ITB Mix guys.... what's your average mix time on:

[cajonezzz]

I am damn slow... I could never make it under any kinda deadline. Hopefully getting quicker at some point, but at least gettting "better" .

How long is an average Mix for you guys that are in the box ( PT) on say: A well tracked ( no heavy lifting in the editing/ autotuning/ BT areas) band type project... pop tunes, say 40 tracks with moderate EFX.

Sorry the generality. I'm just finding that what I quoted is consistently off by at least 4 hours.... I can get something listenable ( if i produced/tracked it ) in about 8 hours... but approaching "good" takes two days and lot's of ear breaks.

So.... I know there will be many different replies, but mine, at this point would have to be " as long as i can" I kinda suck tho.

you guys?

Also, bigger Mix guys ( high dollar guys) are you ever under time constraints? or is it just a bid for the mix, and however long it takes- it takes ( that's where I'd like to b e some day)

[superburtm]

I find that when I actually get 4 hrs. to mix it's a gift. Usually I get 2.5 hrs. And it's usually fine, it forces me to focus on what's important. Comes down to budget and most artists have no budget.

[NuSkoolTone]

cajonezzz,

I'm in the same boat. However I'd say it's one of those "It depends" questions. If the source is great, you might have it together in a few hours. If the source has "challenges", I've had 40 hrs into mixes like that. It also depends how fancy you want to be with automation/production, how anal/polished you want it to be vs. "Raw."

I'm a bit anal about my mixes to the point I save a separate version every once in awhile so I can go back in case I "Overfixed" it, and most of my "clients" are local musos that are friends, and also family that is in the business. I've stated to get bites of interest outside my circle, but I'm reluctant to go "Commercial" at this point, but that's another story!

Anyhow hate to say it, but I think "It depends."

[bpatural]

I mix in the box with some additional outboard gear and it usually takes between 3-5 hours (though sometimes a whole day for tough stuff) for me to be happy with it. Then I usually spend 30min-1hr with the band adjusting stuff after. I charge by the mix not the hour for mixing, so I try to work as fast as possible and get at least two a day, even three near the end when I can import my plugs from the last track and start with something in the zone. Working on consoles slows this process too much for me as the recalls are painful on a board where I need mix approval after each one is done.
-brian

[alphajerk]

i mix in stages. the rough takes me about 30 minutes? then i start automating etc, tweaking, adding/taking, etc... total mix time on a single song? i could get one done in 4-5 and have more than enough time, but i usually mix over an album so its hard to gauge a single song.

[syra]

Depends on the level of quality. If all editing/BeatDetectiving/SoundReplacing/Autotuning/Vocaligning has already been taken care of then...a day should be enough.

If you have more than 40 raw tracks to mix and we're talking about a pop mix with attention to detail, 4-5 hours is a joke. Detail is what takes time. The overall sound is a piece of cake for the seasoned mixer.

I posted a good thread re:mixing time and invited Steve Macmillan to join. Do a search...

[Winey]

It takes about 20 minutes to make it sound great, then 6 hours of f**king it all up.
Then another hour to get it back to where it was.
So 7 hours and 20 minutes is my answer.

[Henchman]

Originally Posted by Winey

It takes about 20 minutes to make it sound great, then 6 hours of f**king it all up.
Then another hour to get it back to where it was.
So 7 hours and 20 minutes is my answer.

Yep, that sounds about right.
As long as the song deosn't need to be fixed or re-arranged becasue of bad production.

[RichT]

Depends on how long the band gives me, I recommend two days for a four song E.P and then I get it pretty damn good.

Last thing I did was four songs in a day though, it came out something like this:
http://gearslutz.com/board/showthread.php3?t=36035

It's not perfect, it worked for the client, but not as good as I'd of liked.

I've noticed I'm getting better at being quicker when I'm tied to a time budget, I'm not 'there' yet but getting better.

Cheers,
Rich

[strauss]

My ITB mixing got considerably faster when I started to make templates with my 'go to' plugs and mixer setup. These can always be replaced if they don't work.

On a board everything is already layed out for you, eq's, comps (if your lucky!), auxes, etc. whereas the DAW is a blank panel, so having these setup is a huge time saver!

My biggest time and flow killer when mixing ITB for me is being forced to bounce things because of running out of horsepower.

[doorknocker]

Originally Posted by strauss

My biggest time and flow killer when mixing ITB for me is being forced to bounce things because of running out of horsepower.

True but it can be a blessing in disguise. More often than not, the moment I was running out of horsepower was also the moment that i went overboard with EQs and effects.

I disagree with what you said about saving time by using templates. While templates surely CAN be useful I would say that one of the best things about DAW/ITB mixing is that you have an empty canvas to start with. You don't NEED to use EQ on every track and you don't need 48 tracks of 'virtual mixing desk space' if your song only features 8 tracks.
I try to avoid presets as much as possible but that's just me.

And for the original question. Who cares how long it took you once the recording is hitting mankind? Spend as much time as needed till it's right. My theory is that the better my mix, the bigger the chanche for more work. Naturally, spending more time on a mix isn't going to make it better per se but why not use the possibilities of ITB, you CAN go back to it later or switch to a different mix when you get stuck.

It can be a curse but also a blessing, like everything else really.

One thing I hate is going for 'good enough'. 'It's only a demo' 'I need more money really', all true but often it's pure laziness that will compromise the final outcome.

Sure enough, a lot of the best mixers will do it in 1 or 1 1/2 days but you better believe that in their formative years they too went through tons of dragged-out trial and error and fits to get to that point.


Andi

www.doorknocker.ch

[T_R_S]

If they have the budget I usually spend about 1 day (14 hours) on the first song and about 8 hours for each song after that (not including any extra mix changes).
Low budget about 2 -5 hous to set up and about 2-3 for each song after that.
I can't mix faster than that if it's a full band. The problem with low budget recordings is that it takes longer to mix that if song was recorded properly.
Take your time and fix it before you mix.

[alphajerk]

one of the biggest and best difference is the ability to mix several songs at once rather than a song at a time... a way of working that is obsolete for me. i work over all the songs rather than the old way or working.

[TRW]

I'd like a day (12 hours) or so if possible.

Who's slower / quicker if the client is in the room?

I'm quicker if they're there but I often feel the end product is not as I would have liked, maybe better if I'd been alone and taken longer.....pretty weird. Anyone get that?

I'm always concious about over-playing something if they are there, especially with the jazz "its all about the feeling" guys. If alone, I spend most of my time listening, at least 70% but that can burn out the artists IMO. I suffer from perfectionism but never attain it!

-Tom

[strauss]

Originally Posted by doorknocker

True but it can be a blessing in disguise. More often than not, the moment I was running out of horsepower was also the moment that i went overboard with EQs and effects.

Well this all depends on the type of production your getting (or doing)...
Lots of 'modern' productions use high track counts, as your probably have read in lots of other threads. So there can be lot's of eq going on to make things fit and the better eq's just use more dsp. Take hydratone for example.
The same goes for other types of processing.

I disagree with what you said about saving time by using templates. While templates surely CAN be useful I would say that one of the best things about DAW/ITB mixing is that you have an empty canvas to start with. ....

If working under time constrains I don't have the luxury of trying out every (plugin-)chain. After a while I just created a certain working method and just know what works on certain applications or situations. Especially if you work a lot on the same type of music.
9 times out of 10 I put a comp and an eq on the lead vocal which also goes to one or more type of delay/verb.
So to make my life easier I created some channel settings for vocals. This not only saves time but also keeps the flow going which IMO is very important while mixing.
The same goes for drums, bass, etc.

If I'm working on a project without time constrains then I'll exepriment like crazy and maybe even come across some nice combinations for my channel templates

One thing I hate about starting with a blank DAW is all the menus I have to go though. They are a serious flow killer for me!
I can't wait for the day we have touch screen like in the movie 'Minority Report'

.....I try to avoid presets as much as possible but that's just me.

If you meant a preset like an eq or comp setting for vox, etc. well I never use those either.
But in reverbs I use presets very often as a starting point!

And for the original question. Who cares how long it took you once the recording is hitting mankind? Spend as much time as needed till it's right. My theory is that the better my mix, the bigger the chance for more work......

If a record company already estimated a date for release and already set a date for mastering, but maybe the tracking took a bit longer or whatever...then they set high hopes on the mixing engineer to mix it in time!

If someone does the same quality in way less time then he will probably get the job.

Sure enough, a lot of the best mixers will do it in 1 or 1 1/2 days but you better believe that in their formative years they too went through tons of dragged-out trial and error and fits to get to that point.
www.doorknocker.ch

Many of those 'best' mixers have created templates for themselves (after many hours of trial and error indeed!)
Lots of them even go so far that their assistant already knows what goes where so lots of stuff is already patched up before they even start!



Time IS money for some people!
Even though I'm not really one of them, I have to be able to deal with it!

[GPl]

I'd say with the client/artist/producer present, I pretty well get it to where they like it and leave it at that. I dont try and go beyond putting my preferences for which way it shoould sound to me. Point out the obvious, usually can get it done much faster with the client.

When the client's not there, I find myself fooling around too much, wasting lots of time. Actually the way I've been working lately has been trackn/mixing songs so by the time we are finished tracking for the day, the mix is already where we want it to go. So yeh, maybe 30mins a song done this way.

[NathanEldred]

I'm only 20% ITB, but I'm not sure if that makes things slower or faster. I've had really great mixes happen in 3-4 hours, and mixes that just wouldn't come together in 6-8. It all depends on how much the client wants to nitpick, and how good the arrangement and raw tracks are. Even if I was tracking a big name rock band I can't see taking more than 8 hours tops and being extremely picky and anal about the whole thing in that time period.

[warhead]

Assuming all of the editing has been done?

I'd say 6-8 hours ideally in most cases, can be as few as 3-4 hours if it just clicks right.

War

[giles117]

Originally Posted by T_R_S

If they have the budget I usually spend about 1 day (14 hours) on the first song and about 8 hours for each song after that (not including any extra mix changes).
Low budget about 2 -5 hous to set up and about 2-3 for each song after that.
I can't mix faster than that if it's a full band. The problem with low budget recordings is that it takes longer to mix that if song was recorded properly.
Take your time and fix it before you mix.

That sorta sums it for me. No Budget 2-5 hours and I walk away from it.

People willing to pay my rate, no less than 12 hours usually 12-16.

The quality improves over time

Not to say the "5 hr Rush mixes are crap." I just notice more detail those next 11 hours. LOL Especially if it was a song I didnt track.

Relationships improve with more time. (ask your wife if you treat her right. LOL)

[Alécio Costa]

I like to start in the morning.... Eq/comp most tracks, a break for lunch. One hour later, decide the efx and main automation moves. Hope to be finished at 8pm.

I just can not do ITB. I use lots of reverbers and even a Mix Plus Cubed would not be able to provide me the necessary power. So, I prefer OTB, using lots of hardware reverbers hooked to my digital board(s).

[maxim]

2 and a half years on 10 songs :0

if i was doing someone else's mix, i would want at least two days for each song, in order to have at least the morning's perspective, so, perhaps, a day and a half

it all depends also, some mixes come together quick, some can take weeks

i have to agree with alpha, though, mixing an album is a different proposition to mixing song by song

[DUBSOUL]

it could take 3hrs or sometimes 12 to 16 hours.depends on sessions data if its on point with edits arrangements...if the engineer can see the producers,artist or band's vision..i think heard a couple years ago Ed Cherney say that he's slow...it depends i gues it doesnt make u better or worse....but i do have carpal tunnel...

[reggiesears]

First, it depends on who Engineered it. If I engineered it myself, I can generally get a mix done usually within 45 Minutes-1 hour... Minus automation. If its a mix that another engineer has tracked & recorded, then sometimes up to 8 hours a song.

[dougb415]

Originally Posted by reggiesears

If I engineered it myself, I can generally get a mix done usually within 45 Minutes-1 hour... Minus automation.

Yep, did just that today. Only 11 tracks but the mix was done in 1 hour. No automation needed.

-Doug

[giles117]

Originally Posted by reggiesears

First, it depends on who Engineered it. If I engineered it myself, I can generally get a mix done usually within 45 Minutes-1 hour... Minus automation. If its a mix that another engineer has tracked & recorded, then sometimes up to 8 hours a song.

Agreed. As it stands in 2010.. 5 years after this thread. LOL. My stuff I tend to mix as I track.... So if it isn't track heavy an hour or so. If it is track heavy, of course that will take much longer....

Others. Gotta learn the song and that takes some time... So I still refer to my previous posting...

[Sigma]

10-14 hrs

[DontLetMeDrown]

First off, I try and have all mix-prep and repair work done before I even wake up on mix morning. After that-- I've been trying this thing where I spend no more than 4 hours mixing a song.

The way I see it, the big dogs are mixing 2-3 songs a day or less. If I can't get the mix sounding fun in 4 hours, then it ain't going to happen and I probably deserve to be fired sooooooo, at that point, IT IS WHAT IT IS and I move on. NEXT! My thinking is that if I'm going to become as good as the BEST I need to be able to deliver within the same time frame.

It worked out good on the last 2 projects. My newest one is more challenging, but I'm going to try and stick to it.

[rockstar_josh]

Originally Posted by T_R_S

The problem with low budget recordings is that it takes longer to mix that if song was recorded properly.
Take your time and fix it before you mix.

I get stuck with this... I usually have to track in a hurry. It's a difficult balance.

To answer the question, around 4 hours for a song if I'm going to nail it down. Most of the time I'm in a hurry to mix, as well, so 2-3 hours. That extra hour can make a huge difference, though.

[BLUElightCory]

Another vote for 4 hours/song.

Spend the first hour or two just getting a basic mix up and running. Worry about the big picture - DO NOT get wrapped up in small details.

Print the basic mix, and go check it out in your car or on a system you're used to. Take a notepad and make a list of anything that sounds "off" or needs work. Go back to the mix, fix everything on your list, and you should pretty much be there. Take a 30 minute break, come back and listen though once or twice more. Take care of any other issues and you should be good to go at this point.

The important thing is not to get lost in the details - get the mix to the point where it could be considered finished before you drive yourself nuts with minutiae.

[IzzyRock]

Usually 6 hours. (but it counts as a day, since i take breaks, lunch , etc) if im only mixing of course.
And another day for final tweaks (usually for more than one song)

And it depends on my mood also.If I can't get the snare sound right, i'll mix the song forever untill im happy (choosing the right samples, blending, etc)

Also, the first song always is the harder. Then i just make a template and mix the rest of album much faster. The rest is just making rides, fx, etc