Does this mean I'm not a good engineer?

Guys i have a folder full of "reference" songs that I look to to make sure I'm in the ballpark when mixing early on during a mix. (as do many folks)

Every so often I add new songs to the mix that I feel guage what's happening "now" from major labels and the type of mixes that are popular (OF course different mixers have different styles, but there's no denying that there are trends like 80's reverb)


Does this make me less of an engineer? What I mean is that I'm offering clients a level of quality that matches what they are currently listening to but I dont have a "personal" stamp or identity that I put on mixes that is my own. I basically seek to borrow or "sample" techniques that I hear on other records. Like I'll hear Dave P and say I love how his vocals are bright but not siblant and pull from the way Bob Power mixes drums. At the end of course I make it gel and it's cohesive and it satisfies the client, but I still havent reached a level where I "hear" things necessarily. It's more like I borrow from things I've borrowed from and remembered becasue they worked for me int the past.

Does this make sense?

[audiomichael]

Smartass answer: YES (Does this mean I'm not a good engineer?)

Long answer:

Is someone a bad engineer if they
-check their mixes in the car
-have 2 (or more) sets of monitors
-have a producer with them co-mixing
-ask or read how other engineers work

see where I'm going with this. If you don't, then refer to the smartass answer.

[Methlab]

I notice that I A/B less and less. but I still do it, and I have watched guys that have incredible resumes do it.

I bet you are a FINE engineer No SSL!!!


how cheesy was that shit?