I Choose Not To Waste It - feedback appreciated

[Tripp]

Here's a song my band is working on. It was recorded in a couple of different locations, but the mixing is DP 7.1.

Please let me know what you think I can do to improve the mix.

I Choose Not To Waste It

Thanks for you feedback and your time!

-Tripp

[Phil O]

As they say, opinions are like...well you know. But you did ask, so I'll have at it.

The song is a little long perhaps, but you were just asking about the mix. I think overall the mix is quite good. To my ears, the highs are a little lacking, but it's tough to tell if that's just the mp3 doing it's thing. I would put on a reference mix of your choice (something you trust was well done) and compare it to this. Pay particular attention to the high end. It's so difficult to judge these things accurately when listening to an mp3. It may actually be fine at your end. Other than that I think you are just about there.

Phil

[Tripp]

Thanks for the feedback Phil. I'll add some top end sizzle and see what happens.

I agree, I think the song is a touch long. Might can fade out the long guitar solo at the end.

Many Thanks!

[crduval]

A few thoughts for you from my perspective (meaning, I have no idea what you were going for, so I will just randomly run my mouth )

Recording quality is really good - the drums sound nice and fat, good guitar sounds. The lead vocal sounds good (good singer). Bass could be more defined, but overall very good raw material.

From a production standpoint, it sounds like you have a slap echo on the lead vocal - I wonder if a different approach would sound better given that the other tracks are relatively dry. It really sounds like the singer and band are in two different spaces. Maybe if you play with a longer delay(s) on the lead vox as well as rhythm guitar, or just add a little more room ambience to the lead vocal and drop the slapback a little, you could pull everything more into the same space. The vocal is down a little too in the mix imo - don't be shy!

From an arrangement POV, I think that the song could use more dynamics for greater impact - come way down in the verses (drums too, tighten up the hat, etc), maybe add some vocal doubling or harmony as you move towards the chorus, a harmony vocal or call and response in the chorus to lift it up a little more.

You might consider losing the guitar solos between the chorus and verses, and save it up for one solo in the middle - the message is in the lyrics, and having the guitar breaks so often for me kind of diminish impact. This would also make the song shorter and more to the point (I agree that the song is a little long).

Strictly my opinion - feel free to disregard!