Charles Dye's "Mix It Like A Record" DVD

[Geoff Grace]

This looks interesting:

 

Originally posted at Harmony Central News: Learn to Mix it Like a Record with New DVD Course Kagi Media, producer of professional audio training products, has announced Mix It Like A Record, a DVD/Pro Tools session based mixing course taught by multi-platinum, Grammy-winning engineer, mixer and producer Charles Dye. A comprehensive mixing course, where Dye (Lauryn Hill, Jon Bon Jovi, Sammy Hagar, Julio Iglesias) goes into the studio to teach how to get big sounding, record-quality mixes. The user will learn how to get results using the latest plug-ins, breathe emotion into the music with automation, and make the artist sound like a star according to the company. There are three hours of instruction and 40 Pro Tools TDM & LE sessions on the disc. (Snip) For more information, visit their web site at www.harddisklife.com.

 

The price is a bit steep compared to most instructional DVDs; but then if Charles Dye does a good job of teaching the secret to his success, it's probably worth more than the asking price.

 

YMMV.

 

Introductory 10% Discount

Retail: $149.00

Discount: $134.00

 

Best,

 

Geoff

[Phil O'Keefe]

That does look interesting Geoff - thanks for the heads up.

 

Has anyone seen this yet? Thoughts?

[MarkGifford-1]

Speaking from experience here, it's going to be a hard sell at that price.

 

It'd be difficult for Mutt Lange to charge 3-4x the going rate for instructional stuff.

 

MG

[Phil O'Keefe]

And I really can't understand that Mark... I mean, I look at it this way: a couple of hours at a good regional studio, with a good, pro-level engineer, is going to cost at least a hundred bucks - maybe twice that. And while that has the advantage of direct interaction, I would think that the "star names" should be able to get about the same for a non-interactive DVD that runs for three hours. True, the customer loses the interaction and the ability to ask specific questions, but they gain the ability to replay the "lessons" over and over, and the lessons are coming from someone with a "high profile" status. I don't know about you, but while I might be willing to give a couple of hours of instruction time to someone at a reasonable hourly rate, I'd be pretty wary about someone wanting to video me doing so and then letting them walk away with those tapes - you never know, but the "student" might turn around and sell copies to other people...

 

And for people who live in more isolated areas, without a strong regional recording scene, those DVD's might be pretty handy to have.

 

But then again, I DO agree that they'd be more likely to move more than twice the units if the price was half as much.

[MarkGifford-1]

Originally posted by Phil O'Keefe And I really can't understand that Mark... I mean, I look at it this way: a couple of hours at a good regional studio, with a good, pro-level engineer, is going to cost at least a hundred bucks - maybe twice that. And while that has the advantage of direct interaction, I would think that the "star names" should be able to get about the same for a non-interactive DVD that runs for three hours. True, the customer loses the interaction and the ability to ask specific questions, but they gain the ability to replay the "lessons" over and over, and the lessons are coming from someone with a "high profile" status. I don't know about you, but while I might be willing to give a couple of hours of instruction time to someone at a reasonable hourly rate, I'd be pretty wary about someone wanting to video me doing so and then letting them walk away with those tapes - you never know, but the "student" might turn around and sell copies to other people... And for people who live in more isolated areas, without a strong regional recording scene, those DVD's might be pretty handy to have. But then again, I DO agree that they'd be more likely to move more than twice the units if the price was half as much.

 

I agre totally with everything you're saying. I'm just letting you know that around $30-40 is what the public wil pay for stuff like that. If you'd like to discuss it off line, I can share more details.

 

MG

[seaneldon]

maybe he's charging extra for the 40 pro tools sessions that are on the disc.

[Ethan Winer]

Phil,

 

 

My copy arrived yesterday and I was totally blown away. Charles shows everything he did to create a killer mix on a great tune, and he leaves nothing out. I was truly inspired watching Charles hone each track to perfection using plug-ins (a lot of plug-ins!) plus more send/return busses than you'd ever imagine someone could use on a single song. Equally amazing is how well Charles understands the DVD's target audience. There's plenty of great advice for relative beginners, though it's assumed you know the basics. I learned an awful lot - and I've been doing this stuff for more than 30 years. Although Charles uses ProTools for the demos, all of the content is relevant for people using any DAW program.

 

If you watch this DVD even once, I guarantee the next mix you make will be better than your last mix. Highly recommended.

 

--Ethan

[Phil O'Keefe]

Hey Ethan! Thanks for the feedback bud! I really appreciate it!

[UstadKhanAli]

This sounds quite interesting. Thanks!!

 

Ethan, is he using a lot of outboard gear, or primarily doing it ITB?

[kylen]

3 hours of instruction...hmmm that's about $45/hr to sit with a pro who is successful in the commercial music industry...could be a good plan! I strike out on the pro-tools sessions though as I'm Sonar but it's got the Ethan seal of approval so it meets some pretty squeaky criteria already! Maybe the list price might go down if it hits Guitar Center but we'll see - gotta live in the here & now. Thanks for the heads up guys!

[Eric Dahlberg]

We've got a good discussion going about this on the UAD-1 forum:

 

http://www.chrismilne.com/uadforums/viewtopic.php?t=3312

 

My impression is that Dye has so much going on that you're going to want to watch the set several times over, so this may actually be much better than sitting in with a pro for several hours.

[riffy]

Actually I don't think this is a bad deal for that kind of information.

Does anyone know though, if the things he teaches will really carry over to a DAW system other than Pro Fools though?

 

I personally use Sequoia and find I like it much more.

 

Gary

[Phil O'Keefe]

I'd think it's probably pretty PT specific, but probably many of the tips would apply cross-DAW's. And of course, the concepts should apply too. But again, I have not seen it, so I can't say with certainty.

 

Does anyone else know?

 

BTW Gary - check your PM's - again.

[UstadKhanAli]

From the sound of the link at UAD that Eric provided, it sounds like the guy usesa truckload of EQ:

 

(For example, Trebor Flow 2 writes):

"Like he uses on the SD +10db 7khz on Ren EQ then on top of that he uses URS S series EQ with another +10db sim frequency all along he is layering EQ on EQ.

 

And also reverb on reverb - so he has a room on the SD and a plate and a gated verb. I'm like what the hell - I just don't get his mixing methods they seem wild to say the least."

 

How many people do this? Just wondering. I do layer two kinds of reverb occasionally. Seems to work, making the perceived space more complex and "realistic" than if only using one. I don't do this all the time, just when it seems to call for it.

 

But the EQ thing, this I usually don't do. Should try it just for the hell of it. Weird, I'm usually trying to use as *few* plug-ins as possible!!!!!

[alcohol]

What is the rule about plug in? Each instance of a plug-in causes how much distortion or signal degeneration, and what about phase shifting?

 

Should this advice be taken with a grain of salt? Does this guy mix his product entirely ITB?

[Kendrix]

What would Bruce the viking say about Dye's approach??

 

Different strokes for different folks.

[Eric Dahlberg]

It seems as though he does. HD should adjust for any timing/phase issues from inserts. Does it compensate on sends & groups, as well?

 

The only thing that should be PT specific about his technique is the way in which he's doing his mults. In Nuendo, Samplitude, or other apps with full PDC, it'd probably be easier to use sends for multing.

[Ethan Winer]

Ken,

 

 

It's all in the box. And even though Charles is using a big ProTools system, it's absolutely relevant for any DAW program. As I see it, a compressor is a compressor, etc. It's the approach he takes, and watching the way he works and thinks, that make it worthwhile. You don't have to own the same plug-ins he does to benefit.

 

--Ethan

[Phil O'Keefe]

Thanks again for the input Ethan.

 

How many people do this? Just wondering. I do layer two kinds of reverb occasionally. Seems to work, making the perceived space more complex and "realistic" than if only using one. I don't do this all the time, just when it seems to call for it.

 

I'll occasionally layer EQ's, but not very often. As far as verbs, that's an "occasional thing" for me too... but I'd be more likely to layer an Early Reflection algorithm feeding a verb, rather than layering two reverbs. Of course, YMMV, and apparently Charles Dye's does.

[Phil O'Keefe]

Of all the processing plug ins, I'm probably MOST likely to layer compressors...

[Ethan Winer]

Phil,

 

 

I've been using two reverb busses for a long time. One is set to a standard "large" plate type, and the other has very short times (room simulator) which makes dry tracks sound more like the player is in the room with you. So it's not so much to get a thicker main reverb, though that's good too, but to have two different types of enhancement.

 

Here's a semi-interesting story: I've been working all summer on a large personal project, and now it's ready for mixing. Because I care a lot about this tune, I hired my friend Peter Moshay who's a real pro and has mixed multi-platinum tracks for many famous artists. This was a week before I got the Charles Dye DVD.

 

So Peter comes over and listens, and tells me I should add another reverb - a HUGE reverb that I can bring in and out on selected tracks. As opposed to leaving on all the time which is boring and muddy. Then he suggested using more automation to keep things constantly changing and interesting. And many other such valid suggestions.

 

Then Charles' DVD arrived and it had a lot of the same advice, and I found it fascinating to see how two different top engineers share a similar approach. Of course, the DVD is far more detailed and goes into much greater depth than what Peter and I had time to cover.

 

The DVD also cost less.

 

(And I now have three reverbs in my Track Template.)

 

--Ethan

[Eric Dahlberg]

As for layering EQ's, different plug-ins are better for different things. The UAD-1 Pultec is great for boosting low-end & rounding things out, the URS Neve has very distinct sounding High & Low Cuts, & the Oxford EQ is the smoothest EQ plug-in I've used. Even when tracking through good hardware EQ's, it still makes sense to use plug-in EQ's afterwards for the better precision.

[Jotown]

I used to encounter Charles Dye at the Digi forum. He was always generous and helpful and willing to share his techniques. I remember him getting a bit of flack over the "Living La Vida Loca" mix. He is one of the cats who has embraced the DAW and working in the box.

 

I think it is very cool of him to offer this DVD. Many, maybe even most who use a DAW have very little real world studio experience. Getting the chance to peek over the shoulder of a successfu and talented engineer, (along with project files) is well worth a buck and a half.