Any mixing tips for improving cheap sounding sax?

[CosmicDolphin]

Here's a Flac

CD

[NickT]

Not yet - but I have a project that could use it on the vox. I hope this weekend. I have used multiple comps on vox, just not 5!

Nick

I just re-read that article last night! 

Make another copy and use some paralell compression

Try the Michael Brauer Multiple compression technique....i.e. you send it to 5 or 6 different compressors Auxes and then return them back to the stereo buss, each one giveing a different character to the sound.

Did you try it yet though ?

[CosmicDolphin]

Let me know how it works out Nick

CD

[stoman]

I still cannot achieve an acceptable mix for this song.

This is the current version:
http://stoman.org/download/Mimmo_Trust_In_The_Moon.mp3.

I think the sax is ok now. It does not sound great, but it probably won't get better.

The vocals are another problem as the sep quality is not very good.

But I think the main problem is the arrangement of the song. It probably needs more instruments to fill the sonic holes. Maybe a choir similar to the one I added to JoeK's "Samson" in Studio "A".

Any other suggestions?

Regards,
  Steffen

[CosmicDolphin]

The MP3 is a bit poor , can you post a higher bitrate ?

CD

[stoman]

Sure.

Regards,
  Steffen

[CosmicDolphin]

Steffen ..trying to be constructive alot of the sounds are poor to start with - I understand why you can't make a good mix.

The Piano & Sax are reasonably okay....the vocals have a horrible sound quality to them...like a bad MP3 ? I don't think the accent helps the intelligibility of the lyrics either.

Bass sounds like a cheap keyboard sound , and the drums sound fake.  Strings are a bit nasty sounding too.

I don't think there's anything wrong with the arrangement per se , just the implimentation of it.

No amount of mixing can cover poor original sounds.


I'd stick with the Piano  -Sax - Guitar...then rework the rest if you want to make a significant difference.  Get a proper bass - Drums...find out what wnet wrong with the vocals then see if you can get some more realistic strings , maybe some backing vocals.

I know this started as a mix thread but sometimes you gotta go back to the start.

CD

[stoman]

Thanks, CD - you confirmed me in every respect. I will definitely replace the strings and the bass, and, if possible, recruit a drummer. I'm not sure if I can get better vocals. Mimmo's mic seems to have lost quality. He did re-sing the song once or twice, but the sound quality still wasn't acceptable.

I'll ask him if he can do anything to improve it.

Regards,
  Steffen

[CosmicDolphin]

Sounds like a lossy file fromat to me ?  Even a cheap mic wouldn't sound like that....are you sure he's sent you an original wave file and not something that's been transcoded ?

CD