Please critique this mix

I've heard demo versions of this track before - which you sent me and I love. Nice to see it evolving. I love it even more now!

My first impression on listening to this mix is that the crashes seem just a couple of dB too prominent for me. Especially on small speakers - less so when balanced out against lower frequencies on my studio monitors, but I'd still like to try them lower if it was me fiddling with the mix. Ride is okay - if anything the ride is a little quiet.

Don't think it's an invalid aesthetic choice or anything - if that's what you're going for, then all good. That's just the main thing that hit me off the bat when in "critical mode".

Only other thing I noticed was that the bass EQ seems a little undefined (could be tighter). Overpowering even. Confirmed by a pair HD 6XX. But again, maybe you're going for a heavy and rumbling aesthetic with the menacing groove?

Caveats: older compromised ears here and all that; plus I'm not an experienced mixer or anything. I still got opinions though!

Anyway, still enjoying it, and if you hadn't asked us to be critical I would love it as is.
 
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Cool song! I like the intro and the mix a lot -- well done. But since you asked for critique (bad idea :rofl) the only thing that stood out to me was the low end could be tamed a bit and it feels a bit 'swirly'. Maybe that's your intent but have you tried it a bit more centered?

I know my mixes could always be better, so that's why I don't ask others to critique. :grin
 
Beautiful reverbs

Solid thump

Agree on “centering” bass for giggles and see how that sits …

You’ll hate me for his, but I bet if you ran ozone11 it would pop the vocals. Ymmv,

kick and snare are solid - I’m a more upfront guy

I like more hat and ride but I can’t hear for shit

Nice work 👍❤️🙏
 
Love it.

Big stand out for me was the vocals need some de-essing on some of the sharp S'eses in there

Good tune tho :beer
 
It sounds professional as is. Any changes at this point would be stylistic which to me are all you. I struggle with completing mixes as I keep moving things around and never stop. Just never happy I guess. I really like it as is.
 
Sounds fucking great!

The only thing I would do differently is in regards to the drums dynamics. From the time they come in until the vocals start, I'd have them build up in dynamics getting pretty loud right up until the vocals come in just to give that verse some distinction. bring them back down for that verse right up until 3:20 and bring them back up, not so much the volume but the drum hits/velocities themselves. Then the same thing again towards the end, at 7:20 I'd have those drums come crashing the fuck down.

The kind of dynamics shifts I'm talking about are displayed pretty well here; it's timestamped, as the song progresses from this point on Danny is gradually hitting harder and harder. When he comes in at 9:40, that's what I'm talking about with my suggestion around 3:20 in your song; he's played that same verse groove twice before, but this time he's really hitting the drums a lot harder than the first two times. That's some of my favorite Danny Carey shit, he rides the dynamics of the drums to ebb and flow within the songs and it has a ton of impact in the final result.

I'm getting flashbacks though, did I already offer these same suggestions months back? :rofl
 
Print and stamp that shit, and then run with it. Awesome! :headbang

I was leaning into a key/chord change that never came, but I understand that
is a composition choice and not a mixing one. That one chord/key droning thing
is very cool, and I am an huge fan of it. 9+ minutes is getting you into Indian Raga
territory, though. More Sitar! :LOL:
 
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Hmmmm. So yeah, I don't think it is too far away.

100% some de-essimg required. Stands out like a sore thumb to me now.

Ride could do with a touch more volume.

I think I could sidechain compress the bass and guitars with kick and snare to make the drums pop out a bit more.

Those high notes in riff 2 could do with a bit of volume management on the guitars.

I'd like the bass to be a bit more present, but not in that typical boost the highs darkglass approach that is so common these days. I was going for something similar to the package by a perfect circle.

Synths could do with a bit of stereo movement in places. Not because there are problems but because it would be more creative.

That telephone synth that rings throughout the entire track needs to come down for the verses a bit.
 
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Oh and I'm pretty sure the drums need some extra grooves. Just some sexy signature tom fills and stuff, here and there.
 
Orvillain said:
Oh and I'm pretty sure the drums need some extra grooves. Just some sexy signature tom fills and stuff, here and there.
Click to expand...

I love it when I’m sitting in the chair… for some stupid or sinful reason, I’ve avoided it for five or six weeks now… WTF?

Tomorrow lol 😂
 
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