Members geek_usa Posted September 1, 2011 Members Share Posted September 1, 2011 I've been doing this sort of thing for about 6 years now, and making improvements as I go along. I've recorded and mixed a lot of records and EPs in that time, and looking back I can say I have improved since then. What puzzles me however is that even if I am tedious in setting up equipment and getting the right sounds up front, and I keep my mics in position, keep the amps at the same settings, keep the bass knobs turned perfectly and marked in position, not moving the drums or anything, I still have to make adjustments to each song. The song could have the same amp setting with the same bass settings, and everything - and you'd think it would be easy to just copy the settings you got right on one mix, and put them to another mix...but it never works that way for me. So as a result I continue to mix each song by itself, getting it to sound good, and then in the mastering stage forever-tweaking my way so they all sound similar. This process can take months upon months and tons of CD-Rs burned and listened to in my vehicle, my girlfriend's vehicle, my mom's vehicle, my neighbor's vehicle, my friends' boomboxes...yada yada. Is this just a conundrum or am I actually fudging something up without realizing it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Lawrence Farr Posted September 4, 2011 Members Share Posted September 4, 2011 I think that's just the way it works. Every song is different so every song needs different treatment. If you want them to sound "more similar" before the mastering maybe reference a really good finished mix you've already completed while mixing the others so they'll be closer, if they aren't close at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mo Facta Posted September 4, 2011 Members Share Posted September 4, 2011 Drum heads stretch over time and lose pitch. By the 8th song bass strings tend to dull. Same with guitar strings. Each song is subjective and needs individual treatment to gel. The drummer may be consistent and confident on one track but might lack confidence on another. There are infinite variables that can not be directly controlled and the remedy is mixing. There's no way around it. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Lee Knight Posted September 4, 2011 Moderators Share Posted September 4, 2011 If I'm the tracking bassist, when I go from song one to song two, I might feel this one needs something a little more like this... so my right hand moves toward the neck and the lows get fatter and the attack gets softer. Any good musician is going to play in the moment. Same song even, different take. In the Moment. Yeah, you have to mix each tune as a discreet entity... because hopefully they are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Padoobies Posted September 4, 2011 Members Share Posted September 4, 2011 The only way what are trying to do would work is if you are recording the same song over and over. Anything that changes will interact differently with the other elements of your mix. For example, if your guitars are playing in a different key or in a different register it will effect everything else. Toms that may have sounded clear and punchy on the last track may now be getting obsured by the different frequencies in the guitar. The bass that sat perfectly with the kick drum may now be fighting with it because the bass line is now in a register that interferes with the frequencies that the kick is producing. If your arrangement changes: more or less guitars, vocals , keys ect... then even more changes will be required to make room for everything. These mix templates that you are using can save you time because you're not starting from scratch, but they will always require tweaking on every song. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RevRomansky Posted September 5, 2011 Members Share Posted September 5, 2011 I think that's just the way it works. Every song is different so every song needs different treatment. If you want them to sound "more similar" before the mastering maybe reference a really good finished mix you've already completed while mixing the others so they'll be closer, if they aren't close at all. Air pressure/humidity differentials? Along with everything else mentioned. Also, I've noticed I can record my voc's and instruments (using all digital drums and keys) within maybe 2 hours and get them to sound the same. I come back the next day, and I sing/play completely different, really have to concentrate if I'm punching in a few notes or words, probably due to attack, picking technique, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WRGKMC Posted September 5, 2011 Members Share Posted September 5, 2011 I've recorded the same way with my studio setup for a good 15 years now. Everything is setup the same for each session and settings raraly change. What does change in recordings, is Dynamics, Tempo and Gain. Your compressors need to match the timing of the music so they dont pump unnaturally. Gain/loudness affects the parts presence in a mix. Then you have the musical arrangement itself the requires parts to sit in familure ways to sound best. A softer song may have the vocals up front and intimate, a rock song with screaming vocals many need that part pushed back in the mix so it doesnt rip your face off. You could also change the micing techniques tracking so the recorded vocals match the music genreand get what mixing doesnt provide, actual up closeness, or distance on the mic. It takes a little morework tracking but usually provides better results. Using the same aol tracking technique is about as boaring as it gets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Lee Knight Posted September 5, 2011 Moderators Share Posted September 5, 2011 I've recorded the same way with my studio setup for a good 15 years now. Everything is setup the same for each session and settings raraly change. You can capture things in a fairly neutral way. Set the mike and record that snare the same way for years. But you're going to end up mixing it in a myriad of ways. The OP is referring to the mix, best I can tell. If an arrangement has lots of air, that snare drum's going to require a different amount of girth. Or the kick will ask for more or less fat. Regardless of the instrument and method of capture, the arrangement's going to ask of you different things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WRGKMC Posted September 6, 2011 Members Share Posted September 6, 2011 You can capture things in a fairly neutral way. Set the mike and record that snare the same way for years. But you're going to end up mixing it in a myriad of ways. The OP is referring to the mix, best I can tell. If an arrangement has lots of air, that snare drum's going to require a different amount of girth. Or the kick will ask for more or less fat. Regardless of the instrument and method of capture, the arrangement's going to ask of you different things. Yes I tried to explain that in the second paragraph that many of the tools used to mix will require different settings for each song. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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