Hi guys, thought id share this story with you as it has changed everything for me in my mixing.
I finally broke though a barrier in my mixing just last night, Ill go in to more detail about that in a moment.
The track is a slow piano rock ballad that builds to a wall of guitars, so bare with the slow intro.
It was written the day i lost someone very close to me back in 2006.
I’ve learnt a lot about mixing since then and the technology has moved on but my new tracks have still not had the punch and life that I was seeking.
So after finding out something about mixing last night on YouTube I was itching to try it out. I thought id load up this old session as the recording was one of my better attempts and try out this new thing I had learned….
First time uploading to GS you can stream it at the bottom of this post..
The original mix, or though it was nice and clear and the levels where ok.
The track felt flat and lifeless and lacked punch and dynamics, it was also too bright.
On such a melancholic and sober record most of my fans (friends) weren’t that interested in it, for me though it always had a special place because of the subject matter and I new it could sound better.
Ive spent years of reading and learning every technical thing I could here on Gearslutz and elsewhere as no doubt we all have, but I was still only slightly improving with mixes.
Something’s are right under our noses all along, yet we cant see them because we are looking in all the wrong places.
The one great realization about mixing that changed me is this.
I though mixing was a technical ability, like being a scientist. Its not! It’s a lot more like a musician.
“MIXING IS ABOUT FEELING… PLAYING! PERFORMING!
I have spent too long thinking and worrying about everything technical thing, the settings, the eq, the compression the reverb. That’s all wrong. I was afraid to be brash, and even move the faders in case I messed up all that I had done before..
Im sure I’ve heard countless people say this before, but I ignored it, I only wanted to know about the technicalities and massively overlooked this fundamental element to mixing music..
Im mixing from the heart now, and by that I mean, im mixing with the same cap that I would wear if I was playing a gig, “winging it!, just going along with it.
Not caring so much about what’s happening, but enjoying the feeling of PLAYING and performing, because this is what mixing is really all about.
Of course there is a technical skill to it, but most of stuff should almost second nature now. The real skill is being led by the core element and spirit of the song.
I think the reason I finally found this out was because the track was old, and I was reasonably satisfied with the original, I was mixing the new version in much bolder way, I didn’t care if it all messed up, I wasn’t trying so hard, I was just having fun and going along with it. Boy I have a valuable lesson…
As for the technical things.. I used a lot less compression,
I panned harder then I normally do, I used much less reverb and eq overall, but more aggressively. I think I was pushing + 9 and +12 in some parts.
I also have finally started using side chain ducking on the bass, (why didn’t I bother to learn this before?
Thanks guys. Hope some of this made sense!
I like your approach to mixing a lot!!! Totally agree with you. Sometimes we (as musicians) tend to forget it's all about a Feeling that we try to express with music and we get lost in technical details, plugins, mixing techniques etc which sometimes can make you lose your path and make the "wrong" (If there is something like "wrong" in music, let's say "least honest") choice for our songs.
I loved the track Aaron! Pure, awesome and delivers the message! Thank you for sharing your thoughts and music with us!
ok, here's my first post as a 'Hello!' to all people of Gearslutz !
an old thing I made with not so much studio stuff and only the max. of 4 tracks in my DAW.
it was made very quick as a birthdaygift for a friend.
and also to use the recordings I made of his singing to some music of mine. It was to fast and useless for the discotrack I made, so I lowered the tempo and tried to put a funny fusionband behind it. the lyrics are based on cartoons.
it is old and made very quick (my skills and studio has grown), but I still like to here some reactions.
A lot of really great music shared in this thread!!!
Spent a few hours with one of my favorite Nintendo game songs. It's originally the main screen melody of the game "Area 88" / "U.N Squadron". Took the melody and rewrote the rest. Liked it, so I thought I'd share it. I do recordings like this to train my recording and mixing skills. I think there is still a lot to learn, but one step at a time
Hi guys, thought id share this story with you as it has changed everything for me in my mixing.
I finally broke though a barrier in my mixing just last night, Ill go in to more detail about that in a moment.
The track is a slow piano rock ballad that builds to a wall of guitars, so bare with the slow intro.
It was written the day i lost someone very close to me back in 2006.
I’ve learnt a lot about mixing since then and the technology has moved on but my new tracks have still not had the punch and life that I was seeking.
So after finding out something about mixing last night on YouTube I was itching to try it out. I thought id load up this old session as the recording was one of my better attempts and try out this new thing I had learned….
First time uploading to GS you can stream it at the bottom of this post..
The original mix, or though it was nice and clear and the levels where ok.
The track felt flat and lifeless and lacked punch and dynamics, it was also too bright.
On such a melancholic and sober record most of my fans (friends) weren’t that interested in it, for me though it always had a special place because of the subject matter and I new it could sound better.
Ive spent years of reading and learning every technical thing I could here on Gearslutz and elsewhere as no doubt we all have, but I was still only slightly improving with mixes.
Something’s are right under our noses all along, yet we cant see them because we are looking in all the wrong places.
The one great realization about mixing that changed me is this.
I though mixing was a technical ability, like being a scientist. Its not! It’s a lot more like a musician.
“MIXING IS ABOUT FEELING… PLAYING! PERFORMING!
I have spent too long thinking and worrying about every technical thing, the settings, the eq, the compression the reverb. That’s all wrong. I was afraid to be brash, and even move the faders in case I messed up all that I had done before..
Im sure I’ve heard countless people say this before, but I ignored it, I only wanted to know about the technicalities and massively overlooked this fundamental element to mixing music..
Im mixing from the heart now, and by that I mean, im mixing with the same cap that I would wear if I was playing a gig, “winging it!, just going along with it.
Not caring so much about what’s happening, but enjoying the feeling of PLAYING and performing, because this is what mixing is really all about.
Of course there is a technical skill to it, but most of stuff that should be almost second nature by now. The real skill is being led by the core element and spirit of the song.
I think the reason I finally found this out was because the track was old, and I was reasonably satisfied with the original, I was mixing the new version in much bolder way, I didn’t care if it all messed up, I wasn’t trying so hard, I was just having fun and going along with it. Boy I learned a valuable lesson there…
As for the technical things.. I used a lot less compression,
I panned harder then I normally do, I used much less reverb and eq overall, but more aggressively. I think I was pushing + 9 on some parts.
I also have finally started using side chain ducking on the bass, (why didn’t I bother to learn this before?
Thanks guys. Hope some of this made sense!
Hey great tune bro... well produced. i'm really feeling your song!
Thnx 4 sharing!
I would love your thoughts on my 2 songs below!
Blessinz!!
Hey great tune bro... well produced. i'm really feeling your song!
Thnx 4 sharing!
I would love your thoughts on my 2 songs below!
Blessinz!!
Thanks Dude.
Love the dub track! you got that bang on, like the music and lyric in the first track but the rhythm parts seem a bit static, maybe some saturation to dirty up the drums and bass.
This song have a progressiv 70's feel to it - It would be cool to go another direction - more crazy drums, phaser on the vocals etc. Now the backing track is pretty tame.
Thanks Dude.
Love the dub track! you got that bang on, like the music and lyric in the first track but the rhythm parts seem a bit static, maybe some saturation to dirty up the drums and bass.
working in this right now and need a text...like always
Greets
I love Addictive Drummer Software, so easy to use, but it can be spotted a mile away, I don’t know why its so obvious though, Ezdrummer isnt like that..
Nice guitar backing, but over all this needs arrangement, some synth or piano parts, samples, something that jumps out!
Would like to hear some real tambourine on it.
Has potential though.
You guys must be sick and tired of me by now! But to celebrate the 800th post I finished another track. Used Soundtoys Decapitator for the first time on this and it is very, very addictive to use. The E setting is almost like an enhancer of some sort. It opens up the high end. I love Soundtoys!
Thanks Dude.
Love the dub track! you got that bang on, like the music and lyric in the first track but the rhythm parts seem a bit static, maybe some saturation to dirty up the drums and bass.
Hi,
can u pls tell me what u think whick kind of reverb is good to use on the master buss? i.e. plate, room, hall etc?
On some tracks, mixing in to a reverb can work, but it’s rare, the best thing to do, Is to have 2-3 FX sends with different reverbs on, small room/hall, Plate, and maybe something big like a chamber. This way you can EQ the reverbs and pick and choice what tracks to send rather then the whole mix.
You will find your mix less cluttered if you don’t send everything to a reverb also.
I have made myself 2 rules when deciding on reverb placement.
Does this track need creative Reverb,(obvious) or soundstage placement Reverb. (subtle)
In most cases its soundstage placement, for example an acoustic guitar’s reverb you would not hear, but you would notice if it wasn’t there, its used like glue, very subtle, if you can hear it, then you are using to much.
Creative reverb could be big and obvious, like a big epic distant sound, or vocal sent to a Plate
Try automating your reverb sends so that they are only there when you want them....
Another reason why its better to use a send then sticking you verb on the mixbuss, All my vocals use automation extensively to bring the singer closer or push the vocal back in different phrases of the lyric. It can really add some movement to the vocal.
For example an intimate passage would use hardly any, and a loud aggressive part might use more or even a different verb entirely. Personally though I prefer delay in that scenario though.
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Dj K 4 Yahweh Music Productions 
But to celebrate the 800th post I finished another track. Used Soundtoys Decapitator for the first time on this and it is very, very addictive to use. The E setting is almost like an enhancer of some sort. It opens up the high end. I love Soundtoys!
