August Mix Challenge 2022

[Melissa BellParticipant]

Alright folks, I've exhausted the 5 or so hours I managed to set aside for this, so we're ready to go! The song you're mixing is "Stay" by The Workday Release, and the goal is to replicate my mix as closely as possible!

The Rules

• Use any DAW, any plugins, any hardware you want to achieve the goal, using only the original multitracks (don't just re-export my mix, thanks).
• Match my mix as closely as you can! You don't have to like my mix (there are things I’m not sure I like about it), but the goal IS to recreate it as closely as possible.
• I made sure to do a few interesting things, and will be very curious to see how close people get AND how they achieved it!
• The one exception is that I didn't have enough time to do all the de-essing I'd normally do on a lead vocal with these kinds of sibilants to the standard I'd like to have achieved, so if you want to do better, by all means, do better there.

Multitracks Link: https://plapacademy.s3.amazonaws.com/Academy+Multitracks/The%2BWorkday%2BRelease%2BStay%2BMultitracks.zip

My Reference Mix: https://www.dropbox.com/s/m7d3k723owoffr7/The%20Workday%20Release%20-%20Stay%20-%20Reference%20Mix.wav?dl=0

My reference mix should line up at the start of the session with the original multitracks for your convenience. No editing (beyond muting and volume envelopes), tuning, etc. was done. If you are a member of the PLAP Discord, we have a channel to discuss this there as well (#monthly-challenges).

Good luck!

• This topic was modified 1 year ago by Melissa Bell.

[Paul MotionParticipant]

Excellent! Thanks Mel.... excited for something a little different 🙂

[Arthur LabusModerator]

Thats what i call a challenge !

 

[Thorsten GolderParticipant]

Here is my (2nd) take on it (after first using the wrong reference. 🙂

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QiI-tdU4xnEiCE52l92YgzVgC4p53lsv/view?usp=sharing

[Eric MathisParticipant]

Here is my link. Not 100% accurate to the original mix... but not too shabby for just finding out about the Produce Like A Pro Mix Challenges and starting this last night. I'm curious to hear what you think.

 

Thank you,

Eric

Cadence Soundlabs

[Mervyn WalkerParticipant]

Hi Thorsten,good mix I think you may have overdone the level change in the intro other than that cant really tell as I have gone ear blind on this track having played it so many times

Eric,there is not any link to your track

[Mervyn WalkerParticipant]

Ok here is my mix,not sure it sounds much like the sample mix,and it started so well but I turned right at al Albuquerque and we all know you should always turn left,,,,and lost my way back

https://drive.google.com/file/d/15_xMMeam3O3hGjNcT_VURW9kSB-UzVOf/view?usp=sharing

comments welcome

Mervyn. looking forward to hearing what everyone else has done

[Melissa BellParticipant]

Hi Thorsten!

I think you've gotten most of the panning and basic levels in the ball park. It sounds like you've gotten the toms relatively close to what I did. If you were to revisit this to get closer, I think you should probably take a look at the overall tonality of things though. I'd also fix the bit where you muted all the piano after the first chorus - it emphasizes some tonal issues with the kick, as well as the squeaky pedal noise in the track. The guitar-led instrumental break towards the end of the song also feels like a completely different treatment (more like the original mix from the session zip, rather than mine).

On the subject of the vocals... I believe that you've done something that leans in the direction of some of what I did, but I'd encourage you to look at the timing and volume of some of the effects you're using. I will say that one interesting thing I did was use a LOT of reverb (too much, really) on the vocals, but made sure to keep the direct vocal out in front of it. I think your vocal is drowning in the reverb a bit, and sounds a bit muffled as a result. That'd be a good thing to look at!

Cheers!

Melissa

• This reply was modified 1 year ago by Melissa Bell.

[Melissa BellParticipant]

Hi Mervyn!

I think there are a lot of tonal and feel differences from my mix here, but I would especially point to the drums. I think you've got the levels in the ballpark in the softer sections, but the drums kind of fall back a bit too much in the bigger sections, and they lack a bit of the driving energy I think they need to carry the track forward. The tip I would give you EQ and compression-wise here is to focus on creating a sense of punchiness, and don't be afraid to get aggressive to do it.

On the other hand, I think you've done a pretty good job of capturing "the basic idea" of how I approached my balances, especially in the choruses! I also want to congratulate you on finding and trying to replicate a few of the automation rides I did - good job paying attention to that stuff! It's not always easy to pick out.

I will say that I'm really interested to see if anybody will get more in the ballpark of my guitar breakdown section. I did a few interesting things in there, and if somebody gets pretty close I'll be super curious to hear what they did!

• This reply was modified 1 year ago by Melissa Bell.
• This reply was modified 1 year ago by Melissa Bell.

[Mervyn WalkerParticipant]

Hi Mellissa thanks for the feedback,rookie mistake on my part I raised the vocal by about 4db in the chorus but forgot the drums will try automating the kick in as it is the more punchier of the two or may even add a transient designer to get it to cut through a bit more

[Scott PeetsParticipant]

A little late to the party 🙂

https://academy.producelikeapro.com/forums/topic/stay-the-workday-release/

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