MiX iT! 3a - Mix for Mixerman Q&A

[Chris Lambrechts]

What ?

Mix for Mixerman ?

Yes, because if after reading this thread you decide to go to this thread and signup for the MiX iT! #3 Event, that is exactly what you'll be doing : Mix a song for Mixerman.

So without further adue, the MiLaR forum is proud to introduce to you :

MiX iT! #3- Mix for Mixerman

Sponsored by Kagi Media and Auraleo Advanced Learning



Scenario :


the song : Aren't You Proud (aka "622")
the artist : Strange Faces
the producer : Mixerman
the recording engineer : Mixerman

the mixing engineer : YOU


Yes, it is as simple as that.

Strange Faces & Mixerman have agreed to give us full access to the individual tracks of 622.


You can find all necessary information & details on how to signup up for the MiX iT #3 Event here.


Mixerman will be here shortly to tell us all about the song. In the meantime listen to the rough mix of Aren't You Proud :


Enjoy !!!!


Charles & Chris

[Mixerman]

Hey All,

This is a track from the Strange Faces album I produced recently. It's a bit different from the rest of their tracks, but this one is kind of special to me, mostly because of the story behind it (which I'll get into later).

The album is complete. So, there is already a final mix of this song. Instead of giving you the final, I made a quick rough mix for the purposes of this Mix Event. I just listened to it in comparison with the final, and the balances aren't all that dissimilar. It is a decent representation of how the Artist and I hear the song.

I'll be by later tonight to post a more in depth summary as the producer. In the meantime, listen to the MP3. If you would like to hear other Strange Faces songs, you can go to their wholly unbuilt Strange Faces Myspace page.

If you have any questions that you want to ask me, or the artist, feel free to ask here.

Enjoy,

Mixerman

[billy_gimp]

Sounds really nice and I'm looking forward to getting my greasy little mitts on it.... But with quality comes the thought that somethings I may do may be detrimental to what's already there... who knows.

Just out of curiosity what were some microphones that you used in the tracking stages, and what was the guitar and amplifier combination used? It reminds me of james bond, or perhaps thats the lyrical content as well.

[Mixerman]

I'll give you the details on guitar amps, guitars, bass amps, drum mics, etc..., but I'll have to look at the track sheets and consult the Artist, who will remember the guitar chains better than I will.

I'm not going to be able to make one big post, and we have a few days, so I'll first start with the back story on this song.

When this song was sent to me in demo form, there were no lyrics. Even before I had arrived in North Carolina, to track, there were no lyrics. But musically, (including the melody which was written) there was something special about the track. I loved the dark, almost sinister feel of it, and I told Ryan (the singer and main writer in the band) that this could very well be the best song on the album, IF he writes a kick ass lyric.

When we tracked the song, there was no lyric. And we didn't end up finishing the vocals during our initial tracking session, so it didn't matter. Ryan was going to fly to LA, and he had some time to write a lyric.

So, he got to LA, and he gave me the lyric to the song, which I didn't like. It's not that it was a bad lyric. But it wasn't THE lyric for this song. I thought the track deserved better. I knew it, and so did Ryan. He just didn't want to admit it, at first. He's also not the kind of writer that can necessarily just sit down and whip out a lyric on command. But it didn't matter. We were going to track vocals for 5 days, so he had plenty of time to come up with a lyric.

The day Ryan arrived to LA, we had dinner with my family, and then I drove him back to his hotel room, and we hung out talking for a while, and Ryan starts telling me this story. I'll tell you the details of the story later, but it was a mind-blowing story. I'll just tell you, I was somewhat toasted by this point in the evening. And when he finished the story, I said "Dude," (I really did call him "dude"), "THAT'S what 622 should be about!"

Yes 622 was a working title, and I've just been informed the band is finally going to call the song, as it should be, "Aren't you Proud?" But I digress.

"Dude," I said "THAT'S what 622 should be about!"

He was dubious.

"What the hell are you talking about? How can the song be about that?" Ryan replied.

And then I told him my idea for the song. He wasn't buying it at first, but I can be quite persistent. I started singing some lines that were horrendously funny, and not meant in any kind of seriousness other than to get him thinking. To make matters worse, I was singing the lines badly, and to the melody of the Rhodes arpeggios. I swear to you, I was crying in laughter the entire way home. I even called him as I was driving and apparently, he was crying in laughter too.

Fast forward to our second-to-last day of cutting vocals. He still didn't have a lyric. And as much as he now felt I was right, and that the song subject matter SHOULD be as we discussed, the reality was, we were out of time. So, I gave him permission to cut the song with the lyric he had.

I use the word "permission" not in the context of it being my decision. He's the artist and has the power of veto where his songs are concerned. By "permission" I mean my blessing. I wanted to remove the pressure from him, partly because MAYBE that would help him to write a lyric the next morning, partly, because I didn't want him to beat himself up if we cut the other lyric. Besides, we could always recut the vocal if he wrote a new lyric after the fact, and I told him this.

When I picked Ryan up the next morning to go to the studio, he had 80% of a lyric for the song. And it was GREAT! We went to the studio, touched up the lyrics, finished the missing lines, and cut the song, fresh off the presses.

Now, as the producer, I can tell you what the song is about. But first, I want you to do your own homework. Listen to the song. Listen to the lyrics (you might want to type them out). And tell me what the song is about.

If you listen carefully, and if you think about them, you should be able to solve the mystery. The clues are there to figure it out. You just have to be willing to dig for it. When you understand what the lyrics are and the perspective of the song, every word makes sense. So, keep that in mind.

More tomorrow. First we have to know what the song is about. When you figure it out, and your CERTAIN you've figured it out, just say "I've figured it out!"

Enjoy,

Mixerman

[norman_damon]

"I've figured it out"

The singer was an unwitting hostage in the OJ Simpson sports memorabilia robbery.

think about it....

I'm pretty sure I nailed this one.

[GeeWhoLeeo]

the song is really a cool one!
i got a question: can we ADD tracks to it?
of course i'm talking about small things, like a distant pad key or whatever.. in general small things that wouldn't influence the production at all, production is fine and i can see all of the elements are there for a specific reason so i'm not questioning the production at all.
but at least for me half of the fun would be to add subtle elements to it and play a bit.
so my question is: are we limited to what we are given? has it to be strictly mixing?
cheers!

[eclectik]

Originally Posted by GeeWhoLeeo

...can we ADD tracks to it? ...are we limited to what we are given? has it to be strictly mixing?

Originally Posted by Chris Lambrechts

This is a MIXING event . Look at it this way : You are asked to do a MIX and all tracking / producing / arranging and editing of the song was done for you. All you need to do is MIX it. We want to focus on improving your mixing skills, not your editing skills.

Do your voodoo with EQ, compression, and effects.

[AngelBomb]

I really like this tune, I can't wait to have a go with it. MM, do you have any idea when the actuall album will be released? Gonna have to snatch up a copy of it.

J

[chrisj]

OK, help me out.

This uzz uhh rrrk vuclll.

I got 'adorning'.

*listen to it yourself- lyric edited out *

Don't make me start posting 'kiss-this-guy'isms of this one, it will get very ridiculous very quickly

Hang on, that was it. I really should have guessed, but I wasn't thinking along those lines. I have the gist, and yes, that was the correct lyric.

[StrangeFaces]

Originally Posted by chrisj

Don't make me start posting 'kiss-this-guy'isms of this one, it will get very ridiculous very quickly

I think I would actually enjoy that!


I'll help everybody out with lyrics if needed. If you want me to just go ahead and post the lyric for the entire song, I will. I'll also answer any questions anybody may have about the recording process, chains, mic placement, techniques, etc.., that you would like to know about this record. I'm looking forward to hearing everybody's mixes. This should be fun.

-Ryan

[pete78]

Cool - we definately dont need any drum samples on this track

great sounding recordings..!

[Knastratt]

Originally Posted by StrangeFaces

I think I would actually enjoy that!


I'll help everybody out with lyrics if needed. If you want me to just go ahead and post the lyric for the entire song, I will. I'll also answer any questions anybody may have about the recording process, chains, mic placement, techniques, etc.., that you would like to know about this record. I'm looking forward to hearing everybody's mixes. This should be fun.

-Ryan

I'd love to have the lyrics.

Thanks, Ryan!

[takk]

We can't download the multi-track files until sign-up is done, right?

[nobby]

Originally Posted by Mixerman

But musically, (including the melody which was written) there was something special about the track. I loved the dark, almost sinister feel of it, and I told Ryan (the singer and main writer in the band) that this could very well be the best song on the album, IF he writes a kick ass lyric.

When we tracked the song, there was no lyric. And we didn't end up finishing the vocals during our initial tracking session, so it didn't matter. Ryan was going to fly to LA, and he had some time to write a lyric.

So, he got to LA, and he gave me the lyric to the song, which I didn't like. It's not that it was a bad lyric. But it wasn't THE lyric for this song. I thought the track deserved better. I knew it, and so did Ryan. He just didn't want to admit it, at first. He's also not the kind of writer that can necessarily just sit down and whip out a lyric on command. But it didn't matter. We were going to track vocals for 5 days, so he had plenty of time to come up with a lyric.

The day Ryan arrived to LA, we had dinner with my family, and then I drove him back to his hotel room, and we hung out talking for a while, and Ryan starts telling me this story. I'll tell you the details of the story later, but it was a mind-blowing story. I'll just tell you, I was somewhat toasted by this point in the evening. And when he finished the story, I said "Dude," (I really did call him "dude"), "THAT'S what 622 should be about!"

Excellent call on the lyrics, Mixerman!

Terrific job by Ryan!

That is positively chilling, in a good way!

The song appears to be about a sniper (Ryan had a too close for comfort encounter?) "I heard a crack in the distance that dropped me to the ground".

The phrase, "let it out" could be from marksmanship training:

Take a breath.
Let it out.
While exhaling, notice that there is a point during exhale where you do not feel it necessary to to continue exhaling, or to start breathing in again.
Now try it again. This time when you get to that "place", stop breathing for a second or two. It's easy!
That is the place in your breath cycle you want to take your shot

http://www.snipercountry.com/mark1.htm

[joerogers1970]

I've figured it out. Well, maybe. I think that I have the overall scenario down but as for relating it to an actual event, I'm coming up short as the scenario that I have can actually be tied at least in part to several events over the past few years.

Alright you got me. Back to the darn drawing board.

Good tune.

[tannoy]

Hi,

Ryan, I just wanted to say this is a great song.I really like the atmosphere there. As for the lyrics, would you mind to post them here ? I'm not a native english speaker - though I can understand most of the verses I get somewhat lost in the choruses.

And to mixerman: Now I'm getting afraid...your 'rough-mix' already sounds better than anything I've done till now (I know how this sounds...don't wanna butta you up...but it's a fact) - so fear my approach to this tune...

So what's this song about ? As far as I was able to figure it out, maybe Ryan's singing about some kind of schoolyard-trauma...the bad guy with that gun, which is actually a pair of scissors, comes up and cuts that well-farmed curls....disaster!!

hmm...maybe I come to another conclusion about it after reading the lyrics..

All the best,

Tannoy.

[joerogers1970]

Originally Posted by nobby

The song appears to be about a sniper (Ryan had a too close for comfort encounter?) "I heard a crack in the distance that dropped me to the ground".

The phrase, "let it out" could be from marksmanship training:

http://www.snipercountry.com/mark1.htm

I was thinking along the same lines however, kind of in reverse with the story being told by the victim of a sniper. In my mind, I was thinking the VT tragedy being told by the shooter but the overall story (as least as I'm interpreting it) could lend itself to several other events.

"The compassion of your gun" putting the guy out of his misery. Kind of suicide by way of police

"Adorning the wall of your den
Over and over you're laughing again
Counting the points that you clipped from my end
I'm just a story to tell all your friends
aren't you proud"

Kind of like years after, the sniper has a list of folks that he's hit and there is a story behind each one. I don't see the average cop type of guy bragging about stuff like this though which is part of what is screwing things up for me trying to match things up with an actual event that I may have heard of.

[tonewheels]

I have figured it out.

Cheers,
Ronnie

[chrisj]

I've figured it out. (confirmed- I was right, woohoo! )

[nobby]

Originally Posted by joerogers1970

I was thinking along the same lines however, kind of in reverse with the story being told by the victim of a sniper.

No "however". Obviously it was from the victim's POV.

"When I breathe, I can feel it burn in my lungs"

"does it bring you so much joy to look in my eyes as I suffer so your trophy's not destroyed"

The sniper is looking at him through the scope of his rifle.

I can't make out every word (it is, after all, a rough mix.)