EVERYONE- I Need Your Ears: Mesa Mark IV Clip

[gibson5413]

I have finally picked a cover tune I am entering in an online contest. Before I enter it I need everyone's ears and suggestions. Do the mixing levels sound right? How's the guitar tone? I'm fine with a couple of mistakes since ultimately they are a part of my playing style.

Drums and bass sound ok? Anything you can help me with I would appreciate. I have to enter it tonight and I picked this tune this morning (Saturday - I know not a good time to switch ideas). I learned right before I recorded it and improvised half of the solo). I made the drums with EZDrummer and resampled the kick and snare with Drumagog. I recorded the bass direct with a SansAmp Bass Driver.

Thanks guys! Wish me luck!

**Edit Updated clip with synth and enhanced bass guitars.



****Final mix

http://www.netmusicians.org/files/53-War%20%28final%29.mp3

 

[Anonymous]

The only flaw I can pick out is that the bass needs to be louder. The mix sounds fine, I'd just turn up the volume on the bass. The guitars sound great. The song just leaks with Satriani vibe.

 

[Kazak]

Hey, I like it! If it were up to me, I would bring up the bass and rhythm guitar some. At first I thought the lead was too loud in the mix but if you brought the lead down the drums would then be too loud.

Drums sound good and solid but the bass is getting lost in the mix and the tone on the rhythm is good and meaty too just not loud enough. IMHO

Overall a really good job dude! Good luck with the competition!

 

[MikeK]

Good job. I think what others have said is true, the bass needs a little boost and maybe some EQ?

 

[The Magic Hoof]

This tone sounds great man

Great stuff! And yeah, the bass can be turned up. Sounds great though.

 

[backwordsman13]

Sounds sick man. Did you boost your Mark with anything or is it just the amp?

 

[gibson5413]

The only flaw I can pick out is that the bass needs to be louder. The mix sounds fine, I'd just turn up the volume on the bass. The guitars sound great. The song just leaks with Satriani vibe.

I added some EQ to the bass guitars and some synth during the part right before the actual solo.

 

[4Eyes]

I think it souds great but the lead guitar is too loud

 

[Kaz]

This is really great stuff! I'd suggest pannning the rhythm a little more and turning down the leads a tad to cover some of the harsher pick attack artifacts in the recording but overall, your tone and playing is great!

Best of luck!

 

[4Eyes]

...I'd suggest pannning the rhythm a little more...

that's right, it needs to get more "room"...everything is at "one place" (I hope u understand what I mean )

 

[gibson5413]

Hey, I like it! If it were up to me, I would bring up the bass and rhythm guitar some. At first I thought the lead was too loud in the mix but if you brought the lead down the drums would then be too loud.

Drums sound good and solid but the bass is getting lost in the mix and the tone on the rhythm is good and meaty too just not loud enough. IMHO

Overall a really good job dude! Good luck with the competition!

I did some updates to the final mix:

- Panned the rhythm guitars farther out to create more space for the lead track.

- I increased the bass guitars in volume and added some compression to the bass track to smooth it out.

- I added some synth to the section before the actual solo.

Let me know what you think. I included the final mix in the original post.

 

[gibson5413]

Good job. I think what others have said is true, the bass needs a little boost and maybe some EQ?

I updated the track. Check it out.

This tone sounds great man

Great stuff! And yeah, the bass can be turned up. Sounds great though.

Fixed the bass track.

Sounds sick man. Did you boost your Mark with anything or is it just the amp?

No boost whatsoever. The rhythm guitars' gain and drive knobs were set at 6 to 6.5 and added some reverb through the loop via my Rocktron Xpression. I pushed the gain and drive knobs to 7.5 to 8 for the lead tones. For that track I added some delay through the loop and the wah in the guitar signal chain.

 

[gibson5413]

...I'd suggest pannning the rhythm a little more...

that's right, it needs to get more "room"...everything is at "one place" (I hope u understand what I mean )

I took your advice. I actually like it better now. Thanks!

 

[4Eyes]

now it sounds a lot better.. great work and very nice tone 8)

 

[Kazak]

Yeah! You nailed it. Well done. I would be very proud if I had managed that. Let us know how the competition goes?

 

[backwordsman13]

****, I wish I could get my mark to sound like that without a boost...

 

[gibson5413]

****, I wish I could get my mark to sound like that without a boost...

It shouldn't be too hard to get your rig sounding like this. What kind of speakers are you using? I like wet lead tones but I was not using a boost whatsoever. The wah saturated the tone pretty good. I also had the Rocktron Xpression running delay through the loop.

 

[backwordsman13]

Yeah, I know, I can get it close to that but not as saturated. any tips that may come in handy?(I was using EV speakers, but I just picked up a 4 12 with V30s yesterday, so I'm gonna give it shot.

 

[lyman]

Yeah, I know, I can get it close to that but not as saturated. any tips that may come in handy?(I was using EV speakers, but I just picked up a 4 12 with V30s yesterday, so I'm gonna give it shot.

if you want a more distorted tone then the v30's might help, especially if you're playing loud. EV's won't break up quite like the v30's, due to their design. there's a lot of sizzle in the upper mids they (the celestions) accentuate as well. let us know what you find though. and clips are always welcome 'round these here parts!

 

[fpoon]

I would make the rhythm guitars louder. Overall it's pretty good but it seems a little distant sounding. Try making it all stand out more. Tone and everything else is great.