Mix on monitor sounds good, but regular spkrs not so good :(

[ARIEL]

Like Ethan Said , properly treated room important, Also import a song of a band you like put it into the session file and playback your mix versus it - it may reveal how far off you are - It takes a while to understand how to listen to studio moniters - think flat

[joedoc]

To the OP -
Sorry to see that the thread got derailed into an acoustics discussion (again).

It seems that no one else has mentioned that you should spend some time comparing mixes you like & in a similar style with your mixes, on your monitors.

Take some time to work at emulating the sounds you hear in one of those mixes. This will be time very well spent! Everyone has "translation" problems of one sort or another, (that's why there are mastering engineers!) and needs to work at the comparison game. It's a key part of building your recording/mixing chops.

Naturally, the acoustics gents are 100% right, but if you feel like working more on your mixes NOW, and not taking a several day project break.

And YES - it will take several days to acoustically treat his studio if he's never done it before. Again, well worth it! But start comparing and doing some critical listening now. When you do treat the room, you'll realize how much easier listening becomes! ;-)

[joedoc]

Originally Posted by ARIEL

Like Ethan Said , properly treated room important, Also import a song of a band you like put it into the session file and playback your mix versus it - it may reveal how far off you are - It takes a while to understand how to listen to studio moniters - think flat

Ha! Looks like we were typing at the same time mate.

[tedpenn]

Danny's advice is spot-on. Can't emphasize this enough. Room treatment (esp in the low end) will help a lot, but there's no substitute for listening to references. Without getting into psychoacoustics details (plenty of info out there if you're curious), suffice it to say that there are a TON of ways your ears can play tricks on you, even when you think you're still objective. I would make it a habit to setup some means of playing back a handful of references through your monitors, in your mix room while you're mixing, in a way where you can seamlessly switch back and forth frequently. Otherwise, you're chasing a bit of a moving target, if you know what I mean...

[excLOUsiv]

I have some experience with Rokit 5's in untreated rooms, and boy do those little suckers pump out the bass in those situations. My guess is you really are dealing with a really hyped low end because of this.

[Surbitone]

Originally Posted by tincan

I did some referencing with similar style music (protest the hero, bury your dead, etc...) and I just can't find that even ground to sort of put them in the same plateau.

I'm relatively new to the engineering world, been playing music for 17ish years, but only done engineering since august of 2008 when I bought a protools LE rig.

I suppose these things will come with time.

Chesky records best of volume 1 helped me learn every set of loudspeakers I've used - this record has helped me turn out great mixes, even on headphones.


Everything else is just practice.

[Glenn Kuras]

Originally Posted by excLOUsiv

I have some experience with Rokit 5's in untreated rooms, and boy do those little suckers pump out the bass in those situations. My guess is you really are dealing with a really hyped low end because of this.

If you are getting a bunch of hyped low end it is because of how your set up in the room and how it is treated. Heck even finding the sweet spot in the room can do a lot. Generally it is best to face the short wall to run the speakers down the longest wall in the room. You would then start by sitting 38% of the room length. Then move the mix forward or back a few inches to find the best response.
See the following for mix spot and layout of treatment.
GIK Acoustics: Room Setup
For room testing you can use the following free program.
Room EQ Wizard Home Page

[SICKRICK]

KRK ROKITS do have some bump uin the lows, that means that it might sound nice and full in the monitors, but once you translate to a car stereo, or something similar, you wont be hearing the bass as loud as you thought it was, i've mixed on krk rokits and rokits g2 and i had to exagerate the bass in the mix by about 3bs-6dbs usually in order to find a good balance once translating to a different system, no i can do really good mixes on them, tho i havent used them in a minute since the studio im working for now has events/ns10/hr824 setup, so i get to switch between all the sources to make sure the mix sounds good on all of em.

also try mixing in mono, it helps a lot!! and do all your panning like that too, and once you think it sound good like that, just put it back in stereo, and voila! you'll have a much better wider mix!

[Teddy Ray]

John Sayers' Recording Studio Design Forum • View topic - DIY Acoustic Treatments

[rjacobsen]

I always listen to mixes on different sources because my room isn't treated. I mix on Pro Ac Studio 100s that I've had for several years, I use to use Event Bas 20/20s. I usually listen at low volumes, especialy for levels an panning. I use my headphones, reference on my home stereo with old Cerwin Vega speakers, car stereo and friends systems.

rjacobsen

[jasonwagner]

A well tuned monitoring situation is better than any amount of gear, imo. For a long time I was chasing gear to get my sounds right, that was until I spent the time and money on my room.

Try painting a color accurate picture with colored lens glasses on.

[Ethan Winer]

Originally Posted by jasonwagner

Try painting a color accurate picture with colored lens glasses on.

Good analogy!