Whole song mixed and mastered with home made computer code

[des0free]

Here is my first attempt to use my home-made computer code to mix and master a whole ~2:30 min long song. 
(Edit: Replaced with improved version after improving my code on 8/6/21)

No DAW was used, except to convert the file from WAV to MP3 !! 

I do make liberal use of signal processing functions in the computer language Matlab that I call from my code.

I feed in separate WAV files for each track and my algorithm analyzes each and applies EQ, compressor, and limiter (and reverb to the vocals) and automatically produces a rough mix. A limiter, compressor, and 2nd limiter are applied for mastering.  I then manually tweak the levels of the individual tracks to produce a final mix.  The reverb is done with the "Freeverb" algorithm.  The vocals were also re-recorded (compared with the earlier version posted in "covers") with an AT-4040 large condenser mic with a pop filter and CAD foam "vocal shield".

The code runs in just a couple minutes on my laptop.

[StephenM]

Works a dandy...this might prove useful to folks learning how to mix and pro song writers who just send demos quick?

[des0free]

Edit: I fixed some small bugs in my code, and re-recorded a few parts of the vocal, that make the result better, so I replaced the file in my original post.

[StephenM]

Depending on tone a person likes some might like this mix as well or better than the original (I had both open at the same time to listen and compare)....

one thing I would like to do however is if you have time to put that original vocal track using the zoom mics just like the orig but with the plate reverb and let me give it another listen...then that other variable is removed...

I think both mixes are pretty darn good..

if you did a survey of 100 people and didn't give any information other than you were trying to pick the best it might come out close to 50-50....

[Bishmanrock]

I haven't got anything to add other than to say I've been following your posts and found them really interesting and think the progress on this is great!

[des0free]

Depending on tone a person likes some might like this mix as well or better than the original (I had both open at the same time to listen and compare)....

one thing I would like to do however is if you have time to put that original vocal track using the zoom mics just like the orig but with the plate reverb and let me give it another listen...then that other variable is removed...

I think both mixes are pretty darn good..

if you did a survey of 100 people and didn't give any information other than you were trying to pick the best it might come out close to 50-50....

Hey, thanks for the feedback.  After further listening I think you're right, the commercial Abbey Roads plate reverb isn't better than the "Freeverb", just different.  And since the "Freeverb" is a free algorithm I can call from my code it is preferable since it is easier for me to tweak.  I have updated the original post with my improved version, using the AT-4040 mic (with a few vocal sections redone again...) and Freeverb. 

The quality/character of the digital reverb probably matters more in the context of a sparser mix, like a song with just single guitar and vocal.

[des0free]

I haven't got anything to add other than to say I've been following your posts and found them really interesting and think the progress on this is great!

Thanks for the encouragement, I made further progress on developing my code and now have multiband EQ and compressor and limiter applied to individual tracks and to the final mix - audio file replaced in the original post (I also re-did the vocals using an AT-4040 large condenser mic.)

One thing I learned is that I found it helpful when trying to set the compressors/limiters to look at before/after plots of the signals to get a better understanding of what they are actually doing.

[des0free]

Here's my second attempt at mixing/mastering a whole with my home-brew code: Cover of "Back Where I Come From" by Mac McAnally.  Same version of the code as used with the other song in the updated original post.  Note that there are minor manual tweaks to levels of individual tracks between the two songs; the auto-mixing algorithm comes close, and produces a useful first mix, but there needs to be different manual tweaks for different songs.
 

[StephenM]

sounds really good...this would be an a ok  mix...would be cool if you could tell the algo to place backing vocal pan left 30 etc...that would be even cooler...

how hard is this to use?  Maybe I'll send some tracks in the future to try?

[guitarron]

Damn dude what an amazing piece of software.  All the best for you with this.
Does this perform fader riding like Waves vocal rider. That looks like a useful function that I don't see many plugs for.
Also, have you considered making this a plug-in for the master buss?
Impressive work