At Audiotuts+ we irregularly put up a reader track for workshopping and critique (find out how to submit a track). This is how it works: you upload your song, and every week or so we’ll publish one here and step away from the podium. The floor is yours to talk about the track and how the artist can fix problems in and improve upon the mix and the song.
This track has been submitted for your friendly, constructive criticism. They have put their track (and their heart and soul) in your hands to learn and get useful feedback.
- Do you enjoy the song or track itself? Does it have potential?
- Can the arrangement be improved?
- How did you find the mix? What would you do differently?
- What do you enjoy about the rhythm track? What can be done to improve it?
- Is the choice of instruments relevant and effective for the style/song?
- Are the lyrics (if any) effective? Does the style, arrangement and genre of the song suit them?
- Can you suggest any specific techniques that might improve the track?
- Do you have any other constructive feedback?
Car Crash by Inmyths
Author’s website: www.inmyths.com
Description of the track:
Car crash is an alternative grunge song.
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Terms of Use: Non-comercial usage.
Have a listen to the track and offer your constructive criticism for this Workshop in the comments section.
Submit Your Tracks for Workshopping
Need constructive criticism on your own tracks? Submit them using this form.
Enjoyed this Post?
Subscribe to our RSS Feed, Follow us on Twitter or simply recommend us to friends and colleagues!
By Adrian Try
Join our newsletter!
Create a Tutorial, Get Paid!
Have something to teach the world? Want to earn money doing it? Tutorials, screencasts, and articles published here on Audiotuts+ are largely contributed by readers just like you! We'll pay you great money for good content. Find Out More
I think that the intro could be shortened. It doesn’t need to go for nearly two minutes before the vocal comes in imo. In terms of length the song could be in the vicinity 5 min versus 7+ min. That was the most obvious thing for me.
A couple minor details were that the mix seemed a little pinched. I’m not sure how, but if it were opened up a little (less compression maybe?) it would be more sonically pleasing. As well, the drums I think are one of the high points of the track, and for my taste they could be brought out a tad more, but could also benefit from some minor tweaking to get them more live sounding.
As for the strongest element, I think it was the vocal part. Good lyrics, singing and recording.
All in all, excellent work here :)
Hi Tristan
Thanks for the feedback!
I always imagine this song played live (I used to play it live when I had my band) and I wanted to record it as we used to play it,full and LOUD!. That’s why is so long.
What do you mean “the mix seemed a little pinched”?
Regards,
Hugo
Well play it live! haha, there would be no other way to do this song justice. Because the intro for example just becomes too repetitive without the live element. Each part needs to be played all the way through, if not in larger sections (for recording).
In terms of mixing, I’ll be honest, my skills leave something to be desired, so it’s hard for me to give advice here, but I think you could pull back the guitars a db or so without losing perceived loudness. There is a frequency band that can be heard when you sing the words “car crash” that I find a fatiguing to listen to. I’m also a bass lover so I’d be looking to both, make it warmer and bring it out ever so slightly more than it is. And the drums, should just be tracked if you want this song to be as good as it can possibly be :) Consider hiring studio musicians if your band doesn’t play together anymore.
Take care
Tristan
From a movie soundtrack viewpoint:
1. There should be more quick breaks immitating chaotic interruptons.
2. Yes delete repetitive extensions… we get the point.
3. And shouldn’t the song start slow and speed up at ‘THE END’ like the car?
From a movie soundtrack viewpoint you are quite right. Thanks for the comment.
Hi !
I like this song
but i thing you can have a better mix
In fact , you can do some other thing at the mastering level, because it does not sound like “professional studio”. It’s cool with the “live” feeling, but it can sound better
Try to boost the high and the medium high, and try to reduce just a bit the low
Then… Normalize the final Mix ! ^^ You will not loose dynamics in doint that.
I hope my advices are good :P
Good Work !
Thanks for the tips!
Well sorry for the “normalize” tip ^^
i’m reading the mixing engineer handbook (awesome) and the authour (Bobby Owsinski) said that normalize… is bad. Instead of that, just put on the bus channel a limiter at -.1 or-3 db, and a compressor (small ratio), and then adjust the make up gain. Just check is there is no clip or things like that ^^
That’s all ^^