UNPLUGGED "End of the World" March 2019 Mixing Challenge

[Mark HoldenParticipant]

Hello

As we're posting rough drafts here's my starting point now that I've made room (channel wise) to get the egg shaker out and hopefully a bit more.

https://soundcloud.com/mark-h-841120775/acoustic-stripdown/s-7XNHL (removed latest draft in most recent post)

Mark

[Just LisaParticipant]

So my intention had been to bring the vocals into a session, mix them down to one track and do the same with each group of instruments, so that I would only have 16 max tracks at any stage of the mix. Was that not what you understood?
I will do stripped down mix, however. Can't wait to axe some of the extra vocal parts.
: )

[Mark HoldenParticipant]

Hi Lisa

That is pretty much what I've done with the GTR's (some thinking had to be done to not go over 16 tracks/channels) I have opted for dropping the extra vocals and and other tracks to keep with the acoustic/unplugged theme that was added 🙂

Mark

[KipParticipant]

ok Arthur will go outside the box big time most of the time.... but the mix challenge part is just think of a 1 inch 16 track machine...at least thats how i took it
and if that means mixing down a stereo drums thats how you will commit so you make decision and go with it.in the old days they would bounce down to last track to open up more...now there are challenges that will be more structured and those rule will be spelled out more
so lisa i think you have the right idea(the unpluged thing should be optional not every one will have acces to stuff)...i was just trying to go to Arthur land ...its a magical place

mark i like what you have done the bass carries the song along and the guitars dont sound rockish anymore

[Arthur LabusModerator]

Thank you all !
After one night, i like thies version very much.
Will probably just tweak some things and its ready.

Kip - the guitars are all ftom original multitracks. Keeping the acoustics and took the DI guitars running through "clean" amp sims.
I have only one vocal track.
Some bass parts are made from guitar DI, which are dropped 12 semioctaves to get them in bass teritory. And then reamped with bass amp sim.

Shakers are recorded in several takes.
Only samples here are stomps and bag hits from "very special" library.

Thats it.

What land do you mean Kip ? The Undiscovered Country ? 😉

[Arthur LabusModerator]

Hey Mark !
Great 1st draft man !
You have already everything on board i would say. Good production choices.
I would suggest to "move" the voice more upfront, mainly with less "room" on it.
On the other side the guitar could be less "in the face" and with a bit of reverb or delay.
Bass could be less dominant and boomy. I high passed really high on my mix.
Great stuff Mark. Just details man !

[Just LisaParticipant]

It's nice Mark. Nice and relaxed. : )

[Just LisaParticipant]

Well, you gentlemen are very accomplished! I'm impressed by the sounds I hear so far. I'm getting to work today, finally.
I have my session already loaded, I'm thinking I will disable all of the tracks I'm not using as I go and then reenable them as I create space for them in my 'board'
that sounds right?
I have a question: in the real world if you are mixing this way, how do fx sends work? are they just on the channels? or do you dedicate a channel to a specific piece of gear? I never thought about it until now.
Hopefully, you'll get something from me later today!
: )

[Arthur LabusModerator]

I am using sends pretty rarely.
Du no limitations on Reaper, i mostly duplicate the track for a part with different fx chain 🙂
If i do sends, i use it for certain FX.
Mostly for create delay or ambience in transistions, where some tracks are cut and it becomes too empty there for a second.
Make it sense ?

[KipParticipant]

Ver 2 up
arthur you know like disney land...but with a twist...and twisted lol

lisa so a studio would have a plate/chamber or a reverb/delay unit that might be stereo(outboard gear ) and from the mixer they would send (lets say the vocal) to the reverb and bring it back on channel or bus maybe could be anything.
every piece of gear would have its own return...however if you wanted to send multipal channel sends to a single fx box (i used to do this with electric guitars and drums) you can
this old fashion way of thinking or doing stuff is the only way i can work even in the box or i get lost

• This reply was modified 5 years ago by Kip.

[Mark HoldenParticipant]

Good question Lisa

I'm gathering FX channels are free reign as we didn't set a limit to plug ins and the FX channels are the equivalent to outboard gear (the hardware version of a plugin) so you would run a cable from a channel to the effect and back to the same channel so no extra channels have been added.

[Just LisaParticipant]

I love this.
Trying to think about being efficient. I got my 'groove' edits done. I have bass and guitars sorted out. I have an fx channel for my (virtual) amp for the di gtrs -- I think I will consider it to not be a channel because it's replacing amps that were already recorded. I've got the drum kit represented by five tracks. I have two reverb sends for multiple tracks. I have to start mixing some tracks down further now so I have room to work on the vocals! And I'm afraid to commit! How funny is that?
: )

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