Mixdown Training Room

Mixdown Training Room

Mixdown Practicing & Learning

MAGGHY JI

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Mark Milbourne
Jan 17, 2022
Glenn Mc Phee's - “A Sailor Once More”
Hey Guys,

First time mixing bagpipes. Not even sure how they mic-ed it. I guess it's this: https://mikingdesign.com/what-are-the-best-mic-techniques-for-recording-a-bagpipe-2/ Which is probably why we got 3 tracks for it.

Anyways, as Leigh mentioned getting a drum stem is quite limiting in what control we have over the dynamics of the drums. I really wanted to get rid of that click on the kick, it was really distracting.

So I had some fun with a new reverb that I demoed, the Lustrous Plates from LiquidSonics. I landed on using the Gold plate, and kinda fell in love with it. It's $199 though.

Smashed the crap out of the shaker with saturation to kill the transients. Chandler compressor on the Acoustics. Black rooster FET compressor on the bagpipes and vocals. Townhouse and J37 on the mix bus. Then a ton of automation. Then an Pro-L2 just to get to -14LUFS, it's not actually doing anything.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/7zvflz88ru4wgcr/Mark%20Milbourne%20-%20Glenn%20Mc%20Phee%20-%20%E2%80%9CA%20Sailor%20Once%20More%E2%80%9D.wav?dl=0

As always any comments or criticisms are welcomed and appreciated.

PS: I grew up at a beach in Australia....I don't ever want to be a Sailor! :)
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Mark Opfer
Jan 17, 2022
Nice, I like it. Good sence of space. I can hear why you like that reverb :). I just wonder if you could get away with a slight drop in the level of the main vox and flute.

Also, thanks for the link to the article on recording bag pipes! Interesting read.
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SERZH MUSIC
Jan 17, 2022
Hi
I want more openness in the sound of the flute, I would raise it a little, with a shelf filter from about 9000 Hz and a little more reverb
I would highlight refrain a little, give more depth, emotion, brightness

In general, a balanced mix, nothing is annoying, there is no buzzing bottom and loud sibilants

If you're interested, try to give the overall sound more openness (I personally didn't have enough air) and some instruments more reverb in order to move deeper, and then compare
Good luck to you!
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MAGGHY JI
Jan 17, 2022
Hey Mark, good mix! I agree with Mark Opfer on the amount of reverb on the lead vocal that needs more air, for me, and I hear a bit of confusion on the lows, especially if I turn the volume up (kick and bass tend to clash with the lows of the vocals) ;p
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Ben Sinclair
Jan 17, 2022
Hey Mark, mix sounds nice and punchy! I think there's a lack of clarity with the bass, I have a hard time hearing it and there's probably a lot of frequency clash going on. I remember the acoustics being a bit boomy/bass heavy and shelved off a decent amount of low end on them, not sure if you tried that but if not it may solve the issue of the bass being buried.