Participant: aaronnarace

Thank you for participating in the HOFA XMAS MIX CONTEST! We'd like to give you a short feedback to your contribution.

Overall, you've done pretty well with this mix - keep it up! You've already nailed the rock sound, and for the most parts you've done a good job of placing the various elements in your mix in a good hierarchy. We also like the rooms and reverbs used which result in a healthy and balanced sounding mix!

The drums sound quite good and natural but they are a little bit too loud in the context of the song. Compared to other parts and elements they are quite dominant. Therefore, we suggest to keep an eye on the overall leveling, so all parts fit together. While it's true that drums play an important role in the rhythmic foundation, they should not overshadow other important and leading elements in the mix.

The snare could also have less volume but to be able to assert itself well at a lower level, it should "pop" a bit more, in other words, sound a bit brighter with more presence.

The toms sound a bit "plastic". How about making them sound a little bit warmer and more natural? Using an EQ will help you with that!

The bass is quite loud and present. To avoid overemphasizing the bass, you could turn it down a bit so it will blend better into the mix.

You noticed that the keys don’t play the biggest role in this song and that you shouldn’t mix them too loud. Nevertheless, they seem to be quite hidden in your mix and could be slightly raised in volume.
The compression on the vocals can be heard, which usually results in an overcompressed sound that feels unnatural. Remember that the microdynamics of the vocals are very important for a natural sound and that interference (lip smacking, breathing, etc.) increase in level. You should be a bit more careful with compression and pay special attention to the influence of the attack and release parameters. The sibilants (S-sounds) of your vocals are a bit too pronounced. As a result, they appear somewhat "sharp". You can use a de-esser or a dynamic EQ to get this problem under control.

The backing vocals, on the other hand, you've added very well to the mix so that they stand behind the lead vocals but still have their impact and open up the mix a bit - good job!

The screenshot below shows the comparison of frequency response. The orange curves show energy over frequency of our mix while the white curves show the frequency response of your version of this song. The upper curve is for peak levels and the lower curve shows the energy over time. Therefore, the lower curve is more meaningful for the comparison. You should lower the volume of your mix by 1,2  dB as the auditory AB-comparison is only valid on the same loudness level.

In the screenshot you can see a very similar frequency response of both mixes, which indicates very appropriate ratios and EQ settings in your mix.

HOFA-College offers a wide range of online courses on recording, mixing, mastering and producing music.
Mix analyses form an essential part of the education at HOFA-College, along with video tutorials, personal support, online campus & studio workshops. Experienced audio engineers listen to the mixes of the students and create individual and detailed, multi-page feedbacks about the strengths and weaknesses of each mix, with many helpful tips & tricks.
Learn more: hofa-college.com

Best regards from the HOFA team - enjoy your music!