JPF Home Page Forums Lyric and MP3 Feedback MP3 Feedback Forum Phage Therapy - Remixed 6/2/2011

Thanks to everyone for their suggestions... Pretty much everyone's mix suggestions were used to some degree or another!

I'm done with this tune, many thanks for the critiques that improved the mix!

[font:Book Antiqua][size:20pt]Phage Therapy[/size][/font]



Thanks - Ian

Ian--

Before I listened, I read up on what to expect--I NEVER HEARD THE PHRASE 'PHAGE THERAPY'--I may not be alone!

Well, you play great on this one--I could not in any way connect your beautiful music to recovery a person near death, with therapy, having a new chance--on life or an improved outlook with the treatment--

JMHO--

I would have music, medium low to start--a rasping quickening passage of alarm- then an interlude of treatment in progress, with a steady promising warm improving happy sounding finish as if the Therapy had worked--That's how I see it--of course I could never play what I suggest--

Anyway, an interesting idea for music--Write on--

Mackie

Hi Ian,

Like Mackie I haven’t heard of Phage therapy either but I think it sounds great!

Dottie

Hey Ian, I didn't make the connection between Phage Therapy and the music, but the music is cool.

I get a "World Music" feel with some Celtic elements and Middle Eastern vibes (incorporated into a "Pop" production). Original! I like it.

Yeah, sounds like a difficult track to mix. First time through I thought a few melody notes were played a little hard. Second listen it seemed okay.

Best, John

Hi Ian,


Add me to the list that doesn't know of PHAGE THERAPY.
But I enjoyed your cool performance.
Was that Keith Emerson in the background :-)


Calvin

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/0/calvinstewart

Mackie, Dottie, John and Calvin... Thanks so much for the compliments!

RE. the title, I listened to a conversation about viruses on NPR and thought 'phage therapy' was just too cool of a title to pass up.... This was basically the piece it got attached to! (Did you know that if all the viruses in the world were stacked one on top of another, they'd stretch 100 million light years into space? --- This is true!... Phages (IE viruses) are amazing).

John, - Thanks for the feedback... My main concern about the mix is balancing the melody elements. I really appreciate that feedback.

Thanks guys,

Ian

This sounds great Ian, nice work! It sounds pretty well balanced to me, I seem to be able to hear everything throughout the layers, which must have given you fits to mix! Nice job. I could see this as a movie or tv show theme possibly.

Todd

Hi Ian

I am also unfamiliar with the therapy -- but the music feels real Energetic like it's on an aggressive train - so that seems to connect for me . It keeps my interest...I might play with volume dynamics of the lead - if it were mine. But there's nothing wrong here to my ears. It's a good composition.

Best wishes
jm

Ian,

I am listening on crummy monitor speakers this morning, but the mix sounds good to me. I will try and listen later on the good stuff. There is a lot going on so you may be looking for something that the rest of us don't notice.

OK - I listened again in the studio now that the wife has arisen.

The mix sounds good to me with one reservation. There is possibly too much going on simultaneously in a few spots. For example you build up a lot of parts before the stop at about 1 min 55 seconds and then come back in with a more sparse sound for a bit. The sparser sound to me is very clean and good. The multi-layered bits sound a bit confusing. Kinda depends on what mood you are going for.

Hope that helps.

Very nice, Ian. Cool arrangement and a sweet recurring melody.

Mix sounded very good to me.

I saw a research presentation on phages not long ago. Hard to imagine writing a lyric about them. But that's the cool thing about instrumentals - they can have titles like that

Scott

Interesting arrangement. I know you said it is pretty much complete at this point but for some reason I kept waiting for an electric guitar to break in to add some intensity near the end. It is a solid instrumental as is though. Really no issues that I hear regarding the mix. Enjoyed listening!

Good arrangement and balance overall. Just a bit muddy to my ears. I threw a quick EQ on the overall mix and this sounded pretty good. Might be too bright for you.

FREQ Q Gain
114 3.30 -2.2
1.10K 2.50 -2.6
3.73K 2.50 +2.3
14.7K 1.75 +3.2

..ant

Good work Ian,

I thought the mix was pretty good myself. I think ants suggestions would be a good idea to try as I think some of it was muddy too. I thought it was mostly the drums myself so you might try isolating them with some low cut eq if you can.

I also thought it could be a little brighter overall but be careful with the piercing notes in this regard.

Ricky

Why, I'm not sure but I see a mysterious belly dancer dancing to this. Very nice. It kept me interested all the way through but then again I kept envisioning the belly dancer so who knows? Was it her or was it the music?

Ian, Sounded good to my ears. Sounded like a soundtrack to me. You're quite a composer and musician.

Well, I got all lost up reading about Phage Therapy -- interesting stuff. I enjoyed the musical composition, too.

Todd - Thanks much for that! Know any producers!

Ian

Joice and Colin and Ant and Ricky-

Thanks much guys... that's exactly the kind of feedback I was
I've done a bit of tinkering based on your suggestions. I'm going to wait a few days... then I'll post what'll probably be the final version. I'm pretty much already on to the next thing, but it always helps hitting it w/ fresh ears.

Joice - I've tweaked the lead just a hair. I think you're right.

Colin and Ant and Ricky - Based on everything you guys said, I've cut some bass out of the drums. I've cut down the overall verb to lessen the muddiness. I've also done a bunch of minor tweaking to hopefully, open up the mix a bit more.

Ant - I'm using the low frequency cuts but the upper end boosts make the high hat too shrill. I'm using the sonitus EQ which is stock w/ Sonar... If I had the waves eq or somesuch, I know I probably wouldn't have that problem, but c'est la vie... THANKS! great ears.

Thanks much again,

Peace,

Ian

Scott and Tom and Duncan and Dan,

Thanks so much and thanks for the encouragement. It's greatly appreciated.

Duncan - One guy sees belly dancers and another bacteria fighting viruses... and both are right... the wonderful power of music!

Scott - I just thought the title was too good to pass up on... I'm not sure I even feel the connection w/ this particular piece... but then again I don't not feel the connection... how's that?

Thanks again guys,

Peace,

Ian

I've remixed this. I can't even remember all the tweaks I made but there are a lot of little ones. Pretty much everyone's suggestions were used to some degree or another. Thanks guys. Much!

Peace,

Ian

Hey Ian,

You wanted mixing comments, so, off the top of the head......

I'm hearing stereo drums, but the synths are residing dead centre. Panning and seperating them out would give it more space.

The drums ? Seem to be lacking a bit of punch. Are you running a compressor over them ? It would help with the punch, especially on the snare. Compress the snare, then add a touch of reverb.

The hihats could do with a lower EQ filter, to lighten them and make them crisp, along with the cymbols.

Are you running a master compessor ? If so, I'd take it up a notch, give the whole thing a bit more oomph. Not ear bleeding LOL, but just a bit more in the dynamics.

There you go, lots of knob twiddling to do over the weekend.

cheers, niteshift

Thank Geoff... unfortunately that was an old comment. I basically bumped so folks who previously gave a bunch of good critiques could hear the finished product.

I'll save your comments though. I'm probably going to rejoin TAXI in the near future and if I end up submitting this tune, I'll revisit your suggestions... which seem real good BTW... I've just moved on and don't feel like spending any more time on this one for now.

Peace,

Ian

Edit - Geoff - I pasted your comments into the actual DAW file... they'll be handy! Thanks!

hi ferrin, i've been meaning to check this out, listening as i write. like the others i didn't have a clue,(wasn't even sure how to pronounce the word) but it doesn't take away from an enjoyable moment in music, and imo that is what you have created, a very enjoyable moment in music.

dmk

Hi Ian

Well I can tell you, I love this, you've done a fantastic job with it, Wow, I'm impressed, not nits from this Aussie girl.


"Koala Bear hug" Michele

100 Million light years??? I thought I was a hypocondriac before but now I know I really have no chance. Thanks a lot Ian.

Ian you know you are a musician's musician. We mortals sit back and listen and wonder how in the world you come up with something so complex and beautiful.

This is a lovely piece.
Tom