I was tweaking around in the studio, trying to learn something new. I learned some new things... First of all I noticed that effects are a little louder after the downsample to 16-bit (the result of the mastering process). I noticed this on the compressor effect on the drums. I made the conclusion that I probably add too much output on effects because of this and lose important mix amplitude. I also realised EQ cutoff should be used in the mixing process, it's a good way of cleaning up the sound and make the result a little more airy. When you don't use any cutoff at all, instruments tend to overlap each other so then you lower the volume on tracks that sound muddy which in turn makes the instrument not loud/clear enough on the mix. I tried the spectrum analyzer in Nuendo for the first time (available in the pool). It was not a very pretty picture. The whole frequency curve was diminishing all the way from 20Hz towards 8Khz on a piano sound, quite much too, maybe 30 degress or something, so I drew the conclusion that I probably make very muddy mixes and I am bad at using the EQ! I also realised I might have my Mackie HR824 monitors setup the wrong way when I tend to add much too much bass in the mix (when I try to make it sound "good"). I didn't however do anything about the way the studio monitors are configured, but I do think the muddyness in my mixes also is due to external factors.
I think I learned some key things in recording...