Suggestions
Who did this beat? Sounds like they've been listening to Vince.V
PROBLEM: The vocals need to come up.
SOLUTION: Instead of cutting the vocals up, try reducing some of the instruments you have. In addition, have whoever is mixing the song automate the vox or ride the vocals at certain parts to make sure they cut through (especially at the end of the second verse.)
PROBLEM: Too many pops and crackles in the vocal tracks. "I aint trppin off the trick unless she PAY me PAY me. Thats just one example. You can find another examples of plosives within the first 4 bars of verse 2.
SOLUTION: That part needs to be a bit more smoother, and whoever is engineering can DUCK or CROSSFADE that part or authomate a compressor to remove it.
PROBLEM: The snare sounds as if it is too low.
SOLUTION: Cut it up.
PROBLEM: Drums aren't glued.
SOLUTION: Fly all the drum parts to a buss and place a compressor on that buss. go for no more than -3 to -6db of reduction and make sure that teh snare can still be heard without loosing much of the attack. You just want to "glue" everything together, and this will make the drums sound more cohesive. In addition, you'll be able to control all the drums this way, so you can boost for volume at the compressors gain/output or at your fader. You can also place an eq on the buss. But thats enough game for now on this problem.
PROBLEM: Not much dynamics in the song. This song sounds as if it has been compressed/limited and eq'd already. I haven't imported the song into any program yet, but if I did I already know the majority of peaks would be VERY close to -2db to 0db, and yes, your song can STILL clip at -2db to 0db even though the meters dont show it.
SOLUTION: If you are going to mastering give the mastering engineer two versions. Give him the "ceiling" or "PUSHED" (<---term I made up) version which would be the one you posted for us, and a FLAT version which would have no eq, compression/limiting or stereo widening on the master fader/master channel.
I didn't listen to it out of my monitors, but if you want me to I can look at everything in pro tools and tell you where some of the frequencies might need a cut or boost, but over all the mix isn't bad it can just use a bit more polishing in certain areas if you want it to stand out a lil bit more. Also, I would pan some of the instruments and vocals a bit different, but thats just according to my own preference.
I like the song also, has a club/commercial vibe to it, and thats saying a lot considering I don't really like club/commercial songs or much rap period. Who are you guys?
EDIT: The go go go go part of the hook should probably come up.
