Audio mixing and mastering discussion

SoundGym

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The Donovan Vernon
May 20, 2023
This is what my mixing sounds like
Guys I need help so bad! I've started mixing my very first project and my brain is completely fried... I cant hear anything anymore... I don't know what's I don't know what's down everything just blurs together now... Would anyone want to mentor me lol or at the very least take a listen and get me back on the right tack! Love you guys! Thanks

https://soundcloud.com/thedonovan/sets/this-is-what-my-mixing-sounds-like-doing-it-all-on-my-own/s-e5ONwC9euh6?si=8c3d45f43e3443008486e4a4464bc67a&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
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Ziggy Shpakovsky
May 20, 2023
I haven't listened yet, but the first piece of advice one can give without even listening is take a break
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The Donovan Vernon
May 21, 2023
HAHAHA @Ziggy Shpakovsky You are absolutely correct! I have taken a few days off! and i am ready to get back in...I need your diamond ears!
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Ziggy Shpakovsky
May 21, 2023
p.s. i listened
I noticed two things that can be fixed:
1 exaggerated high frequencies
2 the vocals drown in the music (the solutions may be different. or just raise the level of it. or maybe saturation of the vocals will help. or make a 'pocket' in the music. or a sidechain for the music from the vocals. use the technique that you are already familiar with (or if you have time, try to learn and apply to this song a technique that you did not know before))

more meaningful advice will be given by those to whom this style is closer than to me.
perhaps there are specific features

and I have to say that for a first project it sounds pretty decent!
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The Donovan Vernon
May 21, 2023
Ok so you think I should lift the vocals up a bit... I have no side chain at all... Thie highs are turning you off??? What style of music do you generally do?
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Ziggy Shpakovsky
May 21, 2023
not that it's repulsive...
it's just that the hi-hat sounds a bit aggressive.
those. perhaps an excess of highs is not in the entire track, but in the high-hat track. perhaps everything is solved by a slight decrease in the hat level

sidechain is a very useful tool 😊
there are many variations of it. from classic compressor sidechain, through dynamic EQs, to specific fixtures like TrackSpacer or Soothe

as for style... then this simple question is not easy for me to answer 😀
at least, to do it in a nutshell is not easy.
and I don't want to look stupid answering I listen to (or make) different music)))
although it seems to me that this list is so wide and, most importantly, CONTRADICTORY ... that it’s definitely impossible to do without lengthy explanations, and it’s impossible to express it in a nutshell 😀
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Ziggy Shpakovsky
May 21, 2023
everything said about the WANDERING track.
or under the 'project' you meant all the other tracks on the link?
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The Donovan Vernon
May 21, 2023
I understand! Ok This makes perfect sense... i am going to spend a bit more time mixing the instrumental by itself, soften the high hats, add a little reverb, I need to see what the differnce of having side chain on the track will have... I wish there was a discord so we could mix live togehter.
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The Donovan Vernon
May 21, 2023
I could use as much advice as possible
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neo port
May 21, 2023
As I am not capable enough to give advises. I just hope you a good luck. Keep learning, take a breaks, enjoy what you are doing. To me it sounds interesting. ;)