My first C64 remix

[Razmo]

Trace: I get the picture ... I guess it's a little different when it comes to live played bass (I asume you are refering to a bass guitar sound?)... now in typpical dance music and techno, the problem with kick and bass is usualy done in two ways; either you simply do not play both at the same time (hence the expression OFF BEAT BASS, where you typpicaly hear the bass notes in between the kicks), or you use a compressor with a sidechain, so that the bass is lowered in volume whenever the kick hits to prevent the mud. I sometimes just EQ out any freq. below 120Hz on the bass sounds, since most energy in kick drums are at around 70-80Hz.... it depends on the material really.

[Scyphe]

One problem I had with this particular "bass" is that certain played notes have a natural amplification while other notes doesn't get amplified in the same way making it difficult to pinpoint exactly what is going on. It's a common thing as far as string instruments are concerned. There are so many extra factors to consider when recording live instruments (string vibrations, pickups, feedback, natural harmonics, a long signal path etc. although feedback wasn't included in this remix since I used headphones to record the thing). Recording and mixing electronic music vs live instruments is very different (I do mess around with electronic music as well, I'm an old C64/Amiga-freak after all).

I've been thinking about getting a real speaker set for my computer for years now, I've just never gotten to actually do it..

[Razmo]

Scyphe:

Yes you're right, there is differences to mixing guitar and electronic music, so I'll just have to leave you by yourself on that one! ... maybe Romeo Knight or some other strumming daddy can help you there

Now I'm certain that the loud notes you talk about has to do with some resonant frequencies in your instrument... these probably differ from instrument to instrument, but I'm certain that it's generally always the same frequency (frequencies) that are the problem here. You probably just have to analyse what frequencies your guitar tend to resonate, and then surgically suppress them using a parametric equalizing filter... at least that is what I would try out, but maybe I'm wrong

[Scyphe]

You probably just have to analyse what frequencies your guitar tend to resonate, and then surgically suppress them using a parametric equalizing filter...

Yes, the resonance is a problem. As for the rest, it's a "tad" beyond my current abilities..

Thanks to everyone who commented. It'll help me to make better remixes/covers as well as any recording I do in the future.

[Dees Productions]

Nice work!
Neat guitar work and the effects are nice. As mentioned, the bass might need a bit of a EQ.
Very good "first remix", keep up the work you seem to have some skills
/Dees Productions

[Scyphe]

I rar'ed the entire project folder and sent it to a friend of mine in Norway who's a much better musician than I ever was and asked him if he could do anything. Got a first test today and wow, it sounds completely different. He replaced the bass & sorted out the drums as well as changed the mix of all instruments, the eq's and everything. Sounds 10 times better than my original. When it's finished I'll post a link here (not sure I can submit a remixed version of my own song to kwed).

ps. I have my eyes set on a pair of these to solve the problem with crappy pc-speakers and difficult-to-mix-to-headphones (and within my price range):
Behringer DIGITAL MONITOR SPEAKSER MS20
http://www.intersalg.com/product/4560/7 ... _MS20.html

[Chris Abbott]

... and this is why people mostly submit to RKO too early: any piece will be better if you either get proper beta-testing or even leave it for a month or two and come back to it with fresh ears. But remixers are so excited they often prematurely ejaculate their work into the public domain... of course this happens less as you get older

Chris

[Scyphe]

... and this is why people mostly submit to RKO too early: any piece will be better if you either get proper beta-testing or even leave it for a month or two and come back to it with fresh ears. But remixers are so excited they often prematurely ejaculate their work into the public domain... of course this happens less as you get older

Chris

There's always a point where you ask yourself: "should I work on this another month", and after that month you go "hmm, perhaps yet another month" and so on ad infinitum. However, you are right in that leaving the song for a month or two would be a good thing. It wasn't really until after I had submitted the original and listened to it a couple of times that the drab reality of the flaws became apparent. It's a strange phenomenon. When you're working on something, record it, tweak it, add effects etc. you really don't have a fresh set of ears, you hear what you had in your head superimposed on the actual recording ending with the 'strange' effect that you can't "hear" the song the way it sounds for quite a while (and it can be a painful revelation once you have unbiased ears). I think most musicians, remixers etc. know what I'm talking about.

[Analog-X64]

There's always a point where you ask yourself: "should I work on this another month", and after that month you go "hmm, perhaps yet another month" and so on ad infinitum.

I started work on "Master of Magic" kept plugging away at it here and there, wasnt too happy, I left it alone for weeks at a time went back to work on it. Eventually I had to return the Laptop that I was using to work on it, I backed up everything onto a dvd and stored it, and thats the end of it. The momentum is gone, I have no desire to go back and work on it.

[Dafunk]

yeah, i agree with everything said above. but when you don't want to/can't drag it for a long period, it usually helps having a good quality reference track when doing something, it can help kick you back straight into reality... but i've fallen in the same trap over and over again submitting stuff too early, and i do it still sometimes. and i must say thank you to jan for having patience with all the removal request and reuploads i did. if i was him, i would kick myself in the balls for being such an annoying b'stard...
i also agree that the momentum can be lost. but it's really important to get stuff finished, and be able to move on...

[Chris Abbott]

In general if you come back to it after a month or two and you've got no new ideas, it's probably not worth releasing, or it's finished (usually the first).

Chris

[Scyphe]

Here's a beta of the new remixed version of Human Race #4:

Human Race #4 (Maccie Pimp-Me-Up Mix beta)

In my headphones and pc-speakers the organ seems to be a little too loud but I trust Maccie's ears and speakers are a lot better than mine.