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How do you mix?


A. Einstein

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- what are your thoughts

- what are your workflows

- what are your proceedings from start to final mix

- how do you mixed this or that song

 

- how do you mix a string section into a pop sing

- do you make a mix of one song in one hour?

- do you mix an album in two days

- you don't mix at all and give the mixing to someone else?

 

- what do you like in a mix?

- what is annoying you in a mix?

 

 

and so on, and so on all about mixing and mixed songs

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- what are your thoughts

- what are your workflows

- what are your proceedings from start to final mix

- how do you mixed this or that song


- how do you mix a string section into a pop sing

- do you make a mix of one song in one hour?

- do you mix an album in two days

- you don't mix at all and give the mixing to someone else?


- what do you like in a mix?

- what is annoying you in a mix?



and so on, and so on all about mixing and mixed songs

 

 

I never sit down to "mix". I will usually start recording a song and start tweaking it hear and there and eventually I get to a point where I`ll decide to adjust a couple of things, add some space here, mute something here or there, bring this part up more, etc... and then the mix is done. I work in DP and REASON in REWIRE mode most of the time so everything is pretty fluid. Knowing the programs is half the battle so I usually compose before I press record.

 

Interestingly, some of my favorite mixes are the ones that were done right on the spot, capturing a raw energy and just going with it. I don`t like bright mixes, I tend to go more towards darker/warmer (more low end) mixes. I think the key to a good mix is knowing what instrument/part to highlight for specific sections of a song. If theres a great guitar riff but it wrestles with the vocal, its critical to know which one needs to take a back seat or sometimes, just mute it.

 

A good mix is one that you`re not even aware of. In other words, the song comes on and immediately draws you in and keeps you there till the last note.

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Mixing for me begins before I record a note.

Mixing is an extension of writing a musical arrangement.

I hear that arrangement in my mind and attempt to duplicate it on a recording.

What I hear before I track may be limied to a few parts that have potential.

The additonal parts may still be vague to fully define but I know to leave space for them when I begin tracking.

 

I may write and record at the same time so mixing is part of the writing and tracking process.

Tweaking for optimum sound quality tracking to match what you hear in your mind is where audiable mixing begins.

Its the guide, the measure that tells you you have the correct tone before you ever press a record button.

 

It takes experience and forethought to track parts with just the corect tonal balance that not only fit the musical arrangement.

but track so well you dont need to tweak the tone afterwards to get a great mix.

 

You have to have the ability to play an instrument that has tone tweaked for a final mix.

This can be difficult if you have the instrument EQed specifically for the results, not for playability enhancement especially if you have limited

accompnyment tracks to play along with.

 

The musical arrangement is the other part. Its the "real" mixing tool because its the "target" for all the parts to fit in a mix.

Everything else is after thought. You do things on a final mix you couldnt do tracking.

You can throw in some artistic usues of audio tools in there for enhancement.

In comparison to completeing a great performance it's as boaring as watching the grass grow.

 

Live tracking of a band requires more mixing on the fly like the earlier studios did riding volumes to get a good mix.

In concert recordings may rely on a good sound man to tweak all the mics gains to optimal settings.

All the rest of the real mixing is part of the musicians performance and musical arrangement.

Mixing the live tracks afterwards winds up being more RX and enhancement.

Of course you can multitrack additional parts in to fix things but thats just more RX.

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don't know what to say, that sounds fantastic, never thought of it that way

 

 

 

 

Mixing for me begins before I record a note.

Mixing is an extension of writing a musical arrangement.

I hear that arrangement in my mind and attempt to duplicate it on a recording.

What I hear before I track may be limied to a few parts that have potential.

The additonal parts may still be vague to fully define but I know to leave space for them when I begin tracking.


I may write and record at the same time so mixing is part of the writing and tracking process.

Tweaking for optimum sound quality tracking to match what you hear in your mind is where audiable mixing begins.

Its the guide, the measure that tells you you have the correct tone before you ever press a record button.


It takes experience and forethought to track parts with just the corect tonal balance that not only fit the musical arrangement.

but track so well you dont need to tweak the tone afterwards to get a great mix.


You have to have the ability to play an instrument that has tone tweaked for a final mix.

This can be difficult if you have the instrument EQed specifically for the results, not for playability enhancement especially if you have limited

accompnyment tracks to play along with.


The musical arrangement is the other part. Its the "real" mixing tool because its the "target" for all the parts to fit in a mix.

Everything else is after thought. You do things on a final mix you couldnt do tracking.

You can throw in some artistic usues of audio tools in there for enhancement.

In comparison to completeing a great performance it's as boaring as watching the grass grow.


Live tracking of a band requires more mixing on the fly like the earlier studios did riding volumes to get a good mix.

In concert recordings may rely on a good sound man to tweak all the mics gains to optimal settings.

All the rest of the real mixing is part of the musicians performance and musical arrangement.

Mixing the live tracks afterwards winds up being more RX and enhancement.

Of course you can multitrack additional parts in to fix things but thats just more RX.

 

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