Why do my instruments feel completely separate from a mix?

tpantano · Post by **tpantano** » Thu May 19, 2011 2:16 pm

Take this for example: (but ignore the song itself as a whole, I intentionally made it shite because I was bored)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQ4SD08_qls

At 0:43, my bass comes in- and it feels completely out of place. Yes, it musically fits in that it follows an implied chord progression, but otherwise... it just doesn't sit in the mix. I can't figure out why! I cut out a Q's worth at 110 hz to make sure it wouldn't enter the kick drums range, took off below 20hz and made the Q so that sub would be boosted a little, added slight reverbs and delay to make it blend with the mix better... and it still feels way out of place!

Any ideas?

X-Trade · Post by **X-Trade** » Thu May 19, 2011 7:27 pm

Quick and easy fix that is increasingly popular in modern electronic music: Have you tried sidechain compressing (ducking) the bass with the kick?

Seeing as it isn't really a bass as such - more of a low lead - you could try using a bit of reverb too. Something that should usually be avoided on bass elements.

By the way I really enjoyed your track. Kindof.

ozy · Post by **ozy** » Thu May 19, 2011 7:27 pm

some tips:

1) the bass line has NOT been orchestrated. Some notes overlap with the basic riff, some counterpoint it.

It's been obviously superimposed AFTER.

This is not pleasant to hear.

2) the drum line and the the vocals are "thin", cheap, plasticky. Emasculated.

Then suddendly the bass enters, and it's raw, distorted and "in your face".

Again, it doesn't fit.

3) now, I'll let more expert engineers to comment about frequencies and EQs, but these two musical flaws IMHO count for a lot of your disappointment wih the track.

PS: if you hate a track you composed, dump it. If you are bored, don't use boredom for composing music. Take a walk, come back later.

If you make music out of anger, hunger, boredom, rage and pain (you once asked for a "angry" patch)... listening to that music will probably make you feel bad.

You want to elicit rage? Well, jot down some ideas while angry, but then think about the orchestration when quiet.

Or it will be a tantrum, not rage.

tpantano · Post by **tpantano** » Thu May 19, 2011 9:14 pm

ozy wrote: PS: if you hate a track you composed, dump it. If you are bored, don't use boredom for composing music. Take a walk, come back later.

I did just that, came back an hour later and made a MUCH better track with a much better mix. I'll upload it to the promote your music section in a second.

As for your comments on the song as a whole, as I said it's meant to be utterly terrible. I started writing a riff, it was completely out of the chord progression of the bassline, so I just went with it and made it a mess. I took the same chord progression for my new song and it went swell.

I was just curious why the bass wouldn't fit in well with a simple stab and kick... it just hung there, it felt like it was there but not part of the song.