Participant: Daedalus

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

The spectral balance is somewhat unnatural in your mix. When using an equalizer, try to listen closely to the instruments - each signal has a characteristically relevant frequency range. You have processed the signals heavily which results in an unnatural and unbalanced sound. Try to keep these things in mind when using an EQ, in this case less is more ;)

Furthermore, in terms of the overall sound, you can hear that the low frequencies and especially the mids lack a lot of energy, while at the same time the high mids seem dominant and overemphasized which causes some kind of telephone-esque sound. Thus, the frequency response is quite "twisted". This can also be seen in the screenshot of the analyzer.

On the other hand, the distribution of the different elements in the stereo panorama is positive. You created a nice width by properly panning the instruments.

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 our mix by 3,5 dB as the auditory AB-comparison is only valid on the same loudness level.

In the screenshot of the analyser you can see that your mix has been strongly processed. Watch out when using the EQ. Sometimes, you don’t have to adjust anything and you can focus on the volume rations and the rooms being used to come up with a proper sounding 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!