Aesthetic EQ-ing: DIY or leave it to the pro mixers.

[Lrmusic]

There are two purposes of EQ:

A. Changing the character of a sound.

B. Getting it to fit in the mix.

There's no dichotomy, but I think EQ-ing usually falls into one of these purposes. Correct? (Getting rid of noise and horrible sound frequencies, for example, would belong to category A. Arguably you could come up with your own subdivision of categories, ones that are a lot less general, but I'd rather not get into semantics. These categories serve my actual question best.)

So before you send a track off to a pro mixer:

A. You'll print EQ that is done to change the character of a sound, as part of aesthetic sound design.

B. Bypass EQ that is done primarily as part of the mix.

Correct?

Or do you bypass EQ altogether, and leave everything to the pro mixers?

Or do you send a reference mix with your preferred aesthetics?

[coyotekells]

If you're getting a project mixed by a genuine pro, I (personally) would bypass everything.

Give him the "producer mix" where you've done all the EQ'ing, delays, etc. to show you vision and direction for sonics and creative mixing (dumb phaser effect on the outro, etc)

Then the mix engineer can re-create that mix his own way, and from there, further polish....


One related thing: if you a very specific about your drum sounds, and create them from layering many sounds, you might consider bouncing your snare, for example, as a combined stem.

While having all the break down could possibly yield better results when put together by a pro, it could also compromise your sound (if you already know what you're doing. Danja, for example, does this so his "sound" isn't lost during the mix)

[chris carter]

As a general rule of thumb, bypass all EQ before printing VSTi's or consolidating tracks for a mixing engineer. There are rare occassions where you might be doing some extreme processing where the radical EQ you do might be an integral part of the sound whereby the sound just doesn't sound like the right sound without it. And of course, there are times when you might track through an EQ (vocals, guitar, etc.) and you really know what you are doing. Otherwise, please don't add EQ for me to fight when I'm trying to make your record sound like a hit :)

Same general rule goes for compression.

[CRACKPIPE]

Is it preferable to send a stereo file, no eq or the actual full session of the instrumental for professional mixing?

[Lrmusic]

Good stuff Chris; softsynths usually have tons of modifiable parameters within the synth module itself. Let's say that a LPF or something was an integral part of a preset that I'm using. If I turn off that LPF and use a filter plugin, getting the same general sound, but better, would it be natural to bounce that filter as well? Same with other things that are integral parts of synthsounds (things that define the sound, not just "beefing up fx" that are saved in the preset to make it sound bigger).

Originally Posted by CRACKPIPE

Is it preferable to send a stereo file, no eq or the actual full session of the instrumental for professional mixing?

His guidelines here probably answer that question well.

Chris 'Von Pimpenstein' Carter | producer * mixer * engineer | Millrace Entertainment

And Chris what's in the cup lol?

[CRACKPIPE]

Perfect. I have a studio session next week where I'm supplying the insty, the engineer is going to mix it as well. I'll bring a rough mix and I'm gonna bring a folder with each track bounced because my dude probably has templates and doesn't want to fusk with my assumably jacked up session configuration, lol.

Thanks Chris.

[Lrmusic]

Ahh new question for you Chris. If I have purely aesthetic effects (for example if I am sending a synth to a delay send at 20% volume or something modest that doesn't completely overtake the sound, having it come out 100% wet and 0% dry, and bandpassing and flanging that, then sending it to another delay send and putting reverb on it ), is it okay if those are printed on their own special track as something like (synth #4 fx) or whatever.

Chris Lago, feel free to answer as well. I'd like the perspective of a mastering engineer.

[chris carter]

Originally Posted by Lrmusic

Good stuff Chris; softsynths usually have tons of modifiable parameters within the synth module itself. Let's say that a LPF or something was an integral part of a preset that I'm using. If I turn off that LPF and use a filter plugin, getting the same general sound, but better, would it be natural to bounce that filter as well? Same with other things that are integral parts of synthsounds (things that define the sound, not just "beefing up fx" that are saved in the preset to make it sound bigger).



His guidelines here probably answer that question well.

Chris 'Von Pimpenstein' Carter | producer * mixer * engineer | Millrace Entertainment

And Chris what's in the cup lol?

Regarding the LPF thing. If it, as you say, an "integral part of the preset", then print it with the LPF. Examples would be a resonant LPF: keep it. A LPF with a very very low cutoff: keep it. But if it's something like adding a LPF at 18kHz because you think the sound is a little bright, then I would advise not printing it. If you are adding a LPF (or other effect) to make it fit in the mix better, then I would advise not printing it. Does that make sense?

If you are nervous, you can always print two versions. Name them the same (so they important next to eachother) and add "PROCESSED" or similar to the name of the processed track. Then just include a note for me about it. If I can make the processed one work, I'll use it. If I can't, then I'll use the unprocessed one. Some beatmakers and engineers provide the most AWESOME text files with their tracks with great info; others provide nothing (even when they should have). I always look in the zip folders for TXT, DOC or RTF files and if I find them I read them, always.

I RARELY drink. When I do (about two or three times a year) it's typically a Jack & Coke. There wasn't any at that shoot so they mixed some coffee and water lol.

[chris carter]

Originally Posted by Lrmusic

Ahh new question for you Chris. If I have purely aesthetic effects (for example if I am sending a synth to a delay send at 20% volume or something modest that doesn't completely overtake the sound, having it come out 100% wet and 0% dry, and bandpassing and flanging that, then sending it to another delay send and putting reverb on it ), is it okay if those are printed on their own special track as something like (synth #4 fx) or whatever.

Yes, if you are doing some kind of crazy effect, just print a 100% wet version and title it apropriately ("buzzy_lead_effect"). This goes the same for situations where you have a piece of hardware that will give you a signature sound. For example, I really like the plate reverb built into my Ensoniq SD1 for 808 claps. If I use it, I will generally print a dry "808 clap" track and a 100% wet "808 clap reverb" track so that I can blend them how I want at mixdown.

On the other hand, regular reverbs, delays and such, please don't print them. It's very common to get tracks done with VST instruments that have built-in effects and the beatmaker forgets to bypass them. It drives me nuts because it often means I can't do something killer I hear in my head because I'm forced into the reverb they had when I could have used a slightly different verb, or the wet/dry balance was off, or I could have made it pop more using delay instead of verb, or whatever the case may be. Sometimes a chorusing or flanging or distortion type effect is more of an integral part of a sound and is more apropriate to keep.

Bottom line: if it's an integral part of the sound, then print it. If you are just doing something to make the sound sit in the mix, then don't print it. If you aren't sure, then give me two tracks: one dry and the other wet.

Extra bottom line: I give my phone number to all of my clients. I tell them to CALL ME if they have ANY QUESTIONS. I tell everyone the same thing, "there is no such thing as a stupid question, just stupid people who refuse to ask questions." I get mostly stupid people who refuse to ask questions and they do stupid shit like sending me a beat with all their reverbs and delays on.

I got sidetracked; I hope I answered your question.

[Lrmusic]

Perfect

[CRACKPIPE]

I'm working on a song now that has a triangle synth that added 1/4 delay on pretty dramatically. It's part of the composition.

So Chris is saying that it would be best to print the synth track with no delay, put a note with it and a sample mix (as well as tell the mixer), so they could add the delay their wy that works with their mixing system?

[chris carter]

Originally Posted by CRACKPIPE

I'm working on a song now that has a triangle synth that added 1/4 delay on pretty dramatically. It's part of the composition.

So Chris is saying that it would be best to print the synth track with no delay, put a note with it and a sample mix (as well as tell the mixer), so they could add the delay their wy that works with their mixing system?

Don't print the triangle with the delay. If you want, you can print the delay 100% wet on a separate track (make sure you label it apropriately!). The reason is that you might think the delay sounds cool, but I might figure out something different to do that sounds better. Or, I might like the delay, but after blending everything, it's too loud, or not loud enough, and I wouldn't be able to change the level if you print the delay with the triangle.

[CRACKPIPE]

Originally Posted by chris carter

...

Great advice. Thank you.

[illacov]

I like the raw tracks, with notes about what they did during their demo mix and if possible some printed stems with fx to show what they were going for along with the mixed down demo so I know what I'm up against.

Everything else is subjective.

Peace
Illumination