Production "bells and whistles"- need tips

[jbasscase]

Hi- I joined Taxi recently and got my first forward, but the one critique was that the track could use some additional production bells and whistles to elevate the overall production value. I've been a jobbing/session instrumentalist for 25+ yrs and am finally now really delving into production, mixing, mastering, etc... so was wondering if anyone could listen to the song and let me know what tips you might have about "production bells and whistles" and "elevating the overall production value" so I can make better tracks in the future. It was for a listing in the style of Riot Grrrl, fyi.

Thanks,
Jen

https://soundcloud.com/jbasscase/coup-detat

[cosmicdolphin]

Hi Jen

Cool track, personally I think that with this style it's meant to have more of a "band" or "live" type feel which you've captured well.

It doesn't jump out to me as needing loads of production tricks like you might in other genres because it comes across more like a performance and it's not like you don't have any little moments, i e the amp squeal at the start.

However there's a few things you could try. Your main riff / hook has a call-response so you could try adding a clap pattern in the response part.

Percussion and shakers are things you can add especially in sections where you want a bit of an energy lift, the good thing is they are not too obvious and you can go digging through sample packs etc for them and maybe find something a little more unusual.

Look to your lyrics for production opportunities.. " closing down the interstate" ..is it possible to put a stop in there so it feels like everything has come to a standstill for a split second before you launch into the next section? This would also make an easy edit point if your song got a placement.

" Restitance is rising" can you have a a sound in the background that rises.. Like sliding up a guitar or something?

That sort of thing .match what your doing lyrically with production elements.

You can go through your song and every place where it goes to a new section have a think if there's anything you can tweak so they're not all the same. Little guitar amp noises, vocal breaths, something hard panned that's been playing in the centre, instruments that play the past bar of the section in a new octave, dropping out the drums suddenly. There's lots of little things that you can try.

Then there's vocal stuff. Stacking vocals and harmonies is the obvious one. You do it at times although I think you could go further. " The coup d'etat is here' around 1.22 for example could use those massed shouty background vocals you use elsewhere .

The obvious one is a "radio style" vocal effect just for a second or two and you've already done that, there might be other spot vocal FX you can sprinkle ? The word "atmosphere" might be one to try a bigger more spacey reverb.. something from the free Valhalla Supermassive.

Conversely.."the uprising is near" . Take off the reverb and make it dry so you do actually sound nearer.

Most of this is subtle, blink and it's gone type stuff but if you do enough of it it'll keep the listener on their toes.

Hope that helps

Mark

[Kolstad]

Really enjoyed this song, and great performances in there. Well done!

It's a great list from Mark with lots of great ideas, and Im sure you can find some goodies there to implement here and/or in other tracks. However when I listen to your mix, I think its more the mix that is an issue rather than b&w. Mainly I think your vocals don't sit great in the mix. Its not as "in the pocket" as your instrumental tracks are.

I would make the center vocal drier (less reverb), and perhaps add a short delay (slapback style, but not so you can actually hear it). That could give it a little more dimension and oomph.

Also the panned vocals is overpowering the lead center vocal, and that sounds like the mix is falling apart, so I would mix them a bit down in volume. Remember when you double, you raise the perceived volume.

When the vocals are mixed to sit, I might ride them all together a little with a fader (automate) on the vocal bus, so they interact better with the instrument tracks. To create a little more interplay/ dynamics. Your tracks are played really well, with nice transitions, so I would try to emphasize those places, also with automation. Don't be afraid to boost drums/ guitars/ bass 5-10db in a transition between sections.

In general the mix lacks a little aggressiveness, imo, to work well with the lyrics. I think that's the most bells and whistles you could get, to have the vocals sit better in the mix, capture more dynamics/ interplay between the tracks and the vocals, and to emphasize some fills and stuff in the instrumental parts.

Sub to The House of Kush on YouTube, for more ideas on improving overall production value..

Justmy2c good luck!

[jbasscase]

Thank you to both Kolstand and Cosmicdolphin! I will explore all the suggestions you've given me! Mixing and production has always seemed so overwhelming to me, I've always left it up to someone else in the past. But with zillions of instructional videos on youtube these days, great daws and plugins being so affordable (and accessible) now, and extra time on my hands since all my gigs have been cancelled for the foreseeable future, I'm going to figure it out. Thanks again!
jen