Instrumental Metal Mixing

[Kontra5t]

I’m constantly trying to improve my mixing, I feel I’ve come a pretty long ways in the last two years. Still comparatively to other tracks I feel like I’m lacking in someways and could still improve. I do everything myself and could really use another set of ears to have a little input in what they think could be adjusted.
I’m using Pod Farm, & Superior Drummer in Reaper.
I’m sure Pod Farm is limiting my tone somewhat with all the better sources available, but I feel I’ve heard superior drummer sound a lot better than where I’m currently at with it.

 

[Seybsnilksz]

The cymbals feel very far away and have no energy. There is nothing wrong with the kick or snare really.

 

[Metropolis]

I felt that low end was all over the place, too present and over the top.

 

[Kontra5t]

Yeah cymbals and bass have been something I've never felt comfortable with. Cymbals I have an issue where they seem way too loud in certain mixes or speakers or other times just buried, I have a happy medium where they're audible but not necessarily sure how to get them where they need to be.
With bass, yeah I've just been winging it, 2 channels one clean, one pretty gritty, reading previous posts on EQ's etc, I think I have it there to be there, nowhere where I want, what sort of things could be done to improve bass and or cymbals?

 

[Metropolis]

Do you have some kind of compression in cleaner bass track? If not, dynamic sidechain compressor or sidechain eq to get rid of unneccessary low end rumble should do it, and maybe hi-passing bass tracks more. Or if you can do basic sweep searching thing with eq, and pinpoint what is rumbling too much. What kind of monitoring situation are you in? Because listening enviroment also affects a lot, especially with low end. Note that I've never done a full mix myself, just saying what I've learned and what is audible in your otherwise good sounding piece of music.

 

[Kontra5t]

Yeah I have all my bass tracks compressed, probably not enough then. I know for sure nothing is side chained though, I’ll do some research on that. Currently mixing on some studio headphones, not the best route at this point I’m sure, I know they brought me a long ways though compared to awhile back mixing on some old gaming headset lol.

 

[Seybsnilksz]

What is your current approach to the cymbals regarding EQ and compression and such?

 

[ZombieLloyd]

Yeah I have all my bass tracks compressed, probably not enough then. I know for sure nothing is side chained though, I’ll do some research on that. Currently mixing on some studio headphones, not the best route at this point I’m sure, I know they brought me a long ways though compared to awhile back mixing on some old gaming headset lol.

I found the cymbals quite quiet too. Raising the level of the overhead track helped me a lot. Also adding a little reverb helped too.

 

[Metropolis]

If you haven't got anything else than headphones right now, you could use another song of similar style as a reference for low end, and try to match it in the same ballpark.

 

[Kontra5t]

Currently I just have a light compression I believe on cymbals, some low end cut out of them and a slight boost in highs. Nothing really that erratic or anything that stands out on them.

 

[Seybsnilksz]

If they stand out too much when you raise the volume, try search for harshness between 4-7k or so.