Thanks for the detailed commentary, Roman. I do appreciate it. I have neither the ears nor the layout to be a great mixer so I rely heavily on people's thoughts to edge my mixes to acceptability one tweak at a time. Let me take your points in turn.
Roman wrote: ↑Thu Jun 15, 2017 2:07 am
I don't know which version I heard, but for the record it was the one on the first page of the other site.
After a few listens, here are my comments.
1) I like the tune. A lot actually. But it wouldn't end up on any playlist of mine. Why you may ask if I like it alot? Seems like you're contradicting yourself.
Here's why. Upon the first few listens it is cool because it's fresh and different. After the third listen it becomes boring because it drags along. Which brings me to mix/production stuff.
Thanks. Yeah - I'm completely bored with it mysef. In hindsight it's slower than I'd normally do, but tracking the delaying guitars was such a bitch I wasn't going to do them again. I know what you mean by dragging, and I get that it's the drums.
I will, however, miss the $0.40 from iTunes, now that you're not going to buy it for your playlist. What will I feed the children tonight?
Roman wrote: ↑Thu Jun 15, 2017 2:07 am
2) Drums. This is what's making the song drag. I'd love to hear this with a good to great real drummer.
As is, the drums seem like a feather blowing around on a lazy spring day. No real direction, no purpose.
Mixwise, the intro snare is damn quiet, then gets louder. It seems all over the place.
So would I. Alas, one must make do with what one has. So - the intro snare is a stick, not a hit - thus quiet. The rest of the snares, in a limited band, are the same throughout the song, so it's not all over the place as such, which brings me to the belief that we're talking relative volume, rather than absolute. This is one of the great challenges of MIDI drums when you're not a drummer. Knowing how real drummers operate and being able to realistically emulate that.
Interestingly, after getting relentless criticism from Robus over at HR about my overly fancy drum patterns, I deliberately straightened this one out - and now they're too plain! Aaaaargggh. Can't win.
I don't have any particular ideas as to what I might do, but I may play with them over the weekend.
Anyway, I've adjusted the hits a little in bars, to more reflect the overall volume that's going on at the time.
Roman wrote: ↑Thu Jun 15, 2017 2:07 am
3) I Like the vocals. I like the dry in your face sound of it.
It could use some automation as it's hard to hear at times.
On old school analog mixing systems, I know I'd be constantly riding that lead vocal fader.
You'd be completely horrified if you saw the level of automation that's already applied. Comes of my not being, technically, a great singer and still struggling with getting consistent levels "to tape" with a reasonably dynamic song. Problem is that the automation that's there clearly isn't quite right, and you get into the brain filling in the spaces with your own stuff, and that's what I struggle with. Hard to be objective. One minute I think it's right, then next time it's "What was I thinking..." Still. I'll continue to tinker, after walking away for suitable periods of time to refresh the ears.
Roman wrote: ↑Thu Jun 15, 2017 2:07 am
4) dig the guitars but think it is a bit louder in the left than right. (Unless my ears are shot right now)
I solo'd all the guitars and did some adjusting - should be better now.
Roman wrote: ↑Thu Jun 15, 2017 2:07 am
So in conclusion, I think you got a cool song, but it's screaming for a drummer to set the direction and move the tune along. (If that happened, it might end up in my playlist after all.
Will see what I can do. I haven't update the file yet and won't now until the weekend. Will give the drumming some further thought... I want that $0.40!