Good Mixing Book?

[faeflora]

Can anyone reccomend a good mixing book? Ya know, chock full of techniques etc.

[thethrillfactor]

The Mixing Engineer's Handbook by Bobby Owsinski-Mix Bookshelf.

Its the textbook I use to teach a mixing class here in NYC.

No book can show everything, but this one organizes the train of thought pretty well.

[Generalmix]

I agree that Mixing Engineer Handbooks is good
The Art of Mixing by David Gibson also pretty good
Behind the Glass: Top Record Producers Tell How They Craft the Hits by Howard Massey-this book is also good because most producers in this book are engineers and they talk about their experience.

[imacgreg]

Originally posted by thethrillfactor
The Mixing Engineer's Handbook by Bobby Owsinski-Mix Bookshelf.

Its the textbook I use to teach a mixing class here in NYC.

No book can show everything, but this one organizes the train of thought pretty well.

I agree, this book rules. Thrill, I'm also interested in the class you teach. Is it part of a larger curriculum or AE school? How many students in the class? Does each student have a little DAW or something? Does anyone know of any mixing classes in the LA area that are not part of a AE school? I guess I would even pay to hang out during a NRG mix session or something like that, hell I'd even intern! It would be very valuable to see how a bigtime mix flows, something on a SSL would be cool.

Ian

[thethrillfactor]

Originally posted by imacgreg
I agree, this book rules. Thrill, I'm also interested in the class you teach. Is it part of a larger curriculum or AE school? How many students in the class? Does each student have a little DAW or something? Does anyone know of any mixing classes in the LA area that are not part of a AE school? I guess I would even pay to hang out during a NRG mix session or something like that, hell I'd even intern! It would be very valuable to see how a bigtime mix flows, something on a SSL would be cool.

Ian

Hi Ian,

It was at one time part of a large curriculum, but the studio i teach it at didn't like the way the program was setup. Also the fact that when students had questions based on tution, the owner of the curriculum could never be reached. They just ended up taking it over and i helped them modify it.

Most or all the students who are in the class have their own DAW setups. The class is usually only 4-5 people anyway(4weeks/twice a week). In the beginning I made the mixing class more general(mostly mixing on analog) but over the last 2 years i've noticed that most of the students have specific needs(same as always how to mix and how to get a great sound out of their DAW's). So now I tailor the class to their specific needs. At times(if i have any) I will pay a visit to their home studios and see how it setup and then i make suggestions on ways they can improve things.

If the students are really into it, I'll even drag them along with me to tracking and mixing sessions. That way if they are interested in engineering as a career, they can see the trenches for themselves and decide. Also I can introduce them to different studio owners and they can start building relationships(that's what this business is all about anyway).

The hardest thing in teaching this subject is:

1) The fact that a lot of the techniques and thinking is very advance/complicated and it will probably take them years to comprehend(just like everybody).

2)I've built up a mental library of sounds/experiences through out my life and no matter what i do, I will never be able to show them all in such a short time(Now i am not that ancient, even though i feel like it sometimes).

3)The hardest of all is that i hear things a certain way. It registers in my brain in a certain pattern. Only i hear the way i do and I know that. To teach someone to hear like i do is impossible.

I am not up on what's going on in the West Coast. Here in the NYC things are up and down. I am sure out there you will find something. You got the right attitude and that's where it starts anyway.

[imacgreg]

Thrill,
That's pretty cool. I like how the class isn't attached to a larger AE curriculum and how the class size is super small. I am curious tho, what is the average age of the people in the class? As for myself, I am already pretty damn fortunate to be interning and engineering at one of the two biggest rooms in SB, and the engineers there are great teachers. The only problem is that I would like to start learing SSL's and other large boards so that I can transistion easily after I finish college and my internship. I've still got plenty to learn where I'm at tho, I'll keep crackin'! Thanks for the info...

ian

[thethrillfactor]

Originally posted by imacgreg
Thrill,
That's pretty cool. I like how the class isn't attached to a larger AE curriculum and how the class size is super small. I am curious tho, what is the average age of the people in the class? As for myself, I am already pretty damn fortunate to be interning and engineering at one of the two biggest rooms in SB, and the engineers there are great teachers. The only problem is that I would like to start learing SSL's and other large boards so that I can transistion easily after I finish college and my internship. I've still got plenty to learn where I'm at tho, I'll keep crackin'! Thanks for the info...

ian

The average age is probably between 25-40(probably like most people on this forumn).

The SSL is not that hard to learn.

Making it do what you want is a different story, but that goes for everything i guess.

[kromagnon]

i hate to bring up an old post, but i also wanted to recommend mixing with your mind by michael paul... amazing things happened to me

[You_Father_Sky]

Originally Posted by kromagnon

i hate to bring up an old post, but i also wanted to recommend mixing with your mind by michael paul... amazing things happened to me

Ditto. Fantastic book, I'll never sell it.