Need some ears on Marriachi song and maybe some advice

[ElMiguel]

Hello,

Wondering what's your take on cutting the low end (high passing) of reverb. I read some tips online that says

"Also EQ your effects – If you don’t filter out the low-end of your reverb returns, chances are you’ll end up with a very muddy mix. Always slap an EQ on the reverb or effects channels, or use the built-in EQ if your effects come with them" Soure: http://www.audio-issues.com/music-mixin ... oull-need/


Currently, I'm considering if I should do that on this tune: https://soundcloud.com/michael-keihl/en ... n-progress


Is this mix too "muddy" and unclear in your opinion? Not sure if it's panned widely enough either. Too much in the middle, mayhap?

I'm considering sending this in to the following listings:


ORIGINAL MARIACHI-STYLE INSTRUMENTALS with HORNS in All-Tempos and Moods are needed by a really large media company for inclusion in its Exclusive, In-House Music Library and placements in its TV shows, documentaries and online media. This industry giant is building its own Exclusive, In-House Music Library and will pay an initial buyout fee of $250 for 100% of the Composition and Master rights (more info below). Here are a couple of examples of the style they're looking for:"Best Mariachi Music":https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klVe7_2UEQ8"Lo Mejor de la Musica Mexicana":https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Va04K1yJx1U While some of the referenced examples may have vocals in them, this request is looking for Instrumentals only. That said; if your piece(s) have some non-lyrical shouts or vocal exclamations in them, those could work for this pitch. Imagine how pieces like these would help create an authentic mood and establish a geographic location when used in documentaries and travel shows. Think of what types of Instrumentals would be used in an Up-Tempo, celebratory, Mexican festival scene or maybe something a little slower, more somber and serious, like a Down-Tempo piece in a scene about how drug lords have decimated a small village. Those are good examples of what they need (along with other moods and tempos). TAXI Tip: All types of Mariachi arrangements are needed, from small, "lo-fi" ensembles (like you might hear table-side at a Mexican restaurant) to fuller, Orchestral Mariachi, as long as the Instrumentals have authentic sounding horns in the arrangement.Strong musicianship and authentic (not MIDI-driven) sounds are needed. All submissions should be at least 2:00 minutes in length, with good edit points and Non-Faded endings. Do NOT copy or rip off the references in any way, shape, or form. Use them only as a general guide for tempo, tone, texture and overall vibe.



SPAGHETTI WESTERN INSTRUMENTALS are needed by an established and well-known Production Music Library that gets tons of placements in Film, Television Shows, and TV Commercials. They’re eagerly searching for Instrumentals in ALL-Tempos that could be found on a playlist with the “Godfather” of Spaghetti Western Music, Ennio Morricone. Take a listen to this collection of his best compositions to get in the general ballpark of what they need:

“Spaghetti Western Music Collection” by Ennio Morricone: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dpNQFpeo6U

Please submit original Instrumentals that evoke the spirit and grit of the American Wild West, with a memorable melodic theme, and authentic or believable sounding instrumentation. In other words, if you’re using orchestral samples, they need to sound real. You’d be smart to weave appropriate instrumentation in and out to keep your piece dynamic and interesting as it moves forward.



TRADITIONAL MEXICAN INSTRUMENTAL CUES are needed by a successful Music Library. They’re currently building a “Mexico” collection for a huge client of theirs that’s developing a “Mexican-themed show.” They’re looking for authentic-sounding Instrumentals in All Tempos, All Traditional Styles, and All Moods. Here are some references, but please don’t limit yourself to just the styles in these examples:

“Popurri Jarocho” by Mariachi Los Camperos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slJD2SVyqIM

“El Danzon En Mexico”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmRNbdD7hDk

“El Sonidito” by Hechizeros Band:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x47NYUbtYb0

Although the references above have vocals, this pitch is for instrumentals only. Please send authentic-sounding Cues that use traditional instrumentation such as vihuela, guitarron (acoustic guitar), trumpet, violin, accordion, maracas, etc. Your Cues should stick to one central idea and melody throughout. If it’s a Mid-to-Up-Tempo, your Cue should have additional instrumentation layered in as it progresses to keep it interesting and give it sense of forward movement. Slower pieces may or may not need that sense of forward movement.

[Paulie]

I think the mix sounds just fine, no mud to my ears. However, I don't hear this as mariachi, spaghetti western or traditional Mexican at all. It's a wonderful piece, well written and interesting, but stylistically I don't see it as a fit for any of the listings. I'd consider this a beautiful string trailer cue.

[ElMiguel]

I think the mix sounds just fine, no mud to my ears. However, I don't hear this as mariachi, spaghetti western or traditional Mexican at all. It's a wonderful piece, well written and interesting, but stylistically I don't see it as a fit for any of the listings. I'd consider this a beautiful string trailer cue.

Thanks, yeah it might not fit for the listings even though it has mariachis as a part of the song. The only listing that could work for this is probably the spaghetti western one, the intro piano is inspired by the ecstasy of gold. Too modern sound overall compared to Ennio Morricone, I guess.

[andygabrys]

I think the mix sounds just fine, no mud to my ears. However, I don't hear this as mariachi, spaghetti western or traditional Mexican at all. It's a wonderful piece, well written and interesting, but stylistically I don't see it as a fit for any of the listings. I'd consider this a beautiful string trailer cue.

Thanks, yeah it might not fit for the listings even though it has mariachis as a part of the song. The only listing that could work for this is probably the spaghetti western one, the intro piano is inspired by the ecstasy of gold. Too modern sound overall compared to Ennio Morricone, I guess.

most of that spaghetti stuff features some kind of guitar part - its a signature part of the sound. The Morricone stuff often had a nylon string guitar playing melody, an electric with a good amount of spring reverb playing melodies and often steel string acoustics playing the galloping rhythm parts. So I would say your piece is inspired by the wide open feeling of that kind of music but without the usual suspects sound wise.

Muddy - I don't really find this muddy. Something is happening with your cymbals though - like at 2:29 - they sound distorted to me on my monitors.

Consider that eq your reverb idea for a second:

If you don't high and low pass instruments as a rule, then its possible when sending the full range sound of a mic'd guitar for example to a reverb, that the trash and sub frequencies of the guitar could activate the low parts of the reverb and make the mud worse. So in that case you might consider filtering the reverb - sure.

But if you are like many and apply some low cut filters to guitars and other similar things, then you won't have much low stuff being sent to the reverb, and the resulting mud is going to be much less.

its also genre specific - pop stuff is going to be filtered on the individual tracks and on effects like delay and reverb much more heavily. This style could likely get away with more mud as its not surgically mixed (at least, the classic stuff wasn't - there was a lot of room sound).

my 2 cents.

[ElMiguel]

Thanks Andy,


I noticed the cymbals. Thanks for the tips

[mojobone]

For more Spaghetti Western ideas, dial up the Red Dead Revolver soundtrack on the YouTubes.