First Mix for Philly Band's First EP

[Jeff White]

Dead Moon

Some background...New band, no soild name yet...Members of Matt Pond PA, Future Tips, One Star Hotel, Slo-Mo, Photon Band, etc. Recorded basics (drums, gtrs, bass) at WXPN's big room here in Philly back in April, guitars layered, bass ReAmped, keys, percussion and vocals recorded at my project studio over 7-10 nights between then and last week. Mixed at my place on Rogers Studio 1 monitors exclusively. Sounds really nice on my 1976 Pioneer receiver outside of the studio.

First song of six to be mixed. Band is very laid back and loves it but I'm still a little bit unsatisfied. They want dry lead vocals. It's a must. I want to wet them up a bit. No reverb on the mix at all. Drum verb is the room at WXPN. Not sure if I feel that certain elements are still too dry.

Feedback is appreciated! Thanks!

Jeff

[thethingwiththestuff]

i love the vocal sound! that Rhodes and the BG "Ahhhs" need to come up pretty significantly. Maybe boost the L side guitar a hair. There's something out of phase on the drums, i think...or is this a real low bit rate mp3?


great job, man!

[Jeff White]

Thanks man. That's the beauty of the Microtech Gefell UM70s. Through the Apogee Duet's preamps. With a tiny bit of WAVES Ren Comp. In a booth in my basement built out of blankets.

Very low bit MP3. But I will check phase stuff. There is a lot going on with the drums. Full close mics, OHs, hi-hat, two room mics... maybe something is up or maybe it's the MP3. Have to check again.

Band wanted the background vox BURIED. Seriously. Maybe I was demanding that they push them up higher since I'm singing with them!

Keys will get automated so they rise and fall.

Thanks for the feedback!

Jeff

[jgimbel]

Great stuff as always, Jeff! Sounds a little like Islands to me. I too like the vocals how they are, they don't seem to have issues not fitting in like some dry vocals can. I can hear the drum thing that thethingwiththestuff was talking about at the part with the lyrics "when it got right we could walk right up to the water", I can really hear it on the snare/hats.

Were the guitars in this done with your isocab? You get the sexiest guitar sound. I'm rarely happy with mine, and these just blow me away. Yet another amazing recording you're part of phew. And those toms sound incredible! I do think the background vocals should come up a bit though. You certainly know I'm okay with some things being buried, but right now they sound buried in a "too hard to hear" way. I always find with vocals there's a point where things are buried and sit right, and just below that you start to really feel like it's too quiet to be "legible" (not just the words, but the part in general).

[Jeff White]

Thanks Jesse!

The guitars on the left side, including the "solo" and the outro's Echoplex track are all Matt's Tele into my Pro Jr with a modified tube screamer in front into the Grendel Sound Deadroom II. Mic'd with an SM57. I forget what preamp I used, but it was most likely the PM1000.

The "cleaner" guitar on the left (verse before drums) and then verse two's cleaner guitar (on the right) were tracked at WXPN. The distorted gtrs on the right are a blend of one tracked at WXPN and one tracked at my place. 1960's Fender Jazzmaster through a Blackface Fender Bandmaster into a Sovtek cab with an sm57 on it at WXPN. Same chain at my place except with the Grendel Sound Deadroom II. Forget the preamp used at WXPN; at my place it was probable the PM1000, although it could have also been the Apogee Duet's built in preamps now that I think about it.

I'll check the drums. I added an extra snare bus and I'm curious if ADC in DP is not working correctly. Plug-ins can be a pain in the ass with that stuff from time to time.

Thanks for the feedback!

Jeff

[Jeff White]

Also, regarding another thread that I'll link to this one...Vintage Warmer 2 on the 2-bus as glue. Magical.

Jeff