Desert Island

I struggled with this so long. I am still not entirely happy with it, but I don’t know what to do with it. I got rid of a lot of tracks and that seemed to help - maybe I should get rid of even more layers?

I think you did a great job on this track, I haven’t found anything that bothered me, I would not delete any track :slight_smile:

You seem to obsessed with the art of mixing, given this piece seems mixed incredibly with well done and tasteful spatial separation of instruments, and you still are not satisfied :stuck_out_tongue: I mean really, normally I hate listening to asymetrical mixes with headphones, but you balanced this pretty well in my ears

One thing that came into my mind was…the drums are somehow very much in the background compared to the other instruments…I think they may belong more into the center/focus. After listening to it a few times the usual “ears get used” clarity kicks in, but with fresh ears the rhythm sounds like in the background sometimes. Also the mids in this piece really bang through, making the piece a bit dark and forward sounding, well but I guess this is to be adjusted when finalizing/mastering.

I’m still beginner at mixing, what you achieved is far from my skills, and writing this makes me feel being a satchmo, but maybe it could help to sacrifice some midrange from the soft low guitarish pluck thing (maybe also +1 oct on it could help, also to shift the dark balance of the tune a bit more to the equilibrium) or other instruments, in favour of rhythm instruments, giving them more punch and making them crack in a bit more?

Thanks for your comments! I was aiming for a dark sound overall for this, so I am hesitant to move it more towards the middle, but I could make the drums punch through more. I mean, now that you mention it, it seems obvious. There is a lot of bass in the speakers I am mixing on, and that tends to throw me for a loop even when I am used to them.

Hey Sam, it sounds great! Lot of awesome parts here (I love that muted guitar arpeggio, can I steal that? :slight_smile: )

I do think the drums could be be stronger here but it really depends on what your going for. I like that bass line, is this in E minor?

I like that bass line, is this in E minor?

Thanks! The chords in the main bit go: Am, Em, F