Free song / Test 5.1 Mix / Slim Cessna's Auto Club

[popshop]

Hello QQ - I'm working on a surround album mix and I would love some feedback! :banana:
Here's a song (5.1 flac) from Slim Cessna's Auto Club upcoming album: https://www.dropbox.com/s/l3kqwgisgyxsgzq/SCAC_COMM4.flac?dl=0

(Not to be played via dropbox, just downloaded)

I've been mixing the songs but no one else has heard them. Please let me know your thoughts, privately or in this thread.
(I play upright bass in the band. I also play with Uphollow and Ian Cooke but didn't mix those surround dvds, I produced)

 

[quadsearcher]

"An audio error occurred".

 

[GOS]

Played normally for me via Foobar. Tried twice, both times fine.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[fredblue]

"An audio error occurred".

You have to download the MCh Flac file it won't playback in Dropbox within your web browser, you need to play it in foobar (or VLC, JRiver etc.)

 

[Plan9]

First, nice song.

Not sure how I feel about the right-leaning vocals. Also, you could tighten the backing vocals so that they fluctuate less and to make them gel more with the main vocals.
Placement is a bit weird diagonally but if weird is what you're going for, then no problem.

 

[popshop]

Thanks folks! Plan9 I appreciate the detail. I made some changes and I am curious if you can confirm so that I know systems are aligning and such.
For v2, I put the lead vocal straight up center. I turned up the electronic snare sound. I moved all of the background vocals into the rear channels, except for one (Munly, who is the other lead singer of the band). I don't know if I'm going for weird, but I do like using rear channels and I do like a little bit of movement and such. In this case, I've been putting the acoustic banjo/mandolin/autoharp/whatever in the rears and treating the other stuff similar to how it would be placed on-stage, as that is the basis of the stereo mix. I'm not quite sure what you mean about diagonally, but I think the mix is not balanced left to right always. Thanks in advance for your honesty.

I also uploaded a second song (Commandment 7) if anyone is interested. It features both singers, and has a much more left/right and call/response thing going on.
Both are here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/3accdd2a2prym5g/AAAB1Th98ujRXp5Polqenup3a?dl=0

 

[fredblue]

Thanks folks! Plan9 I appreciate the detail. I made some changes and I am curious if you can confirm so that I know systems are aligning and such.
For v2, I put the lead vocal straight up center. I turned up the electronic snare sound. I moved all of the background vocals into the rear channels, except for one (Munly, who is the other lead singer of the band). I don't know if I'm going for weird, but I do like using rear channels and I do like a little bit of movement and such. In this case, I've been putting the acoustic banjo/mandolin/autoharp/whatever in the rears and treating the other stuff similar to how it would be placed on-stage, as that is the basis of the stereo mix. I'm not quite sure what you mean about diagonally, but I think the mix is not balanced left to right always. Thanks in advance for your honesty.

I also uploaded a second song (Commandment 7) if anyone is interested. It features both singers, and has a much more left/right and call/response thing going on.
Both are here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/3accdd2a2prym5g/AAAB1Th98ujRXp5Polqenup3a?dl=0

oh, guess I was expecting a harder panned left & right thing with a vocalist apiece in each of the front pair of channels.. but its more subtle than that (maybe taking the vocals out of the centre channel might help improve the L&R call/response effect? i just tried that and it helps a little but the vocals still don't appear to have the front left & right separation I was imagining from your description) is it my imagination or do the drums seem to be shifted over to the left or just louder drum parts over there than right create that bias..?

did you try outputting the lower register response vocals maybe in all 4 channels at once and not in the centre channel (nor at extreme left or right) so that they appear from the centre of the soundfield?

just feels like the response vocals might sound cool if they were a bit more adventurously panned, and/or had some little effect on them (maybe out of phase or with a touch of reverb?) so they kind of sounded like they were in a hole..? maybe, i dunno! you're the pro i'm just a fan

 

[popshop]

Hey Fredblue - Confirm if this is true to your ears for Commandment 7_v2: I split the vocals for the verse, all left or right without center. The chorus vocals are both closer to center. I added some fx to the lower register vocal on the choruses. I also shifted the rack tom a bit towards the center, as it is dominant in this song, so hopefully less left-heavy.

In addition, I uploaded a third song for critique and enjoyment: Commandment 5.

Same folder: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/3accdd2a2prym5g/AAAB1Th98ujRXp5Polqenup3a?dl=0

 

[fredblue]

Hey Fredblue - Confirm if this is true to your ears for Commandment 7_v2: I split the vocals for the verse, all left or right without center. The chorus vocals are both closer to center. I added some fx to the lower register vocal on the choruses. I also shifted the rack tom a bit towards the center, as it is dominant in this song, so hopefully less left-heavy.

In addition, I uploaded a third song for critique and enjoyment: Commandment 5.

Same folder: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/3accdd2a2prym5g/AAAB1Th98ujRXp5Polqenup3a?dl=0

Wow! First off, Commandment 5 sounds wonderful! Great job!
Personally, I wouldn't change a thing about the mix at all on that one, I love it! I can't wait to hear it in context!

Secondly, thank you so much for doing all that on v2 of Commandment 7..!
I prefer v2 (but I guess I'm bound to say that.. ) tbh I'm much more interested in what you think of it..?

(of course I won't be offended if you hate v2 and stick with v1! Even just being given the opportunity to make tiny nuggets of suggestions to mixing engineers such as yourself and other members here is such a thrill in any event.. and another v.cool thing about hanging out at QQ, that a mere consumer of surround mixes such as myself can rub shoulders and be treated so kindly by pro-surround professional musicians and other movers and shakers in the industry that work to create the surround music we here at QQ lap up.. kinda like a busman's holiday, well kinda, for a man who drives a bus as his hobby for fun rather than driving one for their dayjob! maybe not the best metaphor ever.. there must be a better one but my brain's going into standby mode i can feel it!

anyway.. you must excuse me its late and I must get some shuteye but thank you once again for doing that and even entertaining feedback, I'm knocked out by the gesture and by the results. All the best.

 

[popshop]

I appreciate it. I have two rooms I can listen in, but it's really helpful to me to have other folks listen and critique. Thanks very much!
Mostly I'm curious about overall volume. I assume it's quieter than other mixes, but please let me know if it's significantly quieter.
I've added very little compression and am not aiming for a loud mix. :violin

 

[fredblue]

I appreciate it. I have two rooms I can listen in, but it's really helpful to me to have other folks listen and critique. Thanks very much!
Mostly I'm curious about overall volume. I assume it's quieter than other mixes, but please let me know if it's significantly quieter.
I've added very little compression and am not aiming for a loud mix. :violin

Yes! It can stand a good cranking..! Its not loud overall at all.. sounds great!
I did just have another listen and possibly I'd beef up the rear channels a little on Commandment 7,
it seems a little front heavy maybe? It also sounds a touch less warm than the other two tracks but all just a personal taste thing of course.

 

[popshop]

Folks - I added two more songs (Commandment 8 and 9) for your perusal and critique: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/3accdd2a2prym5g/AAAB1Th98ujRXp5Polqenup3a?dl=0
Please let me know if you hear any issues on your system. Thanks very much!
Ian

 

[popshop]

If anyone is interested in testing a img file and burning a disc, I'd be curious to know about playback on different machines. PM me if so. Thanks!
(10 songs in surround with an instrumental version in surround)

 

[Plan9]

If anyone is interested in testing a img file and burning a disc, I'd be curious to know about playback on different machines. PM me if so. Thanks!
(10 songs in surround with an instrumental version in surround)

Sorry I could not give more feedback, I have been away and then resumed mastering work.

I'd like to try the IMG file on my players. Does it contain a menu or video?

 

[Plan9]

I have burned and tested the DVD-V image on a couple different players, including my own Denon DVD-1940 and on my PC using VLC. Everything seems to work just fine!
Although technically, you should include a Dolby AC3 stream if you want to be within the DVD-Video standard (and as some DVD players don't decode DTS).
Also, but that's my preference, I'd like the album to go back to the menu when finished playing rather than restarting immediatly.

If at this point you are still interested in hearing other opinions than technical ones, I can add a few things in a PM.

 

[popshop]

Thanks! Great news. (We'll be playing in Pau, France coming up but not Toulouse...) Two others have tested and all is going great. I'd love for your mix opinions in a PM as well. Much appreciated.
I've switched it so that the surround option is the first button, and agree that it should go to a menu after playing.

 

[Plan9]

Thanks! Great news. (We'll be playing in Pau, France coming up but not Toulouse...) Two others have tested and all is going great. I'd love for your mix opinions in a PM as well. Much appreciated.
I've switched it so that the surround option is the first button, and agree that it should go to a menu after playing.

Pau, wow! It's not very far from here, maybe I can see you guys there in October.
I'll write and send a PM tomorrow.

 

[Robert van Diggele]

Listened to the test disc again this evening. Excellent stuff, QQ-ers will love this one for sure. Mix is great and disc has a few nice surprises

Ian, how is the project progressing?

 

[popshop]

Funny you should ask. Here it is! http://slimcessnasautoclub.myshopif...the-commandments-according-to-scac-ltd-ed-dvd

 

[Robert van Diggele]

Thanks Ian, excellent. Ordered the dvd right away.

This release deserves its own topic, but here already the highlights,

Slim Cessna's Auto Club is offering an ‘Expanded Audio Edition’ of their new album “The Commandments According to SCAC.” This DVD version of the album is limited to 500 hand-numbered copies and includes the following:

- An expanded version of the album presented in 5.1 surround

- Two instrumental versions of the album; one in stereo, one in 5.1 surround

- The original stereo version of the album

- Lyrics read by Munly Munly

- All content presented in high resolution 24 bit / 48K audio

Instrumental surround mix is not added so often, if at all. Lyris read instead of displayed on the screen is also a nice touch.