Epic piece, need your ears for mix

[mazz]

Here's a piece that's hopefully epic enough for the listing. I'm trying a new mix strategy with this piece and it still needs some work (fader moves on individual instruments, slower build, etc.), and I'd like some fresh ears.Any mix feedback greatly appreciated.Mazzhttp://www.taximusic.com/song.php?song_id=204043&stream=true

[southpaw]

Show off..! Great orchestral piece, this is for the next "Narnia" film right? I've listened to it 5 times now, and i dont like the airy pad that comes in at 00:00:24. Its sounds "hissy" to me. (hissing sounding) Especially at 38s and 50s to 1 min. Also the (trumpet i think) part that comes in at 1:13 doesnt sound full enough or realistic enough to my ears. It sounds like you intended on keeping some distance on the part, i couldnt hear any body or fullness at its fundementals tho. FYI, My mix comments are what i hear through bose desktops through itunes without EQ. Outstanding piece, your stuff sounds 'bout as good as anything ive heard, including the big budget films. For me, strings and horns are tough to compose and produce. You have an impressive handle on them. Out of curiousity, are you a classically trained musician? Jamie

[matto]

John it sounds pretty good overall, the solo oboe early in the piece sounds a bit stiff and fake, as does the solo trumpet later on (~1:10), the phrasing isn't very convincing on those parts. Maybe use more expression on the oboe so the part "breathes" more. Or just mix it lower, or maybe it needs to have the highend rolled off a little too, seems a tad piercing.On the trumpet I'm not sure, if it's limitations of the sample maybe double it with something else cause to my ears it's too fake, there's too much of an unrealistic attack on most notes.There seems to perhaps be something wrong on that last chord (before the final crescendo) like some instrument playing out of time?Might wanna check that.I think it's very epic towards the end but maybe takes a tad long to get there...I didn't expect that "adventure" part that kicks in just after the minute, if I was an editor I might've turned the piece off not knowing that was coming.Then again I don't know what listing this is for, just speaking from the standpoint of production music.Purely as a piece of music I think it works great and is very well done!matto

[mazz]

Thanks guys.The trumpet is the SampleModeling trumpet but I think I have the CC11 too wide open for the part. The brightness is just too much and takes away from the body of the instrument. I'll work on the phrasing too. Same with the oboe, thanks.FYI: The listing is for a CD compilation and not necessarily for production music, although I realize the change in the middle limits it's usage in that arena.OK, thanks!!Mazz

[stevebarden]

Hey Mazz, this is a really nice composition with a lot of nice dymanic changes. It builds nicely. For some reason - maybe it's my system - the entire piece sounded very distorted. It made it difficult to hear the clarity of the mid- to low-end. Again, could be just me.I also felt that the trumpet was thin and shrill sounding. The oboe didn't bother me although it seemed a bit loud in the mix. I also think it would be nice to add another voice on the melody to support the oboe as well as just adding another color at around 0:38 when the strings kick in. Or maybe changing the color entirely to something else such as a Fr. horn.Well done (as usual).Steve

[jonathanm]

Really nice piece, Mazz. Really nice.I think if you roll the high's off of the oboe and trumpet, that will help significantly in getting those instruments to sit and sound more real.The distortion Steve mentioned wasn't there for me...until 1:03 when the tempo kicked in with the orchestral swells into hits. I think what I was hearing there was a bit of aggressive compression.

[ideascapes]

Mazz,Nice, as always. To me the loud sections worked better (epic quality) here than the quiet ones. I think the phrasing/articulation/expression on the opening strings and oboe were just not very convincing. Challenging there as obviously it's a first impression thing and both instruments were very exposed to the ear.I heard the same thing on the trumpet as others, but no distortion here on my hotel computer with and middle-quality noise cancelation headphones until maybe 1:42/1:44 in the right speaker.Vince

[teleblaster]

Hi Mazz,Beautiful piece. I'm really taken back with your compositional and arranging talents! Funny thing, the oboe didn't bother me that much at all; I could hear maybe a little more body being added to it -- a little woodier tone.My ears wanted to hear the drums less washed out, more clarity. But, I don't know what the norm is for these types of pieces, maybe the comp/eq choices on them is on target for this type of music.HTH: Really enjoyed listening.Erich

[matthoggard]

I second matto on the oboe and the trumpet. I dont think its so much the phrasing, they just seem too loud in the mix. At the crescendo when the orchestra and percussion kick in you definately lose some bottom end clarity. Are those timpani's? If so i couldnt hear the resonance from them. Usually timpani's have a nice ring after the strike. ALso the low string section is masked quite a bit. I could tell they were there but maybe thats how you intended.Loved the piece. Perfect ending also.M~

[aldicicco]

Hi Mazz,Excellent work. I enjoyed the melodic phrasing and the harmonic transitions.The oboe didn't bother me, except being a little up front volume-wise. I liked the trumpet part too, but the timbre was a little tinny in my opinion and it seemed to have a unusual vibrato to it.On my speakers there seems to be a "hiss" of sorts around :38 into the piece. Almost a high end cymbal type of sound. I hear it each time I play it. Perhaps I have well-calibrated tinnitus....Best wishes,Al