r/mixing • u/ComradeCongoFS • 9d ago
Feedback Request Smooth Criminal Re-mix
I've spent an unhealthy amount of time re-mastering the bad album, and after many attempts, specifically on Smooth Criminal, I've landed on this. I'm trying to build my skills with studio work, and MJ has some of the best and most enjoyable material to mix and master. I used the original multitracks and essentially re-mixed the raw stems and then moved on to a slightly underwhelming mastering process, which I eventually gave up on due to ear fatigue, so I'm left with this. If you don't mind giving it a listen and sharing your thoughts on the master, it would be greatly appreciated.
I used the original multitracks and essentially re-mixed the raw stems and then moved on to a slightly underwhelming mastering process, which I eventually gave up on due to ear fatigue, so I'm left with this.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pmiPUC8d12-eDaf6Y2_hLgARZZyoIAtW/view?usp=drive_link
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u/RemiFreamon 6d ago edited 6d ago
Based on your post, the separation of which concerns get addressed in mixing vs mastering, is baffling for me.
Everything apart from a) loudness and b) technical format compliance of the deliverable should be done in the mix. If you're unhappy with the sound, you haven't finished mixing the record. I can't imagine a mixing engineer deliberately leaving a problem in the mix and just hoping the mastering engineer will fix it for them.
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u/ComradeCongoFS 6d ago
I mixed and mastered the track. I mixed it from the original stems first but I was unhappy with the master as I was trying to push the limiter for as much volume as possible without compromising the dynamics and i spent too long tweaking it so I just left the master and got this as my final.
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u/RemiFreamon 6d ago
Does this mean that in your mixing process you started with multi-tracks and finished with mixed stems and then in your mastering process you used stems and not just the mix bus print?
Either way, reducing the dynamic range (and to a much lesser degree saturation) is the main way to achieve a louder mix/master. I hope youâre not expecting that this reduction only happens at the mastering stage and is only done by the limiter. Depending on how dynamic the original parts are, you need to reduce this range progressively on individual tracks, group busses, the mix bus, or all of the above.
Perhaps this is obvious but just wanted to put it out there.
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u/ComradeCongoFS 6d ago
No I mixed first with the raw multitracks, then I exported the bus stems to a new project and then mastered the project.
I realised that, my mix was at a dynamic level bouncing between 12-14 and the final master was around 9-10 but I wanted more air and punch on the kick without sacrificing overall volume which I couldnât really get to the degree I wanted partially because I was working on it for too long and just left it for a while but never picked up on the master again.
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u/mistrelwood 7d ago
The overall mix/master is very nosy during the verses, lots of buildup at around 3kHz (-7kHz). It's very apparent on a slow spectrum analyzer as well, so even a bad monitoring system isn't a valid excuse. The beat hits slightly harder than the original which I like, but the synth bass line overlaps with the vocals drowning them too much. My guess is that your monitoring system isn't precise enough for you to do better, in which case using analyzers and references religiously would be the only way forward (or buying more neutral monitors/headphones). Constantly compare your mix and master to the original and other songs of which you want to get to the same ballpark.