UNPLUGGED "End of the World" March 2019 Mixing Challenge

[Arthur LabusModerator]

Just do it Lisa !

Meanwhile, you headed me up to a good idea.
I will try to send everything to "fake room", lets see how it works 😀

[Mark HoldenParticipant]

Hey Arthur,

That's pretty much what I'm doing. Putting a room reverb on a FX channel then using sends from the channels (at various levels) to get things to feel like there in the same place. Vocals I either send or add to the track a bit of plate reverb as well for that little something. I tend not to send the bass to the room but do use some parallel compression.

Kip just heard your V2 coming along great I'll pop my progress up later today 🙂

Lisa I thought it was us Guys that had the committal issues hahaha. Really enjoying this limited channel idea will defiantly have try what you originally intended about bouncing down tracks to commit to make space without going over. I'm on 13 channels right now I still need to program/record drums midi drums that is.

Mark

• This reply was modified 5 years ago by Mark Holden.

[Sergio MaggiParticipant]

Hey guys!
Here's my mix.... not so much unplugged (more a... chillout version ;-)), but I used 15 tracks and the concept of a band in reharsal: two guitarists, percussionist, bass player, keyboard player, vocals. No overdubs except for the stereo acoustic guitar on choruses... hope you like it!
https://soundcloud.com/zsmstudioit/alexx-calise-end-of-the-world-zsm-chill-remix

[Mark HoldenParticipant]

Hello

Sergio really nice this stripped back idea is changing the whole vibe of the song. Loved the way you ended the song with the echo delay was thinking how to tame that last chord now all the effects are gone from the orginal mix.

Draft 2 https://soundcloud.com/mark-h-841120775/acoustic-stripdown-d2/s-CewMi (removed latest draft in most recent post)

I'm onto my second draft here this is probably more info than you all need (or want) but here you go...

Shaker
rough one take recording to see how one might fit mic Sontronics STC-20 small egg shaker EQ HP for room buzz etc, comp to level things out MV2 for a bit of a lift. Send to room verb for the glue.

Bass
opted for the Mic track EQ to remove the click and boost the low end, comp to smooth things out MV2 for grunt ran to a FX channel loaded with Compressor to give a bit more drive. A warm smooth rounded tone is my objective.

Acoustics
worked out which ones to pair best for stereo import then pan L and R then sent to a bus for EQ HP to clean and move away from bass addition cut as well. A bit of mud removed and clarity boost. Bus is sent to the room verb.

DI gtrs
Here I’ve done some stereo imports as well as bouncing tracks down to get them all in with the 16 track limit. Tracks get clean up EQ and expander. Comprssion for peaks. Any sound processing for tracks chorus, beat delay. Automation for volume, panning, and plugin parameters also automated. Tracks are then bussed for some overall EQ and smoothing compression. Again send is to the same room verb.

Vocals
Started with just the main vocal a LOT of manual edits for breaths, ess’s and polosives etc (I can still hear some issue’s) the plugin chain is all for smoothing and taming and trying not to loose the feel as it’s a great vocal to start with. Once all the tracks started coming together I felt those harmonies need to be there. So stayed within the 16 track limit while boucing them down, then EQ’d De-essed and added a bit of tremolo. Sent both tracks to a bus for EQ shaping to taste, mainly around a 5k presence boost. The Klanghelm SDDR2 is in desk mode and being used to give a tape feel (as were going old school ) then some plate reverb and a send to the room.

All tracks are sent to a Mix bus Where the SDDR2 is used in tube mode to add some warmth/saturation a bit of primer for the glue thats in the FAT channels FET COMP before a final overall EQ (vintage style)

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1ftuEuLszs8JmBtWbsyT5wJoQ8EPtz-DO A link as a picture says it quickier 🙂

My next task will be to add some midi drums, this I'll do over the week as there is some learning I will need to do to be happy with my efforts.

Mark

• This reply was modified 5 years ago by Mark Holden.
• This reply was modified 5 years ago by Mark Holden.
• This reply was modified 5 years ago by Mark Holden.

[KipParticipant]

sergio i really like it...reminds me of 80's bands i gravitated to as a kid ...and i could see the band in a room too

[KipParticipant]

mark nice documentation
am looking forward to your drums because you have it really soft and mellow ..i am digging
great work so far

[Mark HoldenParticipant]

Cheers Kip

You've captured the unplugged theme to a "T"

Recorded a little 10 second strummed loop to learn how there groove tool works for creating patterns to set drums to. My learning so far is telling me I'll need to have a day in this virtual drum room to get them recorded (programmed) if I want to stay within the 16 track limit. Quite enjoying this idea good people 🙂

Mark

[Just LisaParticipant]

Hi guys!
Oops, wrong link. Here is Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/just-lisa-3/end-of-the-world-mix-challenge-just-lisa-reverb-mix/s-MA2vJ

Kip, when I finally heard the whole thing played together for the first time, I thought of you! So, I just printed it without doing anything else to it.
I got it down to 16 channels (not counting the amp sim)
five drum channels and a bus (one kick, one snare, the toms, the overheads (as a stereo track))
one bass (mixed)
two acoustic guitars
two electric guitars
lead vox
bgvox mix
the Ekoplate print
two reverbs
Whew.
Basic eq and compression applied. Very random volume.
But when I hit play, I was surprised that it sounded kinda cool!

First thing to do is go fix the guitar tone and get rid of the amp noise.
: )

• This reply was modified 5 years ago by Just Lisa.

[KipParticipant]

well of course i would like that...and in all honesty it really does remind me of the tascam cassette tapes i used to make in the early 90's(i still like those better than what i do now)
i would get the drums to to come closer to the vocal verb or dial back vocal verb to drier drum...right now i really like those drums...i think im just in the mind set of how others have treated this song ...i still do like that sorta sound...check out jesus and mary chain "just like honey"...been chasing that all my life lol
nice work

[Just LisaParticipant]

Mark, I liked your screen shot idea: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1DtzrFQnqalzze6LFySp4zEwFmgAh-5YD
I haven't heard your mix yet because of my lag issues. : (

A question for others working with the actual drum tracks: in the last chorus, the cymbal noise, I'm not a drummer, it sounds like it's supposed to right? Loud, but not ugly. It's a technique drummers use, right? Otherwise, I've done something really wrong. I'm going to tame it, but if it's a legitimate part of the performance, I don't want to ruin it.
Thanks.
: )

[Just LisaParticipant]

Thanks for advice, Kip. The levels are more under control now, but not quite ready for posting.
I don't remember Jesus and Mary Chain from that era. Wonder how I missed it. Don't miss having to work that hard to get my hair at full volume like that, though!

Mark, I finally listened to your track (was having terrible lag issues yesterday) -- the careful editing really shows! Nice work. Vocal sounds great, a little dry, but really nice.
: )

[Mark HoldenParticipant]

Hello

Just had a listen to your mix Lisa, and Kip had a listen to Just like Honey to remind myself. Yes Lisa would be worth a listen if you want to pursue that great reverb sound. I know you said levels are still to be set so as for those cymbals I think there just too high/upfront till you get them balanced.

I'm spending some time learning a few things to get some drums added so pleased we have the deadline to focus my learning.

Yeah those screen shots say a lot quickly.

Thanks for the comments so far everyone.

Mark

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