What is the most important thing (s) to you when it comes to mixing?

[Stepwise Sound]

First things first the whole track needs to be 100% solid. Edits, everything needs to be hitting together.

Now onto mixing itself --

1. If you know how to EQ properly the mix should work.

Volume of individual tracks will be sitting properly, things will be cutting, etc. bass management is particularly important.

2. panning. it's really creating the sound stage for the track. Lots of guitars? Pan them.

3. stereo issues -- what is in mono -- (should be most tracks!) and maybe one or two elements can be stereo. Drum OH, percussion maybe. If everything is in stereo it will be way harder to mix.

finally time -- really you have to make lots of mistakes and develop this skill for years and years before you know what you're doing.

[kosmokrator]

Originally Posted by u b k

only if amateurs are running the big shows, because almost every concert I've been to in the last 5 years has louder kick drum and guitars than lead vocals.

that's where almost every foh guy seems to start soundcheck with: kick drum. good idea for getting headroom and gainstaging sorted, bad idea for building a live mix.


Gregory Scott - ubk
.

Gregory, IMHO that's studio-thinking.
With major acts playing live, it's partly that way because
- the lead singers often come only to the last part of the soundcheck. Especially with in ear monitoring and recallable monitor-desks.
Professional backline-engineers can play the instruments with a very similar loudness-level as the 'start' later will play. But they never sing.
- While auditioning kickdrum, the PA-tech can check the fullrange/sub-behavior and has more time to tune the system.

BTW, the most important thing for me is getting levels right. Many people spend too much time on compression, eq, FX while their levels are all over the place.

[vincentvangogo]

Originally Posted by MFHethan

If you guys wish to know about mixing, in major studio sessions, I suggest you check out this link...

www.elementsofmixing.com

Its literally like being in the actual classic sessions.
I went to the last 2 events and Ive had all my questions answered, learned new things and got to play my stuff for them.

Check it out!

I see you've made eight posts, seven giving the same link. I think I'll pass thanks.