What was the most important technique/trick that put our mixes to the next level?

[spherop]

sh*t .. forgot a really important one.... that's the most recent.

4. When I have $ to spend on gear, I research these forums heavily, buy several items from places where they can be returned. Then do a thorough "shootout". Returning everything but the winner(s). It's worth the shipping cost and i have have learned sh*tloads this. Eg., I discovered runing bass from a REDDI into a TAB v-78 attains the types of bass tones i was hearing on ref mixes ... 'Eureka...' ... up until this point using some great DI's in pres (pend,gr) was only getting me part way there.

[mixer]

learning when to stop..

[Shan]

Originally Posted by GRiFF

Hi Shane, could you explain what parallel compression is.

This thread will get you going.

Shane

[DirkB]

1. Focus on mixing, not separating.

2. Focus on a strong center channel.

3. Listening on S3a's and actually hearing the whole picture, not separations of it (this is still the hardest one).

Greetings,
Dirk

[ctms777]

What I really learned from ten years in engineering is to follow your heart/gut-feeling or what ever you'd like to call it. I know because I didn't. Most of the time you're not being payed too well in relationship to the technical knowledge you posess. So at least you should have pleasure in mixing. So if it's possible try to turn down jobs that you don't like. Try to mix music you really like (I know this is very very difficult, but it pays off if you succeed).
If you really like what you're doing it's easy to become very good at it. When you're happy and relaxed your mixes are gonna sound a whole lot better.
(Allthough I must admit that I don't always follow my own good advice in this matter, I have to eat as well).

[3rd world order]

Originally Posted by frist44

As the subject goes...

mixing to 1/4" tape... everything sounds like a demo till it comes back off tape.

[Mike Caffrey]

Somewhere I read or heard "cut narrow, boost wide". I don't always do that, but it was a big help in getting me started cutting to fix things rather than boosting to fix things.

[NathanEldred]

No tricks, just lots of in the trenches learning. Becoming a better mixing engineer helped me become a better tracking engineer, and becoming a better mastering engineer helped me become a better mix engineer. Admitting that it's never good enough and trying to improve every time...but on the flip side knowing when you are licked because the music or players aren't up to snuff. Critical listening, objective decision making, and lots of practice will eventually get you to where you are going.

[Jay Kahrs]

Originally Posted by myfipie

That you can not polish a turd..

Truth.

You can't polish a turd, but sometimes you can dress it up like a hot dog and hide it in the corner.

Truthfully, the biggest help for me always has been and still is working with other engineers. I learned tons of stuff from starting as an assistant engineer and working on real records. It wasn't always about the gear or what settings were used...but working with real guys on real records taught me how to think. Transferring that through your own mind, ears & gear is an entirely different story.

That takes lots of practice...and making some truly horrendous recordings before you start making good ones.

[chriscoleman]

Originally Posted by Jay Kahrs

You can't polish a turd, but sometimes you can dress it up like a hot dog and hide it in the corner.

Jay,

Thanks for the new sig...

[Leo Goler]

those that made the most difference to me so far are:

1. record it well and you're almost there.
2. plan ahead when recording.
3. using eq try to cut, not to boost if instruments fight in the mix (old but often forgotten by many)
4. learn to tune drums
5. sure sm57/5blahblah are crap
6. most of guitar cabs made today are crap
7. small vocal booths are crap
8. have fun and experiment
9. marry a rich girl

oh, and the last one i learned was - don't forget, better make notes when experimenting.

[PlugHead]

I don't think it's been mentioned yet, but some of the most important technique's I've realized are:

1) not to track too hot (in digital) - since that, everything has sounded better, not louder, but better...

2) track instruments at approx. "mixdown' level - sounds weird, but I realized somewhere along the way that the tambourine didn't need to be tracked @ -3 dB, and sounded nowhere near the same down -30 to -40 dB. Nor the synth pads tracked hot. They all needed to come way back in the mix, so - why not have them peaking at around the level I want to hear them when tracking? Sounds odd, but really - it works. Never yet have felt "boy I sure wish I tracked those shakers hotter" or "that synth pad is so important - damn, if I'd just ran it red-line on the way in"...

3) not to be afraid to EQ on the way in. If there's great OB, use it. it always sounds better than ITB processing, and I've yet to pull my hair out by doing it. vudoo and bad engineering mojo aside, if it sounds good, use your gut and don't second guess yourself.

that's about it for now - many. many more, maybe later...

[Absolute]

TIME

what everyone else said too

But TIME is the #1 because its more about learning how to Hear than anything

[u b k]

Originally Posted by Mr daisy

And spend a long time just balancing the faders. I know to many people who dive in to the eq far to early.

yes. and to augment, this is where exceptional monitoring (speakers AND room) really makes the difference. the truer the picture you get to witness, the purer your approach can be.

with less effort, no less.


gregoire
del ubik

[CorkyTart]

Dont compete in the volume wars you'll wreck everything you have worked so hard for.

[Jim Williams]

1. NO buss compressors, don't let compressors mix your music! Mix it yourself, it may be harder, take more time, but maybe someone will want to listen to it in 20 years or so. Don't "date" your records with over-compression like how 80's drums are dated with gated reverbs. It will be as corny as disco is now. ("How Deep is your Love" will be replaced with "How Deep is your Threshold".)

2. RF analog electronics. It's like when you're in a jet getting ready to land. The cabin pressurizes, everything sounds dull. That's the before. After your ears pop, that's the sound of wide band audio. I can't go back to the dull world of audio bandwidth designs.

Here's a couple of tags y'all might enjoy;

"You can't polish a turd, but you can make them pretty shiny".

or;

"If you're going to be a lemming, at least learn how to swim".

Jim Williams
Audio Upgrades

[tvanveen]

Originally Posted by Jim Williams

2. RF analog electronics. It's like when you're in a jet getting ready to land. The cabin pressurizes, everything sounds dull. That's the before. After your ears pop, that's the sound of wide band audio. I can't go back to the dull world of audio bandwidth designs.

I don't understand this.

[PRobb]

I like what MR. Daisy had to say. I hear a lot of records where the individual sounds are strong nut the fader mix sucks. Once you get things in the ballpark in terms of sounds, pull the faders down, turn your monitors down, and get everything sitting nicely in terms of level and pan. And do this before you start riding levels. Learning to get a good static mix has been one of the real keys for me. If you get that part right, you will need less automation, especially with good players.

[Jay Kahrs]

Originally Posted by PRobb

Learning to get a good static mix has been one of the real keys for me. If you get that part right, you will need less automation, especially with good players.

Yeah getting a good static mix is key...something that can hold up without rides is going to sound better with them. I've had more then a couple of static mixes make the record...either a rough mix or I got called out of the room while it was printing. Or the best reason, because the players balanced themselves and the song didn't warrent it.

[juicemaster1500]

Originally Posted by Jim Williams

Don't "date" your records with over-compression like how 80's drums are dated with gated reverbs. It will be as corny as disco is now.

A lot of disco isn't corny, it's cool.

I'm not a particularily big fan of gated verbs, but a lot of 80s stuff wouldn't be the same without gated verbs, just as the power ballad wouldn't be the same without 'the clenched fist'.

I like trends in music, that's what defines music history.

Play me any song from the 80s and I'll tell you what year it was made. A song from 86 is different from a song from 87. A song from 88 is totally different than a song from 83.

Without trends all music would sound the same, and the world would be even more boring than it already is

[MMinton82]

paralell compression now its really helped me over the last couple days from reading this thread, i still have a lot to learn with it but i have already noticed a difference.

mixing at every possible volume, but especially at low volumes. I always had way to much bass before learning this. Thanks Fletcher-Munson thumbsup

the most important thing though is your mix is only going to sound as good as the room and the instruments it was recorded in and with. And also as good as the control room. So sometimes you can only make it sound so good. I record in my bedroom, and my studio that would be a bedroom if my girlfriend got her way. so i can only do so much. I really need to study and do some research to find out how to make this room sound better. Any one know any good sites that deal just with acoustics and maybe where to put absorbtion in a certain type of room. or threads on here dealing with that thanks.



mike

[simonv]

This thread is truely rich in good thoughtful advice.

Mixing is very simple when you think about it...
But, it gets hard when you have to mix badly recorded tracks and poor performances. Most mixing engineers have to aquire turd-polishing skills for a while, before getting good contracts.

[username]

There is alot of reverb in pro mixes... it's just not obvious

when mixing in digital, turn things down! and then turn them down some more!




I'm only new to this realy, but those are my two biggest so far, sounds like I need to learn to use parralel compression and delays more.. I guess I'll have abit of an experiment

[dasbin]

Originally Posted by tvanveen

I don't understand this.

I do.
But I happen to think it's a load of malarkey.
It has to do with Jim's insistance on using ultra-fast-slew video opamps everywhere. And I guess to a lesser extent, using caps that roll of the highs at a much higher place.
A lot of these opamps do sound good, but I don't think it's just because they're fast and have crazy bandwidth. A lot of high-end audio opamps sound great too - and have way more reasonable slew rates.
I guess I must just have crummy ears if I can't hear the "cabin pressurization" disapear just because I popped in a fast opamp. Or... not.

[thethrillfactor]

Originally Posted by Mr daisy

I get frustrated today that people think send it to a mix engineer and it will be pro. Who cares. All they will do is knock out a loud, rank and file version of it.

This is not necessarily true just your opinion.

Originally Posted by Mr daisy

This brings me to trevor horn. One of my favorite producers. If you listen to some of the simple minds stuff .

Trevor Horn didn't produce Simple Minds.

It was Bob Clearmountain.

[MicLust42]

What took my mixes to the next level:


#1 - Mixing many many projects over the last 2 years.

#2 - Ceasing to mix with a f***ing mouse, and not looking at meters and numbers as much.

#3 - Having a clearer idea of how I want things to sound, and knowing what WONT get me there.

#4 - Collaboration

[stevep]

Man I miss 2" tape..................

[Ecktronic]

Probably would have to be understanding that there are no rules really. I thought about volume automation on most tracks, but didnt think it was the norm to do so. Now that I know you do whatever it takes to get the mix sounding the way you want, I automate the volume on anything I feel needs it.

Eck

[3rd world order]

Originally Posted by Ecktronic

Probably would have to be understanding that there are no rules really. I thought about volume automation on most tracks, but didnt think it was the norm to do so. Now that I know you do whatever it takes to get the mix sounding the way you want, I automate the volume on anything I feel needs it.

play EVERYTHING.. fx sends... plug-in in parameters.. EVERYTHING can be used to emphasize parts of a mix.. evolution.. taper.. etc

dont limit this to the faders.

[Ecktronic]

Originally Posted by Absolute

TIME

what everyone else said too

But TIME is the #1 because its more about learning how to Hear than anything

Soo true.

Eck