Hello awesome AudioJungle community!
I’m newbie at creating music and desperately need your help. When I mix my tracks I always have doubts about high end of the spectrum, it always seems to me that I need to boost high frequencies a little more to get more colorful and sweet sound. I really don’t know where to stop. I use reference tracks, a lot of them, but it doesn’t help much when it comes to eqing high end.
So here is the thing. I’ve loaded two versions of one track (already approved to AJ by wonderful Reviewer). Version number 1 EQed as I prefer, version number 2 EQed more settle on high frequencies (-4db). I know that you’re all very busy and have important stuff to do but please spend some time and tell me which version sounds right for you. It is a real problem for me to understand my hearing and “calibrate” my ears. Thank you!!
#1
#2
Definitely the second version sounds much more natural. On the other hand in the first track the cymbals pop out nicely!
What I would do is keep the second mix and add a bit of an eq boost to the top freqs on the drums. Start with a moderate setting of +2dB or so. A good advice I’ve been given by pro engineers is to never boost by more than 3dB, as it might affect the transients negatively.
Hope this helps. 
Soundset, thank you, this helps a lot! I can’t describe how painful all these doubts, how many hours I’ve spent trying to deside what sounds right, how many precious Reviewer’s time I’ve waste when reuploaded this track and my other tracks time and time again. Thank you, I really appreciate your advice!
Me & my (sound guy) partner both think number 1.
So I guess you’re back to square 1. Ha sorry. Good track though.
Minimal difference in the big picture. Know when to let go. 
StellaQ, oh no, things just got a bit more complicated 
Huge thanks for your comment! Still I think both advises correlate with each other, and what I need is to get natural sound of guitars and piano and if I feel lack of clarity and colour in sound - compensate it in drum section…
“Know when to let go” - you absolutely right. I’ve heard once about Celldweller - he has an adviser who hears the track and says to Celldweller - “stop, thats enough with this one, leave it and move on to the next one”. I wish I have that kind of adviser.
P.S. But I have AJ community, which is far cooler than any “adviser” =)
Dude, judgement ability is like one of those power bars on videogames: it gets depleted, and you must rest to replenish it. When in doubt, put the song away for a few hours, maybe even a day. Then come back to it and play it. The answer will jump right out in front of you.
@FiniteMusicForge is spot on. I’ve left months, sometimes years between songs. It always worked out for the best.
Creativity is like every other organic process - it’s a cyclic relationship. You need to give a project & yourself, room to breathe, even if only an hour. Overnight is always good.
I’d like to reiterate - don’t get too hung up on minor technicalities - you’ll never get it perfect - because you’re an artist Lol.
It’s so easy to overwork a great piece until it loses it’s very soul.
…and of course, the dilemma of every artist is knowing when a piece is crying out ‘ahem, excuse me… I’m finished… did you notice?’.
All the best @NeelleeStenat.