"True to You" - new song - needs mix help!

Hi all - I've got a lot going on in this track. Took two months to write and record, and I feel like starting from scratch. Instruments just aren't distinct in the mix, and I'm looking for advice. I don't have the best ears, and can't tell what I might tweak EQ-wise to bring out the instruments. Any thoughts or direction would be greatly appreciated! Dave ORIGINAL: Mix 2: ------ Lyrics: True to You If I ruled the world I would make you mad – mad with love for me If I had a hand In where your heart was leading you – I would steer it right to me And give you no lies, no pretending Give you a love worth defending Yes I would always be True to you I want to be true to you All that I know is what my heart wants And it just burns to love you – I wish you could realize But you don't - so I can't show you how I'll always be your hero – when you’re low and when you’re high No I won’t let trouble find you – I promise I will stand Stand right beside you You know I'll always be True to you I want to be true to you Bridge When the world turns its back - and you're suddenly adrift With no one to help you row - or convince you not to quit I will be your steady hand - when you're shaken to the bone Try with everything I got - to lead you on back home I won’t let trouble find you – I promise I will stand Stand right beside you You know I'll always be True to you I want to be true to you

This is a really good song and well sung. The only minor niggle I have is that I found the snare behind the voice sometimes distracting and I found myself involuntarily listening to the drumbeat rather than the lyric. This can be sorted in numerous ways so it isn't a big deal. All in all, you've got yourself an ace tune --- congrats.

Excellent song and performance.Great voice and Vocal sound(What mic/process?).I agree about the snare and would go a little further.The mix lacks some bottom end/bass.As you obviously have a decent Master chain and the song is loud enough you have some room to play with so I'd add some more bottom end perhaps raise the bass guitar a little as well. I'd lower the drum volume a little and in the quiet vocal parts change to a side-stick instead of the snare with a a touch of reverb on it that has a long pre-delay.It's a common used musical trick but works in this kind of song.This also means when the main vocal comes in it's more dynamic and drives the song. My 10 penn'th :)

Thanks for the feedback. I have a good friend producing some new drums and bass for the track, but they're not ready, so I did my best with some beats and Superior Drums. Sambo Rouge, I did lower the snare, and updated the track above. It sounds clearer -- thank you for the suggestion!

Eden - wow, thanks! I am working today but saw your post. Over the couple of days I will try to implement some of the things you mentioned here. Despite using Reaper for a year or so, I am still an absolute newbie when it comes to mixing and EQ. They are areas in which I really need to learn.

Hello hello, No worries. EQ'ing can be a difficult one, but mostly because one has to learn to trust one's ears. Experience is all on that front. If you have specific questions don't hesitate to give me a shout. I am not an expert on Reaper, but it is superb and you should find all you need. There may also be other VST's that you find useful, so let me know what you have and what you are using. Good luck and all the best!

Well, I made some changes. Please let me know if it sounds less compressed and if you can hear each instrument. Thanks! Dave

You are a local for me...always cool I just started listening to the mixes so I'm going off the latest mix. Great song and the last mix isn't as choked as the earlier ones which is an improvement to my ears. The vocals don't stick out in front as much as I would like them, louder and some eq to bring out some presence. Also, if it were mine I would work out some backing vocals for the chorus for sure. The chorus, no matter if you have to make the verses sound small, has to be the biggest part of the song. All the instruments step it up a notch in intensity on the chorus but the vocals don't and you need to make sure the chorus does something vocal wise. Nice job on this

Wow. :) Listening on ear buds and I really like this song a lot. :) You have some really strong songwriting skills. Like everything about it, the melodies, the arrangement, nice mix, good stuff all around. Everyone would mix this a bit differently so that's all subjective. I only have one minor nitpick... (again, grain of salt with the ear buds) but the vocal performance, while very well sung, sounds a bit too "passive" to me for this kind of song. It's like you never really just fully "let the big dog out" vocally. Great song and I think a more dynamic vocal performance would make the song emote quite a bit more. The "emotional level" of the beginning is perfect to set that mood but it (vocally) never "rises" the way (or as much as) I expected. I think in some of the latter choruses you should be pushing your vox to your limits... belting out those lyrics a bit more... singing as loud and as strong as you can and bringing that other level of emotion to those parts. Nice f'ing song. :) P.S. After more listening I'd consider waiting a bit longer to bring the first acoustic guitar in. That piano melody intro is nice so you might want to wait a couple of bars in the intro to bring in the acoustic guitar.

I only listened to the second mix. I won't say much, cos there isn't much I would say except these things 1. I find some of the piano a bit aggressive towards the end 2. The vocal isn't loud enough, mostly, but point three may cover that. 3. I agree with Lawrence on the letting the big dog out. To clarify a bit more: The first thing I thought of was Daniel Bedingfield, that's something of a compliment coming from me. The soft singing is really nice, but I was expecting something of an explosion of dynamics and passion on the higher notes. If you haven't heard Daniel Bedingfield maybe take a listen, it's just the sort of treatment that would lift this into the next dimension. Great song and performance otherwise, I wouldn't overwork the backing and concentrate more on nothing short of a brilliant vocal performance, because I believe you have it in you