
And I didn't expect the beat crescendo in the second half.