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Post by MDV on Jul 7, 2014 22:28:58 GMT
If you have any tips or nuggets of wisdom, write them here.
I'll start with an oldie but goldie
Put the work in upfront. The better you do the start of the process the easier everything down the line is.
Playing/technique > source sounds > capture > mixing > mastering.
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Post by Frank on Jul 13, 2014 15:16:52 GMT
- As my recording gear has been replaced with better equipment I'm hearing the limitations of the room I record in and taking more steps to damp out reflections and reverbs. Singing with a reflection shield on the mic makes a huge difference, as does hanging a blanket behind the singer. Pretty much the same as MDV's point about getting the source sound right before it goes in the mic.
- Have a long break between recording and mixing. When you come back and listen with fresh ears you will inevitably find sections or whole tracks that can be omitted from the mix entirely. Which leads me to point three ...
- Less really is more. Lots of people think that they'll get a more powerful sound by piling more and more guitars onto a song but what they end up with is a mush of midrange. Be ruthless at cutting out guitars, even if it means one band member has nothing to play on that song. If the verse sounds good stripped back just to bass, drums and vocals then go with it.
- Have a long break between recording and mixing. When you come back and listen with fresh ears you will inevitably find sections or whole tracks that can be omitted from the mix entirely.
- Listen to your mixes on as many different systems and in as many different locations as possible. Playing a CD of a rough mix in your car or on a crappy stereo will show up a lot of flaws that you hadn't noticed listening on your nice expensive studio monitors.
On that last point, I've just bought a Focusrite Saffire Pro 24 DSP audio gizmo that has built in "VRM" room and speaker emulation. Not really got to grips with it yet but it could be very useful for simulating different listening environments. They even do the VRM stuff in an add on box for £49, works with any SPDIF output. Got to be worth a look.
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Post by Tony on Jul 13, 2014 15:59:56 GMT
On that last point, I've just bought a Focusrite Saffire Pro 24 DSP audio gizmo that has built in "VRM" room and speaker emulation. Not really got to grips with it yet but it could be very useful for simulating different listening environments. They even do the VRM stuff in an add on box for £49, works with any SPDIF output. Got to be worth a look. That last part sounds very interesting. I will look into that for when I can set up a guitar room again. |
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Post by Frank on Jul 13, 2014 16:05:40 GMT
uk.focusrite.com/usb-audio-interfaces/vrm-boxYou switch it on and suddenly your mix sounds terrible and you get angry. Then you realise that it's just shown you something that needs correcting. Then you correct it and say "thank you VRM box, I hadn't noticed that the vocal sounded terrible".
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Post by MDV on Sept 2, 2014 11:24:54 GMT
Reference systems are VITAL. Unless that mix is only ever going to be heard on that system, in that place in that room, then mix good translation is the most important and fundamental thing about mixing. For the mix to sound as close to how you want it to on as many systems and in as many places as possible, you need to listen in as many different environments as you can. On that note, there was a studio in my town that when they were told (not by me) that their control room acoustics were fucked up, they insisted, and I quote "It sounds like magic in here". Well, their mixes sounded like shit everywhere else. And note 'was a studio'  . |
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