TapeOp Conference '05 - Mixing in the Box

[travista00]

hi all, i'm moderating a workshop on "mixing in the box" for this years tapeop conference to be held in new orleans in june. i thought i'd run an outline of ideas for the workshop to get some feedback before i jumped into it with the guest panelists...... (i've only listed a few examples under each question here, and keep in mind that the workshop is only a couple of hours long!)

1. What is mixing in the box?

2. What is the same about "MIB" (Mixing in the Box) vs. mixing "outside the box?"
a) monitor speaker selection.
b) control room acoustics.
c) universal principles of mixing.

3. What is different about "MIB?"
a) complete automation of every parameter.
b) instant, total recall.
c) work on different songs in the same time frame.

4. What are the deficiencies of "MIB" and what are the workarounds?
ex. probs: a) smaller stereo image.
b) duller overall sound.
c) less depth and space.
ex. fixes: 1) record everything closer to the final sound.
2) use hardware processors on inserts.
3) use external summing.
4) use stereo wideing devices and plug-ins.
5) use delay compensation for phase issues.
6) use digital-specific mixing tricks to compensate.

5. What new creative possibilities are opened up via "MIB"?
a) automating new parameters.
b) editing techniques to enhance feels or create new effects.

6. Control Surfaces:
a) How can they improve the sound of "ITB" mixes?
b) How can they unlock new mixing potential by providing easier, tactile access to software features?

7. Technical considerations for "MIB"
a) clocking.
b) quality of A/D and D/A converters.
c) differences in sound between different DAWs.
d) quality of plug-ins.
e) "bounce to disk" vs. recording the mix to a new stereo track.

8. Favorite Plug-ins:



Ideas for panelists (people who take mixing in the box to the next level):

Serban Ghenea
Rhett Lawrence
Dave Pensado
Ross Hogarth
Tal Herzberg



thanks for looking and please post any feedback or ideas you have...

travis huff

[David Herbert]

Great topic, and I hope it goes well for you Travis. I don't know if you have ever moderated a workshop, but if you don't mind some points (perhaps for others who might read this):
- Decide on a format: Will it be an introductory statement followed by questions from the audience finished by a closing statement? Will each panelist have a portion of time to present their ideas in an uninterrupted fashion? Before a format is decided on, make sure it is acceptable to the panelists and sponsors. When the format is decided on, try to stick to it.
- Be aware of the delicate art of allowing the panelists to be entertaining without veering too far off topic.
- Establish guidelines for questions from the audience and make the guidelines known.
- Accept that the workshop is likely to not get very far through your outline unless you moderate with an iron fist. Don't moderate with an iron fist. Develop a handout (perhaps with comments from panelists) if there is a lot of info you consider essential, with the idea that that will cover anything that doesn't come up in the presentation. Consider a closing statement that will be pertinent regardless of where on the outline things come to a stop.
Sounds like a fun job! David

[Shan]

You absolutley have to get Charles Dye for a panelist!! Contact him thru here www.charlesdye.com And book him now! He has been a guest moderator here a couple times and makes the odd post now and then. Also check out his 'Mix it like a record' stuff. All in the box. Charles has alot of experience doing these kinds of workshops. He even did a Digiworld workshop a few years back.

I would love to attend this. Can you send me more details. Thanks.

Shane

[chadly]

I concur, it would be a shame to have a MIB panel without Dye.

[Jules]

I would advise discussing:

A/B listening checks via the SAME set of D/A converters...

Warming / "analog-ization" strategies

Acc gtr, Cymbals & Sub bass - reproduction tips & tricks - covering the 'difficult' things to 'get right' on digital

Mix hand-over policy (with PT session & all plug in set up or just raw audio? VERY political)

Delivery of files for pro mastering vs own mastering

As mixing is a final stage - back up strategies

[Clueless]

My advice on panels is this: less is more! As a moderator and as a panelist, what I hate most is a stage full of experts who have only a minute to deliver a lifetime of knowledge--this leads to platitudes and no depth. I have seen some great "conversations" where the moderator actually just plays interviewer of a single expert, or where there are two experts (perhaps one who really knows how to use ITB and one who really knows its limitations) and the moderator keeps things moving along. In a mix you wouldn't have 5 people playing lead guitar all over each other--same goes for panels. My $0.02.

[shikawkee]

Bob Olhsson knows an awful lot about ITB (as well as out-of-the-box). He would make a great panelist.

[GilWave]

Originally posted by Clueless
My advice on panels is this: less is more!

Sounds like Clueless has a clue after all.

Large panels make for great photo-ops, but many opportunities for in-depth knowledge sharing get lost.

[juniorhifikit]

Don't forget Mike Shipley

[toledo3]

That is really a hell of a lineup.... how much $$$ does it cost this year?

[toledo3]

This is the main question I would ask, if I was moderating:

What do each of the panelists feel their biggest hurdle was, when beginning to mix in the box, and what did they do to overcome it?

[shikawkee]

I agree that the fewer panelists the better. Three would be perfect IMO.

[travista00]

thanks for the comments and good to see interest out there. i really think this is the most relevant issue in modern production and will only become more so over the next few years.

the tapeop conference will be june 10-12, 2005 in new orleans. check out www.tapeopcon.com for more info.... last year it cost $250 which is a total bargain for what you get!

if jules or anyone has contact info for the following people, please let me know:

Serban Ghenea
Rhett Lawrence
Dave Pensado
Bob Olhsson
Mike Shipley

thanks again,
travis

[CrazyBeast]

Just wanted to chime in and say that last year in New Orleans was a total blast! I will definitely be going again this year.

The entry fee is a total bargain, IMHO...

[shikawkee]

Sent you a PM with Bob O.'s info.

[Riad]

I tried to register and received this error:

Fatal error: Call to a member function assignOptData() on a non-object in /var/web/ssl.tapeopcon.com/htdocs/apps/index_app.php on line 237


Doh!

[Hiwatt]

Yep I'd have to say that three panalists would be a good number.

[travista00]

the panelists will be:

Bob Ohlsson (example mix work: Motown legends)
Thom Monaham (example mix work: Pernice Brothers, new Devendra Banhardt)
Chris Flam (example mix work: DJ Spooky, Metallica re-mixes)
Jeff Saltzman (example mix work: Delorean)

and myself (example mix work: Biirdie)

sorry i'm too lazy to post links to all these engineers and bands that they mixed in the box recently, but, if you're interested, type them in google or "amg: all music guide." and come to the tapeop conference. it's gonna be a blast!!

travis.