United Kingdom

Hi,

I recently joined the site and have uploaded 6 new guitar instrumental mp3s in a Rock/Blues style. I would appreciate any comments re the mix e.g. overall quality, balance, sound stage and radio ready quality.

Feedback tells me that my mixes are too hot and sound distorted on some systems and, despite my best efforts, that they are nowhere near radio ready quality.

Is there a 'rule of thumb' for mixing tracks for a wide range of low/hi fi systems and mobile phones/ipods etc? Can anyone out there offer a low cost stem mastering service that keeps the track punch, depth and volume, without the severe 'Radio 2 style' compression?

Profile and sample tracks at:

http://www.bandmix.co.uk/phillip-foxley

Thanks
Phil

Google 'Loudness Wars' and you'll see absolute volume rants about the whole ultra-compressed sound problem. Works for deathmetal that is nothing but pure decibals, but for other formats, dynamic range can make or break the music.
When I sent the files for the songs on my first CD to a mastering studio, the first comment was that he was glad he didn't see the usual 'sausage' wave form that comes from over-compressing the master tracks!

Haven't had the chance to listen to your samples yet.

When I mix, I burn a copy of the song to CD, then listen on as many systems as I can to see what needs to be changed. My stock CD player in my Nissan truck is a great 'listening studio' as I know what well-produced good-sounding discs sound like on it. It's always a good idea to try listening at low volume, too - or walk into the next room when the volume is at a medium level and see what it sounds like from 'a distance'.

Sounds like a combo of Rainbow and Yngwie Malmsteen.

Google 'Loudness Wars' and you'll see absolute volume rants about the whole ultra-compressed sound problem. Works for deathmetal that is nothing but pure decibals, but for other formats, dynamic range can make or break the music.
When I sent the files for the songs on my first CD to a mastering studio, the first comment was that he was glad he didn't see the usual 'sausage' wave form that comes from over-compressing the master tracks!

Haven't had the chance to listen to your samples yet.

When I mix, I burn a copy of the song to CD, then listen on as many systems as I can to see what needs to be changed. My stock CD player in my Nissan truck is a great 'listening studio' as I know what well-produced good-sounding discs sound like on it. It's always a good idea to try listening at low volume, too - or walk into the next room when the volume is at a medium level and see what it sounds like from 'a distance'.

That's exactly what the Guy I record with is doing... As a final step in the mixing, he test levels. etc in Car steros, various other platforms and units... then he proceeds to get them mastered...

Hey Phillip, your tunes sounded good on my computer speakers, not quite lo-fi, but close!

Hi guys,

well, I got an answer to mix mix/master question.

An experienced sound engineer contacted me with the comment "to get the best sound to play for all kinds of systems, it's all to do with choosing the right frequencies - particularly bass frequencies. So the smaller speakers need a higher bass harmonic content otherwise the bass just disappears, whereas the larger speaker systems need the lower frequencies for the punch. It's simply a question of mixing with that in mind".

Obvious really when I think about it, but it has made a big difference to the way I mix my tracks from now on.

RGds
Phil