#510581 - 03/17/04 04:30 AM
What's your approach to building a mix?
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blairl
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Registered: 04/03/00
Posts: 334
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I'm curious as to the different approaches people use to build their mixes and if you always stick to one approach or make variations depending on the situation.
- Do you bring an instrument up to EQ and compress, mute it, then move to the next instrument, then start to balance after you've looked at each individual track?
- Do you bring each track in one at a time to EQ and compress, leaving it up as you bring in additional tracks and shaping them around the first, second third etc.?
- Do you bring all the instruments up and try to balance before reaching for EQ and compression?
- When and how do you determine the compression settings?
- Do you EQ a soloed track, do you EQ instruments in groups, do you EQ with all tracks up?
- Do you have a set track that you build your mix around? ie. do you always build it around the kick, vocal, bass etc.?
- When do you bring effects into the mix?
These are just a few of many questions that could be asked. Let me know what you think. I'm interested to see the different or similar responses.
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#510582 - 03/17/04 06:43 AM
Re: What's your approach to building a mix?
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Philter
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Registered: 09/19/01
Posts: 4025
Loc: North New Jersey, USA
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I build up from the kick drum / kit / loops/perc / bass / rhythm (guitar-piano) / pad-string / synths / lead / vocals
Movie stuff is different; basically I start with whatever the foundation is (usually strings/synth pads) and then build up towards the more colored or distinctive sounds. In the back of my head I'm thinking of Debussy's rule about using an instrument in inverse proportion to the distinctiveness of its timbre.
I will sometimes solo a part to EQ it if I'm looking to bring out a certain quality in the sound, or to strip away unnecessary noise. I will also EQ a part in the mix to hear it in context, especially if I'm looking to bring it out or shape the overall mix.
Same with compression.
Generally I want the isolated track to sound something like what it is. Then I want it to sound like what it is in the context of the mix. Then I want the mix itself to sound like something of its own.
I bring the effects (reverb, delay) into a mix when I'm at the point where I need to address "room" sound or "ambient" sound- I don't know how to say it- when I need things to sound like they're in the same place, or in different places. I put this off as long as possible, in order to encourage myself to do as much as possible with panning and dynamics.
By the way, my credits are scattered at best so take this with a grain of salt.
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#510583 - 03/17/04 03:57 PM
Re: What's your approach to building a mix?
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T.H.
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Registered: 09/10/02
Posts: 295
Loc: NEW JERSEY
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I usually start: Kick, snare, hat, bass, etc....
examining the kick with a parametic eq & the snare are essential for me, except if it's a slow song.
Everything is eq'd seperately to get the effects just right: reverb, flange on a guitar, to background vocals. Since the foundation is the groove I start there, then blend my backgrounds into it to make a perfect placement.
After that, it's becomes easier to place adlib tracks, but then when it comes to the lead, I mute all tracks, eq lead to taste, bring everything back up, see how it sits in the mix and adjust. But if it doesnt sit just right, I'll ride the fader, if I'm feeling lazy, I'll use automation.
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#510584 - 03/18/04 04:09 AM
Re: What's your approach to building a mix?
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Matt.Hepworth
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Registered: 03/13/01
Posts: 2972
Loc: Riverdale, UT
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For me what works best is starting with the overheads, then kick, then snare. Then the bass and make sure the bass is working with the kick and not fighting for space. Then lead vocals. Then guitars. For me bringing the vocals in before the guitars helps you set them in the right spot a little better and your guitars need to work with them, not the other way around. Then background vocals. Just one person's opinion.
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#510585 - 03/18/04 04:27 AM
Re: What's your approach to building a mix?
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Chuck Moore
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Registered: 09/11/03
Posts: 724
Loc: Nashville
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I'll usually start with kick and bass, get them working together with their levels and EQ, deciding weather that song needs "definition" of the kick n bass or "unity". after that I won't touch another EQ knob until i bring in all the nstruments and work with their levels and pans. Then I can examine what instruments need contoured out to make room for others. I seldom solo instruments for EQing, as I like hearing them in the mix, but I'll usually push that instruments fader up while EQing to hear it better. I'll usually add 'verbs in after all that is done. I find that I'll use less reverb if it's the last thing I put in, if the mix is already happening without it.
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Chuck Moore
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#510586 - 03/18/04 10:35 AM
Re: What's your approach to building a mix?
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Fredo
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Registered: 11/05/01
Posts: 168
Loc: Kuurne,BELGIUM
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I always start with the most important instrument.
Pretty much always the vocals.
Then I open everything up around, making some sort of a "ruff mix".
It isn't untill then that I start applying EQ and compression.
Mixing for me is kinda "optimising" the relationship between the different instruments in relation to the "lead".
I don't care if an instrument could sound better when solo-ed; it just has to do it's job in the mix.
Also, when starting with kick and bass, you tend to push the level up; screwing your ears completely up for the non-dynamic instruments.
That being said, it all comes down to "what works for you".
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#510587 - 03/18/04 11:44 PM
Re: What's your approach to building a mix?
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C_F_H_13
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Registered: 03/30/02
Posts: 125
Loc: Burbank, CA
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[QUOTE]Originally posted by Fredo:
[QB]I always start with the most important instrument.
Pretty much always the vocals.
I agree completely. I start with the lead vocal and make everything else fit around that. The only exception to this is when I'm working with a really heavy and/or fast metal band. Usually the lyrics (especially intelligebility of the words) are less important and it's more about the rhythmic pattern created. Then I start from the bottom up, usually kick,bass, and heavy ended guitars.
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