A last minute and final (I hope) request for input on my album mix

[Jim Soloway]

This weekend is supposed to be the final push to completing the album. That means mixing, mastering and all the other small fiddly bits have to be done and decisions have to be lived with no matter what. And I could really use some feedback/reassurance.

The name of the album is "The Sound Of Two Old Hands" and whenever I start falling too deeply into effect, a good friend of mine keeps trying to remind me that what people should here is the hands rather the technology, so this morning I swapped out a the reverb for something much smaller and less obtrusive. This is what it sounds like after it goes through all of the mixing and mastering process. It's the opening 1:20 of the album. I like it but it is incredibly revealing. Any thoughts?

[bratistofeles]

Jim, that sounds great. This might fall in the realm of personal preference so please don't take it as criticism, but to my ears there is a bit too much reverb and the low frequency band under 150 Hz is a tad overpowering. I would probably reduce those frequencies by ~ 1.5 dB.

[Adam C.]

Beautiful sound, one can definitely hear the idea of the hands in the sound.
The only thing to my ears is that there's a bit too much reverb maybe? But I tend like "dry" sonuds on the guitar. As bratistofeles wrote, it's a personal preference, so again don't take it as a criticism.
Other than that, congrats, hope to hear the whole album soon!

Best, Adam

[DC Cornelius]

Sounds great to me.

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

Jim, that sounds great. This might fall in the realm of personal preference so please don't take it as criticism, but to my ears there is a bit too much reverb and the low frequency band under 150 Hz is a tad overpowering. I would probably reduce those frequencies by ~ 1.5 dB.

I think the EQ issue depends on your target audience. I’d agree if you’re aiming for audiophiles with systems that are truly flat (i.e. < 3 dB down) to 40 or below. But most listeners today are using phones, tablets, and smart speakers that are already down more than that at 80. So I think it’s fine for the majority, and those with great systems or ‘phones can do the EQ themselves.

I’m not a fan of dreamy reverb. But it does go well with your chosen material and your playing style (of which I’m a fan). Sadly, those who don’t like that much reverb can’t dial it down. But those who want it can’t add it either, without processing the sound themselves. Neither is better, and it’s part of your sound. So I’d leave it as is, Jim. I wouldn’t tell Mike Stern or John Abercrombie to cut his effects

It’s you, which is mighty fine.

[StefanoGhirardo]

My timbre tastes coincide with those of bratistofeles and Adam C., but I also find nevershouldhavesoldit's observation correct regarding the importance of timbre as a synergic factor of what you play and how you play it.
Congratulations, we are waiting for the new album!

[skiboyny]

I think the EQ issue depends on your target audience. I’d agree if you’re aiming for audiophiles with systems that are truly flat (i.e. < 3 dB down) to 40 or below. But most listeners today are using phones, tablets, and smart speakers that are already down more than that at 80. So I think it’s fine for the majority, and those with great systems or ‘phones can do the EQ themselves.

That's very true. FWIW I was listening thru a nothing special Mac and the low bass was overpowering. I would imagine that studio monitors would be a bit worse. Just an observation. I think it's really good to get input from people that listen thru different devices to come up with final levels.

[Jim Soloway]

That's very true. FWIW I was listening thru a nothing special Mac and the low bass was overpowering. I would imagine that studio monitors would be a bit worse. Just an observation. I think it's really good to get input from people that listen thru different devices to come up with final levels.

That was very much why I posted it for input in a couple of places. There were a few people on another forum listening on laptop speakers and even smart phone speakers and they were not just getting overwhelming bass, they were getting a lot of distortion. I am very much NOT an engineer so I really have to rely on other people to give me their feedback and I have to be willing to accept their experiences as a guide. I've really gone back to square one of the mixing and mastering process, reducing bass, finding the hot spots that overload the mastering software and reducing the intensity of the mastering process. And through all of this I've also gotten progressively drier as I've gone along even if it's only to make it easier to hear the flaws. So what I'm hearing now doesn't really resemble what I posted yesterday. I'm going to try to resolve all the issues that have been reported, apply the solutions to the entire piece of music (rather than just the first 1:20) and when I'm done I'll post the results.

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

That's very true. FWIW I was listening thru a nothing special Mac and the low bass was overpowering.

It all depends on what computer speakers you're using. Some (like the Klipsch Pro Media) are EQ'ed to sound "bigger", so they're seriously bass heavy. I bought a pair on clearance several years ago without hearing them first. I finally stopped using them because they were thump city, even with the bass all the way down. For some odd reason, most people think that heavier bass is better sound quality - but it is not.

[Rickco]

Your playing is great, Im listening on a reference mastering system, very flat and extended in a large treated room. I would agree about the verb and the bass on this system (less of both) also listened on desk top monitors and smaller (rolled off below 40) room speakers and found the same thing to a lesser degree. That said you could release it and Im sure the vast majority of listeners would find it very pleasing. I do recording and mastering for local college and a few touring players so take my observation with a grain of salt...I did read Al Schmitts book however.

[Jim Soloway]

Your playing is great, Im listening on a reference mastering system, very flat and extended in a large treated room. I would agree about the verb and the bass on this system (less of both) also listened on desk top monitors and smaller (rolled off below 40) room speakers and found the same thing to a lesser degree. That said you could release it and Im sure the vast majority of listeners would find it very pleasing. I do recording and mastering for local college and a few touring players so take my observation with a grain of salt...I did read Al Schmitts book however.

No salt required. That's a whole lot more engineering than I've done.