Hello!
...
Since this is a "session" blog, I thought we'd better review a few mixing basics. We all do a certain amount of home recording, and
Hello!
Since this is a "session" blog, I thought we'd better review a few mixing basics. We all do a certain amount of home recording, and this crucial step might just save your sound!
By following some basic steps used by most professional mixdown engineers, your mixes will be improved exponentially. I guarantee it!
Here we go!
01. Use References. Listen to tried-and true-mixes, possibly similar to what you are mixing. It will get your ears used to the monitors and your head in the right place. Without references, you might be lost before you begin. Unless you do tons of mixing in your own professional studio.
02. Volume. Obvious, right? But use volume changes to enhance dynamics. A de-esser is a frequency-based volume control. Use one to tame sibilance. And remember, silence is also part of volume. Use it. Mutes. Automation. Try some old-school tricks like matching bass volume to the vocals. And begin watching the output level! It needs to be constantly watched.
03. Panning. Be realistic first, abstract later. Use panning to increase definition, width and depth. Ask yourself if the drums really need to be in stereo. Or is mono a better choice for verses and stereo for choruses? Should guitars be hard right and left? Maybe 3/4 of the way is right and wider on choruses.
04. Midrange. It's all about the midrange. This is where most music lives. Learn it. Embrace it. Learn to control it with volume and panning. Do not let it clutter up the middle. But do not be afraid of it.
05. Lower midrange. This is the biggest area where we find muddiness and cluttered, ill-defined mixes. Learn to cut it, not boost it.
06. EQ: