4. First Mix
Bring up each track to start building your mix. The order should mimic the priority of each track, this depends on the style of the
music and your personal tastes.
(It is standard practice to start with the foundation, such things as drums & bass)
(This is were you start to build your sonic landscape, you determine which sound should be out front and which sound should be in
the background.)
(If necessary this is a good place to draw a sketch of your stage setup of the band, to help visualize your sonic landscape)
music production videos collection
3. Critique & EQ
3. Critique & EQ
Critique each track individually. Start by soloing (un-muting or only bringing up one fader) each track to ensure proper gain setting by
observing your level indicators. Setup noise gates and compressors if necessary. Perform your first rough EQ, do this EQ as fast as
possible, don't spend more than a few minutes per track
(the point of dimensioning returns is close at hand during this first pass, the perceived frequency distribution will shift/change, as all
tracks are mix together)
(Periodically switch the EQ section out and back in to help ensure you are making improvements.)
(General approach to EQ; if you have a parametric with tunable 'Q' use it to fix frequency problems, get rid of the bad sound. Use
shelving EQ's to do gross adjustments to the sound, since they effect a large range of frequencies.)
(It is usually better to cut, so work to cut the bad and if you have remaining control use this to enhance.)
(Adjustment to the EQ/frequency content can make dramatic changes to the gain structure of your signals/sounds, be sure to keep an
eye on this and make adjustment accordingly)
Critique each track individually. Start by soloing (un-muting or only bringing up one fader) each track to ensure proper gain setting by
observing your level indicators. Setup noise gates and compressors if necessary. Perform your first rough EQ, do this EQ as fast as
possible, don't spend more than a few minutes per track
(the point of dimensioning returns is close at hand during this first pass, the perceived frequency distribution will shift/change, as all
tracks are mix together)
(Periodically switch the EQ section out and back in to help ensure you are making improvements.)
(General approach to EQ; if you have a parametric with tunable 'Q' use it to fix frequency problems, get rid of the bad sound. Use
shelving EQ's to do gross adjustments to the sound, since they effect a large range of frequencies.)
(It is usually better to cut, so work to cut the bad and if you have remaining control use this to enhance.)
(Adjustment to the EQ/frequency content can make dramatic changes to the gain structure of your signals/sounds, be sure to keep an
eye on this and make adjustment accordingly)
2. Loop play
2. Loop play
Set the tape deck to play the song in loop-mode if possible. This allows the following steps to be completed in a continuous
procession.
Set the tape deck to play the song in loop-mode if possible. This allows the following steps to be completed in a continuous
procession.
1. Normalize & Mute
1. Normalize & Mute
Normalize each track by panning to the center, take the EQ section out or verify all settings are zeroed (this may be in the 12 o'clock
position), and turning down (off) all Aux Sends so that there are no effects. Pull all faders down (some people mute each channel, then
un-mute them individually as they proceed).
(This is a good place to play a reference CD, to help ensure the monitoring system is performing properly and you have a good
referenced starting point for your mix.)
Review any notes taken during the tracking process and your preproduction notes. Setup the signal routing scheme, configure patch
bays. Compressors and noise gate can be patched in and normalized so they have little or no effect (put device into bypass if possible,
set noise gates to a low threshold, etc.). It should be possible to assign outboard effects (reverbs) to the various tracks at this point
based on the song concept and basic ideas of the sonic landscape.
(It is perfectly acceptable to determine the concepts and sonic landscape as you progress through these mixing steps, this is art and
there are no rules, just guidelines or opinion.)
Normalize each track by panning to the center, take the EQ section out or verify all settings are zeroed (this may be in the 12 o'clock
position), and turning down (off) all Aux Sends so that there are no effects. Pull all faders down (some people mute each channel, then
un-mute them individually as they proceed).
(This is a good place to play a reference CD, to help ensure the monitoring system is performing properly and you have a good
referenced starting point for your mix.)
Review any notes taken during the tracking process and your preproduction notes. Setup the signal routing scheme, configure patch
bays. Compressors and noise gate can be patched in and normalized so they have little or no effect (put device into bypass if possible,
set noise gates to a low threshold, etc.). It should be possible to assign outboard effects (reverbs) to the various tracks at this point
based on the song concept and basic ideas of the sonic landscape.
(It is perfectly acceptable to determine the concepts and sonic landscape as you progress through these mixing steps, this is art and
there are no rules, just guidelines or opinion.)
mixing of a song
By: Howard Mangrum
The following is a ten step procedure for the mixing of a song. These steps can be varied in any way necessary to accommodate the
themes or concepts of the song or materials to be mixed. Please be aware that the detail of each step can change depending on your
equipment and the song. Sometime the song may not be fully developed and attempting to mixdown will make this evident, one of the
reasons why even the professionals do rough mixes. Final mixes are best approached when your ears are fresh, not at the end of an all
day tracking session. After mixing various projects you will develop your own procedure and you can feel free to throw this out, I
mean store this for further reference along with all of the other bad song ideas that your friends have come up with.
The following is a ten step procedure for the mixing of a song. These steps can be varied in any way necessary to accommodate the
themes or concepts of the song or materials to be mixed. Please be aware that the detail of each step can change depending on your
equipment and the song. Sometime the song may not be fully developed and attempting to mixdown will make this evident, one of the
reasons why even the professionals do rough mixes. Final mixes are best approached when your ears are fresh, not at the end of an all
day tracking session. After mixing various projects you will develop your own procedure and you can feel free to throw this out, I
mean store this for further reference along with all of the other bad song ideas that your friends have come up with.
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