Mix Analysis 3

The Whispers - Keep on Lovin' Me
BPM - 112.5
Year - 1987
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6aRvVTSC0I

• Executive Producer – Whispers, The

• Mastered By Allen Zentz

Audio Mixer: Steve Hodge. - http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/nov06/articles/stevehodge.htm

Intro 0:00 - 0:33                 

Sounds like palm muted delayed guitar goes through out intro.
Electric Bass - 2 Sustained notes                     C                                                -18 dB
Live Hats on 1/8 note before snare                                     11 5                           -30 dB
Kick - Rounded and Low. Hits  on the 1/8  3/8 4/8                                                 -16 dB
Snare - Acoustic and Nice half second decay. Hits on 2 and 4.    5 R                     -21.5 dB
0:02 Saw Pad comes in and out at 0:09                                                               -42 dB
0:06  Electric Keys plays chords on 4 bar                                                             -36 dB  
0:07 Tom Fill at end of 4th bar, 1 hit in the C, 1  15 R 15 L                                     -30 dB
0:17 Dreamy pad fill, simular to harp.                                                                   -36 dB

Next 8 Bars

0:18 Clean Electric Guitar playing funky riff                                                         -30 dB
0:22 2 Backup Vocals come in singing melody, reverb                                         -40 dB
0:25 Deep Bass Line comes in                                                                           -25 dB

Verse 0:34 -1:10

Lead Vocals come in                                                                                          -24 dB
Snare layered with Clap  

Chorus 1:10 - 1:26 
       
Lead Vocal and Back up                                                                             C
1:16 and 1:25 Horn Stab                                                                             5 L

Verse 2 1:26 -2:00
Same Elements as Verse 1

Chorus 2 2:01 - 2:16
Same Elements as Chorus 1

Bridge 2:22 - 3:12
Saw Pad Synth from intro returns
Starts with synth string note
Emphasize on the beat
2:37 Clap comes back
*My Favorite part Skat Singing 2:40 (amazing vocalist)

Verse 3:12 - 3:44

Just keep on keeping on lyrics added 

Final Chorus 3:45 - 4:10
New Vocals
"Hey Scotty" part

*Quickly fades out*

Allen Zentz 
http://www.discogs.com/label/Allen+Zentz+Mastering

In 1974, he moved to Southern California to try his luck in the recording industry as a mastering engineer. He established a mastering suite at 1020 N. Sycamore Ave. in Hollywood, and he added a recording studio to it around late 1977. See Allen Zentz Mastering. His first client in the studio was Michael Jackson, who recorded most of Off The Wall (except horns & strings) there with Quincy Jones."
Source: http://www.discogs.com/artist/Allen+Zentz

Steve Hodge

Janet Jackson (including Control andRhythm Nation), George Michael (Faith), Mariah Carey, Michael Jackson (HIStory), Natalie Cole, the Spice Girls, Toni Braxton, Usher and TLC, as well as records for Sting, Rod Stewart and the Human League.

On Vocals...
Especially on a female voice, adding at 15kHz really brings an 'airiness' to the vocal and makes it ride nicely on the top of the track,"

"You might also find you need to warm the vocal up a bit when you do that, which you can do by adding a little bit of low mid-range and some good analogue compression. A vocal chain that I like that can accomplish this is an AKG C12 through a Great River MP Series mic pre, a Great River EQ 2NV equaliser and Dbx 160SL 'Blueface' comp/limiter."

BAND

Ray Obiedo (guitar, keyboards); Ricky Sylvers, Emilio Conesa (guitar); Grady Wilkins (piano, Fender Rhodes piano, vibraphone, bells); Percy Scott (piano); Al Johnson (Fender Rhodes piano); Rick Smith (keyboards, bass synthesizer); Wardell Potts, Jr. (keyboards, drums); George Duke, Kevin Spencer, William Shelby, Joey Gallo, Vincent Brantley (keyboards); Kirk Perkins (drums, percussion); Paul van Wageningen (drums); Leon F. Sylvers III (percussion). 

I personally believe this song was mixed brilliantly. The combination of synth, funky slap bass, great vocals and even more wonderful back up vocals makes for a well rounded track. I picked this one in particular because it was from the great funk/soul era and is from one of the giants of the funk world, The Whispers. Though simple in elements this is a very full track and I particularly enjoyed the tom fills.