Participant: jeffssoloband

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

Overall, your mix is missing some punch. You can adjust this a bit for the bass drum. Pay attention to the low frequencies, where the fundamental tone range of the bass drum is located.

The snare should also provide a little more punch. Try to emphasize the fundamental tone in the low mids a bit.

The bass seems a little uncontrolled. Try using a compressor to reduce the dynamics.

In general, the volume ratios go in a good direction. With the guitars, however, you should pay a little attention to the width and make the frequency response more balanced.

The vocals should sound a bit more in front of the mix. Try increasing the pre-delay time of the reverb a bit. This will make the vocals sound a little more prominent. At the same time, the spatial depth is preserved.

In the screenshot below you can compare the frequency response of your mix (white line) with our mix (orange line) in the analyser. The lower curve shows the average energy over time, while the upper curve shows peaks. The volume of both mixes needs to be adjusted. In order to match the level of both mixes, you should lower the level of your mix by 0,6 dB. This refers both to an optical adjustment in the analyser and to an adjustment of the track level. This adjustment is a fundamental requirement for an objective A/B comparison.

In the analyser screenshot you can see that the bass range in your mix is quite weak. The reason for this is the lack of pressure from the bass drum. In the middle frequencies, you should still be a little careful that the instruments don't create a diffuse and imprecise sound.

Try to establish the drums a bit more. The vocals should come to the front of the mix as well. In the mix, make sure that the instruments have a well-balanced sound. :)

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!