[LAU] Nepalese Song - improving mix?

[Patrick Shirkey]

On Fri, May 3, 2013 4:01 am, James Stone wrote:
> Thanks everyone!
>
> This is my "improved" mix - based on comments here, and some more
> tweaking!
> Not sure my skills are up to all the suggestions that were made, but this
> is to the best of my ability:
>
> https://soundcloud.com/jmstone/m/download/s-SIyAE
>
> By the way, I am not sure if my condenser mic is breaking - the vocals
> sound a bit distorted despite being recorded at below clipping levels -
> any
> experts here care to comment?
>
> My friend is very happy with it, and is planning to submit it to a local
> Nepali radio station  in the UK - so we will see what comes of it.
>
> No plans to record an album or anything - the guitar/bass player is back
> in
> Nepal now..
>
> Incidentally, the two of them were relatively famous in the 90s in Nepal
> with a song they recorded together, but apparently no recordings of it are
> left (they were recorded onto cassette and distributed to radio stations,
> but never released)..
>

To my ear the first mix sounded more authentic as a Nepalese love song but
the second mix is definitely smoother and more radio friendly. I really
like how you brought out the cleanness of the guitar in the second stanza.

If you can release the stems I am interested in taking a shot at dubbing
that mix out. I have been privileged to work with some of the best at that
artform* so it's possible some of it has rubbed off by now. It will give
me a reason to take the latest version of Ardour for a spin too ;-)

I may even be able to get some input from one of the masters (but no
promises).

* http://djcj.org/events/index.php?id=6
* http://djcj.org/events/index.php?id=10



Patrick

> James
>
> On Thu, May 2, 2013 at 5:48 PM, Set Hallstrom <sakrecoer at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Very cosy music!
>>
>> I'd like to advise you to follow Q's advice, but make an exception on
>> the snare+bassdrum and the bassguitar.
>>
>> I think the vocal level is good, but perhaps i would think different if
>> i understood what he says (beautyfull language btw)
>>
>> Thanks for the music! Feel free to ad my email to any release anouncment
>> list.
>>
>> *Set
>>
>> On 2013-05-01 23:36, Q wrote:
>> > Probably a bit of everything -- might be as easy to do it on the
>> master
>> > bus.
>> >
>> > Q
>> >
>> > On 01/05/13 22:32, James Stone wrote:
>> >> Thanks for listening, and thanks for the comments.. I will continue
>> >> tweaking :)
>> >>
>> >> What were you thinking I could cut low-mids from?
>> >>
>> >> James
>> >>
>> >> On Wed, May 1, 2013 at 8:20 PM, Q <lists at quirq.ukfsn.org
>> >> <mailto:lists at quirq.ukfsn.org>> wrote:
>> >>
>> >>     On 01/05/13 09:27, James Stone wrote:
>> >>
>> >>         HI Everyone,
>> >>
>> >>         Here is a song I recorded with a friend of mine who is a
>> Nepalese
>> >>         singer, and one of his friends who played the guitar and bass
>> >> on the
>> >>         track. It has taken me ages to get round to finishing it,
>> >>         because I was
>> >>         having real troubles coming up with some drums that fitted
>> the
>> >>         song OK.
>> >>
>> >>         This is the current version, mixed in Mixbus. I would
>> >> appreciate any
>> >>         thoughts on the song, and also the mix.
>> >>
>> >>         https://soundcloud.com/__jmstone/roughmix2/download/s-__qgo8P
>> >>         <https://soundcloud.com/jmstone/roughmix2/download/s-qgo8P>
>> >>
>> >>         James
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>     Hi
>> >>
>> >>     Just had a listen to this and it sounds pretty nice as it stands.
>> >>
>> >>     You could probably clear out the low mids a little to improve
>> >>     clarity, but don't overdo it or you'll lose too much warmth.
>> >>
>> >>     The vocal drops in and out a bit, especially early on (I think
>> it's
>> >>     probably the lower register bits that are most affected). I guess
>> >>     it'd probably be better to automate the volume rather than
>> compress,
>> >>     although some light compression mightn't go astray. The guitar
>> has a
>> >>     tendency to overpower the vocal as well, but it might be okay
>> once
>> >>     the vocal level is higher, but if not, maybe EQ the guitar a bit
>> to
>> >>     reduce the clash.
>> >>
>> >>     The main guitar solo (from 3.10) needs to be more upfront I'd
>> say,
>> >>     lose a lot of the reverb and it'd be a lot better. Perhaps use
>> some
>> >>     delay to make it big without pushing it into the background like
>> the
>> >>     reverb's doing. It's a bit thin sounding as well and the level a
>> bit
>> >>     inconsistent.
>> >>
>> >>     It's a pleasant sounding piece, nice and mellow. Nice playing and
>> >>     the singer's got a good voice. However, with not being able to
>> infer
>> >>     any emotional intensity from the vocals, it all sounds a bit
>> flat,
>> >>     on the same level -- the piece could do with some contour to it,
>> a
>> >>     sense of building and releasing in the music.
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>     Q
>> >>
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--
Patrick Shirkey
Boost Hardware Ltd