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This file has expired and is no longer available here. The owner of the topic can re-upload the file, or post a link to an off-site file. <BR><BR><a name="planetz-tag"></a>Genre: Contemplative<BR> <a name="planetz-tag"></a>Uses: See Notes<BR> copyright © 2003 Neil Buxton<BR> _____________________________________<BR><BR> I’d really appreciate some feedback on this “almost finished” track, especially on how the mix sounds on your pc’s or hi-fi’s. I have a deadline of Good Friday to produce a final mix.
Mixing this, the bass sounded way too low both through my headphones and on my Spirit Absolute 2 nearfield monitors. However, on my hi-fi(s), it sounds “just about right”. This could obviously present me with problems for future tracks if I can’t mix to what I’m hearing in my studio!
The bass also varies quite a bit in its volume levels. The answer may be to replay/re-record the bass lines, but I wonder if you experts could advise how to process the track to balance these bass levels.
In other words – HELP!

I’d also appreciate feedback on the track itself of course. It’s completely different from my recent (joint) uploads and I would like to know if you feel that I’ve captured the mood.
It is purposely a simple track to be used as a contemplation during a Good Friday "special" service for 3 Anglican churches.
It is a basic Intro, Verse, verse with variation, break, final verse, outro format.
It is based on Matthew 26 Verses 37-44 where Jesus goes to pray in the garden of Gethsemane, shortly before his arrest and the scripture includes the lines “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup be taken away from me. But I want Your will, not mine.” (Hence the title of “Take This Cup”).

I see this, not as a meditation, but as a contemplation along these lines:
At a suitable point in the service the congregation can focus on just how Jesus felt at this time.
We have all felt distraught during our lives, but have we ever felt as totally distraught as Jesus did then?
 Alone in prayer
 His disciples can’t keep their eyes open, can’t support him at this dark hour
 With the knowledge that literally He will have the weight of the whole world on His shoulders shortly.

Thanks in anticipation of your feedback, good or bad!

Technical Notes:
Pulsar: Version 3.0, Pulsar mixers, Goofy Bass, Sample Players
Cubase: VST 32/5.1: Cubase effects, M-Tron.
Roland JV-1080
Many thanks to Sylvia Franz of Dortmund for her prayer lines
Vocal samples courtesy of Spectrasonics Symphony of Voices.

Filesize approx 4Mb

Neil B

Nice mood you captured a little sad, I think this track works for the story.

My suggestions:

It looks like that you get much noise from somewhere maybe from your external Roland synth it disturbs me, special in the first part.

The bass sounds deep and the track has not much briliance all sounds a little dusky.
If you want that it is okay otherwise try to EQ the sum on following frequences 3600Hz with the smallest Q maybe +2db ,if you use the Cubase EQ use band 3 for that.
Then boost with band four the frequences from 8000 to 20kHz, just try and error you know. With band 1 you can try to reduce the bass around 60 maybe cut away all frqs under 60. Band two can work directly on the bass a little less can balance the track too and bring the high frq into the front.

I compared your main volume with other tracks and I can´t hear much difference it is okay I think.
I was surprised about the vocal samples mark 1.25min 1.36min ... it has something from the old enterprise title music, sorry

Then Sylvia appears and I knew what I missed, what about reverb on the Vocals, something like a warm hall aprox. 3 seconds reverb time? Also I missed a room for the whole track, maybe you want try to add a Reverb on the sum, that will add briliance to the track too.
The sax is beautyful played.

Maybe you can adapt the M-Tron strings volume to the piano, they should have the same level tells my feeling, group them together. The sax plays in the front and this is good.

I wish I could hear the org. wav this would be better to hear the details, if you want this close/tight mood everything is okay otherwise try my suggestions, you know where you can find me.

Anyway a nice track Sylvia will like it !

Thanks for the quick response Chris.
You are right - the noise is from the lead piano in the verses, from the JV1080. even using Cubase True Tape and a variation of "hiss removal" in the EQ section only helped slightly, and it is only apparent on brighter tones.
I'll try your tips out on improving the mix.
I am trying to keep it fairly soft, not muddy, so that the music only suggests ideas for the listener and does not try to impose my feelings or "pictures" too much. The music is to support their contemplation and not to push them in another direction.
And I forgive you for the enterprise comment

Thanx for all your help on this Chris. I've got a final mix now that is acceptable and got rid of all the JV1080 noise too.
I had to replay/re-record the bass. It was partly down to poor playing with too wide a range of velocities on the Goofy bass.
Other than that, all your tips were a great help.
I'm not planning to upload the remixed version, but rest assured that it sounds better.
Thanks again