Rio DeJaneiro Blues - Joe Sample - SJL Drums 6-18-2025.T1.M1 . . .
Many things have changed recently . . . I decided to order some different drums sticks - length, tip type and diameter/weight to see if I could improve my rudiments/smoothness in playing and YES, it does make a difference!! [I felt I was stagnating as a drummer and the sticks I have been using seem too light for heavier beats/songs and it was wearing me out trying to maintain my dynamics - very much a physical control-thing.
I just found out that Zildjian makes some excellent drumsticks that have anti vibration inserts for us old nerve damaged drummers and used a pair of their 5ANA sticks to play/record this tune.
Well, That ^ AND the headphone reference mixing software (SSA VSX) just had a major upgrade today which has brightened up the mix according to my ears - how about yours?
. . . recorded this in one take tonight:
Went back at this ^ one again and remixed the tracks plus edited my drumming slightly - it has more depth/low-end now - hope it works for you - still learning to use VSX v5.01 headphone referencing system:
Try this one and see if it meets your approval: (the preceding 3 posts ^ are from tonight as well)
Other People - Acoustic Alchemy - SJL Drums 6-22-2025.T3.M1 . . .
This learning session inspired by all of those who responded [you know who you are] with a love for the song and the drumming - I just couldn't stand how it was rendering out so I started from scratch again tonight with the mix process.
There is still a noticeable difference in tonality from my raw Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) renderings/mixes than what you are hearing - I think its the file type conversion done by the compression algorithms employed - I go from .FLAC to .WAV and back to .FLAC - it kills the presence/ambience frequencies of the drum work and source audio - I'm sure Decible [sp?] will have some insight here. (wake up dude!).
Instead of boring you with the the details of focused hours spent - here is the culmination of my efforts:
I've noticed the same issues going from DAW to WAV. I'll have to go back and adjust levels of tracks to get the WAV to sound right to me before running through my Mastering Scheme.
Alright, I'm back from the woodshed (working on this for the last time) . . .
. . . this MIX is how I hear it on my end for you to listen too (finally).
I had been wrestling with those ^ two separate tempos as well as which one to follow instead of just accepting them both and trying to let my flesh keep up with my mind without trying to force it or thinking about too much - just let it flow.
Eric - Sound check from that new vehicle-mounted monitoring system of yours is expected once you dial it-in . . .
No One to Blame - Howard Jones - SJL Drums 7-9-2025.T16.M1 . . .
Needed a melodic and instrumentally spacious song to do some finer tuning to my drum dynamics, tuning and practicing mixing skills - this one fit the bill:
OK the drumming in that last song wasn't very good but it allowed me to use the mix/drum settings as the basis for this next one tonight - Git up for it, cowgirls . . .
Five hours of focused full-moon fixing that last song's rendition to the drum tuning, decays, PEQ and original source track levels culminated in this mix tonight.
It's worth a listen IMO. The overall balance of all instruments is much better.
You may not like the song/groove but the mix is what I am focused upon - all I am doing is learning how to accomplish a very complex objective - and enjoying it.
Using the last songs drums as the basis for the kit and tweaking them to fit this song tonight plus multiple upgrades to the AI software (Studio-1) that allows me to strip out the drums and play mine in its place as well as the Headphone Referencing software (SSA-VSX) that I use to mix the tracks and my drums - now that I have them figured out my mixes are really starting to sound the way I wish them too.
Hope this mix/remaster/drum retrofit sounds good on your system:
Dropbox files cleared-out completely as of this writing.
This thread should be considered dead and terminated.
Thanks for all the feedback [ERIC] and associates.
I'll start a new one once I get refocused upon further efforts in this endeavor.
Comments
Rio DeJaneiro Blues - Joe Sample - SJL Drums 6-18-2025.T1.M1 . . .
Many things have changed recently . . . I decided to order some different drums sticks - length, tip type and diameter/weight to see if I could improve my rudiments/smoothness in playing and YES, it does make a difference!! [I felt I was stagnating as a drummer and the sticks I have been using seem too light for heavier beats/songs and it was wearing me out trying to maintain my dynamics - very much a physical control-thing.
I just found out that Zildjian makes some excellent drumsticks that have anti vibration inserts for us old nerve damaged drummers and used a pair of their 5ANA sticks to play/record this tune.
Well, That ^ AND the headphone reference mixing software (SSA VSX) just had a major upgrade today which has brightened up the mix according to my ears - how about yours?
. . . recorded this in one take tonight:
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/qtbkqdgj7w0y8pdlines3/Rio-DeJaneiro-Blues-Joe-Sample-SJL-Drums-6-18-2025.T1.M1.flac?rlkey=trytpeky5jgxyp83h7zxdtplq&dl=0
Best!
Drops of Jupiter - Train - SJL Drums 6-22-2025.T7.M1 . . .
This one has been extremely difficult to mix-down acceptably - took a lot of time to get it to sound like this.
I think that "AI" software has a challenge with busy music tracks and in the upper mid-range of the audio spectrum.
I had to do a lot of special mixing to the tracks to get a decent balance. [However, I AM learning a lot - keeps my brains functioning . . .]
Hope you enjoy . . .
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/k6pzfyhwgq8k3i7g8aedx/Drops-of-Jupiter-Train-SJL-Drums-6-16-2025.T7.M1.flac?rlkey=ge94m0m3esocrgh7898vfjh1g&dl=0
Went back at this ^ one again and remixed the tracks plus edited my drumming slightly - it has more depth/low-end now - hope it works for you - still learning to use VSX v5.01 headphone referencing system:
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/uzpu6isbuy4khntbeq8n1/Drops-of-Jupiter-Train-SJL-Drums-6-16-2025.T7.M2.flac?rlkey=txia3y0e5vcyrsh8q04t45yfo&dl=0
Crazy River - Robbie Robertson - SJL Drums 6-21-2025.T10.M1 . . .
I've worked on this one for a while - took some time to learn the groove and then play it acceptably well.
The mix was difficult too but I figured it out - hope it sounds good for you:
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/52nmpp1n0x1mieq96ouc5/Crazy-River-Robbie-Robertson-SJL-Drums-6-21-2025.T10.M1.flac?rlkey=8zqiol23ywla7jxg0q8akbqog&dl=0
Try this one and see if it meets your approval: (the preceding 3 posts ^ are from tonight as well)
Other People - Acoustic Alchemy - SJL Drums 6-22-2025.T3.M1 . . .
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/9jf1iuuep1omz9dg10cjw/Other-People-Acoustic-Alchemy-SJL-Drums-6-22-2025.T3.M1.flac?rlkey=ggjxkoq9yrbccgqsg4dmlgn6c&dl=0
This learning session inspired by all of those who responded [you know who you are] with a love for the song and the drumming - I just couldn't stand how it was rendering out so I started from scratch again tonight with the mix process.
There is still a noticeable difference in tonality from my raw Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) renderings/mixes than what you are hearing - I think its the file type conversion done by the compression algorithms employed - I go from .FLAC to .WAV and back to .FLAC - it kills the presence/ambience frequencies of the drum work and source audio - I'm sure Decible [sp?] will have some insight here. (wake up dude!).
Instead of boring you with the the details of focused hours spent - here is the culmination of my efforts:
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/1wuzwgraexytp2b5dkkft/Drops-of-Jupiter-Train-SJL-Drums-6-16-2025.T7.M3.flac?rlkey=1ivx1ash3jhy98wb4b88l40dq&dl=0
I've noticed the same issues going from DAW to WAV. I'll have to go back and adjust levels of tracks to get the WAV to sound right to me before running through my Mastering Scheme.
Thanks for that feedback, Eric - Got another mixing friend saying similar too - back to the DAWing board . . .
Alright, I'm back from the woodshed (working on this for the last time) . . .
. . . this MIX is how I hear it on my end for you to listen too (finally).
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/xpv4e2gsfbwd07h5pgtj9/Drops-of-Jupiter-Train-SJL-Drums-6-16-2025.T7.M4.flac?rlkey=1loeo23aahwolh8g9wvui4b84&dl=0
Cologne - Taylor Rae - SJL Drums 6-30-2025.T4.M1_Fade . . .
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/ayjll17s7g57gidhgiv7y/Cologne-Taylor-Rae-SJL-Drums-6-30-2025.T4.M1_Fade.flac?rlkey=852kycmvfqd9r2v7uv37xu8k0&dl=0
Eric - I figured out the delta in the DAW/Rendered files - it was a setting on the MONITORING bus - VSX v5.01
Crazy River - Robbie Robertson - SJL Drums 7-1-2025.T2.M1_Fade . . .
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/jq159srs5951sokca98oq/Crazy-River-Robbie-Robertson-SJL-Drums-7-1-2025.T2.M1_Fade.flac?rlkey=fkdvshzt884bj4v7nb1mms9on&dl=0
I had been wrestling with those ^ two separate tempos as well as which one to follow instead of just accepting them both and trying to let my flesh keep up with my mind without trying to force it or thinking about too much - just let it flow.
Eric - Sound check from that new vehicle-mounted monitoring system of yours is expected once you dial it-in . . .
Ain't Wastin Time - Allman Brothers - SJL Drums 7-7-2025.T1.M1_Fade . . .
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/2vvij7xpojzrxk6kc3avq/Ain-t-Wastin-Time-Alman-Brothers-SJL-Drums-7-7-2025.T1.M1_Fade.flac?rlkey=1ncofi9dlgpd4x5yx9cfzy1sy&dl=0
No One to Blame - Howard Jones - SJL Drums 7-9-2025.T16.M1 . . .
Needed a melodic and instrumentally spacious song to do some finer tuning to my drum dynamics, tuning and practicing mixing skills - this one fit the bill:
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/jotgawgd0g4t8v9afxjto/No-One-to-Blame-Howard-Jones-SJL-Drums-7-9-2025.T16.M1.flac?rlkey=l8o8n4rahl2vs21v8s6ieqn48&dl=0
OK the drumming in that last song wasn't very good but it allowed me to use the mix/drum settings as the basis for this next one tonight - Git up for it, cowgirls . . .
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/0g0miu3mkoeg610lacg1d/Not-That-Kind-Anastacia-SJL-Drums-7-9-2025.T1.M1_Fade.flac?rlkey=2z1q1p8ow8ndgtze6tm0ta8hj&dl=0
This ^ woman's vocal control is unbelievable - she drove the whole song from melody to tempo and rhythm. Incredible.
Five hours of focused full-moon fixing that last song's rendition to the drum tuning, decays, PEQ and original source track levels culminated in this mix tonight.
It's worth a listen IMO. The overall balance of all instruments is much better.
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/e01uysv93ypgzgu6921zk/Not-That-Kind-Anastacia-SJL-Drums-7-9-2025.T1.M2_Fade.flac?rlkey=6o7psfld2qywvlhdqqka6v9yf&dl=0
You may not like the song/groove but the mix is what I am focused upon - all I am doing is learning how to accomplish a very complex objective - and enjoying it.
Using the last songs drums as the basis for the kit and tweaking them to fit this song tonight plus multiple upgrades to the AI software (Studio-1) that allows me to strip out the drums and play mine in its place as well as the Headphone Referencing software (SSA-VSX) that I use to mix the tracks and my drums - now that I have them figured out my mixes are really starting to sound the way I wish them too.
Hope this mix/remaster/drum retrofit sounds good on your system:
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/meof6d2ldmng1s1ncbeu2/Cracking-Up-Nick-Lowe-SJL-Drums-7-18-2025.T1.M1_Fade.flac?rlkey=wea1xqqd94zfyskteeqsml1c0&dl=0
If there is anything that I have produced that you wish to keep a copy-of . . . Please download it quickly/really soon.
I need to clean that source receptacle [Dropbox] out so I can keep going and see how far and well I can get with my focus and efforts on this front.
Thanks guys.
Dropbox files cleared-out completely as of this writing.
This thread should be considered dead and terminated.
Thanks for all the feedback [ERIC] and associates.
I'll start a new one once I get refocused upon further efforts in this endeavor.