Mixing 101 - where to begin?

[goroth]

Dudes.

Searched for mixing but I get about a million results here - basically I'm looking at making my demos in Logic sound a bit better and was wondering if anyone has any good links to a sorta "get started with mixing" article/website thinger. I'm not really looking for general tips like "give each instrument it's own space", "make sure you get a good sound from the get go and mixing will be easier" etc, as I'm going to struggle to be able to apply that information - I'm more after a kind of... principles of mixing. A workflow maybe. I dunno. Crap, I'm not expressing this at all well. Make of this what you will - all tips are appreciated!

I record everything directly for demos and run the guitars through Torpedo amp/cab sim, and just use programmed drums with Addictive Drums.

Here is my knowledge thusfar:
1) Don't record signals too hot. Headroom is your friend. Check.
2) A lowpass filter can help clean up kick drums and all of my awesome chunka chunka palm mutes.
3) I know that I know nothing, just like Bill and Ted and Socrates before them. Which means that the above two things that I do know don't really help my mixes a lot cos I don't know what the hell I'm doing.

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[Deltaphoenix]

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/nov09/a ... /metal.htm

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/dec09/a ... etalII.htm

Try these out, hope they help.

[Dr. Sherman Sticks M.D.]

i found this dudes guides really helpful
http://tarekith.com/helpandsounds/

[goroth]

Thanks bros!

[Chankgeez]

I have nothing to add other than: if you use enough fuzz, you won't notice.

[goroth]

This is true my friend!

</thread>

[tuj]

A lowpass filter can help clean up kick drums and all of my awesome chunka chunka palm mutes.

No, a HIGH PASS filter can do this. Or you might do both. Understand what each is. High pass means highs get through the filter above the cutoff point. Low pass means lows get through below the cutoff point. To clean up palm muting, usually there is excessive low end below 40hz which is wasted energy. You use a high pass filter around 40-50hz with a 24db slope (4-pole) and you'll remove 'rumble'.

If there is excessive midrange or artificial harmonics you aren't interested in keeping, then you want the low-pass filter, probably set around 2k or lower.

Check out this chart for frequency spacing:

[goroth]

Yeah sorry dude, was thinking upside down. Usually use a hpf at 33 Hz. When I've read through all the other stuff I'll take a look at that chart.

[Doctor X]

for rock/metal type stuff?
for workflow i'd go through every track by itself and tidy it up - high pass any pointless rumbling, carefully mute any noisy 'silent' parts, maybe a basic eq/low pass if any track has some annoyance in it

then i'd start with the guitars, have them panned etc and nice volume
then add in the drums, checking levels and fitting in with guitars
then the vocals, then the bass, then any other parts

as you are adding the ingredients do slight eq cuts to make a little bit of room

post an mp3 of what you have already

[goroth]

Doc, there is no chance I'm posting an mp3 of my stuff hahaha. But I shall learn and better myself and then post!

[tuj]

dude, we all suck when we start. feedback from another pair of ears is critical in the learning stages.

[rfurtkamp]

The biggest piece of advice is to listen to a LOT of music in the cans/monitors you're going to be using that you're familiar with. Learn the strengths and weaknesses of your reproductive stuff so you can mix with them or in spite of them - and learn what your changes do when played on a few other "reference" systems (somebody's car, junker earbuds, stock speakers on a TV or prosumer laptop, etc). Play some stuff (recordings already one) through your DAW and mixer, learn how the meters on them work with what you know - 0db on one DAW/interface combo isn't 0db somewhere else IME.

Other than that it's all time behind the board. Learn to use parametric filters to cut/sculpt/abuse like a surgeon uses a scalpel. Learn how to use the *right* reverb for the task in conjunction with everything above.

Also learn to mix/master stuff that isn't your normal bag. I learned more mixing goth-type music and metal bands that was useful when it came time to record a jazz quartet it wasn't funny - there's no "this only works here" in the mixing stage.

And finally, learn when to take a break. Your ears do get tired, especially if recording as well. I *always* let mixes sit for a bit before I pass them on to friends/clients/etc - even if I'm near 100% sure it's right. I check it 24, 48, 72 hours or more later when I'm in the right mood to listen without trying to find problems for the sake of finding problems.

Past that, setting some level of personal limit is also useful. Don't get sucked down the rabbit hole of eternally mixing - someday, somehow, that song isn't going to become magically the savior of the world because you found the 127hz band that makes angels sing. It's gotta come out sometime!

[rustywire]

Much solid advice.

Step 1: get a pair of near-field studio monitors and some basic room treatment; acoustic panels for first reflections & bass traps for the corners.
Set them up properly to achieve the equilateral triangle's sweetspot, there's much visual how-to on youtube how to best assess the listening position in most any type of room. This is an essential cornerstone, DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CIRCUMVENT IT or you're building on quicksand. The one mistake you do not want to make.

Also learn to
Use compression properly; without it being a crutch.
Sweep eq bands on a parametric, +/-9dB or more to hone in on *problem* frequencies and then figure out which settings make them work.
Pick the right reverb and use it tastefully to add some depth to your sonic space.

Use your ears, pay attention, be prepared to make mistakes while learning how sound is likely to behave when you do x, y and z.

[magellan]

Tons of good advice on here. Also be prepared to experiment. The hardest thing to remember is that there is essentially no right or wrong, if it sounds good it sounds good no matter how you get to it. It took me a long time to figure that out cause I was going strictly by everything that I read and watched on youtube that said this is the fundamental way to do this or that. There is a standard "go to" practice for mixing, but once you start getting crazy with it you will find you can make your mixes more interesting. So don't be afraid to do something if someone says "take out the mud here" or "there's too much reverb there", push the limits and see how creative you can be. The more creative the better.

As for just learning how to do some solid mixing, keep in mind that mixing and mastering are two completely different things. You want your mix to sound as good as possible, mastering it is a devil in itself. I would recommend you read up on Mastering and use a program designed specifically to master so you know have a grasp on what you are doing to your ALL your songs that appear together, so they have some similarity in weight, amplitude and sequencing.

The basic things to keep in mind for mixing that you will come across reading is being conscious of your eq settings of your tracks. Things like remembering to cut or duck the eq on a guitar track while there is vocals in the song. Also, I would recommend that it is better to build your tracks starting with kick and bass. Everyone does it different but I find that if you get your kick sounding right, and you can make it work with the bass sound right from the beginning, build off from there with the rest of the drums, guitars and vocals.

A few tips for mixing, use a compressor on the bass, it will help to smooth out all the notes. Work with the guitars to make sure they don't eat up the same frequencies that your vocals are shining in. Clean up any mud spots on your tracks. Since you are using programmed drums try to pay attention that the hi frequencies in the program drums don't conflict with the guitars or vocals. Compress the vocals so that they are even. EQ everything accordingly for what instrument it is, but keep in mind how it affects the other tracks in your mix. If your drum track has too much high, it might cover up or compete with the solo in the guitar track for example. So keep stuff like that in mind. Other than that just have fun with it and read about how everyone does it different, and don't be afraid to try mixing different things in different ways until you find a way that works best for you.

[AstralFeedbackM]

Magellan is correct on a lot of those things. Start your mix with the Kick and bass like stated above. I will tell you that you are on a guitar forum site for fuzz and other effect pedals. Be careful not to overload your mix with guitar/guitars. I notice a lot of people who play one main instrument tend to leave the songs they mix heavy with that certain instrument. Trial and error is the best way to get better. As someone else said, post it on here and let others give you advise.

A huge thing you can do for yourself is have more than one listening device. I have Rokit KRK 6 and 8 speakers. Everything I hear on them sounds pretty good and really bass heavy. In reality when I throw it on something else to listen to it will always be lacking something. Remember that most people use shitty speakers that don't have a lot of low end. SO don't EQ all your bass at 40 hz because most people won't be hearing it on there speakers. As a example I mix on my krk 6in usually. I have a 40in TV as my computer monitor and it has shit speakers in it. That's my first reference after using my main Speakers. I then burn my mix to a cd and use my shitty 2000 buick speakers in my car that are stock speakers. I then throw the mix on my $20 -(Not $200 which I have and are great for listening but not mixing) sony headphones. After that I mix it down to mp3 and throw it on my HTC phone and listen to the mix through the speakers on that. So you see I use 4-5 devices to reference my mix If it sounds great on all of them then I know I'm good to go.

As stated above your mix would never be complete. I still have songs that I recorded years ago that I listen to now and would change many things. As you get older/wiser/better you learn new things. Don't go back and re-mix a song you did 2 years ago because you are way better now. That song was mixed like that for a reason and it shows how far you have become. Don't spend 20 years mixing a song is the main point. Also give your ears rest. 30-45 minutes listening to your mix, then 5-15 minute breaks. Trust me when I say this because when I really started getting into mixing I thought this was bull shit and I could mix for hours and get a great mix. Then you wake up the next day and turn on the mix and it fucking sucks. Really your ears/brain will cover things up it doesn't like if you keep replaying it and not giving fresh ears to the mix.

The best and most helpful thing I can say is if you are serious about mixing and recording and want to continue down the road to do it, is to get the book "Mike Senior - Recording Secrets for the Small Studio". http://www.cambridge-mt.com/RecordingSecrets.htm I have many books that I have read on recording and mixing. This one by far is going to be your greatest asset. He really breaks things down for you, and also explains that you don't need a Mac Book Pro, 24 channel interface, Fender Tube Amp, 1970's Les Paul, and JBL Monitors to get a great mix.

Last thought. Everyone I know who plays guitar records music, and everyone I know plays guitar. That being said not everybody is decent at mixing. Some people want to just get there music out in the world for people to hear. Thats ok, but remember if you are using recordings to get sign to labels, get shows, to find management. Your shit better be top notch because If someone sent me there shitty garageband EP so that I could sign them I would laugh. (I don't own a label, but just saying). Sometimes It's better to pay someone who is a professional to do it. I spent well over $10,000 on my first album with my old band. That was low end and being signed to a indie label and using there studio. If I wasn't signed to them it would cost around $25,000.