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- monkeychow
- Rep: 661
Re: Music Mixing: Please show me examples of great commercial mixes
Hey All,
A few of you know I have a long running musical project that I hope to one day release. It's a hobby, but my aim has been to do everything as well as I can at every stage, and so for example that means I'm happy to hire professionals to do things I can't. (Eg drums).
Anyhow, soon I will be up to a stage where I can mix a few tracks, and so i've been looking around at mix engineers. This is my own chinese democracy project (in that it never gets finished!) - but I know many feel the mix let down that album - and the more i've researched this - the more it seems that the right mix can really make or break a song.
Now as I understand it, the professional top guys ask stuff like $10-15k a track for a mix, so that's going to be out of my budget, but I am going to spend as much as I can to get a mid level guy cos I want as close to professional results as I can find.
Anyway, I've noticed a lot of mid-card type players seem to ask for reference tracks - like existing music that sounds a certain way and they will emulate the style of mixing.
So this has me in a tail spin, I can't really afford a lot of trial and error, so I want to pick some references that are going to make the most of my limited abilities first time.
I don't want to share my music till after it's finished as the drafts are shitty but I'd describe my style of guitar as a bit of a mix between Slash, and Dave Mustaine - except obviously thousands of times shitter as those men are geniuses. I tried to express my own creative voice and not emulate anyone, But you know, because my tastes are what they are, influence does what it does, and it's fair to say the songs are in some ways similar to a bad no-talent version of a Snakepit rocker, a chinese ballad, a megadeth duel guitar trade off, the occasional cornell style acoustic number and maybe a touch of nirvana..but I'd say mostly my sound is kinda vintage rock...maybe some chickenfoot? I dunno. Anyway I'm not in anyway talking this up, I can't stress enough that I'm not a musical genius and not a professional - i'm listing those bands only to talk about the STYLE of music and in no way claiming that anything I finish would be even 1/10th as listenable as that music.
So - here's the thing - I'm looking for "reference" tracks to give to a mix engineer that fit that style of music - what songs do you think are well mixed and what about it makes you think that? It's not about the song itself in this instance more that it's about how it sounds here - if you see what I mean.
Here's what I've come up with so far:
I like how this Alice in Chains song seems to have a mix where everything shines...like the drums at the start are massive yet there's still "room" for the guitars to come in even louder over the top and you can hear the vocals too. Not like anything has been made quiet for anything else.
and closer to home...Sixx: Am....this song seems to have a good mix of very punch drums but you can still hear the guitar solos.
So yeah, sorry for the rant, if anyone has any suggestions of a well mixed rock track to display to these guys - let me know - and thanks for the help!!!!!
- metallex78
- Rep: 194
Re: Music Mixing: Please show me examples of great commercial mixes
Only just noticed this thread dude. I'll have a think and see if I can find some more points of reference for you.
The new VH might be a good example, for starters!
Re: Music Mixing: Please show me examples of great commercial mixes
I would think You Could Be Mine is a perfect example of a track that is perfectly mixed where everything from drums, guitar, bass and vocals are showcased to their fullest.
Also as simplistic as it is With or Without You is also a song where every aspect of the song shines equally.
[youtube]XmSdTa9kaiQ&ob=av3n[/youtube]
Re: Music Mixing: Please show me examples of great commercial mixes
The mix in that Sixx:AM example actually sounds awful to my ears. Especially the drums are horrid, and that typically _is_ the mix engineer's fault, although the recording engineer might have something to do with it as well (doubt it in this case though).
The AIC example sounds VERY good, conveying the band's typically dark sound and still sounding fresh and "'bright" enough... If you're looking at examples within the GNR/Slash realm, I've used IFOCS as a reference for mastering in the past as I really love the production on that album.
But I would suggest looking for very modern reference materials. As "classic" as your music might be, a modern production will make it sound more fresh. AFD was great for it's time, but if you make a heavy rock album produced like that today it's gonna fall flat on it's face.
Suggestions: Halestorm - I Get Off (but not their covers album), Maylene & the sons of Disaster - Step Up (I'm On It), Foo Fighters - White Limo & (best production evar!) Tool - The Pot.
- monkeychow
- Rep: 661
Re: Music Mixing: Please show me examples of great commercial mixes
Thanks heaps everyone 
The mix in that Sixx:AM example actually sounds awful to my ears. Especially the drums are horrid, and that typically _is_ the mix engineer's fault, although the recording engineer might have something to do with it as well (doubt it in this case though).
Interesting, they're fake drums - I wonder if that's part of the issue. I liked the way the drums are present in the mix. Often I hear hard rock - especially vintage stuff - where once the guitars kick in the drum is sort of buried - I'd assume to make space for the vocals and guitars.
One of the things I like about the AIC too is that everything is kind of present at once.
But I would suggest looking for very modern reference materials. As "classic" as your music might be, a modern production will make it sound more fresh. AFD was great for it's time, but if you make a heavy rock album produced like that today it's gonna fall flat on it's face.
Thanks..I was thinking the same. I love AFD and similar tracks but production wise they do sound dated to my ears...so i guess i'm trying to write similar songs but I'd like the drums, bass etc to sound like a modern record.
I'll check out those ones you mentioned too. Thanks!
Re: Music Mixing: Please show me examples of great commercial mixes
I love prominent drums as well, check out Motley Crue's Saints of Los Angeles for a good example. I also like a lot of "fake" drums, most hard rock/metal albums these days use triggered samples for at least part of their sound. I love the Steven Slate samples for example; they can definitely be pushed up loud without getting in the way of the music. That Sixx:AM song though, dunno... the snare sound very thin and harsh and the rest of the shells sound dull to me. But hey, who am I... they might actually _like_ that sound .
