Choosing Mix Engineers

[ButchVig]

Originally Posted by SamPura

Hi Butch!

As a big fan of your work, I wanted to know your thoughts on choosing mix engineers for the records you produce, and how your style of mixing differs from the countless mix engineers you've worked with in the past (Wallace, Costey, Moulder, Lord-Alge.)

I notice a similar "drum sample sounding snap" to many of your records. Do you include samples you prefer or trust the mix engineer to compliment your work with their judgement?

Thanks again for being involved in the guest Q & A.

I've been lucky to have worked with some incredible mix engineers. Besides being technically talented, each engineer brings his own "sensibility" to a mix, how they perceive balances, how they like to eq, how they use efx...and that's one of the things I take into consideration when choosing someone.

One of the problems I run into when choosing a mix engineer: the band requests production reels from different mixers to see who they like the best. I find they don't actually listen to the mix, they listen to the song and the artist, and if they don't like that artist, they cross that mixer off their list.

I usually include individual drum hits at the end of each song, and if the mixer wants to use a sample, I encourage him to use our drum sounds.

I sometimes will have the engineer replace the top snare mic with a sample, especially if the hat bleed is too much. I don't replace the bottom snare mic, I leave that as a live performance. I only replace individual hits, and leave the drum fills live. And you can't do this quickly with sound replacer, you need to go through and line up each hit EXACTLY with the original, so you won't have phase problems.