Agnus Dei

[Neil B]

Help required please - I'm confused!

Here's the story - I'm preaching in a few weeks time and to accompany my sermons, I've put this track together and spent ages mixing it (to the best of my poor abilities).

It sounds okay on my DAW (absolute 2 speakers), okay in the kitchen, lounge, mp3 player and not bad in the car.
I took it down to the church where I'm preaching and it sounds absolutely dreadful.
I can't make my mind up if it's the speaker system or the acoustics of the room (I suspect the room)

Would you guys risk listening to 4+ minutes of "rhythmic-electro-choral" and let me know how it sounds on your systems please, and give me some quick feedback.

I don't expect you to like the track (expect for Paul R Martin) but feedback on the mix would stop my head from spinning.

Uses Scope mixers, Scope Prisma synth, Trilogy, Stylus RMX, Omnisphere, Atmosphere, Symphony of Voices, East West Choirs, Vocaloid Lola, Kontakt 3, M42 Nebula, Garritan Personal Orchestra and some other stuff

You can find it here:

http://www.tonaleffects.co.uk/agnusdeinb.mp3

I would be extremely grateful

Thanks

[dawman]

I must hear this....
Can you link me w/ an external, downloadable mp3?

[Neil B]

Hiya Jimmy
Links is in first post - right click to download:

http://www.tonaleffects.co.uk/agnusdeinb.mp3

But the question is - WHY must you hear it??

Forgot to mention - the first half is a bit too repetitive!

Neil

[dawman]

Give me a couple....

[braincell]

Your church probably has a lot of reverb. Try mixing it with no reverb. If you recorded acoustic instruments with reverb, this could be a problem.

I can't listen now because I removed my sound cards. I'm giving this computer to my brother.

[dawman]

Have Mercy.... .
Makes me wanna go to Church for sure.
That's really cool, the Organ and Vocals make it righteous for sure.
I go to Southern Baptist outdoor Gospel events twice a year to visit my Brotha's in the band,but they don't play nothing like this.

What speakers are you using?
If they are nearfields they won't work well at all.
Borrow a couple of powered mid fields, or since you're the Reverend, break into the vault and go buy some speakers. Especially for hip music like this, it only needs a small amount of juice.

Nice job Neil B.
I recognize the Vocals from Eric Pershing's SOV.
Praise The Lord.......................

[Neil B]

Have Mercy.... .
Makes me wanna go to Church for sure.
That's really cool, the Organ and Vocals make it righteous for sure.
I go to Southern Baptist outdoor Gospel events twice a year to visit my Brotha's in the band,but they don't play nothing like this.

What speakers are you using?
If they are nearfields they won't work well at all.
Borrow a couple of powereed mid fields, or since you're the Reverend, break into the vault and go buy some speakers. Especially for hip music like this, it only needs a small amount of juice.

Nice job Neil B.
I recognize the Vocals from Eric Pershing's SOV.
Praise The Lord.......................

Thanks for that Jimmy
I'm using Spirit Absolute 2 nearfield in a so called studio (English sized bedroom) that is only 15 feet by 12 feet (speakers on the narrowest side).
They're not turned in, but facing straight as it says in the manual.

Are you saying the mix is poor then? When I say that, I can hear full separation, bearing in mind there's a lot going on, but it sounds a lot worse in the church !!!

Should keep the old women awake at the back (not that anyone has EVER fallen asleeep duing MY sermons )

Anyway, I'm very grateful for the feedback, so you can have a bonus track:

This one is by 16th C Palestrina - choirmaster to the pope, oh and it's called Agnus Dei again

http://www.tonaleffects.co.uk/agnusdei.mp3

Going for a smoke and a sunbathe.................

Neil

[dawman]

No the mix is fine.
I assumed you were using nearfields in a Cathedral and had ambience and virtual reverb mixed together, and were not satisfied with the results.
I understand now, you're just fishing for compliments.
Well it sounds just fine.
Mock ups like this make the Choir want to rehearse.

And from what I remember at my congregations, only the unrepentive and guilty sit in the back.

[Neil B]

No the mix is fine.
I assumed you were using nearfields in a Cathedral and had ambience and virtual reverb mixed together, and were not satisfied with the results.
I understand now, you're just fishing for compliments.
Well it sounds just fine.
Mock ups like this make the Choir want to rehearse.

And from what I remember at my congregations, only the unrepentive and guilty sit in the back.

I always sit at the back when I'm not preaching.
No, sorry for the misunderstanding - I didn't take my speakers to the church - I was struggling with it sounding so different on their pa system. (and NO, I wasn't fishing for compliments I just didn't want to burn & label my CD's if the mix was as bad as it sounded in the church)
But I'm always open to a compliment or 2 heh heh heh

Forgot to say earlier that I'd love to go to a gospel church - there's nothing quite like it is there? The biggest growing churches in the UK. You say you go twice a year - what about the other 50 weeks

Cheers Jimmy, I'll get burning & labelling.

Neil

[Neil B]

Hey Jimmy
Why didn't I think of it before?
I took a couple of pro purchased CD's to the church and yes, the room is acoustically awful and the PA system is as bad.

Anyway, your replies mean that I'm confident with my own monitors and ears, so thanks for the feedbakc on the mix.

[paulrmartin]

Neil, I finally got some time to listen to your piece today. Have "Merci", very funny.

Did you preach this piece or did you use it as an intro?

Ok, sound good enough although the choir could have been a bit clearer, up front maybe. Probably the comment about less reverb would apply. What is that woman singing, by the way?

My inclination is to say that you could have made this more sonically adventurous. It sounds too much like a clone of Adiemus. I would have liked to hear "qui tollis peccata mundi...". That would have made it more authentic to my rather conservative ears. I just love the sound of Latin sung by a choir!

Why not have tried to combine the soundscapes of Starchaser to the Latin text?

How did your congregation react?

[Neil B]

Neil, I finally got some time to listen to your piece today. Have "Merci", very funny.

Did you preach this piece or did you use it as an intro?

Ok, sound good enough although the choir could have been a bit clearer, up front maybe. Probably the comment about less reverb would apply. What is that woman singing, by the way?

My inclination is to say that you could have made this more sonically adventurous. It sounds too much like a clone of Adiemus. I would have liked to hear "qui tollis peccata mundi...". That would have made it more authentic to my rather conservative ears. I just love the sound of Latin sung by a choir!

Why not have tried to combine the soundscapes of Starchaser to the Latin text?

How did your congregation react?

Hi Paul
The "merci" is "mercy" as in "miserere nobis" - no pun intended for French Canadians
The woman (Lola) is only singing "Lamb of God" (agnus Dei)
Did I preach this piece? No, it'll fit in the middle of my sermon, now scheduled for the morning. I'll talk on the theme for about 15 minutes, break off for this track & prayers and then finish the last 10 minutes of the sermon off (I have a plan )
So, I'll come back to you on how the congregation react, if they don't lynch me.

I left qui tollis peccata mundi out on purpose, although "miserere nobis" sneaks in via the sopranos as the organ and altos "have mercy" appear.

Point noted re the reverb - I'm thinking of getting a hifi for my lounge so I can listen to mixes away from the studio speakers. I've never trusted my ears, even though Chris Werner balanced my studio out when he was over. I think I spent too much time around heavy machinery when I was a coal miner

Ah, I remember that you prefer the Catholic latin mass side of things, so you could have a listen to the 16/17th C version of Palestrinas that I also tried (choir master to 3 popes)
It's here:
www.tonaleffects.co.uk/agnusdei.mp3
Not too good but it's a learning curve with EW choirs.

I like your idea of Berlin School meets Latin choirs. When you break it down, a repetitive seqencer and mellotron string washes would fit with plainchant wouldn't it? I'm sure that is what you proposed some time ago. Perhaps one day I'll give it a go or we can try and fit something in on our different timezones

Anyway, if I survive, I'll let you know. Nice to hear from you again

[Neil B]

Paul
reaction was very positive. It all hooked together well.
Shame that the acoustics in the church are so poor though.
Still, I was asked for a few copies, so I'll take that as a plus