Detective Theme

pseudojazzer · Post by **pseudojazzer** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 10:42 am

Hi Z,

Havn't posted any music here for ages, but am trying to get back on it!

Just been doing a few tracks, well, little snippets really, for a friends short film. This is just a minute when the detective is following a suspect.. Wanted to have some of that 70s funk vibe a la starsky and hutch without going over the top with the horns and stuff..

Quite happy with the composition but not sure about the mix - any advice would be much appreiciated.

Cheers,
Tom

Frontline Studio · Post by **Frontline Studio** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 12:33 pm

I've listened to your tune and here's my 2 cents:

As a drummer, I'd like to point out that the riffs sound too programmed or mechanic. The snare is a bit too metallic and hollow. Try to use a bit dryer sounding snare - a wood snare perhaps.

Good luck on your mixing!

kensuguro · Post by **kensuguro** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 1:24 pm

ya, sounds like it could use some swinging, esp since the wood bass is swinging.

pseudojazzer · Post by **pseudojazzer** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 2:08 pm

Thanks guys,
you are both right - i need to get the drums to swing a little more, i quite like the way its straighness offsets the swing in the bass but i'll have a look and see if i can get a little more groove in there as well.

Good advice aout the snare as well, i'll see if i have anything that is a little more woody and rounded, i was kinda going for the snappy kinda sound but its probably not best in this context, its nice to be able to hear what drummers think, cos sometimes i just get stuck in a rut of what kinda snare i like without thiking of the rest of the tune - so thanks!

Is the mix just about ok? guitar maybe a little loud.. personally i'm freaking about the eq on the bass, never seem to get it quite right..

Cheers,
Tom

Frontline Studio · Post by **Frontline Studio** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 9:25 pm

Let me get back on that later this day! Right now, I'm at work and do not have the means to listen to your track.

Post by **hubird** » Thu Apr 05, 2007 5:40 am

hm, I always like that ringing snaresound, like with the drummer of late James Brown.
I vote positiv

Frontline Studio · Post by **Frontline Studio** » Thu Apr 05, 2007 6:49 am

pseudojazzer wrote: Is the mix just about ok? guitar maybe a little loud.. personally i'm freaking about the eq on the bass, never seem to get it quite right..

Cheers,
Tom

Both the guitar and the snare are too much "up front". Well, we've already debated the snare but the guitar can be put just a tad more back in the sound spectrum. Do you use compression? If not, better use it.

During the mix-down, use some PC speakers for reference next to your monitors. Another tip: use you car stereo!
If the mix down sounds good on these speakers, the mixing levels are OK.

pseudojazzer · Post by **pseudojazzer** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 1:25 am

OK, so i've redone the tune, the snare is now a wood snare, and the drums are a little more swinging, not ovely so, but a little more lift to the groove.
Also i've lowered the guitar and eqed the bass so it doesnt honk through the speakers quite so much. Snare might still be a little over compressed, and the toms are a little more contained (added a tighter gate release so that they doesn't resonate for ever, and some eq)

Hope you think its better as well. Listened to the mix in the car and on my laptop, of course it sounds completely different on both, but the essence is there i think.

Big thanks to Frontline Studio for the helpful comments!

Cheers,
Tom