I Mixed a Punk Song in Only ONE HOUR... Is It Any Good?

I was the mix engineer on this punk song over 15 years ago. Follow along with my mix workflow as I try to mix it better...and faster than before!
☛ Learn the go-to starting points for EQ and compression in heavy mixes with my FREE Mixing Cheatsheet: mixcheatsheet.com
Watch This Next: 13 habits of Pro Mixers: • 13 HABITS of PRO MIXERS
Music I’ve Worked On: open.spotify.c...
Website: hardcoremusics...
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MY FAVORITE GEAR:
Computer / Interface:
Mac M1 Studio Max sweetwater.sjv...
Avid Carbon sweetwater.sjv...
Apogee Duet 3 sweetwater.sjv...
Monitors / Headphones:
Avantone CLA-10a sweetwater.sjv...
Audio Technica ATH-M50 sweetwater.sjv...
Microphones:
Shure SM57 sweetwater.sjv...
AKG D112 sweetwater.sjv...
Sennheiser e604 sweetwater.sjv...
Shure SM7b sweetwater.sjv...
AKG C451b sweetwater.sjv...
Shure SM81 sweetwater.sjv...
Audio Technica AT4050 sweetwater.sjv...
Preamps/Outboard:
API 3124 sweetwater.sjv...
EL8 Distressor sweetwater.sjv...
Favorite Plugins:
BSA Clipper blacksaltaudio...
Escalator blacksaltaudio...
Low Control blacksaltaudio...
Waves SSL Bundle waves.alzt.net...
Waves CLA Compressors waves.alzt.net...
Waves Platinum waves.alzt.net...
Slate Trigger 2 sweetwater.sjv...
SoundToys Rack sweetwater.sjv...
Auto-tune Pro sweetwater.sjv...
Vocalign Project sweetwater.sjv...
Cranesong Phoenix II sweetwater.sjv...
Instruments / Amps:
Ludwig Black Beauty Snare sweetwater.sjv...
Gibson Les Paul sweetwater.sjv...
Evertune Guitars sweetwater.sjv...
Fender Jazz Bass sweetwater.sjv...
Sansamp Bass Driver DI sweetwater.sjv...
EVH 5150 sweetwater.sjv...
Mesa 2x12 cab sweetwater.sjv...

[@Amish6Stringer]

To be fair, you didn't beat your old mix in 1 hour...it took 15 years! Good work. Cheers!

[@ismaeletyl0]

wrong..15 years plus 1 hour! 😆

[@tyler9091]

Couple people just sent this to me, hey Jordan! This sounds so much better haha - I'm surprised at how much you remembered about the session, stoked some memory fires for me for sure. Hearing vocal isolations on youtube is both mortifying but a solid reminder how much time has passed, ha. I think I remember us all learning a lot at the time - You're still the nicest guy in a studio chair!

[@Chupacabramusic]

Dude whats up with this band... Is there a name and any public made recordings or videos? This band is def 150 X better than anything out there these days

[@hardcoremusicstudio]

Hey Tyler! Still love your vocal and melodies on this album! Wish I could've done it this well 15 years ago, haha.

[@Fireguy65]

If those are your vocals, they are awesome! I loved hearing the isolated track

[@Chupacabramusic]

@@Fireguy65 they belong to this band and this is the record - The Decay (this months rent) The entire record is fantastic.. Just search it on youtube and youll find some really fun live performances also

[@dylanjastle]

The new mix is obviously better. But there’s a charm to those early 2000s punk mixes that aren’t technically perfect, but still hit hard. I didn’t mind the original mix at all for this song. Gives me a nice nostalgia blast

[@istankimjong-unbutcantstan3398]

I agree. The new mix sounds sharper but the original has that raw sound that Punk is known for. This mix sounds like it could be more for Pop radio. In some cases, I have preferred the original mix which was not as "clean" because of nostalgia.

[@TheCoreys]

These were my thoughts too…

[@TheRobGuard]

I agree, this mix sounds more "metal" than punk... I like the rawness punk is known for, not that clicky kick, etc that modern metal is more known for. Punk is more like rock but much rawer... I guess its the guitars and vocals that really makes punk to be punk.

[@snoolee7950]

@@TheRobGuard well said. habit today is to put compression on everything and boost the sub octave. neither is very musical. I've been working with tube mono recording and single driver full bandwidth speaker. there is no sub octave heh heh. the music is in the midrange. everyone knows that.

[@PHELCAN]

Absolutely LOVED this video and would totally watch more. It's so helpful to see your workflow and decision making process that take the 80% ready raw tracks to that polished elite level I find the biggest challenge in re-mixing an old song is that your recording quality may have been more questionable from back then, so you're basically trying to solve a puzzle that's even harder.

[@hardcoremusicstudio]

Thanks dude! If you liked this, you should definitely check out my full program!

[@Fireguy65]

The dudes vocals are really cool. Reminds me of the vocalist from Sponge but more punk. A little Mike Ness-esque

[@5w33p]

This was awesome! Most notable difference has to be the drums high end. And just the general brightness overall. Love these kinds of videos!

[@istankimjong-unbutcantstan3398]

15:21 Using a totally Pop song among all the rock references. I like how the bass became more articulated from how it sounded prior to the treatment. I tend to like the bass where the notes can be heard distinctively opposed to merely the rumble.

[@strykr41]

Please do more of these! This was great to watch :)

[@Willyvenawi]

Huge improvement! Specially on how the drums hit, so much definition.

[@marcuskelley]

Really enjoyed this. It's great to watch you work through your normal workflow and use almost 100% of your ears to get the sounds you're looking for from what you know works. Templates are a huge friend. Remember your friends are here to help everyone.

[@v0ne1]

One of my favourite albums ever! Such an underrated band. Always felt TMR deserved a vinyl treatment, and even the old mix captures the perfect time and place. This new mix sounds incredible especially considering the time spent on it. It’s nice to hear more about this gem! Thanks for sharing!

[@Wurstbroetchen123]

This is the perfect proof of the pareto principle. Achieving 80% of the result in ~20% of the time, great work!

[@amendippanesar]

Lol man you're hammering the compressors on the vocals

[@dannywaker4870]

Great! I really like these 1hour competition, pls more of that!

[@aritzbezunartea2690]

More videos like this please!!! So satisfying to see you mixing

[@BradyA1124]

PRO TIP: The guitar bus should have a sufficient amount of 500-600 Hz, as stacking guitars that are (usually) scooped (in this genre) you can end up with a real deficiency of weighty mids. =)

[@charliekey2979]

Impressive! You are the man!

[@JohnnyRock]

Plowed by Sponge instantly came to mind. The song is great.

[@vallo1287]

Recently there was a plan to build a new village on this old base. Road access isn’t that great, so the government offered the council a grant of £30m to sort the necessary infrastructure. Council said no 😮 Bad for folks wanting a home in one of the most expensive areas of the country (try being a first time buyer there 😬), but good for those of us wanting somewhere cool to explore!

[@billyhughes9776]

Very cool man - super fun to watch. The new mix is definitely better. More full in the mids and lowend and a bit less bright -- vocals pop more too. Cool tune -- thanks Jordan.

[@bellysaurus8554]

New mix sounds amazing, bass on the old tracks sounds so good tho

[@vatsalismusic]

just love watching you make decisions in the mix because at the end of the day if it sounds good it is good!

[@nervoussuffermaker]

Fascinating video if nothing, but for seeing the difference in mixing styles of today compared to 15 years ago. For me, I actually prefer the original mix a lot more. There are ways to improve it for sure, but the way the new mix is so clean and compressed just doesn't resonate with me and kinda changes the vibe of the song.

[@mcpribs]

Takeaways: 1. Trust the process. Be consistent & use a template. 2. (In a time crunch) don’t sweat the small stuff. I have 5 kik & 3 snr samples always ready. Raise the controller fader and balance in seconds. Also have a fake room with room verb set to 100% wet. Raise fader to taste. 3. Use at least a single channel USB controller. No one has time wrote automation in an hour. 4. There’s no substitution for experience. You crushed your old mix because you referenced, recalled, and put to use everything you’ve learned over the last 15 yrs. Great vid and great song. Thanks!

[@HeyNoah]

This was awesome! The new mix sounds so good!

[@DennisAnderson-rh5eb]

One of the best southern ontario punk bands. Please remix the whole Decay album!

[@sjoerdvisser76]

That was very insightful and entertaining. Next up on my agenda: get some great templates ready. And what a killer song! What is it and by whom? Can you share?

[@user-wo3mb6qc1i]

bump

[@pierlemort8419]

What a good job to do in just one hour and even more so being a punk track that tends to be more organic in its sounds than other genres.

[@Brutuscomedy]

I'm starting to become a firm believer in fast mixing. CLA has demonstrated this. I think our first impressions tend to be fairly accurate and fatigue sets in after a while, leading to over-processing and heavy handed moves. It's easy to get lost in the weeds, especially in this era of digital recall.

[@MrAguiar10]

I'm a really big fan of your videos and have learned so much since I started following. Is there anyway for me to get your kick and snare sample to import into slate trigger? It seems like its only available to your students but I am more of a part time producer. I'd be happy to pay for them. I've been following you since the Silverstein Rescue Album.

[@TheGodMCDj]

Returning to older mixes and doing tests like this are imperative to identifying your growth as an engineer. For example, at a point in time, I thought every track needed umpteen plugins to achieve a pro sound when in reality, the majority is outlined by the fader.

[@daniel.ferraz.music.youtube]

Love your content, thanks from Portugal!

[@rena10009]

honestly i like the old one more. new one sounds more modern for sure. but it sounds like paramore or something where as the old one sounds punk and raw which i think serves this song better. idk i think the aesthetic is different and i actually do like the old one more. there's something to be said about the vibe that a mix sets beyond clarity and "radio readiness". they're definitely both great tho so maybe i'm splitting hairs.

[@livingthedream137]

Great song and this was fun

[@TimOost]

This was awesome seeing you work so quickly!

[@runemidsun]

Cool video, btw his voice got me in the mighty mighty bosstones groove 👍cheers

[@mikaelsehlin]

Well done! Crazy how fast you get results :)

[@Mattrocity1337]

references 3:14 - drums 5:36 - bass

[@sagarchawla8145]

Holy f, night and day ! Awesome job

[@alexgl]

Absolutely nailed it, way better. Very useful and interesting video idea

[@ChrisCaaa]

I wish people still sang like that in today's live bands

[@matthewfranklin8285]

Thanks for doing this - great to see

[@andrewakinsmusic]

Wait I thought we weren’t supposed to mix in solo! 😉 I kid I kid, sounds great Jordan.

[@askwho69]

Awesome mixing. Thanks for this Video.

[@gh0stransist0r]

I always have a playlist that contains Jimmy Eat World "Always Be" and Paramore "Playing God" (both mixed by CLA) as my reference and switching between mixing, for this type of genre. Something about that two album balance that I really like. Looks like you have one of the songs for ref too. Awesome.

[@ghastlyshimmer]

Paramore (Brand New Eyes) and Neck Deep (Life’s Not Out To Get You) is always my reference track for rock especially Pop Punk/Emo

[@jamesaction138]

Enjoying your channel!

[@dkpitt3912]

This was great! Really informative

[@rocktonmusikschule]

Great job. Why do you not turn "the noise" thing in the compressors off?😅

[@oleksandrpozniak]

Vocal is really amazing!

[@666Ekinox]

That was amazing!

[@spieglass3211]

For those asking, the controller is the Avid Artist Mix.

[@davidandronicomusic]

great video!

[@dilbophagginz]

Those raw guitar tracks sounded really great

[@godbeard9327]

What song is this ? And what band ? Cheers

[@Qliche]

Hey just came across your videos! Would this be the same process mixing Clean vocals in a post hardcore(screamo) song? Could you do a tutorial? For example maybe BMTH new song lost

[@chinmeysway]

Nice bad religion or husker du vibe! but agreed- kick is too much - unnecessary high and low frequencies on it is distracting. But awesome vid. Do you ever use analog outboard gear? Hard to say if plugins or analog is more punk ha

[@vault4455]

Amazing! I need this template

[@newmountainsky]

This dude is a great mixer!

[@musagitar9539]

Please magic eq for piano 😁

[@battleforcheese]

That was awesome

[@blackjono2000]

Did you ever only pan LCR ? Great videos, thank you

[@nbarton11]

Jordan- do you use the VTM control on your CLA monitors? Is there a setting you recommend? BTW, picked up the clipper and low control today. Great stuff!

[@hardcoremusicstudio]

Thanks for grabbing the plugins. I basically just tried to match the VTM to my old NS10's, which ended up around 11 o clock.

[@leandrobremer-music]

I'd really like to see you take those extra minutes to "finish" the mix and then compare it with what you have now. I'm really curious. Maybe next video? :)

[@marc-andrebeaudet6040]

Lol, do you have one of those classic DAE errors on screen at the end there?

[@kyleritter3074]

Crushed it. But after 15 years that's what I'd expect

[@GenesisSoundLab]

that drum tone you got on this session is immaculate🔥

[@DankoHidalgo]

Correction: The drum samples you got for this session are good.

[@user-nl9gs2sq5t]

@@DankoHidalgowhich contributes to the overall tone of the final drum mix, correct?

[@thelightmonkey1970]

Great video

[@pogoman246]

This was such a great reminder of how important the sound of the drums is. That was the biggest difference, by far.

[@seitsen]

Yeah, that's my biggest takeaway too from this. Everything else sounded more or less the same quality in the quick A/B test except the drums.

[@asdrubalperezrocha1070]

...Whats the bands name?

[@idkhow]

Whats the mixer you have on your desk in front of you?

[@ygorbarker]

the singer is Enrico? Ex-Cruz singer....the voice is identical

[@marcusloddby5432]

Whats the band and name of the song?

[@istankimjong-unbutcantstan3398]

The Decay - That Street.

[@fantomie7569]

Hi, Jordan. I've noticed you have CLA Mixhub ald EV2 among your Eq's, but you're still using the original SSL channel. Do you like it better? I'm curious about your opinion. Great content btw!

[@hardcoremusicstudio]

I tried those ones but didn't seem like it was any better. I'm so familiar with the old one and so fast with it, there's no reason to replace it and slow me down.

[@sesariotohpati2593]

Your the best jordan🍺🍺🍺

[@calebneff5777]

Does your program require Pro Tools or are other major DAWs acceptable too?

[@BeforeDecemberOfficial]

So...do you sell the template for Cubase/Nuendo? :D

[@hardcoremusicstudio]

My templates are only available in my full coaching program.

[@easyrecordsestudio]

It reminds me a little to Bad Religion mixed with Rancid, Descendents and Bodyjar

[@matthortobagyi]

That album rules

[@meljohnson5579]

Cool tune😊

[@russgenders7550]

great

[@Noahscoffeeshopisgood]

Were the tracks edited (timing and comp) before you started mixing?

[@lodougherty]

The difference is night and day holy crap!

[@RestLer-]

Крутой микс, даже с учётом спешки. Со старой версией даже не сравнить.. В общем, Джордан - настоящий мастер!

[@TransistorLSD]

Ага! Самое главное - наработанный алгоритм и глубокое знание используемых инструментов (плагинов) для достижения результата. Я ещё не смотрел видео целиком, но, зная Джордана, там наверняка 1176 на вокале и бас-гитаре, LA3A на гитарах, SSL Bus Compressor на барабанах и параллельной цепи барабанов, как и на мастер-шине. Готов поставить 100$, что всё именно так. :)

[@dmitrystuchevsky9995]

It sounds great

[@user-su1wf3wz6c]

Master!

[@motopfuiaut8134]

i really want to listen to this song is it availiable somewhere?

[@TrumanProductions]

I'm curious, what midi board do you have to control the fader?

[@hardcoremusicstudio]

Avid Artist Control

[@JakeHYM]

why compress distorted guitars? I see it be done alot but have also been told not to do it, so I'm curious what to look out for and why id need to do it.

[@artisticboundaries]

I'm guessing to tighten up the many harmonics. Maybe not too much... just enough to bring some of the stray peaks in some.

[@kristianniemann8716]

Try the ol Renaissance Axx from Waves. It's a nice "finisher" on the guitar bus.

[@HighScorsese]

Aside from catching some stray peaks, it tends to bring them a bit more forward in a way that just turning them up can't

[@user-wo3mb6qc1i]

track ID anyone ?

[@snoolee7950]

Quantum Leap: forget about mixing and focus on tracking

[@exhaust4246]

Song name?

[@joshuadelaughter]

Well your original still sounds better than my stuff. 😂 But wow what a difference between that and the new one.

[@Six2Nine]

Do you have a subwoofer in your srudio?

[@tuti9345]

Nope! You should watch his video about low end so you can hear his opinion on mixing with a sub

[@GustafWestin]

Huge difference on the drums

[@redburner]

Dude that was sick... what a difference 15 years make :D They need to release this remix

[@hardcoremusicstudio]

Grab your free Mixing Cheatsheet to learn the go-to starting points for EQ and compression in heavy mixes: www.mixcheatsheet.com

[@Chupacabramusic]

Your wrong bro... I finally found this record and the back story of the band.. You captured them a way that suited the time and place and the record is super super good. I came from this scene growing up and i really believe, even if by just circumstances, the record was done perfect the way it is... Its such a shame how things have changed... Music is pretty shitty these days.. Atleast these dudes were out there in the grind getting some... I got my shovel.... I can dig that

[@chinmeysway]

Total. Bringing the past time capsule into a different and updated sentiment for youtube fodder feels off. What is the band called / how to hear it? Thanks

[@Chupacabramusic]

@@chinmeysway the decay - this months rent..

[@shadowkyd]

sick

[@ericreyes3801]

what band is this?

[@edwardkenemorales]

Of course its gonna be good