KVR Audio

synaesthesia · Post by **synaesthesia** » Sat Jan 10, 2015 7:13 pm

Compyfox wrote:CURRENT CHALLENGE - GENERAL INFORMATION

A word from the song provider:

Doc Jon wrote:This track was produced for a competition run by Synthmob featuring presets and sounds designed by The Unfinished. (I didn't win anything )

I remember enjoyin listening to it though! Pretty sure it made my short list!

Compyfox · Post by **Compyfox** » Sun Jan 11, 2015 1:20 am

Ringing in the bell for the final 24 hours of the first mix round!
Please get your songs in!

Furthermore - a PSA:
Those people that follow KVR Audio's board feed to the right, might have already heard by now that Camel Audio has suddenly closed doors. The official announcement can be found in the Camel Audio Sub-Board.

Due to this, we unfortunately have to pull Camel Audio as sponsor from the current KVR Mix Challenge, and all future ones. We are really sorry about that, but this is beyond our control. A huge thank you goes out to to Camel Audio for providing great plugins to all KVR Audio challenges.

On the other hand, Tone2 is offering another plugin for the KVR Mix Challenge. You can now either get a bundle of Acoustix and Warmverb, or the new and recently released Ultraspace.

PALU · Post by **PALU** » Sun Jan 11, 2015 1:47 pm

Ok. Here's my mix:

MP3
http://paluchowski.pl/Doc%20Jon%20-%20V ... lonykp.mp3

WAV
http://paluchowski.pl/Doc%20Jon%20-%20V ... lonykp.wav

I've tried to find a place for everything - in stereo panorama, in frequencies and in time (volume automation). It wasn't easy to be honest

. I did a lot of volume automation to give the track some more dramaturgy and movement. For reverb I've used ValhallaVintageVerb with the new Smooth Plate mode and I used it plenty

.

CYMBAL AMBIENCE
GlissEQ - from the second one a highpass around 60Hz, a boost around 250Hz
TAL-DUB-II - for some overdriven echos
Nugen Stereoizer - to make it wide

BELL FX
NF Echoes - with a modulation turned up

DRUMS DRONE BEAT
GlissEQ - highpass, boost to make the BD more pronounced and another one (a BIG one) for the synth sound, highshelf to get rid of harshness
ValhallaVintageVerb - a roomy reverb
Nugen Monofilter - to get low frequencies to the center

DRUMS PERCUSSION PAN and DRUMS PAN
panned wide left and right

DRUMS TRIBAL BEAT
GlissEQ - highpass, boosts to make the taikos attacks more pronounced
Sknote Snap - to get more attack
GlissEQ - to further shape the sound
Nugen Monofilter - to get low frequencies to the center

I spend a long time to get the cymbals sound better - I really didn’t like how they sounded dry and cut abruptly. I tried many things, but the problem was that when cymbals sounded better the taikos sounded muffled/dull. So in the end I made another track with only them on the track and with big reverb, echo trail and eqs. So I had to find a balance and I’m still not happy with the effect.

BASS SEQ BASS
NF Magnetic - to get more bottom end and some harmonics to make the bass better translate on speakers.
NF Cosmos - MORE BOTTOM END!

Nugen Monofilter - to get low frequencies to the center

PAD WARM PAD
I’ve divided it into two tracks - the lowpassed one and highpassed one.

PAD WARM PAD LOW
Guitar Rig 5 - to get some Small Stone Phasing
NF Magnetic - to get more bottom end
Nugen Monofilter and Stereoizer - to get low frequencies to the center

PAD WARM PAD HIGH
RP-Delay - for some ping-pong wide echoes
Nugen Stereoizer - to make it even wider
EQs

PAD ABBEY PAD
GlissEQ

PAD 70s BRASS PAD
panned slightly left
GlissEQ
Acon Digital Multiply - to make it richer
Nugen Stereoizer - to control the stereo field

PAD CHIME DRONE
panned right
GlissEQ

PAD MONASTERY PAD
GlissEQ

PAD WIDE ORGAN PAD
GlissEQ
Nugen Stereoizer - to make it wider

PAD ASTRAL PAD
panned left
GlissEQ

PAD ORGAN PAD
panned right
GlissEQ

PAD TREMOLO PAD
GlissEQ
FXpansion Etch - modulated filter sweep
Nugen Stereoizer - to control the stereo field

PAD DISTANT MELODY
NF Echoes - with a modulation turned up
GlissEQ
Reaktor - with Tape Machine tape emulation for tape warp and wow

KEYS 80s SYNTH
Nugen Stereoizer - to control the stereo field

PLUCK ETHNIC BELLS and ETHNIC PLUCK
TAL Chorus-60
NF Echoes

STRINGS MASSIVE HIGH and MASSIVE STRINGS 1 and 2
GlissEQ
Nugen Stereoplacer and Stereoizer - to control the stereo field

MASTER BUSS
NF Magnetic - for some bass and high boost
Nugen Monofilter
Polysquasher

jhkennedy5 · Post by **jhkennedy5** » Sun Jan 11, 2015 8:31 pm

My MC07 submission:

MP3: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/896 ... 20MC07.mp3

WAV:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/896 ... 20MC07.wav

Nothing too unusual. HPF on most tracks. Multiband compressor on the bass. A couple of delay effects on the bells. Biggest challenge was balancing the low-end while achieving the BIG second half of the song. Not sure how well I accomplished this. Thanks.

Compyfox · Post by **Compyfox** » Mon Jan 12, 2015 4:34 pm

We have the 12th January.
The first round of the KVR Mix Challenge 07 has officially ended

Thank you for your participation.

If you haven't done so already, please update your posts with as much information as you seem fit. And please keep an eye on this thread for further announcements.

In the meantime - why not spread the word about the Mix Challenge?
For example through Twitter with #kvrmixchallenge

And if you like to see your track mixed by the excellent talents of the KVR Audio Mix Challenge - please get in touch with us.

Doc Jon · Post by **Doc Jon** » Tue Jan 13, 2015 11:16 pm

Excellent, I make that 10 tracks, all downloaded and listening has started
Will report back over next couple of days with feedback and the second round selection
Hope to report back by the end of Thursday 15th

Jon

synaesthesia wrote: I remember enjoyin listening to it though! Pretty sure it made my short list!

Cheers Matt!

Doc Jon · Post by **Doc Jon** » Thu Jan 15, 2015 11:48 pm

Thanks to all the participants, it has been an illuminating exercise and I can only apologise for presenting you with such a mess of sounds which I did realise might cause some problems
I was looking for a contrast between the two sections, and a clear mix removing as much of the mud as possible with all the competing pad sounds, while managing to retain some of the important low end power in the second section

Disclaimer - I must admit to being just a hobby musician at home so I make no claim to have any specialist mix knowledge!!

I have to say that all the mixes were good and any one of them could have been taken forward to the second round with appropriate changes but in the end I chose those which were already further towards what I was looking for. I kept changing my mind, even up to a minute before posting - but anyway, here we go:

Top 5 (in random order)

Fender19 – Nice uncomplicated mix in the first section, I like the way you found those low frequency sounds and brought them out (maybe a little too much). I like the way you fade into the second section and there certainly is power there, in fact too much in some respects - the low frequencies are overpowering - but behind all that there seems to be a good mix. I would like to hear it again with the low frequencies tamed a little please

Geroyannis – great mix, love the first section, those soft low frequencies are great. Second section not bad at all, maybe a little more high end to add some clarity. I’m not keen on the phasing/flanging/filter effect after the final gong strike at the end, if that could be removed please! Final outro sound after tune ends needs to be quieter

Photonic – excellent clear mix in both section and you’ve really nailed the low end very well indeed. The overall balance is the closest to the original track out of all the mixes here so I really cannot suggest any major changes required and this mix stands as the one to beat. Feel free to make any tweaks you think are needed, but frankly I like it as it is!

Shroomfeverish – nice balance of sounds in the first section, I do like what you’ve done with the heavily panned bell sounds. Second section equally good and a well balanced mix. I find it hard to suggest any major changes here, maybe the first section could be just a little quieter to enhance the contrast with the second half and the final outro after the end of the track could be reduced in volume but that really is me being very picky

Westcoast2 – a good mix but I thought it needed a little more of the higher frequencies in the first section, and more bottom end oomph in the second section. Good mix though

The best of the rest (in random order)

MixedMind – A good mix. I liked your use of panning and stereo field in your mix. I felt that some of the elements in the first section were a little lost in the mix due to the central pad sound being too prominent and this also reduced the contrast between the two sections. The second section could have done with a little more defined low end oomph

Piranha81 – Nice mix. First section a little too loud I think which diminishes the contrast with the second section. The pads sound a little distant in the second section and while I can’t be exactly sure what has caused this I wonder whether it is the side effect of overuse widening plugins which has led to this effect where some simple panning of the different pads might be more effective. Only just missed out on top 5

Szalonykp – I liked the ambience you created in the first section with your use of stereo field and delay, in fact the whole first section was great. Second section sounded a little hollow and not as clear and powerful as I had wanted, lacking in top and bottom end

Mwaudioprod – nice mix with a good contrast between the two sections. Some elements seem to have been buried a little in the mix and would have liked a little more top end clarity in the second section. Sound levels seemed to peaking a little high in places

JimKennedy – I though the mix balance across the frequency range was very good but I found the spread of sounds across the stereo field a little too extreme which seemed to diminish the power in the second section

Best of luck to the top 5, sorry to the rest, and thanks to everyone for participating

Jon

Compyfox · Post by **Compyfox** » Fri Jan 16, 2015 12:22 am

Thanks for the summary, Jon.

As per the rules, we usually have "6 out of all" that go into the next round. But I think since the participation is a bit low, we can turn a blind eye and continue with round 2.

The deadline for Mix Round 2 is 20-01-2015 11:59pm PST
Thank you once more for your participation, and good luck!

PALU · Post by **PALU** » Fri Jan 16, 2015 6:30 am

Thanks for the feedback and congrats to guys in the second round!

photonic · Post by **photonic** » Fri Jan 16, 2015 8:31 am

Hello Doc,

Thank you very much for your kind words! I am very happy with this review.

Now I will listen again with a bigger timely distance to my mix and I will also compare it to the other top 5. Maybe I will tweak it a little, dunno yet.

mwaudioprod · Post by **mwaudioprod** » Fri Jan 16, 2015 4:14 pm

@ Doc Jon
Thank you for your feedback!

photonic · Post by **photonic** » Sat Jan 17, 2015 1:43 pm

Hi,

Here is my new mix for round 2. I only did some cosmetics to volume automation and some EQs. No big changes, only subtle improvements (hopefully).

WAV: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/717 ... otonic.wav
MP3: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/717 ... otonic.mp3

Uncle E · Post by **Uncle E** » Sun Jan 18, 2015 8:56 am

Hi everyone,

I'm too late to officially enter or win any prizes but I would appreciate it if you would critique my mix and tell me what you think can be improved:

https://soundcloud.com/jrrshop/valley-o ... tus-dragon

EQ's: UAD Pultec EQP-1A and MEQ-5
Compressors: UAD Precision Buss Compressor, SSL G Buss Compressor, Manley Vari-MU
Effects: UAD Lexicon 224, EP-34 Tape Echo, Roland Dimension D

piranha81 · Post by **piranha81** » Sun Jan 18, 2015 1:30 pm

Doc Jon wrote:Piranha81 – Nice mix. First section a little too loud I think which diminishes the contrast with the second section. The pads sound a little distant in the second section and while I can’t be exactly sure what has caused this I wonder whether it is the side effect of overuse widening plugins which has led to this effect where some simple panning of the different pads might be more effective. Only just missed out on top 5

Thanks for the kind and encouraging words. I totally agree for the first part loudness, I shold have put more thought at making the first part less aggressive. I also agree with the part about the pannig: I've always been a little bit confused about panning of stereo tracks, next time I'll work more on this part of the mixing workflow. Your opinion is inspiring me to continue to work and grow as an audio engineer!

shroom feverish · Post by **shroom feverish** » Sun Jan 18, 2015 2:06 pm

Here is my mix for round 2.

wav
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1cnad ... sp=sharing

mp3
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1cnad ... sp=sharing

Did level automation on first and last part of the song. Also automation of LPFilter in first section to make it darker.

KVR MIX CHALLENGE - MC07 December 2014 - Winners announced