My first song playing with a REAL drummer (mix advice would be appreciated)

Justin V · #1 04-06-2005, 03:20 AM

Ok. Over spring break (two weeks ago), my band's drummer and I recorded a "rough and dirty" version of a new song that I wrote for the band at my best friend's dad's home studio. Our guitarist was busy the whole week trying to entertain some buddies of his from ASU who had come home with him for break (that's another rant), so I didn't have time to teach him the guitar parts and wound up playing those myself (hence the guit-tone being a bit "gain-y").

Anyway, I've been working on the mix in Garage Band for the last couple of weeks. I think I've mostly got it to where I want it, considering the limitations of the guitar tone and my general lack of knowledge in mixing such things and my inadequate monitoring system ($30 Sony headphones and some sketchy computer speakers, with the occasional trip to the car to check on that system).

I've put up what I've got so far icompositions. Any thoughts, advice and feedback would be more than welcome. I'd just like to note that the vocal parts are going to be divied up between me and my drummer in the "final" version of the song when we get together as a full band in the summer.

Here's the song: So Young, So Cold (studio demo)

fallon · #2 04-06-2005, 05:40 PM

I think the quality of the recording is fine and the mix will benefit from tweeking but the tune goes through two or three different musical styles and moods which contradict the opening bars,leaving the listener(me) a bit confused.The vocal style fits the opening bars but does not change to suit the changing moods of the tune.

Just my thoughts.

Justin V · #3 04-06-2005, 09:53 PM

Thanks for listening. What specifically about the mix do you think could use the tweaking? Honestly, I'm really new to mixing with real drums, so I'm sort-of going into this blind. Do you like the song as a whole?

And the whole band knows that the vocal part needs some major tweaking. My drummer will be singing the two pre-choruses when it goes to 6/8 and I'm kicking around the idea of having some "crew vocals" (think Dropkick Murphys with more attitude, I guess) on the "So young, so cold" part of the chorus. But this is meant to be a "quick and dirty" demo, so those ideas didn't quite have time to make it.

Anybody else have any thoughts/suggestions?

martyman5000 · #4 04-07-2005, 08:36 AM

The vocalist sounds subdued...but the mix of him is too loud. The band sounds tight but I don't feel any emotion.

fallon · #5 04-07-2005, 04:37 PM

Hi Justin,

When I say the mix needs tweaking,its more a compliment than a criticism;it's nearly there and to these ears you've done well.Get the vocals down a bit and take some of the dryness out of them,and more importantly stick with the theme that the tune starts out with?

Just my thoughts.

chips · #6 04-08-2005, 01:57 AM

nice work, the song sounds good. i agree with the vocals being too high, and those couple of pops on the bass near the start sounded a bit sharp, like the levels were going too high?.. i really dig the calmer part of the song, maybe a smoother transition from there into the chorus? these are just my thoughts though, uve done well so far

Peace
Chips

Justin V · #7 04-08-2005, 03:19 PM

Thanks for the feedback guys. It's VERY much appreciated.

The vocals. Wow, they are pretty dry. I guess that's what happens when I try to lay down vocal tracks in a hurry. I'm gonna have to work on that before summer.

The transitions. Does it really show that I'm new to this whole "more than three chord progressions" thing? lol. I've got a feeling that once we get together as band, most of those'll clean up a bit (I might be switching to rhythm guitar to make singing easier, so that would free up Tyler to do some lead-work).

I did some tweaking to the mix and I think it sounds better, especially the vocals. I put it on the band's myspace page (link is in my sig). Check out our other stuff, too. What's up there is kind of a quick review of our stuff. Tell me what you guys think of us at this point. We really need to get some more recordings with Maia, though. It's still amazing to me what having a REAL drummer can do to a band Is it bad to have a band with 3-4 fairly distinctive sounds depending on who wrote the song?