Broadcast Quality Issue

[LongBlackNight]

Hello,

I recently submitted for the listing detailed at the bottom of this post. My submission is title Happy Alec and can be heard here:

https://longblacknight.com/happy-alec

It was returned with the "Recording" box checked and the following comments:

Really nice composition. This listing requires broadcast quality with a very high production value. I think you may get closer to this by trying to balance the strings and piano levels more and using more eq and reverb if necessary on parts to attain more separation between your instruments.


So the issue appears to be clarity--that ephemeral ghost I've been chasing for years and have touched once or twice but never been able to put in a bottle. Do people agree with the comments above? Does the suggestion to use eq and reverb to separate instruments sound right? Other comments welcome either on or off these topics. Thanks!


Listing Details

INSTRUMENTAL CUES for TV COMMERCIALS are needed by a High-End Music Library recently started by the CEO of another successful company. They’re looking for Positive, Inspiring, Mid-to-Up-Tempo Instrumental Cues that would fall within the general stylistic range of the following references we got directly from our client:

Song/Instrumental Reference 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ciV6zR ... e=youtu.be
Song/Instrumental Reference 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAn1dRy ... e=youtu.be

NOTE: The bar is going to be high for this request as this Music Library will be distributed through a MAJOR Publisher and will be looking for excellent composers for this catalog! Please submit uplifting, positive, inspiring, contemporary-sounding Instrumental Cues that incorporate some acoustic instrumentation. Having an “advertising-friendly” sound and vibe that could work well as background music in a variety of media could make this company happy. Your Cues don't necessarily need a prominent melody – a nice musical motif that works well as background music (with some sense of forward movement) will do the trick.

Quoting the Music Library Executive: “The quality I’m looking for must be high! What I mean by this: - High production value. - ‘Sophisticated’ sounds & arrangements (see examples). - Can have a somewhat ‘artistic’ approach in terms of the sound aesthetics, but the Cue needs to be licensable/usable for music library licensing.”

IMPORTANT: All submissions should be at least 2 minutes long, with Non-Faded, Button/Stinger endings. Please do NOT copy the referenced examples ...

[ttully]

Hi LongBlackNight,

This is a good track....
As you know...this is a high bar listing and these have to be extremely good

A/B the examples to yours USING GOOD HEADPHONES.

Listen how much stereo separation there is in the examples.... yours almost sounds like it's in mono compared to them.
I would widen the stereo field of some of your tracks.....
Lessen the reverb on the keys and they will be more up front ..... this will separate them more from the strings.
Boost or cut a different frequency on the strings from the piano....don't have them using all the same eq settings.

Well...I will comment on 1 more thing.... the snare has too much reverb....but the reviewer did not comment on this.
It seems you are using real drums....the examples are not using real drums....I might suggest using midi drums for this. ( I can't believe I said that) but if the track calls for midi drums....go with it!

I know I am not telling you EXACTLY how to fix it up..... that is hard to do....maybe someone else can chime in to help.

My 2 cents,
Tim

[LongBlackNight]

Thank You, Tim... I'll check that all out. This really seems to be a looong learning curve, because I've been at this a decent number of years.

Do you think there's room for the ride to go up, or is it at a good level? I feel like I'm missing some detail in it.

Nice work on your hosting page. Thanks for sharing. What DAW do you use? I'm on Sonar after having been on Pro Audio 9 and Presonus Studio One.

[lesmac]

I've got 2 cents for ya

I know Tim is very qualified and gives good advice.

Nicely composed and played.

It sounded pretty bright to me. Theres a lot of fizz in just about everything. If your reverbs are bright too that just clutters up the top end. So along with some eq carving of your different instruments, [look up eq carving on Youtube- you don't have to be too drastic but its a good thing] and do some low passing [hi-shelf filtering].

You can use tape emulation plugins as well as eq if you have one.

All your Vi s don't have to be stereo, you can use mono instances as well as collapsing the pans on stereo tracks and positioning them more precisely. You can use stereo positioning plugins on your stereo tracks to position them too.

Thanks for sharing. Looking forward to seeing how you work this one.

[cosmicdolphin]

Production style sounds dated to me..like kinda shiny artifical 80's..lot's of shimmery reverb , fizz , sparkle etc..

The reference cues sound like they are on a stage in front of me and yours is like 50 feet further back in the hall.

You could knock all the reverb off. Try some delays instead. As an experiment try EQ matching if you a plugin for it and apply their curve to your track it may highlight where the mix is lacking , then you can go fix it.

Mark

[Len911]

I would try m/s processing.

[LongBlackNight]

Lester, Mark, Len...Thank you. These are good avenues to pursue. I hear you about the reverb and fizziness. It's always a battle for me to dial that down because I often get to a place where I might as well just turn it off completely. But I hear nice mellow reverb in other songs, e.g., your "All For You," Lester, although maybe that's mostly on the vocals. Still, is it just a matter of rolling off the high end of the reverb to get that mellow shimmer rather than the fizz?

I've already gone to work on the song and applied some of the comments everyone has made, and I think it's moving in the right direction. I'll repost within a week and maybe I'll have learned something.

Thnx,
jp

[ttully]

Hey JP,

If it sounds good without reverb....then don't use it!!!
Also....I'm not sure what you are using for reverb, or what settings....but some sound way way better than others.....


Tim

[ttully]

Hey JP,
I use protools...and to be honest, I didn’t even notice the ride!
Many times my tinnitus covers up the ride and HH......
I just listened again with headphones....I still can't hear the ride.... so...no comment!..it may be perfect!

It is a good track...

Tim

[cosmicdolphin]

It's always a battle for me to dial that down because I often get to a place where I might as well just turn it off completely.

I've done many tracks without reverb in them, it's not a prerequisite. Delay can often do the trick without cluttering up the mix. If I use any it's more often just on the drums to glue the kit together.

Make sure you EQ the reverb returm, try doing it solo'd..roll off the top and bottom..just keep the 'meat' of it..dip anything that's jumping out still..i.e. the snare frequency and then pop it in and out until you're just left with a reverb that you only notice when it's not there.