***I deleted the original files posted in this message. The latest version is a couple of comments down***

I'm posting some rhythm tracks for my wife to sing to later. There are a couple of solos just for her reference. They may change.

For more perspective, here it is with the lead vocal. I am going to get a friend to come sing harmony on the choruses, and get a fiddler, too.

I'd like suggestions on anything I could do to make it better at this stage, especially in terms of mixing. I could probably do it a dozen times again and not get a better performance...that's just the limitations of my abilities.


I get fussed at sometimes for panning instrument tracks hard left or right, but I keep finding pro bluegrass records (Reno and Smiley, JD Crowe, 60's Flatt & Scruggs) with some instruments panned hard on one side or the other. It is a little much through the headphones, but in the room, I kind of like it...makes it feel like the banjo player is over here, the mandolin player is over there, and I'm sitting right there next to them.

Wretchasketch,
That must be so much fun, I really enjoyed listening. Great job

For what it's worth my observations.



Instrumental:
I like the panning of the Banjo Right and the Mandolin left. They sit real well that way in the song. So I like the panning with the dobro too.
The sound of the guitar is really good, however I think it should be brought up in the mix and try sitting it panned slightly to the left of center. Think 3D. Banjo Right, Mandolin Left, Guitar left of center,Bass right of center.
Just like a live band.
Bringing up the acoustic may create a new mix level of all instruments, but I have always felt the acoustic guitar is the core instrument. (Doc Watson fan here!!)

Vocal track, from what I'm hearing she's moving up and back on the mic or she's compensating with more push/volume to obtain the higher register notes. Possibly some compression may smooth that out. I would sit the vocals dead center.

Just my 2 cents worth...

Great job capturing the all of the instruments, and vocals, once again very natural sounding.

Nicely done!!!!

Man, everything sounds really good. I, too, like the panning the way it is, and agree with Dutchman about compressing the vocals a bit more. It kinda fades in and out in spots.

lovely

Thanks for the suggestions and positive comments.

I'll Stay Around I'll Stay Around

I had friends come over and dub in fiddle and background vocals. I panned the guitar and bass according to Dutchman's suggestions, then added reverb to the overall mix and compressed the vocals until they were fairly even.

There's something 'pitchy' about the harmony in spots. I listened over and over, and the parts sound better with the rest of the song muted. I'm thinking maybe there is an instrument, possibly banjo, that is just not quite intonating correctly. Anyhow, I'll have to come back to it when my ears are not so worn out.

I listened with my eyes closed and it was just like I was listening to a really great live acoustic performance.

That's the goal, IMHO



Great job

addendum. I listen to it again and changed very good to really great, every instrument is wonderfully captured

quote:

I listened with my eyes closed

How the heck could you hear anything?

Actually, that's a huge compliment from a musician's standpoint. It's a long time ambition of mine to be able to stack tracks and make it feel like a live group. Thank you!

I've mentioned this once & here it comes again. I feel lack of room mics.
You can always mute the track

quote:

I feel lack of room mics.

Damn. I forgot to try it. Seriously, I will definitely do that on some of my tracks next project. Thanks for the reminder!

I switched out the lead and a background vocal to help with the pitch problems...better but not perfect. I also ran it through a mastering filter in Ozone.

I'll Stay Around

quote:

that's just the limitations of my abilities.

Whatever...I'm no bluegrass expert but I don't think you need to be too worried about the limits of your abilities And the Mrs. is a joy to listen to as usual. To me it seemed the vocal was a little masked. But then again I like a more upfront vocal and I have a 39db threshold shift in my right ear and 43db in the left so what do I know.

Lance

quote:

To me it seemed the vocal was a little masked.

I agree, but my wife told me to turn the vocal down. She's afraid someone will hear her. In the original mix, she was at least as loud as the solo instruments.

Here is a tip, put an EQ on vocal before any other processing you have, boost/sweep with narrow Q band & find where that "nasal" thing is & cut some of it. And add some compression after.

quote:

I agree, but my wife told me to turn the vocal down. She's afraid someone will hear her. In the original mix, she was at least as loud as the solo instruments.

Well she left the room eventually didn't she? Well turn it up man! Anyway, try what Nbarts mentioned. Just be careful and don't over do it and lose all of the unique characteristics that make her voice worth listening to.

Lance

And BTW, what the heck is solo doing on the left channel?

quote:

Well she left the room eventually didn't she? Well turn it up man! Waytogo Anyway, try what Nbarts mentioned.

Will do. I already went back in and turned up the vocals overall...I just haven't posted it yet. You had gotten me to thinking.."whose balls are mine, anyway???" (meow-ka-WHIP-pow!)

quote:

And BTW, what the heck is solo doing on the left channel?

eh?

quote:

Originally posted by LanceP:
I have a 39db threshold shift in my right ear and 43db in the left

Completely OT, but what's a "threshold shift"?

quote:

Originally posted by wretchasketch:
(meow-ka-WHIP-pow!)

I can't believe you made that work.

quote:

Completely OT, but what's a "threshold shift"?

Sorry, it's when there's a decrease in the frequency response of your hearing against an established baseline(the threshold) Basicly I lost a shit ton of my hearing and probably have no business recording music.

Lance

I remember reading about your injury. Is your hearing loss pretty even across the board, or is it frequency dependent? Having to crank everything up louder seems like a hassle, but not hearing things evenly across the spectrum is a nightmare! Will your hearing improve over time?

It varies by about 10db in by left ear and about 15 in my right. The 39 and 43 are the most severe but I just try to adapt.

Anyway, Mr. Tracy tell your wife I like her voice.


Lance