Quote:
Originally Posted by pbx3john
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Ok. I had a listen using studio headphones.
Overall it sounds good. I'm not hearing anything major sticking out.
The smaller details are relative to taste and have to do more with mixing/arrangement rather than mastering. Perhaps I'm spitting hairs, but I like it when people dissect my songs and point out little subjective things they hear. I'll so the same:
As the song progresses the dynamic seems to get caught in a pumping rhythm. Think of a metronome going "Tic-Toc - Tic-Toc, etc." - well there are several instruments coming together on the 'Toc'. It becomes sort of 'tic TOC tic TOC tic TOC... I think this pumping on the 'TOC' might be exacerbated by the acoustic guitar. A possible solution to smooth out the pumping would be to lower the volume of the guitar in certain strategic areas. Not completely remove the guitar, but lower the volume and let the other instruments fill the space for a few extended seconds.
For example, at 1:35 she sings "I see my life thought God colored lens", and a nice piano riff starts and works it's way up to 1:56 while she repeats "though a God colored lens". Well... Perhaps that would be a great place to lower the volume of the acoustic guitar? That way we could hear the wonderful piano better and FEEL her emotion better as she introduces the crux of the song "God colored lens". Making room/space in this area would also serve another function: It would help create a break point and mark the return of Verse number 2, where the guitar comes back and powers up the song again.
When she sings "No matter how far I stray" doesn't have a piano riff (was expecting an ornamentation?), but could probably also tone down a bit - perhaps the piano chords action could be lowered to let the acoustic take over (the piano is only dubbing the guitar punch anyway). Note: This could of been a great place to reintroduce the electric guitar we heard in the intro - a come back into the mix and sooth us with a small riff - similar to the piano at 1:35.
Same goes for 3:03 (piano riff).
At 3:17 there is extra energy coming into the song. The vocal climbs in intensity and we notice in support the electric distortion guitar. However, the volume is very low and it sits way way back. In other words, it fails to fully play it's role (i.e. make us feel the extra energy). This would of been another great place to lower the volume of the pumping acoustic guitar. Nobody would of notice, because the distortion guitar would be filling the space and add novelty. The coming back of the electric of the intro was great. I like the tone of the solo/wailing. I would of brought that back sooner - as small little riffs (kind of like what Mark Knopfler, or blues players do). This would of been a 'tease' - preparing us for when it comes back in the power section of the song. More distortion guitar would of gotten our juices flowing Yeah!
Does this example make sense? The pumping dynamic would still be there, which is needed for the song-type, but it would be controlled - less hypnotic and noticeable.
I've been learning how to automate more the instruments in a song to showcase some important riffs/ornamentations (e.g. that piano riff), and to add more dynamics (in support of the overall story of the song). These are just very small details, and while most people don't even notice such things, I think as a mixer/producer they are fun things to deal with - like small personal secrets added to a song that give it 'that little extra indefinable something'.
Don't get me wrong, the song is good as it is.