In The Studio: Seven Obscure Mixing Techniques Used By The Pros. Most of the time there is an obvious choice. Need more mid-range? Grab an EQ and boost the midrange. Need more control of the source? Volume automation or compression. Easy. But sometimes we face strange challenges — like how to get more bass in the kick without running out of headroom. So with that said, here are seven counterintuitive mixing techniques pros regularly use to solve unconventional problems. 1.
What? Instead, use a low-pass filter with a very steep slope. 2. When we want to hear more bass in a bass guitar, kick drum, or other low-end element, the obvious solution is to boost the low end. However, sometimes what we really want to do is just draw more attention to that bass element. This can be extremely valuable when you don’t have much headroom, or there’s something else competing for attention in the low end. 3.
But wait, doesn’t a compressor restrict dynamic range? Page 1 of 2 12> Next. Mixing in Stereo: Adding Width and Depth to Your Recordings. When it comes to discussing the fine art of mixing music, I tend to approach the subject with some trepidation. After all, compared to many of the topics I’ve written about, this one is rife with subjectivity — one person’s idea of a great sounding mix may be another’s sonic nightmare. And what works for one genre of music will be decidedly wrong for another. But all those variables aside, there are at least a few general theories, tips, and tricks that apply to most mix projects.
So while the idea here is not to give a step-by-step tutorial on two-track mixing, hopefully we can cover at least a few concepts that are useful for everyone. In a good stereo mix, each instrument needs clarity, balance, separation, and its own space in the stereo field. The Concept At its most basic, mixing in stereo means mixing for the human brain and physiology. But in the real world, much of the process of creating a stereo mix is far from organic or natural. What Makes a Good Mix? It Starts at the Source. Studio Techniques To Get Great Sounding Vocals, Part 2: In The Control Room. (See part 1 of this series.) During a session, I remember when an artist was on mic, out in the studio ready to start vocal overdubs, and the producer asked: “how do we look in here from out there?” Interesting, because he knew the appearance of the control room to the artist might affect the vocal performance.
The control room (from the studio) does look like an aquarium with the huge window and the silent action of the animals encased within it. Reactions to performances reflected in facial expressions and body language are everything to singers and musicians isolated out in the studio. The concern is that the working in the studio does not feel like being in a Petri dish under the microscopic scrutiny of the control room.
A great vocal sound starts with a good singer who has the artistic goal to perform the best vocal possible. Control room personnel - producer, engineer, assistants, gofers etc. all have a professional responsibility to work towards the pursuit of the artist’s goals. Community • View topic - Miking drums with 2 or 3 mics - examples inside... OK, I had a bit of spare time this weekend so I had a go at some 2- and 3-mic drum miking techniques. Samples are in .wav format and are completely raw, IE there is no mixing, EQ'ing, compression or anything except some panning (in the stereo ones, more on that later), and the levels are "straight off the preamp" tracking volumes, so are well below commercial levels.
You'll have to crank them up, is what I'm loosely trying to say. Forgive the cheesy voiceovers and fairly feeble drumming. I was hot & tired, OK! DAW is Cubase, interface is an M-Audio Delta 1010lt. Kit is a Yamaha Maple Custom Absolute, 10",12",14" tom, 22" kick, 12"x5" snare, 6" & 10" rototoms, mixture of Sabian AA, AAX and HH cymbals. Room is a totally untreated space approximately 15'x 25' x 10' with one wall being a floor-to-ceiling window. Example 2: Spaced PairSame 2 mics placed as a spaced pair behind the drummer pointing at the kit. That's it. WaterFall Records Learning to Record Lesson Two. Lesson 1 You're here: Lesson 2 Log In: You must be a 'Member" to view Lessons 3 thur 9 Using a Compressor?
Hello all, Ken here. How many of you really know how to use a compressor? If you are coming here from Recording Tips 7: show me the Magic Frequencies! Using one is really easy; the trick to it is to "listen to your music" and feel the flow of the mix. To set the compressor (assuming you have a constant meter in the song like the snare Mute out all the other tracks so you can work on the track. You want the compressor to breath in time with the song. Look at a compressor as an instrument in your sound. I hope this helps all of you in your mixing and recording. Here are some Magic Frequencies Tip: Set your frequencies up as presets. Good Luck! Web Design by Michael R. Sound mixing: 10 essential tips | EMusicTips. Top 10 Reverb Tips and Tricks | EMusicTips. With reverb, you can make or break a space Imagine listening to a recording and half a minute into a song you notice something wrong.
You can’t quite put your finger on it; you just can’t feel the instruments, you feel attacked by the singer’s in-your-face voice and everything is just too…..dry. It’s like listening to music in a vacuum. There’s no space. Although listening to a reverb-free record is nearly impossible, (unless it was recorded entirely in an anechoic chamber), you can still have a really dry record if you don’t put any reverb on anything.
Reverb can be perceived as a glue that holds everything together, yet retains enough space to maintain a perceived distance between each element. Different modes of reverb There are quite a few different types of reverb. Room reverb – These types simulate the sound of having recorded something in a room. So now you know a little bit about the reverb modes you most commonly work with. I’ve decided to do an example of tip #7. Leave a Reply. RECCOMENDED EQUALIZATION FREQUENCIES. EQ Drums. One of the things I love most about recording music is that there are no rules.
One guy decides to use a cardboard box as his kick drum sound…and it sounds awesome. Another guy decides to sample in the sound of a screaming cat and blend it with the cymbals. (Okay, I’ve never seen that, but I bet it’s awesome.) You’re free to do whatever you want. Maybe that’s why so many people record music as a hobby. They spend 40 hours a week being told what they can and can’t do, but in the studio they can do whatever they want. The only real rule is that it needs to sound good.
But there is one “rule” I almost always follow when mixing drums…and it almost always works. It’s really simple. I’ve heard it over and over again from mix engineers. It’s hard to explain. This is all without boosting the lows or the highs. You’ve got a set budget for the month. You’ve got a set number of frequencies to work with. You decide you want to spend an extra $200 on a piece of gear. What do you think? How to start mixing a song. Handy EQ Reference.