Creative Vision for the Track:
Idea of this track was to create a background score fore some drone pictures. While working on the track it developed a bit to be more vocal so this is the final result. The other main targets were to get more musical ideas in the track, and get a better balance between the instruments. Also trying to render the different tracks to stems to mix them, and setting the reverbs first at this point.
I hope you enjoy it, any kind of feedback is highly appreciated.
Thanks for listening.
Your mixing is getting better in terms of levels and I quite like the majority of arrangement ideas that you’ve implemented.
There’s a few mix issues but generally I think it’s more down to the library your using for your shorts. It sounds very muddy and wet… by any chance is it a spitfire library you are using for that?
Hey Geoff, thank so much for your feedback. It was a lot of work for me, and i try really hard to get better in every track.
Yes it is spitfire epic strings, and i am still not sure which eq settings works best.
I highpassed at around 80Hz and did a small dip of 2-3db at around 500-1000. I used TDR Nova for that.
What would you recommend?
Thank you,
Michael
Hey Michael, I thought that it sounded like spitfire. Spitfire are notorious for being a bit muddy, especially the Albion strings which your patch is based off. the high pass will work great, though your duck between 500/1k won’t do much good for that library. If you look at the frequency graph you’ll see that the first big peak is around 100/250hz. I’d do a cut of around 4db around there… if not more. I’d also suggest taking a bit of a duck around 3k, perhaps 1.5db. This should clear up the strings a touch and make them a little less muddy.
The other issue you seem to be having is that your spics don’t have much attack fo the note. You could add a transient designer to help with this, but it won’t get them to where they need to be. I’d suggest using another dry library that has a lot of attack, though this method involves investing it’s the most natural way to get the sound you are after.
You could try sending a version of our strings to a bus and on that bus add an EQ. Take everything under 1k out of the sound and then add a distortion (overdrive) plugin on it. Then add another EQ and put a high shelf on it and duck the highs by about 1/2db to tame all the harmonica you’ve just added. Now turn the bus all the way down and mix it in until you get the attack that you are looking for. Some people do this by adding a compressor instead. You can experiment with the distortion and compressor seperately to see which you prefer.
I noticed that your sooo strings later in the piece are a touch too loud too.
I can tell your really working hard to get better at this. Well done!
Great epic piece Michael.
Good composition and devolpment.
Some problems with the EQ. Of course @Geoffers mastery is always useful for we all.
I detected that there is beautifull harp or guitar sound from the half on, and it is a little obscured behind strings and other stronger instruments.
I love your theme. Really epic and visual.
Always steps ahead man
Thank you so much for your kind words about my craft.
I’d just like to say that my tips and observations are simply from a commercial stand point. When I say that I mean comparing the mix towards other pieces. As we all want as many to hear our music as we can.
If I were to say from a personal place what I feel about this piece then I’d be much less critical, and this is the same with any piece I listen to.
At the end of the day if you were just making music for the fun of it and just sharing it wirh this community then I’d imagine it from your perspective and in this instance this track does this really well. It embodies everything Michael was trying to get across. from a mix stand point there’s just a few things that t it down, which is fine because as I said, there aren’t many things at all. Put into context Michael has got 90% of the mix really well done and now it’s just the last ten percent. This is always the hardest bit… and I would be lying if I said I get it to 100%. Most mixes I get to about 97%… then there are factors that are still holding me back, like my room, my equiptment, my workflow etc. These are so important to get right and it takes years and years to do this.
Thank you @VSHDEL for creating that opportunity to say that as it’s something others need to hear.
There’s a fine line between this being art and it being a craft. I would never want someone to think I’m simply being over critical, I just want people to progress and take steps forward, not backwards.
The feedback utility is always a treasure. More ears realize more details that maybe you can’t. If you find someone that gives an advice from his experience, oh man, this is a real help to climb a new step up the stair. And it is really generous. for all the good people that spend time trying to help. Not watching the other as a competitor but as a fellow.
Guys, @Geoffers@VSHDEL
you are both so awesome, i cannot tell you how grateful i am, and how happy it makes me, that you like my music, and that you are both so generous to help us beginners. That is incredible.
Thank you so much people!
Great track Michael! I love this type of epic music. I especially liked the the choir parts and the key change toward the end-it really helped create an uplifting feel. I have the Requiem Choir by Soundiron, so I’m going to go check out Olympus.
