Music Mixing - The Short Story - How I feel about it.......

[Henchman]

I usually put all the faders up, and try and get the vibe of the song. I'll listen to it alot.

Then, usually, I can start to hear what the song should sound like, and I'll start dialling things in to achieve what Ihear in my head.

This can include cutting up and re-arranging the song, in cases where the production simply wasn't very good, and "thrown together".

As well as possibly adding stuff. IE, tambourine, percussion. Simple synth parts, additional guitar parts etc.

 

If I think the snare is the wrong snare for the song, I'll replace it.

 

If a band is looking for soemone to do a basic straight up mix, I'm usually not the guy. I like to think that I can add more than just EQ, compression and some verb to a mix.

And usually, it works.

[sign]

This is something from Harvey Gerst, it's on the studio wall:

 

HONOR THE SONG

 

WHERE'S THE "HOOK"?

 

GET TO THE "HOOK" IN UNDER ONE MINUTE

 

IS IT "RADIO-FRIENDLY"?

 

IS IT TOO LONG?

 

DOES IT MAKE SENSE?

 

IS IT BORING?

 

IS IT SOUP?

 

FEELING IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN TECHNIQUE

 

CAN YOU DO IT BETTER OR JUST DIFFERENT?

 

A "MISTAKE" IS OBVIOUS TO EVERYBODY

 

DON'T OVER-PRODUCE

 

DON'T LOSE THE FEEL

 

PERFECT DOESN'T ALWAYS MEAN GOOD

 

IF YOU OVERPOLISH, YOU MAY LOSE THE EDGES

[miroslav]

That's a pretty nice list Harvey has!

 

I have only one written motto on my studio wall...

...something that apparently Joe Meek once said:

 

"If it sounds right, it is right!"

 

That pretty much covers most "questions" that may surface during the recording/mixing process. Just use your ears!

 

Since I tend to do a lot of the writing/recording/mixing of the stuff I work onI usually get the arrangement pretty set in the pre-production stageor I might adjust it a bit during tracking.

So when I get to the mixingIm just making minor adjustments to get the best audio soundand rarely do I mess with the arrangement, via the console faders.

 

Butthere is the other approachto just record a lot of tracksand then finish arranging as you mixand thats where some people end up with a dozen mixes of the same songbecause they are still arranging while they mix..

If I was doing maybe techno/dance kind of stuffI might do things that way.

 

However, for more straight-up musicthat band sound

I like to have the song written and arranged fairly complete before I even start trackingthough sometimes after I get a few tracks down, I may do some adjustments to the arrangementbut once I get past the basic rhythm tracksthat arrangement is already set in my head, and I dont mess with, because I feel that is where the song wants to go.

 

I find it a bit indecisive to get all the way to the mixing stageand still NOT be sure what I want to do with a songand then to have to start arranging itvia the faders

...but that's just me.

[Jessica T]

Here's my thoughts on all of this.

First off, I concurr with Henchman that a good way to start is to put all the faders routhly at Unity and just listen to what you have to work with, at least a few times through. When I've gotten the opportunity to mix here at school (Full Sail), that's what I'd do. The instructors, and a lot of authors seem to say that the best way t begin mixing is with the rhythm section. This may be true but I find that for me, it works a lot better if I start with whatever is supposed to be shining, the vocals, the lead guitars in a rock band, or the saxophone in a jazz band. Then I try to place the other melodic instruments in the space to support the key figure(s) and finally pack the rhythm section around that like stuffing in a box. Then again, my point of reference may be different from a lot of yours since I started to learn about engineering before I actually started learning about music. My heart was with the music the whole time, but I happened to get into the technical side before I learned to play an instrument.

Another interesting thought that fascinates me is the thought that you need to cut out visual distractions and tune in on your auditory reactions when you're mixing. I use a DAW because it's an economic way to practice multitracking and mixing. Many times I'm working at night when my monitor is the only light in the room. What I like to do is save my changes, turn off my monitor, sit back in my chair and just listen to what I've done. That renews that vision of where I want things to go. When I'm listening to music for relaxation, I can enjoy it best in the dark! For me, there's this fine line between these 2 sences when mixing. I am visually challenged, so sometimes, the inability to see or to identify controls really inhibits the creative process. I like the DAW because you can magnify everything like crazy, but I like the analog console because you can touch everything, really. (The outboard digital verbs and their menus kill me though!!) Well, I just need to live a lot longer to decide which style is best for me. Or I really have to decide? I say that life is like a mixer with large straight faders. No decision should be like a switch that's either down or up. I doon't take sides when it comes to digital vs. analog, PC vs. Mac, stereo vs. surround, or any of the other great debates in audio. For me, these debates are like faders that I mix on, one side being the top and the other side being the bottom. What the "mix' is depends on what day it is, what I've learned, what I feel inside, and on and on.

Also, Anderton raised an interesting point with the guy playing the MIDI guitar. A lot of my classmates don't particularly care to work with MIDI because they say that it's limiting. That may be for their situations, but for me, it's a blessing! I mean, it's an open system; a language understood by many brands of gear that conform to the standard, and you can do so much with it. I mean, you can use the controller numbers to mean anything! You can make patches that utilize velocity and other controllers to do whatever the heck you want if you've got the capability and the inclination to program it that way!! Oh man, I could go on and on. I'll stop rambling now though. What do you guys think?

[Bill Roberts]

Jessica..if it sounds great to you and a good cross section of your peers are tapping their feet or visably moved with the performance...you are right on.

 

Been a long time since I was at full sail..although I was not a student..I was a private tutorer. 1990 if you will.

 

The vibe is more important than the numbers.

 

Ever seen those at FS that do perfect book work but could not mix batter?? I also saw those who flunked the technical but in 5 mins could bring up a mix to die for.

 

Just how it was then Jess.

 

Saw hi for me to Bill Smith..if he is still there...

[Bruce Swedien]

Brucie sez-------->Consider what we do in the studio this way!!!

 

First, I try to think of the "Stereo Space" as a piece of musical reality. Once we have acquired that concept, we can conversely, also think of the "Stereo Space" as a piece of musical fantasy. Whether or not it could exist in nature, or in a natural acoustical environment, is irrelevant. Most of the "Stereo Spaces" in my recordings, began their life in my imagination...

 

I think of my stereo sound-field as a sonic sculpture...

 

I always try to make my stereo sound-field far more than merely two-channel mono. In other words, I always try to make my stereo sound-field multi-dimensional, not merely left, center and right. For me to be satisfied with a sound-field, it must have the proportions of left, center, right and depth.

 

Since the middle 1960s I think my philosphical approach to using the "Stereo Space", has been to take the listener into a New Reality that did not, or could not, exist in a real life acoustical environment. This New Reality, of course, existed only in my own imagination.

 

What I mean is, that before what I call The Recording Revolution, our efforts were directed towards presenting our recorded music to the listener in what amounted to an essentially unaltered, acoustical event. A little Slice of Life, musically speaking.(This Recording Revolution took place from 1950 through 1970) This was not true just of myself, but was also true of many of the people that were interested in the same things that I was. We all experienced this same Recording Revolution. After that change in our basic music recording objective, along came the New Reality in using the "Stereo Space".

 

Bruce Swedien

[Bill Roberts]

Monitor tweaking in position will help you "see" the canvas better. I generally prefer to have my tweeters (inside like Bruces are) point toward my elbows with arms extended. I can see the picture in technicolor.

 

Bruce, those foam baffle extenders for your speakers, where the heck can I get some custom for mine?? I need to lift the top about 12 inches. I receintly aquired a second set..and just them being on top disconnected really tightens up the imaging big time so I need them..and I need them (foam baffles) at once.

 

Thanks Bruce (btw, did you hear that track I sent?)

[Bruce Swedien]

Bill Roberts sez------->Bruce, those foam baffle extenders for your speakers, where the heck can I get some custom for mine?? I need to lift the top about 12 inches. I receintly aquired a second set..and just them being on top disconnected really tightens up the imaging big time so I need them..and I need them (foam baffles) at once.

 

Thanks Bruce (btw, did you hear that track I sent?)

 

Brucie sez------->Those extenders are actually called 'Muffs". They are custom made by Westlake for their speakers. They improve the stereo imaging ten-fold!

 

I heard the track you sent. Nice...... Sorry... I should have let you know...

 

Bruce Swedien

[Bill Roberts]

I did this with my mastrering monitors. the top set is not connected so this tells me I need to get "motha muffed" asap.

 

I think I will find a foam manufacturer, do the math and get it on at once.

As far as the track goes, I know you are busy..I am honored you listened to it and agree it is in the pocket.

 

Translation is the key.

 

Right channel here.

 

http://groups.msn.com/_Secure/0YABeFpQeSMl5zrtCrd5YpLHAS1niWyGRtG7hrNOQpCV8WILiTTrx5ewNkKz0sfg1CrByqCxvmyfBL!tyusgnJcwh71!ZXsn!mGLmWWJD95bSVHFz03OnKFbQ!d9Y*L7lCUqD7unRQU*Xcg0CTW96aQ/IM004804.JPG?dc=4675522072119253297

[sign]

Bill, are these monitors the NS1000?

[Bill Roberts]

http://groups.msn.com/_Secure/0YQAAAMEe2tp5zrtCrd5YpIs*QrsaB!acX1L*vemVFDRduQpT2N*j9W0ahD5QppCp01nLgBRymG!Be9m1C12QCnEaQTZGG1d*gNlLzuDcBrIO5drLV4haeFLY1BDZaKCD0V*low8DtQbX5!JmOlGsvw/IM00482-2.JPG?dc=4675522073675292906

 

 

Yes...they certainly are..

 

Flat to 17hz in this room, certified.

[Bruce Swedien]

Everyone.....

 

Here is my beautiful little studio.

 

AND IF ANYONE SAYS I'M TRYING TO SELL SOMETHING, THEY CAN SHUT THE F--- UP!!!!

 

I don't sell anything. I am only trying to help!!!!

 

www.asc-studio-acoustics.com/westviking.htm

 

Bruce swedien

[Bill Roberts]

opps will repost pic of the full 2 pairs.

[Bill Roberts]

http://groups.msn.com/_Secure/0YAAdA5QeS8l5zrtCrd5YpKObHNonSaf19ORm3PU4wGGQzFKQqsFL27tGJ5O*SH8wB0trAkpSovEB74VB2BM4x8*t18gKALC0Z0m8kmLTcJ7h8BHT39DDiyS5QQNyXmAzce94cjFV*DrXcpECTW96aQ/IM004831.JPG?dc=4675522074875699678

 

Mine is a progress in work (Just bought this house, calibration is done)...looks horrible (notice the smokey Ghost visited in pic) but the sound...ohh the sound.

 

One day within 2 years, I will have my 35X27 done and then it will be pretty.

 

"Dang it Bill, it is a mastering facility not a full boat luxury pad....yet"

The NS1000's are probabally the most accurate and reveiling loudspeakers ever made. They make people pee their clothes..litterally.

[Kendrix]

Regarding the playing of a desk as if it was an instrument: I totally understand the thought. However, to me there is a very big difference.

 

Depending on the nature of the tracks, how they are mixed and what level the fader is set to - a given fader movement in inches does not translate to a consistent change in relative track volume in the mix.

 

In the case of an instrument, say a piano, a given key corresponds to a given note and a given hit strength on the key produces a given volume. However, playing the desk is less well defined. I see it as more a matter of having to instantly and constantly re-calibrate yourself to the system track by track. You need to re-calibrate your intuition for every track on every song. This aint intuitive at all.

 

In that sense playing a desk is even harder than playing an instrument.

 

I must say my pro-sumer desk (yamaha AW4416) is not quite up to the task of making this "desk playing" easy or very pleasurable. I usually end up resorting to automated scene recalls.

[Jessica T]

Understood, but keep in mind, we aren't necessarily talking about technique here. it's all in the feel. When you play a musical instrument like you say, technique aside, it becomes an extention of what we feel. We use the technique, the given keys and how hard we hit them and such to make sounds that express how we feel. Same when we ride faders through the song structure. If we have a singer backed by a choior, and during the third verse, key change, big moment we want the singer, the choior and the strings section to swell and make a real impact, I could see one of us grabbing 2 bus masters and inching them up just a bit. Not in an overly obnoxious way, but in a subtle way. It certainly takes time to acquire a feel for how much movement ammounts to what. I think that's what you're saying here.

[Bruce Swedien]

Kendrix sez------->Regarding the playing of a desk as if it was an instrument: I totally understand the thought.

 

Brucie adds-------->Quincy and I were doing an album on Donna Summer a few years back. We did a song by John Anderson, (Of 'Yes' fame) named "State Of Indepedence".

 

Quincy wrote an absoluely elegant arrangement with a tremendous dynamic curve included. As part of this fantastic arrangement he wrote me a part to play on the Control Console!

 

He asked me to make a 2 inch 24 track 'Loop' tape, of a vocalist singing in 1/2 tone increments, over an octave or more range, in the key of the piece! I hired a studio singer, We made the 'Loop' tape.

 

I assigned each sung note from my loop tape to a fader... I then automated my performance of the notes on my part that Quincy wrote for me, and my little Control Console keyboard performance has become part of recorded music history!

 

It's there if you want to listen to it!

 

Bruce Swedien

[Jessica T]

Wow, that is amazing! Was this separate from the main mix, and then mixed down to 2 tracks and added back in? Or was it a dedicated bank of 24 faders on a humungus console that was done in the midst of all of the other instruments? Could you post a link so we can hear it?

[Bill Roberts]

I certainly would love to hear myself!

[Middle Man]

Bruce, one quick question regarding Ralph McDonald. Is he the same drummer that played on George Benson's "Breezin" album? He is listed in the liner notes for that album and later had his own incredible percussion album called "The Path". If this is the same guy, I love his work.

 

Ok back to mixing.

[Bruce Swedien]

Middle Man asks------->Bruce, one quick question regarding Ralph McDonald. Is he the same drummer that played on George Benson's "Breezin" album? He is listed in the liner notes for that album and later had his own incredible percussion album called "The Path". If this is the same guy, I love his work.

Ok back to mixing

 

Brucie answers-------->That's the guy. Ralph Mac Donald.... By the way, he's not a drummer! He's a percussionist! If not the finest 'Pop' music percussionists in the world, certainly one of the best!

 

A little bit bent as well! When Quincy and I brought "Mac D" to Los Angeles to work on a project, when it was time for "Mac D" to go back to New York, he would always smile and say "It's time to go back to the City!".

 

Of course many of us have always felt that way!

 

Bruce Swedien

[Bruce Swedien]

Jessica Tomlinson asks------->Could you post a link so we can hear it?

--------------------

Regards,

 

Jessica

 

Brucie answers-------->No! Go out and find it for yourself! The internet is great but it tends to make people lazy, dull, and as interesting as yesterday's shirt!

 

Do what I did when I desparately wanted a certain recording. Go to flea markets, go to second-hand record stores... While you are doing that you will doubtless find other interesting and collectable records as well!

 

Get some fresh air. Don't be so TYPICAL!!!!!

 

Bruce Swedien