u/Alternative-Sun-6997

About a month ago I'd posted a song for feedback here and you all were a ton of help on it - it's part of an album of ten songs and while I haven't made as much progress as I'd hoped lately (I spent most of the time between then and now so sick with a nasty lingering head cold that it felt like a bass knob had been turned down on the whole world),but I'm finally feeling well enough to get back to work and mostly truat my hearing again.

So, I'd love some fresh ears on this:

https://drewpeterson.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/01-At-the-Top-of-My-Lungs.mp3

Style is in the Joe Satriani/Andy Timmons/Nick Johnston vein, though the song itself is basically an unabashedly pop tune, with a more rock solo section (the riff made me grin ands crack up when I came up with it, so I wrote a song around it). Since Kurt Cobain was the reason I first picked up a guitar back in the day, though, I've been trying to mix this album with more of a grunge vibe, so in addition to a couple Satch albums, Timmons' "Resolution," and Johnston's "Remarkably Human," I've been spinning Nevermind as a reference a lot.

All guitars are live, real amps, drums were Superior 3 but programmed by hand and raw audio going into Reaper where I mixed it from scratch, rather than a preset, and the bass was recorded direct and I'm relying on a combo of the DI and TSE BOD for the bass sound. Happy to answer any other questions. Thanks!

Ok, I've read the guidelines a couple times and I think I'm in compliance here - if not, my apologies! But, I've been working on an original instrumental project for the last year and a half or so - think Joe Satriani, Andy Timmons, Nick Johnston, that sort of thing - and I've been working on the mixing lately. This is... getting there, but still not 100%, and I'd love a fresh set of ears on it.

Link:

https://drewpeterson.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/ghost-dance-rough-mix.mp3

Here's as much info as I can think of, that might be helpful:

Guitars are all real amps and mics. Mostly a Strat, though there's a few others here and there. Bass was a DI, with a TSE BOD2 doing most of the heavy lifting ITB, though a little bit of EQ on input as well. Drums are Superior 3, programmed by hand because I evidently hate myself, but I'm using Superior to generate basically raw tracks and all the actual mixing is happening in my DAW.

As far as reference mixes and vibes - couple Satriani and Timmons albums and Nick Johnston's "Remarkably Human," but way back in the day Kurt Cobain was the reason I first picked up the guitar and there are some writing influences here and there thoughout the album so I'd been going for more of a "grunge" sort of vibe on the mix. Lots of room mic on the drums, etc etc etc.

Problems - my room is only partially treated, and is still a work in progress. Bass translation seems... broadly ok? But, I've had a hell of a time with stereo field and "depth" in particular, and have a hard time assessing ambience in this room. As a stopgap I've finally just started stacking up couch cushions behind my listening position (my daughter has these Nugget cushion things that are actually oddly good at this) when I get some time alone to really work, but it's faaaar from perfect. I've also done some tweaking to this mix since the last time I was able to do that, so it's possible I've created some fresh surprises for myself. That's the big one, I think... but beyond that, anything you hear that seems like it's working or isn't working, I'd love anything you have to say. It's been more than a decade since I've really sat down and done some proper tracking/mixing like this, and I'm realizing I'm pretty rusty.

Anyway, thank you in advance for taking the time to listen to this! It covers a fairly wide range, sort of a bluesy opening before going in a couple different directions, but because of that I think it covers enough ground that if this mix is working, then the rest should work pretty well, too.

This is purely a passion project, and the market for original instrumental rock music by guys not named Joe Satriani and Steve Vai is like twenty people, plus of course my mom who's a saint and will listen to anything I do (but wish I made more nice acoustic music). All the same, I want to make this sound as good as I possibly can, even if mostly it's just a creative outlet for me.