Micro-vs-Macro?

[natpub]

I want to start a discussion about balancing the microscopic and macroscopic views of a project at the tracking and mixing stages. I invite mastering comments also, though it seems to me that by definition they constantly explore the extremes of micro and macro, and are hopefully less often stuck with sorting out our "balacing-act decision" errors made at the tracking and mixing stages.

How do you all decide when to turn off the microscope?

For exemplary purposes, I am working on a 30 second commercial spot for a large corporation at the moment. The tune is typical Texas country music, female vox and lots of BGV, fiddle, etc.

I am finding that I feel dragged into zooming in on every single imperfection, and yet I know that I cannot (and should not) go insane on this.

So, I sit back...zoom out...and listen again to the big picture. On the one hand, I want a natural, genuine feeling cut. On the other hand, I want it to be tight and theoretically accurate.

Let's assume we all know both the music theory and the gut level emotions need to be in balance to make the cut work.

I know this is a somewhat vague topic, and many will answer that you just "know when you know."

What I am looking for is some discussion of what specifically constitues a mistake, and what can we write off to being natural, organic fuzziness.

For the purposes of the topic, lets assume we are using real musicans, as I am on this commercial spot. I realize this is a 30 second spot, so I tend to zoom in a lot more than one would on a 3 minute song. Nonetheless, I believe that "style," --not of the musicians, but of the engineers--plays the final role in the decision process at the pro level.

In the end, I would suggest that there is a broad road from which to choose, and that it ends up being a battle of the "anal-retentive professors" versus the "let-it-all hang-out-hippies" [forgive my oversimplified analogies, haha].

Where do you strike the balance...why, when, and how?

Who are some good examples, at the extremes, of each style of tracking or mixing, and what do you think of them? Why?


Discuss....




KT:=)

[Bob Ross]

Originally Posted by natpub

What I am looking for is some discussion of what specifically constitues a mistake, and what can we write off to being natural, organic fuzziness.

Lots of fodder in your post for some heady conversation, no doubt, but I just want to focus on that one sentence cited above and offer a simple, straightforward (and, perhaps, controversial!) comment:

Absolutely NOTHING can be unequivocally deemed a "mistake" without hearing it in its specific and unique context.

IOW, if it sounds good, it is good. Your concerns about "music theory" are unwarranted; music theory does not matter one iota if the resultant sound achieves the desired goal. So even if, say, the fiddle plays a leading tone over a dominant chord, or the singer scoops into pitch, or the bass lands ahead of the beat coming out of the chorus, these events are not a priori "mistakes", because the rules they break are abstractions. You have to listen in the context of the particular recording you are making to determine whether or not in this unique instance having the fiddle play that note Works or Doesn't Work. Does it sound good? Does it achieve the desired goal? Then it Works, and it's not a "mistake" (regardless of how many rules of Music Theory 101 it violates...and regardless of whether or not the fiddle played that note intentionally!).

[Rodney Gene]

Ive done a few commercials...but I realize what you are asking is a universal question applying to all audio...

But...

For a commercial I would tend to be microscopically anal about the parts that stand out front...as long as the 'feeling' you are trying to achieve comes across.

I look at stuff like this like I look at scenes in a movie (I watch roughly 20 movies per month...no TV)

The only time I get dissapointed in the movie is if something in the background jumps out as out of place...something caught by my feelings. (The audiences or extras, outfits, wrong year car, bad set, bad lighting, ultra fake garbage cans, street alley etc.) I can tell when it 'fits' and when it was just 'lack' of detail by the director and crew.

I know that If my 'instincts' don't raise a flag...the crew and director have done thier job....Even if the sets were cheesy...I didn't notice because they fit and they projected the appropraite 'VIBE' and message.

Does being 'anal' get you closer to your goal?

I know you predicted you would hear this...but..."Only you will know"!!

If your client is happy...great!

Peace and Respect,

[Drumsound]

One way I balance these things is to get away from the mix position. Go sit on the couch or blast the mix and leave the control room. Its really hard to listen to the small details when you not tight by the monitors and they are drowning out the 'outside world.' I often open the outside door and sit in the doorway or on the sidewalk. There's traffic noise, many different ambient noises, reverb from the live room etc. If something is sticking out, or totally lose I will know because it becomes obvious.

Breaks and walks are also a great tool. Some people like to reference other music.

Listen softly on small speakers. I've got a set of Rat Shack Minimus .3 speakers. They are my 'clock radio/TV' reference. If the mix still sounds like the mix on those, I'm good to go.

Those are some of the thighs I do after I've been micro-managing the mix and I think it getting close. That's when I think its time to try to macro-manage.

[u b k]

the absolute biggest help to my getting perspective is to have an uninvolved person sit in the captain's chair and listen to the mix while i'm off in the corner.

i can actually "feel" the way they're feeling in response to what they're hearing. i know very quickly if i nailed it, and if not, i know what needs tweaking.

also, pop that track onto a vcr tape and listen to it in your home theater.

somewhere amidst the above, you gotta just let it go, accept that you've done all you reasonably need to do for a 30 second commercial spot, and be done with it. short of a deadline, there is no finish line with art... you just decide to stop.


gregoire
del ubik

[Igotsoul4u]

When I track a band I try to be extremely "macro", but I also make sure I spend a month of pre-production with the band in a rehearsal space being micro as f$ck. Being anal in a tracking session is total vibe killer. If you are talking notes or this section should go here, your done. I won't record a band unless they have spent the necessary time out of the studio to get rid of all the BS. Tracking should be viewed with a far perspective. It should be a performance and everyone knows that if you think to much about the little stuff while you perform you will most definetly screw up and fall out of the moment. Sure people are going to blow notes, but it shouldn't be an issue that the band has to stop and practice. It sucks to have to zero in on a bar or music. Your perspective is going to be affected. Anyway. This may seem extreme but as a player and a dude behind the board, I can't stand working any other way although sometimes you have to.

[natpub]

These are some great responses! Thanks ya'll for commenting.

I posted this cuz I was fried on the cut at that moment, and wanted to vent, haha.

This one ended up being more anal than vibe. As I cut apart the drums, bass, and E-Gtr, I started finding all kinds of hits that were out of time.

Rodney was right--for a commercial, it has to be a bit more on the anal side.

As soon as I edited the downbeats, it all came together. I use Sonar 4, which has an automatic time-sync function. However, it was not as accurate as hand editing (BLEH--took me several hours of manual edits).

That said, the end result was much more exciting and energetic.

I benefitted from all the other comments and used every one of them.

The clients are super happy, which finally gives me some peace. I dunno if I want to do any more of these ever, LOL. Good money, big headache...

Anyway.......Thanks guys!

As always, Gearslutz comes through.


KT:-)

P.S. Rodney, we should hook up some time. The wife and I are also total CIM devotees for probly 15 years+ now. It has become our Don Juan...though at this point, we simply go by the Voice...